Föräldrarollen - En fråga om kön? En diskursanalys av tidskriften Vi föräldrar om framställningen av föräldraroller

Föreliggande studie är en diskursanalys vars syfte är att undersöka hur den svenska tidskriften Vi föräldrar framställer föräldraroller samt om det skett en förändring gällande detta mellan åren 1987-2017. Studiens utgångspunkt är socialkonstruktivistisk varpå diskursbegreppet används både som metod och teoretiskt analysverktyg, för att uppnå en bredare förståelse av resultatet. Det empiriska materialet består av utgåvor från tidskriften Vi föräldrar vilka begränsas till åren 1987, 1996, 2005 och 2017. Diskursanalys används då ambitionen är att synliggöra och problematisera tidskriftens innehåll, både i text och bild. Studiens resultat visar att mamma- och papparoller framställs olika beroende på förälderns könstillhörighet. Resultatet visar även att det skett en förändring gällande mamma- och papparollerna i Vi föräldrar. Papparollen förändras från att mellan 1987 och 2005 skildras som lekpappa, hjälpare och assistent till mamman, till att under 2017 framställas som en mer deltagande och ansvarstagande pappa. Mammarollen förändras från att under 1987 och 1996 framställas som husmoder till att 2005 inta en mer projektliknande roll, under 2017 synliggörs diskursen om eftersträvandet av den perfekta mamman. Vidare framkommer att tidskriftens innehåll och framställning av föräldraroller följer det svenska samhällets utveckling mot ett mer jämställt föräldraskap. Studien ämnar bidra till förståelse för medias påverkan och bidragande till reproducering av traditionella könsroller med ambitionen att påverka till ett ökat normkritiskt förhållningssätt inom socialt arbete

Correlation between insulin-degrading enzyme versus total tau and selected cytokines in patients with Alzheimer´s disease compared to non-demented controls.

OBJECTIVE: It has been increasingly recognized that the pathological progress of Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is connected to metabolic function and inflammation. Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is essential for glucose metabolism and the degradation of amyloid-β. We aimed to explore the associations between IDE, total tau, and cytokines levels in plasma from subjects with AD and non-demented controls. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Plasma samples (18 patients diagnosed with AD and 6 non-demented controls) from the Netherlands Brain Bank were used to analyze IDE levels and total tau with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cytokines were analyzed with Luminex custom plex assays for interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Results were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U and Spearman´s rank correlation tests. RESULTS: Total tau in plasma was significantly increased in AD subjects compared to non-demented control subjects (p = 0.044). Total tau was positively correlated with IDE levels in plasma in all subjects (r = 0.494, p = 0.017). Significant correlations could be demonstrated between plasma levels of IDE and IL-6 (r = 0.546, p = 0.019), IL-8 (r = 0.664, p = 0.003), IL-10 (r = 0.833, p < 0.001), and TNF-α (r = 0.633, p = 0.005) in subjects with AD, but not in non-demented controls. CONCLUSION: Results from this study suggest that plasma IDE levels may be associated with inflammation and neurodegeneration and could potentially be a target for future diagnostic and treatment strategies

Correlation between insulin-degrading enzyme versus total tau and selected cytokines in patients with Alzheimer´s disease compared to non-demented controls.

OBJECTIVE: It has been increasingly recognized that the pathological progress of Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is connected to metabolic function and inflammation. Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is essential for glucose metabolism and the degradation of amyloid-β. We aimed to explore the associations between IDE, total tau, and cytokines levels in plasma from subjects with AD and non-demented controls. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Plasma samples (18 patients diagnosed with AD and 6 non-demented controls) from the Netherlands Brain Bank were used to analyze IDE levels and total tau with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cytokines were analyzed with Luminex custom plex assays for interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Results were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U and Spearman´s rank correlation tests. RESULTS: Total tau in plasma was significantly increased in AD subjects compared to non-demented control subjects (p = 0.044). Total tau was positively correlated with IDE levels in plasma in all subjects (r = 0.494, p = 0.017). Significant correlations could be demonstrated between plasma levels of IDE and IL-6 (r = 0.546, p = 0.019), IL-8 (r = 0.664, p = 0.003), IL-10 (r = 0.833, p < 0.001), and TNF-α (r = 0.633, p = 0.005) in subjects with AD, but not in non-demented controls. CONCLUSION: Results from this study suggest that plasma IDE levels may be associated with inflammation and neurodegeneration and could potentially be a target for future diagnostic and treatment strategies

Levels of eicosanoids in nasal secretions associated with nasal polyp severity in chronic rhinosinusitis

Severe nasal polyposis and mucosal inflammation, in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) may include a dysregulated eicosanoid profile, but a clinical role for eicosanoids in CRS with nasal polyps (NP; CRSwNP) remains to be elucidated. This study focused on assessing levels and clinical implications of inflammatory mediators in nasal secretions and urine from patients with different NP severity or Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD). Levels of leukotrienes E4 and B4, prostaglandins D2 and E2 as well as 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid were measured with enzyme immunoassays and cytokines with magnetic bead immunoassays. Patients with CRSwNP were subdivided based on NP score; CRSwNP-low (NP score ≤ 4, n = 11) or CRSwNP-high (NP score ≥ 5, n = 32) and compared to CRS without polyps (CRSsNP, n = 12), CRSwNP-AERD (n = 11) and individuals without CRS (n = 25). Smell test score, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), blood eosinophils and Sinonasal outcome test-22 were assessed as clinical markers. Leukotriene E4, prostaglandin D2 and 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid in nasal secretions correlated with NP score. Nasal leukotriene E4 also correlated with FeNO and smell test score, with highest levels found in CRSwNP-AERD. Levels of prostaglandin D2 in nasal secretion as well as urinary levels of the prostaglandin D2 metabolite 11β-prostaglandin F2α differed between CRSNP-high and CRSwNP-low. Urinary 11β-prostaglandin F2α was associated with asthma comorbidity whereas a similar association with prostaglandin D2 in nasal secretions was not observed. In conclusion, subdividing patients based on NP severity in combination with analysis of eicosanoids in non-invasively collected nasal secretions, may have clinical implications when assessing CRS disease severity

Distinct eicosanoid patterns in severe recalcitrant nasal polyposis

BACKGROUND: Although altered eicosanoid levels are related to disease severity in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), identifying patients prone to recurrent NPs is still difficult. We investigated levels of nasally secreted eicosanoids before and after NP surgery in patients with or without NP recurrence and explored potential endotypes based on pre-surgical eicosanoid levels. METHODS: Levels of leukotriene (LT) E4 , LTB4 , prostaglandin (PG) D2 , PGE2 and 15(S) hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15(S)-HETE) were measured in nasal secretions with specific immunoassays at pre-surgery (n = 38) and six- and 12-months post-surgery (n = 35) where NP recurrence was identified endoscopically. Pre- and post-surgical levels were compared between patients with and without NP recurrence. Eicosanoid patterns among patients were explored with cluster analysis and evaluated with clinical parameters. RESULTS: Patients with recurrent NPs had pronounced pre-surgical levels of nasal 15(S)-HETE, PGD2 and LTE4 . From pre-surgery to 12-months after, NP recurrence was associated with significant decrease of 15(S)-HETE and PGD2 relative to non-recurrence whereas levels of LTE4 decreased at six-months but increased again at 12-months. Clustering revealed three potential endotypes. Cluster 1 and 3 featured high and low eicosanoid levels, respectively. Cluster 2 had higher levels of LTE4 and PGD2 , lower levels of PGE2 and LTB4 , and more cases of recurrent NPs and previous NP surgeries. CONCLUSION: Elevated nasal LTE4 , 12-month post-surgery, in NP recurrent subjects suggests that postoperative LTE4 measurements may indicate rapid NP regrowth. A distinct nasal eicosanoid profile may be used for the identification of the most severe recalcitrant patients in need of targeted immunomodulatory therapies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Correlations between insulin-degrading enzyme and metabolic markers in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and healthy controls : A comparative study

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore correlations between insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) and markers of metabolic function in a group of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or Alzheimer's disease (AD) and metabolically healthy volunteers. METHOD: We included 120 individuals (47 with T2DM, 9 with AD, and 64 healthy controls). Serum levels of IDE were measured with commercial kits for ELISA. Differences in IDE levels between groups were analyzed with non-parametric ANCOVA, and correlations were analyzed with Spearman's rank correlations. We also investigated the influence of age, sex, and the use of insulin on the correlation using a non-parametric version of partial correlation. RESULTS: Patients diagnosed with T2DM had higher IDE levels than patients diagnosed with AD and healthy controls after adjustment for age and sex. IDE was increasingly associated with body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose, C-peptide, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin resistance, and triglycerides. In stratified analyses, we found a decreasing partial correlation between IDE and HbA1c in patients diagnosed with AD and a decreasing partial correlation between IDE and C-peptide in healthy controls. In patients diagnosed with T2DM, we found no partial correlations. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that IDE is essential in metabolic function and might reflect metabolic status, although it is not yet a biomarker that can be utilized in clinical practice. Further research on IDE in human blood may provide crucial insights into the full function of the enzyme

Hot saline irrigation in comparison to nasal packing after sinus surgery

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that hot saline solution (HSS) nasal irrigation is effective against nasal bleeding and is used to treat nasal hemorrhage. In a pilot study, we evaluated hot saline nasal irrigation in comparison to a routinely used nasal packing in terms of self-reported complications and mucosal healing after functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Methods: Patients undergoing surgery for bilateral chronic rhinosinusitis received polyvinyl acetate (PVA) nasal packing in the left nostril, and the right nostril was rinsed with 47°C sterile saline immediately after surgery. Patients' experiences of pain, bleeding, and other types of uncomfortable experiences were measured using a visual analog scale for each nostril before, during, and immediately after nasal packing removal. Two weeks post-surgery, the assessments were repeated including an endoscopic evaluation of the mucosa by the surgeon. Results: Twenty-seven patients completed the study. Prior to removal of the packing, the patients experienced significantly more pain and other uncomfortable experiences in the nostril treated with nasal packing, as compared to the nostril solely rinsed with hot saline. After removal, patients reported significantly more uncomfortable experiences from the packing treated nostril. Two weeks post-surgery, no difference in mucosal healing was observed between the two nostrils. Conclusions: The results from this study indicate that irrigation with HSS could be an alternative postoperative treatment to conventional PVA nasal packing. Hot saline irrigation may contribute to patients experiencing improved control of postoperative bleeding, pain, and less suffering of other causes as well as health-economic benefits, without affecting the mucosal healing up to 2 weeks post-surgery. Level of Evidence: 1b

High levels of urinary leukotriene E4 excretion in steroid treated patients with severe asthma

AbstractUrinary LTE4 reflects the whole body production of the cysteinyl-leukotrienes (LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4) that are established mediators in asthma. The influence of chronic inhaled and oral glucocorticoid treatment on urinary excretion of leukotriene (LT) E4 was investigated in subjects with asthma. Enzyme immunoassay analysis of LTE4 was performed in spot urine samples collected from 40 patients with severe asthma, 25 patients with mild–moderate asthma and 20 non-asthmatic control subjects. Urinary LTE4 was significantly higher in patients with severe asthma (69.7±5.5) as compared to mild–moderate asthma (45.7±3.3 with P<0.0004) and control (42.5±2.5 with P<0.0001). Despite chronic systemic treatment with glucocorticoids, chronically severe asthma had presented with higher levels of LTE4 compared to mild–moderate asthma and healthy controls. The findings support previous indications that one important component in asthmatic airway inflammation, the cysteinyl-leukotriene pathway remains relatively unopposed by oral glucocorticoids