67 research outputs found
Complement C4 Copy Number Variation is Linked to SSA/Ro and SSB/La Autoantibodies in Systemic Inflammatory Autoimmune Diseases
Get PDFObjective
Copy number variation of the C4 complement components, C4A and C4B, has been associated with systemic inflammatory autoimmune diseases. This study was undertaken to investigate whether C4 copy number variation is connected to the autoimmune repertoire in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS), or myositis.
Methods
Using targeted DNA sequencing, we determined the copy number and genetic variants of C4 in 2,290 well-characterized Scandinavian patients with SLE, primary SS, or myositis and 1,251 healthy controls.
Results
A prominent relationship was observed between C4A copy number and the presence of SSA/SSB autoantibodies, which was shared between the 3 diseases. The strongest association was detected in patients with autoantibodies against both SSA and SSB and 0 C4A copies when compared to healthy controls (odds ratio [OR] 18.0 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 10.2â33.3]), whereas a weaker association was seen in patients without SSA/SSB autoantibodies (OR 3.1 [95% CI 1.7â5.5]). The copy number of C4 correlated positively with C4 plasma levels. Further, a common loss-of-function variant in C4A leading to reduced plasma C4 was more prevalent in SLE patients with a low copy number of C4A. Functionally, we showed that absence of C4A reduced the individualsâ capacity to deposit C4b on immune complexes.
Conclusion
We show that a low C4A copy number is more strongly associated with the autoantibody repertoire than with the clinically defined disease entities. These findings may have implications for understanding the etiopathogenetic mechanisms of systemic inflammatory autoimmune diseases and for patient stratification when taking the genetic profile into account.publishedVersio
EU Counterterrorist Sanctions and Individual Rights : An Examination of the Potential Difference in Level of Protection within the AFSJ and CFSP
No full textThe AFSJ is an area of law developed through the purpose of creating and withholding internal security and justice. This area is of vast importance due to both the realization of an internal market and a Union without internal borders. The CFSP is an area dealing with foreign policy, thus focusing on the security, defense and diplomatic action relating to third countries. There are extensive constitutional differences between the two areas of law. In terms of individual protection, the AFSJ has as one of the main purposes to provide the Union with an effective judicial system, where the right for a fair trial has a central role. In the CFSP, on the other hand, the original premise is that there is no protection for the individual. The main idea is that political aims concerning security and other relations to third countries governs the CFSP and triumph other aspects such as individual rights. Thus, individual rights have had a different development within the two areas. The protection has, however, developed in both of the areas, especially since the introduction of the Lisbon Treaty. The Kadi I case have had a vast impact on this development and showed that there used to be a lack of a clear legal basis for the adoption of counterterrorist sanctions and also noted the lack of judicial protection for the individuals. The case showed that the EU did not satisfy fundamental human rights. The Lisbon Treaty introduced two explicit legal bases in Articles 75 and 215 TFEU. This work shows, that the pre-existing problems concerning the legal basis still exist due to the unclear scope of application for the two articles. This renders problems of constitutional character and harms the effectiveness of the counterterrorist policy.  The Bamba case shows, that there is a difference in level of protection within Article 215 TFEU. The case did not concern counterterrorism measures but still has an impact on the overall impression of the level of the protection within the CFSP. This case further shows that counterterrorism is a field that is highly influenced by the AFSJ. The seemingly strong emphasis of individual rights within this area could, thus, in connection to the strong link between the AFSJ and the CFSP in terms of terrorism, have lead to a higher level of rights that otherwise donât exists within the CFSP. To conclude, even if there is no stated difference in level of protection, it has been shown that a practical difference in level of protection does in fact exist.OmrĂ„det för frihet, sĂ€kerhet och rĂ€ttvisa (AFSJ) har utvecklats utifrĂ„n syftet att skapa och upprĂ€tthĂ„lla intern sĂ€kerhet och rĂ€ttvisa. Detta omrĂ„de Ă€r sĂ„ledes betydelsefullt för skapandet av en fungerande inre marknad och av en Union utan inre grĂ€nser. OmrĂ„det för en gemensam utrikes- och sĂ€kerhetspolitik (GUSP) Ă€r ett omrĂ„de som hanterar EUs externa relationer, med fokus pĂ„ sĂ€kerhet och diplomatiska förbindelser. Det rĂ„der stora konstitutionella skillnader omrĂ„dena emellan. I frĂ„ga om individers rĂ€ttigheter, sĂ„ utgör dessa, inom ramen för en straffrĂ€ttslig kontext, ett utav AFSJs mest grundlĂ€ggande syften. Inom GUSP dĂ€remot, har utgĂ„ngspunkten varit att det inte finns nĂ„got rĂ€ttsligt skydd för individen. Det övergripande syftet inom GUSP uppnĂ„s i huvudsak genom politiska mĂ„l gĂ€llande relationerna till tredje lĂ€nder, dĂ€r skyddet för individen prioriteras bort. Individens rĂ€ttigheter har sĂ„ledes haft en olik utgĂ„ngspunkt inom de respektive omrĂ„dena. Skyddet för individen har dock utvecklats inom sĂ„vĂ€l AFSJ som inom GUSP, framförallt sedan Lissabonfördragets ikrafttrĂ€dande. Kadi I-fallet har haft stor betydelse för utvecklingen av individens skydd i terroristsammanhang och visade pĂ„ avsaknaden av en tydlig rĂ€ttslig grund som fanns inom EU, samt det bristfĂ€lliga individskydd som rĂ„dde. Fallet visade att EU inte upprĂ€tthöll grundlĂ€ggande skydd för individen. Lissabonfördraget introducerade tvĂ„ uttryckliga rĂ€ttsliga grunder för antagandet av anti-terroristsanktioner: artiklarna 75 och 215 TFEU. Detta arbete visar att de problem som fanns gĂ€llande de rĂ€ttsliga grunderna innan Lissabonfördragets ikrafttrĂ€dande, fortfarande i viss mĂ„n lever kvar, dĂ„ artiklarna har ett vagt tillĂ€mpningsomrĂ„de. Detta skapar konstitutionella problem och motverkar effektiviteten av anti-terroristarbetet. Bamba-fallet visar att det rĂ„der en skillnad i nivĂ„n av individens rĂ€ttigheter inom artikel 215 TFEU. Fallet rör inte anti-terroristsanktioner, men kan likvĂ€l pĂ„verka helhetssynen av individens skydd inom GUSP. Vidare belyser fallet AFSJs höga grad av pĂ„verkan av anti-terroristarbetet, vilket tyder pĂ„ att AFSJ har en inverkan Ă€ven pĂ„ nivĂ„n av individskyddet inom GUSP. Ăven om det inte finns en uttrycklig nivĂ„skillnad sĂ„ kan en skillnad utrönas i praktiken
EU Counterterrorist Sanctions and Individual Rights : An Examination of the Potential Difference in Level of Protection within the AFSJ and CFSP
No full textThe AFSJ is an area of law developed through the purpose of creating and withholding internal security and justice. This area is of vast importance due to both the realization of an internal market and a Union without internal borders. The CFSP is an area dealing with foreign policy, thus focusing on the security, defense and diplomatic action relating to third countries. There are extensive constitutional differences between the two areas of law. In terms of individual protection, the AFSJ has as one of the main purposes to provide the Union with an effective judicial system, where the right for a fair trial has a central role. In the CFSP, on the other hand, the original premise is that there is no protection for the individual. The main idea is that political aims concerning security and other relations to third countries governs the CFSP and triumph other aspects such as individual rights. Thus, individual rights have had a different development within the two areas. The protection has, however, developed in both of the areas, especially since the introduction of the Lisbon Treaty. The Kadi I case have had a vast impact on this development and showed that there used to be a lack of a clear legal basis for the adoption of counterterrorist sanctions and also noted the lack of judicial protection for the individuals. The case showed that the EU did not satisfy fundamental human rights. The Lisbon Treaty introduced two explicit legal bases in Articles 75 and 215 TFEU. This work shows, that the pre-existing problems concerning the legal basis still exist due to the unclear scope of application for the two articles. This renders problems of constitutional character and harms the effectiveness of the counterterrorist policy.  The Bamba case shows, that there is a difference in level of protection within Article 215 TFEU. The case did not concern counterterrorism measures but still has an impact on the overall impression of the level of the protection within the CFSP. This case further shows that counterterrorism is a field that is highly influenced by the AFSJ. The seemingly strong emphasis of individual rights within this area could, thus, in connection to the strong link between the AFSJ and the CFSP in terms of terrorism, have lead to a higher level of rights that otherwise donât exists within the CFSP. To conclude, even if there is no stated difference in level of protection, it has been shown that a practical difference in level of protection does in fact exist.OmrĂ„det för frihet, sĂ€kerhet och rĂ€ttvisa (AFSJ) har utvecklats utifrĂ„n syftet att skapa och upprĂ€tthĂ„lla intern sĂ€kerhet och rĂ€ttvisa. Detta omrĂ„de Ă€r sĂ„ledes betydelsefullt för skapandet av en fungerande inre marknad och av en Union utan inre grĂ€nser. OmrĂ„det för en gemensam utrikes- och sĂ€kerhetspolitik (GUSP) Ă€r ett omrĂ„de som hanterar EUs externa relationer, med fokus pĂ„ sĂ€kerhet och diplomatiska förbindelser. Det rĂ„der stora konstitutionella skillnader omrĂ„dena emellan. I frĂ„ga om individers rĂ€ttigheter, sĂ„ utgör dessa, inom ramen för en straffrĂ€ttslig kontext, ett utav AFSJs mest grundlĂ€ggande syften. Inom GUSP dĂ€remot, har utgĂ„ngspunkten varit att det inte finns nĂ„got rĂ€ttsligt skydd för individen. Det övergripande syftet inom GUSP uppnĂ„s i huvudsak genom politiska mĂ„l gĂ€llande relationerna till tredje lĂ€nder, dĂ€r skyddet för individen prioriteras bort. Individens rĂ€ttigheter har sĂ„ledes haft en olik utgĂ„ngspunkt inom de respektive omrĂ„dena. Skyddet för individen har dock utvecklats inom sĂ„vĂ€l AFSJ som inom GUSP, framförallt sedan Lissabonfördragets ikrafttrĂ€dande. Kadi I-fallet har haft stor betydelse för utvecklingen av individens skydd i terroristsammanhang och visade pĂ„ avsaknaden av en tydlig rĂ€ttslig grund som fanns inom EU, samt det bristfĂ€lliga individskydd som rĂ„dde. Fallet visade att EU inte upprĂ€tthöll grundlĂ€ggande skydd för individen. Lissabonfördraget introducerade tvĂ„ uttryckliga rĂ€ttsliga grunder för antagandet av anti-terroristsanktioner: artiklarna 75 och 215 TFEU. Detta arbete visar att de problem som fanns gĂ€llande de rĂ€ttsliga grunderna innan Lissabonfördragets ikrafttrĂ€dande, fortfarande i viss mĂ„n lever kvar, dĂ„ artiklarna har ett vagt tillĂ€mpningsomrĂ„de. Detta skapar konstitutionella problem och motverkar effektiviteten av anti-terroristarbetet. Bamba-fallet visar att det rĂ„der en skillnad i nivĂ„n av individens rĂ€ttigheter inom artikel 215 TFEU. Fallet rör inte anti-terroristsanktioner, men kan likvĂ€l pĂ„verka helhetssynen av individens skydd inom GUSP. Vidare belyser fallet AFSJs höga grad av pĂ„verkan av anti-terroristarbetet, vilket tyder pĂ„ att AFSJ har en inverkan Ă€ven pĂ„ nivĂ„n av individskyddet inom GUSP. Ăven om det inte finns en uttrycklig nivĂ„skillnad sĂ„ kan en skillnad utrönas i praktiken
Potentiell kvĂ€ve-och fosforretention i vĂ„tmarker pĂ„ södra Ăland
No full textVĂ„tmarker kan vara ett kostnadseffektivt sĂ€tt att reducera den stora mĂ€ngden nĂ€ringsĂ€mnen som varje Ă„r lĂ€cker frĂ„n land ut i Ăstersjön. I den jordbrukstĂ€ta kommunen MörbylĂ„nga pĂ„ Ăland har hittills fĂ„ Ă„tgĂ€rder gjorts för att minska nĂ€ringslĂ€ckaget. Av denna anledning startade Ălands vattenrĂ„d tillsammans med MörbylĂ„nga kommun vĂ„ren 2020 ett pilotprojekt för att utreda möjliga miljöeffekter av att skapa vĂ„tmarker inom kommunen. Detta examensarbete syftar till att undersöka den potentiella retention av kvĂ€ve-och fosfor i fem olika lokaler samt undersöka hur retentionseffektivitet pĂ„verkas av storleken (volymen) pĂ„ vĂ„tmarkerna. För att berĂ€kna retention anvĂ€ndes Jordbruksverkets retentionsmodeller skapade för vĂ„tmarker i södra Sverige. Sambanden mellan retention och vĂ„tmarksvolym undersöktes genom regressionsanalys. VĂ„tmarkernas areaspecifika-och relativa retention jĂ€mförs och rangordnas, liksom vĂ„tmarkernas vattenmagasineringspotential. Resultatet visar att vĂ„tmarkers totalretention (kg/Ă„r) blir större med ökad vĂ„tmarksvolym medan den arealspecifika retentionen (kg/ha och Ă„r) blir mindre. Per Ă„r kan 830-2655 kg kvĂ€ve och 14-115 kg fosfor avskiljas i de förslagna vĂ„tmarkerna. Störst Ă„rlig retention sker i de till ytan största vĂ„tmarkerna. Rangordningen för högst total retention av bĂ„de fosfor och kvĂ€ve följer vĂ„tmarkernas volym i storleksordning frĂ„n största till minsta. Den arealspecifika retentionen blir 36-760 kg kvĂ€ve/ha och Ă„r och 1,6â115 kg fosfor/ha och Ă„r. Högst arealspecifik retention sker i de till ytan mindre vĂ„tmarkerna. Rangordningen för arealspecifik retention följer vĂ„tmarkernas storlek frĂ„n minsta volym till största. Resultatet speglar tidigare studier som visat att högre belastning av nĂ€ringsĂ€mnen per ytenhet ökar retentionseffekten. Mindre vĂ„tmarker mottar ofta en högre belastning/ha Ă€n stora och blir sĂ„ledes effektivare per ytenhet. För att minska nĂ€ringslĂ€ckaget till Ăstersjön kan alltsĂ„ fler mindre vĂ„tmarker pĂ„ Ăland vara mer effektiva Ă€n enstaka stora med motsvarande yta.Pilotprojekt Ălands vattenrĂ„
Nutrition, training and recovery : A qualitative study of athletesâ perceptions
No full textBackground: Large components for athletes are nutrition, training and recovery. These components are subjects all by them selves in all kind of media. That woke my interest to find out more about the connections between nutrition, training and recovery and how much knowledge athletes have of them together. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate how athletes feelings and experience of nutrition, training and recovery. Method: A qualitative approach was used to investigate athletes eye on nutrition, training and recovery. Ten interviews were done face to face and notes was taken since no recording were done. Results: The results of the study shows that athletes donât have experience of nutrition, training and recovery together. Athletes have knowledge of nutrition, training and recovery one by one. The study showed the athletes the dependency of nutrition, training and recovery together. The athletes did all the components by themselves but had not the knowledge of how big the dependencies was between the components. The athletes wanted to learn more about the dependencies to take advantage of the components in their own training
Nutrition, training and recovery : A qualitative study of athletesâ perceptions
No full textBackground: Large components for athletes are nutrition, training and recovery. These components are subjects all by them selves in all kind of media. That woke my interest to find out more about the connections between nutrition, training and recovery and how much knowledge athletes have of them together. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate how athletes feelings and experience of nutrition, training and recovery. Method: A qualitative approach was used to investigate athletes eye on nutrition, training and recovery. Ten interviews were done face to face and notes was taken since no recording were done. Results: The results of the study shows that athletes donât have experience of nutrition, training and recovery together. Athletes have knowledge of nutrition, training and recovery one by one. The study showed the athletes the dependency of nutrition, training and recovery together. The athletes did all the components by themselves but had not the knowledge of how big the dependencies was between the components. The athletes wanted to learn more about the dependencies to take advantage of the components in their own training
Teaching with case-studies: What the leader can do to increase and maintain participation
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