110 research outputs found
Veien fra ide til lønnsom internettbasert applikasjon
Oppgavens hensikt.
Bacheloroppgaven har til hensikt å belyse det vi mener er sentrale problemstillinger knyttet til
å etablere en egenutviklet web applikasjon ut fra forretningsmessige og brukermessige behov
og strategier. Dette gjør at vi kan gjøre bruk av et bredt spekter av de kunnskaper som studiet
har gitt oss, samt etablerere ny og viktig kunnskap innen enkelte felt.
Omfang av undersøkelser og metodebruk.
Det har vært nødvendig å tilegne seg kunnskaper som ligger utenfor studiets pensum både når
det gjelder utviklingen av forretningsområdet og teknologiområdet. Utviklingen av
forretningsområdet har støttet seg på aktuelle problemområder som det finnes oppdatert
informasjon om på Internett. Her kan søkemotoroptimalisering nevnes som et godt eksempel.
Dette er et svært viktig område for oss sett både i et forretningsmessig og teknologisk
perspektiv og hvor oppdatert og relevant informasjon må hentes fra intemenkilder og ikke to
år gamle bøker.
Videre hadde vi et behov for å gjøre brukerundersøkelser for å belyse om vår applikasjon, i
form aven prototyp, tilfredsstilte brukerens behov for informasjon. Det ble etablert en egnet
testmetodikk som det er redegjort for i kapittel 2, metode.
Utviklingen av selve applikasjonen har vært aven eksperimentell karakter. Vi som utviklere
har måttet tilegne oss kompetanse underveis og realisert denne kompetansen i en helhetlig
applikasjon, prototypen. Vi har således fulgt en egendefmert tilnærming til metodikk som det
er redegjort for under kapitel 2, metode.
Resultater.
Ut fra definerte problemstillinger har vi slått fast at vår ide virker å være teknisk løsbar med
den kompetansen vi hadde og i tillegg har klart å tilegne oss underveis i prosjektet. Den
forretningsmessige visjonen har blitt bekreftet å være gyldig ut fra resultat av brukertester og
videre undersøkelser gjort under forretningsområdet. Brukertester og beste praksis sett fra et
brukerperspektiv har også gitt klare utviklingsretninger for en endelig applikasjon.
Planer videre.
Bacheloroppgaven avslutter første fase i etableringen av det nye Forbrukertipset.no. Vi har nå
en prototyp som må utvikles videre og modnes ut fra føringer som kommer fra
forretningsområdet og brukerområdet.
Det må videre jobbes aktivt for å kunne tilby flere produkter fra vår applikasjon, samt tilby
enda bedre soneringsmuligheter for brukeren. En tradisjonell søkemotor basert på fritekst må
implementeres slik at denne kan gi gode svarresultater for brukeren. Da vil vi sikre at
brukeren også får det som vanligvis er forventet med denne type tjenester. I tillegg har vi
konkrete planer om å lansere flere tjenester på nettstedet noe som igjen krever utvikling av
nye applikasjoner og en helhetlig integrering av alle applikasjonene på ett nettsted
Dietary Vitamin D3 Supplements Reduce Demyelination in the Cuprizone Model
Vitamin D is emerging as a probably important environmental risk factor in multiple sclerosis, affecting both susceptibility and disease progression. It is not known to what extent this effect is due to a modulation of peripheral lymphocyte function, or to intrathecal effects of vitamin D. We investigated the effect of dietary vitamin D3 content on de/remyelination in the cuprizone model, which is a well established toxic model of demyelination, with no associated lymphocyte infiltration. The mice received diets either deficient of (<50 IU/kg), or supplemented with low (500 IU/kg), high (6200 IU/kg) or very high (12500 IU/kg) amounts of vit D3. Cuprizone (0.2%) was added to the diet for six weeks, starting two weeks after onset of the experimental diets. Mouse brain tissue was histopathologically evaluated for myelin and oligodendrocyte loss, microglia/macrophage activation, and lymphocyte infiltration after six weeks of cuprizone exposure, and two weeks after discontinuation of cuprizone exposure. High and very high doses of vitamin D3 significantly reduced the extent of white matter demyelination (p = 0.004) and attenuated microglia activation (p = 0.001). No differences in the density of oligodendrocytes were observed between the diet groups. Two weeks after discontinuation of cuprizone exposure, remyelination was only detectable in the white matter of mice receiving diets deficient of or with low vitamin D3 content. In conclusion, high dietary doses of vitamin D3 reduce the extent of demyelination, and attenuate microglia activation and macrophage infiltration in a toxic model of demyelination, independent of lymphocyte infiltration
What is known about the health and living conditions of the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia, the Sami?
The Sami are the indigenous ethnic population of northern Scandinavia. Their health condition is poorly known, although the knowledge has improved over the last decade.The aim was to review the current information on mortality, diseases, and risk factor exposure in the Swedish Sami population.Health-related research on Sami cohorts published in scientific journals and anthologies was used to compare the health condition among the Sami and the majority non-Sami population. When relevant, data from the Sami populations in Swedish were compared with corresponding data from Norwegian and Finnish Sami populations.Life expectancy and mortality patterns of the Sami are similar to those of the majority population. Small differences in incidences of cancer and cardiovascular diseases have been reported. The traditional Sami lifestyle seems to contain elements that reduce the risk to develop cancer and cardiovascular diseases, e.g. physical activity, diet rich in antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids, and a strong cultural identity. Reindeer herding is an important cultural activity among the Sami and is associated with high risks for accidents. Pain in the lower back, neck, shoulders, elbows, and hands are frequent among both men and women in reindeer-herding families. For men, these symptoms are related to high exposure to terrain vehicles, particularly snowmobile, whereas for women psychosocial risk factors seem to more important, e.g. poor social support, high effort, low reward, and high economical responsibilities.Although the health condition of the Sami population appears to be rather similar to that of the general Swedish population, a number of specific health problems have been identified, especially among the reindeer-herding Sami. Most of these problems have their origin in marginalization and poor knowledge of the reindeer husbandry and the Sami culture in the majority population. It is suggested that the most sustainable measure to improve the health among the reindeer-herding Sami would be to improve the conditions of the reindeer husbandry and the Sami culture
Ventriculocisternostomia de Torkildsen no tratamento do hidrocefalo não comunicante: resultados em 67 casos
Galanin Transgenic Mice with Elevated Circulating Galanin Levels Alleviate Demyelination in a Cuprizone-Induced MS Mouse Model
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with a presumed autoimmune etiology. Approved treatments for MS are immunoregulatory and are able to reduce the inflammatory components of the disease. However, these treatments do not suppress progressive clinical disability. Approaches that directly protect myelin-producing oligodendrocytes and enhance remyelination are likely to improve long-term outcomes and reduce the rate of axonal damage. Galanin (GAL) is a bioactive neuropeptide that is widely distributed throughout the nervous system and has diverse neuromodulatory effects. In this study, using the cuprizone (CPZ) demyelination model of MS, we demonstrate that GAL has pronounced neuroprotective effects with respect to demyelination and remyelination. Using our GAL transgenic mouse (GAL-Tg), we identified a novel attenuation of OLs against CPZ induced demyelination, which was exerted independently of progenitor cells. Alleviation of myelin breakdown in the GAL-Tg mice was observed to be significant. Furthermore, we observed changes in the expression of the GAL receptor GalR1 during the demyelination and remyelination processes. Our data strongly indicate that GAL has the capacity to influence the outcome of primary insults that directly target OLs, as opposed to cases where immune activation is the primary pathogenic event. Taken together, these results suggest that GAL is a promising next-generation target for the treatment of MS
Cortical injury in multiple sclerosis; the role of the immune system
The easily identifiable, ubiquitous demyelination and neuronal damage that occurs within the cerebral white matter of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been the subject of extensive study. Accordingly, MS has historically been described as a disease of the white matter. Recently, the cerebral cortex (gray matter) of patients with MS has been recognized as an additional and major site of disease pathogenesis. This acknowledgement of cortical tissue damage is due, in part, to more powerful MRI that allows detection of such injury and to focused neuropathology-based investigations. Cortical tissue damage has been associated with inflammation that is less pronounced to that which is associated with damage in the white matter. There is, however, emerging evidence that suggests cortical damage can be closely associated with robust inflammation not only in the parenchyma, but also in the neighboring meninges. This manuscript will highlight the current knowledge of inflammation associated with cortical tissue injury. Historical literature along with contemporary work that focuses on both the absence and presence of inflammation in the cerebral cortex and in the cerebral meninges will be reviewed
Biomarkers Related to Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Plaques in Long-Term Survivors of Ischemic Stroke
Toxin-Based Models to Investigate Demyelination and Remyelination.
Clinical myelin diseases, and our best experimental approximations, are complex entities in which demyelination and remyelination proceed unpredictably and concurrently. These features can make it difficult to identify mechanistic details. Toxin-based models offer lesions with predictable spatiotemporal patterns and relatively discrete phases of damage and repair: a simpler system to study the relevant biology and how this can be manipulated. Here, we discuss the most widely used toxin-based models, with a focus on lysolecithin, ethidium bromide, and cuprizone. This includes an overview of their respective mechanisms, strengths, and limitations and step-by-step protocols for their use
Epstein-Barr Virus Stimulates Torque Teno Virus Replication: A Possible Relationship to Multiple Sclerosis
Viral infections have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has frequently been investigated as a possible candidate and torque teno virus (TTV) has also been discussed in this context. Nevertheless, mechanistic aspects remain unresolved. We report viral replication, as measured by genome amplification, as well as quantitative PCR of two TTV-HD14 isolates isolated from multiple sclerosis brain in a series of EBV-positive and -negative lymphoblastoid and Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines. Our results demonstrate the replication of both transfected TTV genomes up to day 21 post transfection in all the evaluated cell lines. Quantitative amplification indicates statistically significant enhanced TTV replication in the EBV-positive cell lines, including the EBV-converted BJAB line, in comparison to the EBV-negative Burkitt's lymphoma cell line BJAB. This suggests a helper effect of EBV infections in the replication of TTV. The present study provides information on a possible interaction of EBV and TTV in the etiology and progression of multiple sclerosis
Can we prevent or treat multiple sclerosis by individualised vitamin D supply?
Apart from its principal role in bone metabolism and calcium homeostasis, vitamin D has been attributed additional effects including an immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and possibly even neuroprotective capacity which implicates a possible role of vitamin D in autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). Indeed, several lines of evidence including epidemiologic, preclinical, and clinical data suggest that reduced vitamin D levels and/or dysregulation of vitamin D homeostasis is a risk factor for the development of multiple sclerosis on the one hand, and that vitamin D serum levels are inversely associated with disease activity and progression on the other hand. However, these data are not undisputable, and many questions regarding the preventive and therapeutic capacity of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis remain to be answered. In particular, available clinical data derived from interventional trials using vitamin D supplementation as a therapeutic approach in MS are inconclusive and partly contradictory. In this review, we summarise and critically evaluate the existing data on the possible link between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis in light of the crucial question whether optimization of vitamin D status may impact the risk and/or the course of multiple sclerosis
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