Decline of memory is often a complaint registered by members of an older adult population. There has been a limited amount of previous research evaluating subjective and objective memory in elderly Asian cultures. The purpose of this study was to explore factors related to memory function among Taiwanese older adults which included the following: the individual’s characteristics, perception of metamemory, degree of memory self-efficacy, and level of memory performance. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study. A proposed conceptual framework, based on the previous literature, was developed as the guideline for the study. Well established instruments were employed in measuring participants’ memory knowledge and attitudes, namely metamemory, (Metamemory in Adulthood), memory self-efficacy (Memory Efficacy), and memory performance (Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test). A non-probability sample of 130 Taiwanese older adults completed the interview. The research findings indicated that the participants reported above average knowledge of memory processes, achievement motivation regarding memory, a good memory capacity, personal control over their memory, and an ability to use memory strategies. In contrast, they perceived their memory as declining over time and were slightly anxious when considering memory tasks. In addition, they displayed a moderate level of confidence about their own memory, with elderly males expressing more confidence than females about their memory abilities. The memory performance of older Taiwanese adults was in the range of poor memory on the Rivermead. Factors contributing to memory function were correlated with each other. As stated above, these were individual characteristics, metamemory and memory self-efficacy. Significant predictors for memory performance were age, education, health status and memory selfefficacy. The results of this study suggested that culture-specific factors regarding memory are vital for older Taiwanese adults to evaluate their own memory. Potential topics for future research include: exploring the meaning of memory with an in-depth interview to distinguish memory self-efficacy from positive adaptation to memory deficit; understanding how memory operates while participants work in pairs rather than individually; and implementing an interventional program for health and cognitive promotion. / text

Epigenetics, or the reversible and heritable marks of gene regulation not including DNA sequence, encompasses modifications on both the DNA and histones and is as important as the DNA sequence itself. Gene transcription, DNA repair, DNA replication, and the cell cycle are each impacted by the chromatin structure. A variety of enzymes modulate these modifications, and a suite of factors interacts with them to aid in promoting or inhibiting cellular functions. Many of these chromatin-modifying factors are deregulated in cancer, making them novel therapeutic targets. This dissertation describes the identification of an H3K9 histone methyltransferase, SUV39H1, as a suppressor of rhabdomyosarcoma formation in zebrafish. This suppressor is dependent on the methyltransferase domain of the enzyme, ruling out any scaffold effects since this enzyme is a part of a multiprotein complex. SUV39H1-overexpressing and control tumors share many of the same characteristics, including proliferation rate, muscle differentiation state, and tumor growth rate. The tumor suppressive phenotype cannot be rescued by alterations in the downstream muscle program alone. However, SUV39H1-overexpressing fish initiate fewer tumors, which results in the observed suppressive phenotype. This initiation defect occurs between 5 and 7 days of life in the zebrafish, likely by impacting cyclin B1 expression. This dissertation also describes the development of a novel F1 transgenic screening strategy in the zebrafish. This approach was utilized to screen a variety of chromatin-modifying factors for their effects on hematopoietic development. The developed strategy will have future applications as a zebrafish screening tool. Our data suggest that chromatin-modifying factors play an important role in rhabdomyosarcoma and illustrate the use of the zebrafish in discovering genes involved in tumorigenesis and hematopoiesis.

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Zoology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Biochemistry / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Biochemistry / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Zoology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Biochemistry / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Zoology / Master / Master of Philosophy

Syfte och frågeställningar: Syftet med studien var att beskriva skador och träningsvanor hos löpare som uppsöker sjukgymnast på stora träningscenter i Stockholmsområdet. Frågeställningarna var: Vilka löprelaterade skador förekommer? Hur ser träningsvanor hos dessa löpare ut? Hur många har haft tidigare löprelaterade skador? Hur ser skillnaden i löpmängd ut mellan kvinnor och män samt mellan knäskadade och icke-knäskadade? Metod: En enkät utformades och lämnades ut till 18 sjukgymnaster som arbetar på 12 träningscenter i Stockholmsområdet. Frågorna i enkäten baserades på en tidigare enkät och modifierades och anpassades efter tillgänglig litteratur och studiens syfte. Enkäten var indelad i 4 delar och innehöll frågor om demografi, löpning, andra träningsvanor och skador. Personer 18 år och äldre med smärta i benet som uppkommit i samband med löpning inkluderades i studien. Totalt samlades 40 enkäter in under perioden 2014-01-29 till och med 2014-06-27. Deskriptiv statistik användes i form av antal och procent samt medelvärde och standarddeviation för normalfördelad data och median och interkvartilt avstånd (IQR) för icke-normalfördelad data. Analytisk statistik i form av student t-test för normalfördelad data och Mann Whitney-U för icke-normalfördelad data användes för de jämförande analyserna. Resultat: Av 40 deltagare var 19 st kvinnor och 21 st män. Knäskada var den mest förekommande skadan, vilket totalt 52.5 % angav. Meniskskada var den vanligaste diagnosen vilket 20 % av deltagarna hade följt av löparknä/iliotibialt smärtsyndrom (17.5 %) och achillestendinos (12.5 %). Asfalt var det vanligaste underlaget att springa på. Långdistans var den mest frekventa löpträningen följt av intervall och backträning. De flesta deltagarna styrketränade (78 %). Av de 40 deltagarna hade 23 st (57.5 %) haft en tidigare löprelaterad skada och endast 12 st blev besvärsfria ifrån denna tidigare skada. Det fanns ingen signifikant skillnad i löpmängd mellan knäskadade och icke-knäskadade. Dock fanns en tendens till signifikant skillnad mellan knäskadade och icke-knäskadade gällande löphastighet (p = 0.05). Det fanns en signifikant skillnad mellan kvinnor och män gällande löphastighet (p = 0.02), men inte gällande antal sprungna kilometer per vecka, antal minuter löpning eller antal löptillfällen per vecka. Slutsats: Studien visar att knäskada är den vanligaste skadan och meniskskada den vanligaste diagnosen följt av löparknä/iliotibialt smärtsyndrom och achillestendinos hos löpare som uppsöker sjukgymnast på de utvalda träningscentrena i Stockholmsområdet. Mer än hälften av deltagarna har haft en tidigare löprelaterad skada.  Framtida studier med fler deltagare behövs för att kunna undersöka och dra generella slutsatser om samband mellan löpmängd och olika löprelaterade skador samt om träning såsom styrketräning kan användas i skadeförebyggande syfte. / Aim: The purpose of the study was to describe injuries and training characteristics in runners who consult a physical therapist at a large training center in the County of Stockholm. Research questions: What running related injuries (RRI) do they have? What are the training characteristics of these runners? How many have had earlier RRIs? How does running volume in this sample differ between men and women as well as between knee-injured and non-knee injured runners? Method: A questionnaire was designed and handed to 18 physical therapists who work at 12 different training centers in the County of Stockholm. The questions in the questionnaire were based on a previous questionnaire then modified based on previous studies and adjusted to fit the purpose of the study. The questionnaire was divided into 4 parts with questions about demographics, running, other forms of training and injuries. People, 18 years and older, with pain from the hip down, that started during running were included in the study. A total of 40 questionnaires were collected from 2014-01-29 to 2014-06-27. Descriptive statistics were used as number of observations and percent as well as mean and standard deviation for normally distributed data and median and inter quartile range (IQR) for non-normally distributed data. Statistical analysis was performed using student t-test for normally distributed data and Mann Whitney-U test for non-normally distributed data. Results: There were a total of 40 participants, 19 female and 21 male. Knee injury was the most common injury which 52.5 % of the participants stated. Meniscal injury was the most common diagnosis with 20 % of the participants followed by runner’s knee/iliotibial band syndrome (17.5 %) and achillestendinosis (12.5 %). Asphalt was the most commonly used running surface. Long distance running was the most common type of running followed by interval and hill training. Most of the participants were performing strength training (78 %). 23 (57.5 %) of the 40 participants have had a previous running related injury. There was not a significant difference in running volume between participants with knee injury and non-knee injury. There was a tendency towards a significant difference in running speed between runners with knee injury and non- knee injury (p = 0.05). There was a significant difference between women and men regarding running speed (p = 0.02) but not regarding number of kilometers, number of minutes or number of occasions of running per week.  Conclusions: The study demonstrates that knee injury is the most common running injury and that meniscal injury is the most common diagnosis followed by runner’s knee/iliotibial band syndrome and achillestendinosis in runners diagnosed by a physical therapist at the chosen training centers in the County of Stockholm. More than 50% have had a previous running related injury. Future studies with more participants are needed in order to draw conclusions on relationships between running volume and RRIs and if strength training can be used as prevention of RRIs. / <p>Presenterat vid OMT/FYIM Kongress/Årsmöte Täby Park hotell 20-21 mars 2015</p>