| 1. |
- Andersson, Henrik, et al.
(författare)
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T A microarray analysis of the murine macrophage response to infection with Francisella tularensis LVS
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Microbiology. - : Microbiology Society. - 0022-2615 .- 1473-5644. ; 55:8, s. 1023-1033
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The response of cells of the mouse macrophage cell line J774 to infection with Francisella tularensis LVS was analysed by means of a DNA microarray representing approximately 18 500 genes (20 600 clones). The adaptive response was modest at all time points, and at most, 81 clones were differentially regulated from the time point of uptake of bacteria (0 min) up to 240 min later. For all five time points, 229 clones fulfilled the criteria of being differentially regulated, i.e. the ratio between infected versus non-infected cells was at least 1.7-fold up- or down-regulated and P <0.05. It was found that many of the differentially regulated genes are known to respond to stress in general and to oxidative stress specifically. However, at 120 min it was observed that genes that lead to depletion of glutathione were upregulated. Possibly, this was a result of mechanisms induced by F. tularensis. Generally, there was a conspicuous lack of inflammatory responses and, for example, although tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was upregulated at 0 min, a significant down-regulation was noted at all subsequent time points. When cells were treated with an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) or the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), the infection-induced cytopathogenic effect was significantly inhibited. Together, the results suggest that F. tularensis LVS infection confers an oxidative stress upon the target cells and that many of the host-defence mechanisms appear to be intended to counteract this stress. The infection is characterized by a very modest inflammatory response.
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| 2. |
- Bergknut, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
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Identification of potentially toxic compounds in complex extracts of environmental samples using GC-MS and multivariate data analysis
- 2007
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Ingår i: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. - 0730-7268 .- 1552-8618. ; 26:2, s. 208-17
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, we examined 31 samples of varying chemical composition, including samples of soils from gasworks, coke production sites, and sites where wood preservatives were heavily used; ash and soot from municipal solid waste incinerators; antiskid sand; and dust from areas with heavy road traffic. The samples were comprehensively chemically characterized, especially their polycyclic aromatic compound contents, using gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry, whereas their biological effects were assessed using dehydrogenase activity, root growth (Hordeum vulgare), reproduction of springtails (Folsomia candida), algal growth (Desmodesmus subspicatus), germinability (Sinapis alba), Vibrio fischeri, DR-CALUX, and Ames Salmonella assays. The number of compounds detected in the samples ranged from 123 to 527. Using the multivariate regression technique of partial-least-squares projections to latent structures, it was possible to find individual compounds that exhibited strong correlations with the different biological responses. Some of the results, however, indicate that a broader chemical characterization may be needed to identify all the compounds that may cause the measured biological responses.
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| 3. |
- Dracheva, Elena, et al.
(författare)
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In Silico Identification of Potential Thyroid Hormone System Disruptors among Chemicals in Human Serum and Chemicals with a High Exposure Index
- 2022
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 56:12, s. 8363-8372
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Data on toxic effects are at large missing the prevailing understanding of the risks of industrial chemicals. Thyroid hormone (TH) system disruption includes interferences of the life cycle of the thyroid hormones and may occur in various organs. In the current study, high-throughput screening data available for 14 putative molecular initiating events of adverse outcome pathways, related to disruption of the TH system, were used to develop 19 in silico models for identification of potential thyroid hormone system-disrupting chemicals. The conformal prediction framework with the underlying Random Forest was used as a wrapper for the models allowing for setting the desired confidence level and controlling the error rate of predictions. The trained models were then applied to two different databases: (i) an in-house database comprising xenobiotics identified in human blood and ii) currently used chemicals registered in the Swedish Product Register, which have been predicted to have a high exposure index to consumers. The application of these models showed that among currently used chemicals, fewer were overall predicted as active compared to chemicals identified in human blood. Chemicals of specific concern for TH disruption were identified from both databases based on their predicted activity.
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| 4. |
- Golosovskaia, Elena, 1993-
(författare)
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Development of in silico methods to aid chemical risk assessment : focusing on kinetic interactions in mixtures
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The environment and biota are constantly exposed to numerous chemicals through contaminated food, soil, water, and air. These chemicals can be taken up and distributed to reach sensitive tissues where they may cause various effects. Many of these chemicals lack data on their environmental and human health effects. Traditional toxicological tests relying on animal experiments are today being phased out in favor of cell-based and computational methods for early hazard detection and exposure assessment. This thesis focuses on developing computational tools for various stages of chemical risk assessment with a particular focus on bisphenols and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In Paper I, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models covering molecular targets of the thyroid hormone (TH) system were developed and applied to two data sets to prioritize chemicals of concern for detailed toxicological studies. In Papers II and III, experimental and computational approaches were combined to study toxicokinetics and maternal transfer in zebrafish. Our main focus was to study potential mixture effects on administration, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME) processes, i.e., to reveal if co-exposed chemicals impact each other’s ADME. Physiologically based kinetic (PBK) mixture models were developed to allow translation of external exposure concentrations into tissue concentrations and modelling plausible mechanisms of chemical interactions in a mixture.Main findings of this thesis are summarized as follows:• Application of QSAR models (Paper I) to two chemical inventories revealed that chemicals found in human blood could induce a large iirange of pathways in the TH system whereas chemicals used in Sweden with predicted high exposure index to consumers showed a lower likelihood to induce TH pathways.• Two zebrafish experiments (Paper II and Paper III) did not reveal statistically significant mixture effects on ADME of chemicals.• In Paper II, a PBK mixture model for PFAS accounting for competitive plasma protein binding was developed. The model demonstrated good predictive performance. Competitive plasma protein binding did not affect the predicted internal concentrations.• In Paper III we developed a binary PBK model parametrized for two bisphenols and PFOS showing that competitive plasma protein binding has an effect on ADME of bisphenols at PFOS concentrations at μg/L levels. At these levels internal concentrations of bisphenols were shown to decrease, implying that PFOS outcompeted bisphenols from studied plasma proteins resulting in higher excretion rates.Developed QSAR models showed good predictive power and the ability to identify and prioritize chemicals of concern with confidence. Additionally, PBK models aid in hypotheses testing and predicting exposure concentrations at which co-exposed chemicals could potentially influence each other’s ADME properties. These tools will provide overall early tier data on exposure and effects using non-testing methods in assessment of risks of chemicals.
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| 5. |
- Kriit, Hedi Katre, et al.
(författare)
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Using Distributed Lag Non-Linear Models to Estimate Exposure Lag-Response Associations between Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 19:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Long-term air pollution exposure increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, but little is known about the temporal relationships between exposure and health outcomes. This study aims to estimate the exposure-lag response between air pollution exposure and risk for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke incidence by applying distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs). Annual mean concentrations of particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5 ) and black carbon (BC) were estimated for participants in five Swedish cohorts using dispersion models. Simultaneous estimates of exposure lags 1–10 years using DLNMs were compared with separate year specific (single lag) estimates and estimates for lag 1–5-and 6–10-years using moving average exposure. The DLNM estimated no exposure lag-response between PM2.5 total, BC, and IHD. However, for PM2.5 from local sources, a 20% risk increase per 1 µg/m3 for 1-year lag was estimated. A risk increase for stroke was suggested in relation to lags 2–4-year PM2.5 and BC, and also lags 8–9-years BC. No associations were shown in single lag models. Increased risk estimates for stroke in relation to lag 1–5-and 6–10-years BC moving averages were observed. Estimates generally supported a greater contribution to increased risk from exposure windows closer in time to incident IHD and incident stroke. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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| 6. |
- Larsson, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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Identification of potential aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands by virtual screening of industrial chemicals
- 2018
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. - : Springer. - 0944-1344 .- 1614-7499. ; 25:3, s. 2436-2449
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have developed a virtual screening procedure to identify potential ligands to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) among a set of industrial chemicals. AhR is a key target for dioxin-like compounds, which is related to these compounds’ potential to induce cancer and a wide range of endocrine and immune system related effects. The virtual screening procedure included an initial filtration aiming at identifying chemicals with structural similarities to 66 known AhR binders, followed by three enrichment methods run in parallel. These include two ligand-based methods (structural fingerprints and nearest neighbor analysis) and one structure-based method using an AhR homology model. A set of 6,445 commonly used industrial chemicals was processed, and each step identified unique potential ligands. Seven compounds were identified by all three enrichment methods, and these compounds included known activators and suppressors of AhR. Only approximately 0.7% (41 compounds) of the studied industrial compounds was identified as potential AhR ligands and among these, 28 compounds have to our knowledge not been tested for AhR-mediated effects or have been screened with low purity. We suggest assessment of AhR-related activities of these compounds and in particular 2-chlorotrityl chloride, 3-p-hydroxyanilino-carbazole, and 3-(2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl)-5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2(3H)-one.
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| 7. |
- Nilsson Sommar, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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Long-term exposure to particulate air pollution and black carbon in relation to natural and cause-specific mortality: a multicohort study in Sweden
- 2021
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Ingår i: Bmj Open. - : BMJ. - 2044-6055. ; 11:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives To estimate concentration-response relationships for particulate matter (PM) and black carbon (BC) in relation to mortality in cohorts from three Swedish cities with comparatively low pollutant levels. Setting Cohorts from Gothenburg, Stockholm and Umea, Sweden. Design High-resolution dispersion models were used to estimate annual mean concentrations of PM with aerodynamic diameter <= 10 mu m (PM10) and <= 2.5 mu m (PM2.5), and BC, at individual addresses during each year of follow-up, 1990-2011. Moving averages were calculated for the time windows 1-5 years (lag1-5) and 6-10 years (lag6-10) preceding the outcome. Cause-specific mortality data were obtained from the national cause of death registry. Cohort-specific HRs were estimated using Cox regression models and then meta-analysed including a random effect of cohort. Participants During the study period, 7 340 cases of natural mortality, 2 755 cases of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and 817 cases of respiratory and lung cancer mortality were observed among in total 68 679 individuals and 689 813 person-years of follow-up. Results Both PM10 (range: 6.3-41.9 mu g/m(3)) and BC (range: 0.2-6.8 mu g/m(3)) were associated with natural mortality showing 17% (95% CI 6% to 31%) and 9% (95% CI 0% to 18%) increased risks per 10 mu g/m(3) and 1 mu g/m(3) of lag1-5 exposure, respectively. For PM2.5 (range: 4.0-22.4 mu g/m(3)), the estimated increase was 13% per 5 mu g/m(3), but less precise (95% CI -9% to 40%). Estimates for CVD mortality appeared higher for both PM10 and PM2.5. No association was observed with respiratory mortality. Conclusion The results support an effect of long-term air pollution on natural mortality and mortality in CVD with high relative risks also at low exposure levels. These findings are relevant for future decisions concerning air quality policies.
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| 8. |
- Nordanstig, Joakim, et al.
(författare)
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Mortality with Paclitaxel-Coated Devices in Peripheral Artery Disease.
- 2020
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Ingår i: The New England journal of medicine. - : Massachusetts Medical Society. - 1533-4406 .- 0028-4793. ; 383, s. 2538-46
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The results of a recent meta-analysis aroused concern about an increased risk of death associated with the use of paclitaxel-coated angioplasty balloons and stents in lower-limb endovascular interventions for symptomatic peripheral artery disease.We conducted an unplanned interim analysis of data from a multicenter, randomized, open-label, registry-based clinical trial. At the time of the analysis, 2289 patients had been randomly assigned to treatment with drug-coated devices (the drug-coated-device group, 1149 patients) or treatment with uncoated devices (the uncoated-device group, 1140 patients). Randomization was stratified according to disease severity on the basis of whether patients had chronic limb-threatening ischemia (1480 patients) or intermittent claudication (809 patients). The single end point for this interim analysis was all-cause mortality.No patients were lost to follow-up. Paclitaxel was used as the coating agent for all the drug-coated devices. During a mean follow-up of 2.49 years, 574 patients died, including 293 patients (25.5%) in the drug-coated-device group and 281 patients (24.6%) in the uncoated-device group (hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.22). At 1 year, all-cause mortality was 10.2% (117 patients) in the drug-coated-device group and 9.9% (113 patients) in the uncoated-device group. During the entire follow-up period, there was no significant difference in the incidence of death between the treatment groups among patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (33.4% [249 patients] in the drug-coated-device group and 33.1% [243 patients] in the uncoated-device group) or among those with intermittent claudication (10.9% [44 patients] and 9.4% [38 patients], respectively).In this randomized trial in which patients with peripheral artery disease received treatment with paclitaxel-coated or uncoated endovascular devices, the results of an unplanned interim analysis of all-cause mortality did not show a difference between the groups in the incidence of death during 1 to 4 years of follow-up. (Funded by the Swedish Research Council and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02051088.).
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| 9. |
- Persson, Mats, 1987-, et al.
(författare)
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Upper limits of the photon fluence rate on CT detectors : Case study on a commercial scanner
- 2016
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Ingår i: Medical physics (Lancaster). - : AMER ASSOC PHYSICISTS MEDICINE AMER INST PHYSICS. - 0094-2405. ; 43:7, s. 4398-4411
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The highest photon fluence rate that a computed tomography (CT) detector must be able to measure is an important parameter. The authors calculate the maximum transmitted fluence rate in a commercial CT scanner as a function of patient size for standard head, chest, and abdomen protocols. Methods: The authors scanned an anthropomorphic phantom (Kyoto Kagaku PBU-60) with the reference CT protocols provided by AAPM on a GE LightSpeed VCT scanner and noted the tube current applied with the tube current modulation (TCM) system. By rescaling this tube current using published measurements on the tube current modulation of a GE scanner [N. Keat, "CT scanner automatic exposure control systems," MHRA Evaluation Report 05016, ImPACT, London, UK, 2005], the authors could estimate the tube current that these protocols would have resulted in for other patient sizes. An ECG gated chest protocol was also simulated. Using measured dose rate profiles along the bowtie filters, the authors simulated imaging of anonymized patient images with a range of sizes on a GE VCT scanner and calculated the maximum transmitted fluence rate. In addition, the 99th and the 95th percentiles of the transmitted fluence rate distribution behind the patient are calculated and the effect of omitting projection lines passing just below the skin line is investigated. Results: The highest transmitted fluence rates on the detector for the AAPM reference protocols with centered patients are found for head images and for intermediate-sized chest images, both with a maximum of 3.4 . 10(8) mm(-2) s-1, at 949 mm distance from the source. Miscentering the head by 50 mm downward increases the maximum transmitted fluence rate to 5.7 . 10(8) mm(-2) s(-1). The ECG gated chest protocol gives fluence rates up to 2.3 . 10(8)-3.6 . 10(8) mm(-2) s(-1) depending on miscentering. Conclusions: The fluence rate on a CT detector reaches 3 . 10(8)-6 . 10(8) mm(-2) s(-1) in standard imaging protocols, with the highest rates occurring for ECG gated chest and miscentered head scans. These results will be useful to developers of CT detectors, in particular photon counting detectors. (C) 2016 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.
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| 10. |
- Rodriguez, Alvaro, et al.
(författare)
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Refining particle positions using circular symmetry
- 2017
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 12:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Particle and object tracking is gaining attention in industrial applications and is commonly applied in: colloidal, biophysical, ecological, and micro-fluidic research. Reliable tracking information is heavily dependent on the system under study and algorithms that correctly determine particle position between images. However, in a real environmental context with the presence of noise including particular or dissolved matter in water, and low and fluctuating light conditions, many algorithms fail to obtain reliable information. We propose a new algorithm, the Circular Symmetry algorithm (C-Sym), for detecting the position of a circular particle with high accuracy and precision in noisy conditions. The algorithm takes advantage of the spatial symmetry of the particle allowing for subpixel accuracy. We compare the proposed algorithm with four different methods using both synthetic and experimental datasets. The results show that C-Sym is the most accurate and precise algorithm when tracking micro-particles in all tested conditions and it has the potential for use in applications including tracking biota in their environment.
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