| 1. |
- Amin, Khabat, et al.
(författare)
-
Injury Reducing Effect of GSHP-Heated Pedestrian Paths
- 2024
-
Ingår i: International Ground Source Heat Pump Association-Research Conference. ; , s. 227-235
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Sweden, falls amongst pedestrians during wintertime, due to slipping on ice and snow, is a costly and growing problem. Using data on pedestrian falls from four Swedish cities, the injury-reducing effect of heated surfaces was studied. The results indicate that heated surfaces have a significant injury-reducing effect especially in cities with more ice and snow. Currently, district heating is used as a heat source and at an increasing cost. By using GSHP systems as a heat source, the cost could be considerably lowered, and in this way secure the further use and expansion of heated pedestrian paths.
|
|
| 2. |
- Andersson Lundell, Anna-Carin, 1976, et al.
(författare)
-
Development of gut-homing receptors on circulating B cells during infancy.
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Clinical immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1521-7035 .- 1521-6616. ; 138:1, s. 97-106
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- B cell gut-homing is mainly mediated by α4β7, CCR9 and CCR10. We here studied the expression of these receptors on B cells from cord blood and from peripheral blood at 1, 4, 18 and 36months of age in a prospective cohort of Swedish infants. The proportion of all B cells expressing α4β7 as well as the fraction of CCR10+ B cells expressing α4β7 was highest in early infancy. Nearly all naïve B cells in all age groups expressed α4β7, whereas the expression on class-switched B cells decreased with age. Moreover, the proportion of both IgA+ and IgG+ B cells expressing α4β7, CCR9 and CCR10 were higher during the first months when compared to adults. In conclusion, the high fraction of circulating IgA+ and IgG+ B cells expressing CCR9 and CCR10 in the first months of life indicates activation of naïve B cells in the gut, coinciding with bacterial colonization.
|
|
| 3. |
- Ankarklev, Johan, et al.
(författare)
-
Comparative genomic analyses of freshly isolated Giardia intestinalis assemblage A isolates
- 2015
-
Ingår i: BMC Genomics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2164. ; 16
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The diarrhea-causing protozoan Giardia intestinalis makes up a species complex of eight different assemblages (A-H), where assemblage A and B infect humans. Comparative whole-genome analyses of three of these assemblages have shown that there is significant divergence at the inter-assemblage level, however little is currently known regarding variation at the intra-assemblage level. We have performed whole genome sequencing of two sub-assemblage AII isolates, recently axenized from symptomatic human patients, to study the biological and genetic diversity within assemblage A isolates. Results: Several biological differences between the new and earlier characterized assemblage A isolates were identified, including a difference in growth medium preference. The two AII isolates were of different sub-assemblage types (AII-1 [AS175] and AII-2 [AS98]) and showed size differences in the smallest chromosomes. The amount of genetic diversity was characterized in relation to the genome of the Giardia reference isolate WB, an assemblage AI isolate. Our analyses indicate that the divergence between AI and AII is approximately 1 %, represented by similar to 100,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) distributed over the chromosomes with enrichment in variable genomic regions containing surface antigens. The level of allelic sequence heterozygosity (ASH) in the two AII isolates was found to be 0.25-0.35 %, which is 25-30 fold higher than in the WB isolate and 10 fold higher than the assemblage AII isolate DH (0.037 %). 35 protein-encoding genes, not found in the WB genome, were identified in the two AII genomes. The large gene families of variant-specific surface proteins (VSPs) and high cysteine membrane proteins (HCMPs) showed isolate-specific divergences of the gene repertoires. Certain genes, often in small gene families with 2 to 8 members, localize to the variable regions of the genomes and show high sequence diversity between the assemblage A isolates. One of the families, Bactericidal/ Permeability Increasing-like protein (BPIL), with eight members was characterized further and the proteins were shown to localize to the ER in trophozoites. Conclusions: Giardia genomes are modular with highly conserved core regions mixed up by variable regions containing high levels of ASH, SNPs and variable surface antigens. There are significant genomic variations in assemblage A isolates, in terms of chromosome size, gene content, surface protein repertoire and gene polymorphisms and these differences mainly localize to the variable regions of the genomes. The large genetic differences within one assemblage of G. intestinalis strengthen the argument that the assemblages represent different Giardia species.
|
|
| 4. |
- Barregård, Lars, 1948, et al.
(författare)
-
Experimental exposure to wood smoke: effects on airway inflammation and oxidative stress.
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Occupational and environmental medicine. - : BMJ. - 1470-7926 .- 1351-0711. ; 65:5, s. 319-24
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Particulate air pollution affects cardiovascular and pulmonary disease and mortality. A main hypothesis about the mechanisms involved is that particles induce inflammation in lower airways, systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether short-term exposure to wood smoke in healthy subjects affects markers of pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress. METHODS: 13 subjects were exposed first to clean air and then to wood smoke in a chamber during 4-hour sessions, 1 week apart. The mass concentrations of fine particles at wood smoke exposure were 240-280 mug/m(3), and number concentrations were 95 000-180 000/cm(3), about half of the particles being ultrafine (<100 nm). Blood and breath samples were taken before and at various intervals after exposure to wood smoke and clean air and examined for exhaled nitric oxide and Clara cell protein in serum and urine, and malondialdehyde in exhaled breath condensate. RESULTS: Exposure to wood smoke increased alveolar nitric oxide 3 hours post-exposure while malondialdehyde levels in breath condensate were higher both immediately after and 20 hours after exposure. Serum Clara cell protein was increased 20 hours after exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Wood smoke at levels that can be found in smoky indoor environments caused an inflammatory response and signs of increased oxidative stress in the respiratory tract, especially in the lower airways.
|
|
| 5. |
- Günther, Göran, et al.
(författare)
-
Ticke-borne encephalitis is associated with low levels of interleukin-10 in cerebrospinal fluid
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Infection Ecology & Epidemiology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2000-8686. ; 1, s. 6029-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is associated with higher morbidity and induces a stronger intrathecal immune activation than most other viral induced meningo-encephalitis. The aim of this study was to investigate cytokine concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum in relation to aetiology and clinical course. Cytokines were analysed by Enzyme-linked Immuno Assay (ELISA) from 44 patients with TBE and from 36 patients with aseptic meningo-encephalitis of other aetiology (non-TBE). Significantly increased CSF levels of Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL- 1ra), and soluble CD8 receptor (sCD8) were detected in both cohorts. Tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α showed low levels or was not detected in CSF in any group in the acute stage. However, the CSF levels of IL- 10 were significantly lower in TBE than in non-TBE cases 06 days after onset of encephalitis. The TBE patients with encephalitis had significantly lower IL-10 CSF levels later in the clinical course (day 718) than TBE patients with meningeal disease. Increased IFN-γ production, but low IL-10 secretion, may be of pathophysiological significance in TBE.
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Neitzel, R. L., et al.
(författare)
-
Comparison of Multiple Measures of Noise Exposure in Paper Mills
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Annals of Occupational Hygiene. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0003-4878 .- 1475-3162. ; 60:5, s. 581-596
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Noise exposures are associated with a host of adverse health effects, yet these exposures remain inadequately characterized in many industrial operations, including paper mills. We assessed noise at four paper mills using three measures: (i) personal noise dosimetry, (ii) area noise measurements, and (iii) questionnaire items addressing several different aspects of perceived noise exposure. We assessed exposures to noise characterized using the three measures and compared the relationships between them. We also estimated the validity of each of the three measures using a novel application of the Method of Triads, which does not appear to have been used previously in the occupational health literature. We collected 209 valid dosimetry measurements and collected perceived noise exposure survey items from 170 workers, along with 100 area measurements. We identified exposures in excess of 85 dBA at all mills. The dosimetry and area noise measurements assigned to individual subjects generally showed good agreement, but for some operations within mill, large differences between the two measures were observed, and a substantial fraction of paired measures differed by > 5 dB. Perceived noise exposures varied greatly between the mills, particularly for an item related to difficulty speaking in noise. One perceived noise exposure item related to difficulty hearing due to noise showed strong and significant correlations with both dosimetry and area measurements. The Method of Triads analysis showed that dosimetry measures had the highest estimated validity coefficient (0.70), and that the best performing perceived exposure measure had validity that exceeded that of area measurements (0.48 versus 0.40, respectively). Workers in Swedish pulp mills have the potential for exposures to high levels of noise. Our results suggest that, while dosimetry remains the preferred approach to exposure assessment, perceived noise exposures can be used to evaluate potential exposures to noise in epidemiological studies.
|
|
| 9. |
- Neitzel, R. L., et al.
(författare)
-
Development of a Job Exposure Matrix for Noise in the Swedish Soft Tissue Paper Industry
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Annals of Work Exposures and Health. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2398-7308 .- 2398-7316. ; 62:2, s. 195-209
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Noise exposure is a common occupational hazard, but has not been sufficiently characterized in paper mills. We developed a job-exposure matrix (JEM) for noise exposure for use in estimating exposures among Swedish soft tissue paper mill workers.& para;& para;Methods: We used a combination of area and personal dosimetry noise exposure measurements made at four soft tissue paper mills by industry and research staff between 1977 and 2013 to estimate noise exposures by department, location, and job title. We then utilized these estimates, in conjunction with information on process and facility changes and use of hearing protection collected via focus groups, to create a seven-category, semi-quantitative JEM for all departments, locations, and job titles spanning the years 1940-2010.& para;& para;Results: The results of the 1157 area and personal dosimetry noise measurements indicated that noise levels have generally declined in Swedish paper mills over time, though these changes have been neither uniform nor monotonic within or across the four mills. Focus group results indicated that use of hearing protection has generally increased over time. The noise JEM totals 1917 cells, with each cell representing a unique combination of operation, job title, and single year. We estimated that -50% of workers at the four mills assessed were exposed at or above the Swedish 8-h average noise exposure limit of an 85 dBA at the conclusion of the study period in 2010.& para;& para;Conclusions: Our results highlight the continuing need for hearing loss prevention and noise control efforts at these and similar mills, and the completed JEM now represents a tool for use in epidemiological studies of noise-related health outcomes.
|
|
| 10. |
- Neitzel, Richard L, et al.
(författare)
-
Dust Exposures in Swedish Soft Tissue Paper Mills.
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Annals of work exposures and health. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2398-7316 .- 2398-7308. ; 66:1, s. 14-26
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Paper dust has previously been linked to adverse health effects. However, a comprehensive dataset of paper dust exposures does not appear to have been published previously. Our study was intended to address this need by describing a large dataset of measurements made in Swedish soft tissue paper mills.We compiled personal and area total dust exposure measurements collected from a range of operations by our research staff at four soft tissue paper mills in Sweden. We also compiled measurements made by the occupational health staff at each mill and the Swedish Work Environment Authority. We analyzed these measurements to describe patterns and trends in exposures and used mixed-effects regression models to identify measurement characteristics that predicted exposure levels.We compiled 1578 measurements from 1971 to 2009, of which 1026 (65%) were personal samples. Statistically significant differences were found between measurements made by research, mill, and Swedish Work Environment Authority staff, as well as between personal and area measurements. The measurement data suggest that, beginning in the 1980s, exposures declined at three of the four mills, but that overexposures were still common at the end of the period. Papermaking and converting operations had the highest observed dust exposures. One mill had significantly lower exposures than the others. Type of measurement (personal versus area) and source of measurement (research staff, company, or regulatory agency) were not significant predictors of measured total dust exposure after controlling for mill, operation, and time.Our analysis of measured paper dust exposures may be useful for historical and contemporary exposure assessment in our own and other epidemiological studies. We have identified specific characteristics (i.e. papermaking operations and mill) and time trends that are important data features to consider, and documented continuing overexposure situations. Our results highlight the ongoing need for application of exposure controls to reduce paper dust exposures in the soft tissue paper industry.
|
|
