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| 2. |
- Engström, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of the impact of genetic polymorphisms in glutathione-related genes on the association between methylmercury or n-3 polyunsaturated long chain fatty acids and risk of myocardial infarction : a case-control study
- 2011
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Ingår i: Environmental Health. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1476-069X. ; 10:33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which are present in fish, are protective against myocardial infarction. However, fish also contains methylmercury, which influences the risk of myocardial infarction, possibly by generating oxidative stress. Methylmercury is metabolized by conjugation to glutathione, which facilitates elimination. Glutathione is also an antioxidant. Individuals with certain polymorphisms in glutathione-related genes may tolerate higher exposures to methylmercury, due to faster metabolism and elimination and/or better glutathione-associated antioxidative capacity. They would thus benefit more from the protective agents in fish, such as eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid and selenium. The objective for this study was to elucidate whether genetic polymorphisms in glutathione-related genes modify the association between eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid or methylmercury and risk of first ever myocardial infarction. Methods: Polymorphisms in glutathione-synthesizing (glutamyl-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit, GCLC and glutamyl-cysteine ligase modifier subunit, GCLM) or glutathione-conjugating (glutathione S-transferase P, GSTP1) genes were genotyped in 1027 individuals from northern Sweden (458 cases of first-ever myocardial infarction and 569 matched controls). The impact of these polymorphisms on the association between erythrocyte-mercury (proxy for methylmercury) and risk of myocardial infarction, as well as between plasma eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid and risk of myocardial infarction, was evaluated by conditional logistic regression. The effect of erythrocyte-selenium on risk of myocardial infarction was also taken into consideration. Results: There were no strong genetic modifying effects on the association between plasma eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid or erythrocyte-mercury and risk of myocardial infarction risk. When eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid or erythrocyte-mercury were divided into tertiles, individuals with GCLM-588 TT genotype displayed a lower risk relative to the CC genotype in all but one tertile; in most tertiles the odds ratio was around 0.5 for TT. However, there were few TT carriers and the results were not statistically significant. The results were similar when taking plasma eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid, erythrocyte-selenium and erythrocyte-mercury into account simultaneously. Conclusions: No statistically significant genetic modifying effects were seen for the association between plasma eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid or erythrocyte-mercury and risk of myocardial infarction. Still, our results indicate that the relatively rare GCLM-588 TT genotype may have an impact, but a larger study is necessary for confirmation.
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| 3. |
- Engström, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic variation in glutathione-related genes and body burden of methylmercury
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives. - Research Triangle Park, N.C. : Environmental Health Perspectives. - 0091-6765 .- 1552-9924. ; 116:6, s. 734-739
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Exposure to toxic methylmercury (MeHg) through fish consumption is a large problem worldwide, and it has led to governmental recommendations of reduced fish consumption and blacklisting of mercury-contaminated fish. The elimination kinetics of MeHg varies greatly among individuals. Knowledge about the reasons for such variation is of importance for improving the risk assessment for MeHg. One possible explanation is hereditary differences in MeHg metabolism. MeHg is eliminated from the body as a glutathione (GSH) conjugate. OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to assess the influence of polymorphisms in GSH-synthesizing [glutamyl-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM-588) and glutamyl-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC-129)] or GSH-conjugating [glutathione S-transferase pi 1 (GSTP1-105 and GSTP1-114)] genes on MeHg retention. METHODS: Based on information obtained from questionnaires, 292 subjects from northern Sweden had a high consumption of fish (lean/fat fish two to three times per week or more). We measured total Hg in erythrocytes (Ery-Hg) and long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma (P-PUFA; an exposure marker for fish intake). RESULTS: The GSTP1 genotype modified Ery-Hg; effects were seen for GSTP1-105 and -114 separately, and combining them resulted in stronger effects. We found evidence of effect modification: individuals with zero or one variant allele demonstrated a steeper regression slope for Ery-Hg (p = 0.038) compared with individuals with two or more variant alleles. The GCLM-588 genotype also influenced Ery-Hg (p = 0.035): Individuals with the GCLM-588 TT genotype demonstrated the highest Ery-Hg, but we saw no evidence of effect modification with increasing P-PUFA. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a role of GSH-related polymorphisms in MeHg metabolism.
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| 4. |
- Gliga, Anda R., et al.
(författare)
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Exposure to Mild Steel Welding and Changes in Serum Proteins With Putative Neurological Function—A Longitudinal Study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Public Health. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-2565. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Welders are exposed to high levels of metal particles, consisting mainly of iron and manganese (Mn) oxide. Metal particles, especially those containing Mn can be neurotoxic. In this exploratory study, we evaluated associations between welding and expression of 87 putative neurology-related proteins in serum in a longitudinal approach. The study cohort from southern Sweden included welders working with mild steel (n = 56) and controls (n = 67), all male and non-smoking, which were sampled at two timepoints (T1, T2) 6-year apart. Observed associations in the longitudinal analysis (linear mixed models) were further evaluated (linear regression models) in another cross-sectional sample which included welders (n = 102) and controls (n = 89) who were sampled only once (T1 or T2). The median respirable dust levels for welders after adjusting for respiratory protection was at T1 0.6 (5–95 percentile: 0.2–4.2) and at T2 0.5 (0.1–1.8) mg/m3. The adjusted median respirable Mn concentration was at T2 0.049 mg/m3 (0.003–0.314) with a Spearman correlation between adjusted respirable dust and respirable Mn of rS = 0.88. We identified five neurology-related proteins that were differentially expressed in welders vs. controls in the longitudinal sample, of which one (nicotinamide/nicotinic acid mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1; NMNAT1) was also differentially expressed in the cross-sectional sample. NMNAT1, an axon-protective protein linked to Alzheimers disease, was upregulated in welders compared with controls but no associations were discerned with degree of exposure (welders only: years welding, respirable dust, cumulative exposure). However, we identified five additional proteins that were associated with years welding (GCSF, EFNA4, CTSS, CLM6, VWC2; welders only) both in the longitudinal and in the cross-sectional samples. We also observed several neurology-related proteins that were associated with age and BMI. Our study indicates that low-to-moderate exposure to welding fumes is associated with changes in circulating levels of neurology-related proteins.
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| 6. |
- Sonesson, Ulf, et al.
(författare)
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Paths to a sustainable food sector: integrated design and LCA of future food supply chains : the case of pork production in Sweden
- 2016
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Ingår i: The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. - : Springer Ferlag. - 0948-3349 .- 1614-7502. ; 21:5, s. 664-676
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To describe a more sustainable food sector, a supply chain approach is needed. Changing a supply chain inevitably means that various attributes of the product and its system will change. This project assumed this challenge and delivered detailed descriptions, life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluations, and consequence assessments of the supply chains of six commodities, i.e., milk, cheese, beef, pork, chicken, and bread, from a Swedish region. This paper presents results for the pork supply chain. Methods: In the project setup, experts on production along supply chains designed three scenarios for environmentally improved systems. These scenarios, i.e., the ecosystem, plant nutrients, and climate scenarios, were intended to address different clusters of environmental goals. The next step was to challenge these scenarios by considering their possible consequences for products and systems from the food safety, sensory quality, animal welfare, consumer appreciation, and (for primary production only) cost perspectives. This led to changes in production system design to prevent negative consequences. The final supply chains were quantified using LCA and were again assessed from the three perspectives. Results and discussion: The scenario design approach worked well, thoroughly and credibly describing the production systems. Assessment of consequences bolstered the credibility and quality of the systems and results. The LCA of pig production and smoked ham identified large potentials for improvement by implementing available knowledge: global warming potential (GWP) could be reduced 21–54 % and marine eutrophication by 14–45 %. The main reason for these improvements was improved productivity (approaching the best producers’ current performance), though dedicated measures were also important, resulting in increased nitrogen efficiency, more varied crop rotations for crop production and better production management, and improved animal health and manure management for animal production. Reduced post-farm wastage contributed as did reduced emissions from fertilizer production. Conclusions: The working approach applied was successful in integrating LCA research with food system production expertise to deliver results relevant to supply chain decision-makers. The consequence assessments brought considerable value to the project, giving its results greater credibility. By introducing constraints in the form of “no negative consequences and no increased costs,” the work was “guided” so that the scenario design avoided being hampered by too many opportunities.
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| 7. |
- Taj, Tahir, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of welding fumes on the cardiovascular system: a six-year longitudinal study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment & Health. - : Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - 0355-3140 .- 1795-990X. ; 47:1, s. 52-61
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective This study investigated whether low-to-moderate exposure to welding fumes is associated with adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Methods To test this, we performed a longitudinal analysis of 78 mild steel welders and 96 controls; these subjects were examined twice, six years apart (ie, timepoints 1 and 2). All subjects (male and non-smoking at recruitment) completed questionnaires describing their health, work history, and lifestyle. We measured their blood pressure, endothelial function (by EndoPAT), and risk markers for cardiovascular disease [low-density lio-protein (LDL), homocysteine, C-reactive protein]. Exposure to welding fumes was assessed from the responses to questionnaires and measurements of respirable dust in their breathing zones adjusted for use of respiratory protection equipment. Linear mixed-effect regression models were used for the longitudinal analysis. Results Median respirable dust concentrations, adjusted for respirable protection, of the welders were 0.7 (5-95 percentile range 0.2-4.2) and 0.5 (0.1-1.9) mg/m 3 at timepoints 1 and 2, respectively. Over the six-year period, welders showed a statistically significant increase in systolic [5.11 mm Hg, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.92-8.31] and diastolic (3.12 mm Hg, 95% CI 0.74-5.5) blood pressure compared with controls (multi-variable adjusted mixed effect models). Diastolic blood pressure increased non-significantly by 0.22 mm Hg (95% CI-0.02-0.45) with every additional year of welding work. No consistent significant associations were found between exposure and endothelial function, LDL, homocysteine, or C-reactive protein. Conclusion Exposure to welding fumes at low-to-moderate levels is associated with increased blood pressure, suggesting that reducing the occupational exposure limit (2.5 mg/m(3) for inorganic respirable dust in Sweden) is needed to protect cardiovascular health of workers.
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| 8. |
- Wickström, Erik, et al.
(författare)
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Relationship between somatic cell count, polymorphonuclear leucocyte count and quality parameters in bovine bulk tank milk
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Dairy Research. - 0022-0299 .- 1469-7629. ; 76, s. 195-201
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The somatic cell count (SCC) in bovine bulk tank milk is presently used as an indicator of raw milk quality, reflecting the udder health status of the herd. During mastitis, SCC increases, mostly owing to an influx of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) from blood into milk, with a concomitant change in milk composition. Bulk tank milk samples were categorized according to their SCC, as well as polymorphonuclear leucocyte count (PMNC), to study relationships between SCC, PMNC and various raw milk quality traits, i.e. contents of total protein, whey protein, casein, fat and lactose, casein number, proteolysis and rheological properties. The proportion of PMN, obtained by direct microscopy, was significantly higher in samples with high SCC compared with low SCC samples. SCC and PMNC were strongly correlated, yielding a correlation coefficient of 0.85. High SCC samples had lower lactose and casein contents, lower casein number and more proteolysis than low SCC samples. Samples with high PMNC had a lower casein number than low PMNC samples. Samples with high and low SCC or PMNC did not differ in respect to rheological properties. Our results do not indicate that PMNC is a better biomarker than SCC for raw bulk tank milk quality, as previously proposed.
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| 9. |
- Almerud, Pernilla, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Cadmium, total mercury, and lead in blood and associations with diet, sociodemographic factors, and smoking in Swedish adolescents
- 2021
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Ingår i: Environmental Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0013-9351. ; 197
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Despite their vulnerability to the toxic effects of certain metals, biomonitoring data on adolescents are limited. In the present study, we assessed blood concentrations of toxic metals (cadmium [Cd], total mercury [Hg], and lead [Pb] in a national representative sample of Swedish adolescents. We also examined the associations of Cd, total Hg and Pb with habitual intakes of major energy-providing food groups and other possible determinants such as age, sex, household education, Nordic or non-Nordic origin, and smoking. Methods: We analysed blood concentrations of Cd, total Hg, and Pb in a sample of 1099 adolescents from the Riksmaten Adolescents 2016–17 study in three age groups (mean age of 12, 15, and 18 years) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The participants completed web-based questionnaires on food consumption frequency, sociodemographic factors and health status. Dietary data from two web-based 24-h dietary recalls were used to estimate the habitual intake of 10 major food groups. Results: Almost all participants had detectable concentrations of Cd, total Hg, and Pb in whole blood. The median blood concentrations were 0.12 μg/L for Cd, 0.72 μg/L for total Hg, and 7.1 μg/L for Pb. Higher blood concentrations of Cd were observed in girls than in boys, whereas concentrations of total Hg and Pb were higher in boys. We observed an inverse association between Cd and meat intake. Total Hg concentrations were positively associated with intakes of fish, eggs, meat, and vegetables, and Pb concentrations were inversely associated with intakes of dairy products. Furthermore, smokers had higher concentrations of Cd and Pb. Conclusions: We found that fish was a potentially important source of exposure to total Hg in Swedish adolescents. No other food group was identified to have a strong impact on the blood levels of Cd, total Hg and Pb. Thirteen per cent of the adolescents had blood Pb concentrations above 12 μg/L, the reference point used in the risk assessment of Pb by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). © 2021 The Authors
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| 10. |
- Andersson, Karin, 1952, et al.
(författare)
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Pre-study on sustainability indices for shipping
- 2017
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Demands on reporting and communication of the sustainability performance within a company as well as externally and how the demands on continuous improvement are fulfilled, has led to a development and also standardisation of sustainability indicators and indices. In shipping, like in all sectors, numerous indices or reporting systems have been developed and are used for various purposes. The aim has often been for communication with cargo owners and passengers, but also to be used as a basis for economic incentives intended to decrease emissions in ports and fairways. With increased demands on aspects included, it is obvious that a future sustainability index for shipping needs to include social and economic aspects in addition to natural environment and resource use. The present report is a pre-study with a review on existing indices in the shipping sector, and an outlook to other areas, followed by a discussion on possible development paths of more comprehensive sustainability indices. The conclusions are: The available environmental indices for shipping are many and there are initiatives, like CSI, that cover many relevant aspects. However, the indices are not very developed what concerns working conditions or socioeconomic costs. Also, economic parameters describing the ship-owner as a company are not included. The scrapping process foreseen for a ship can be further developed and included in indices. For further development, the following is suggested: • Develop indicators that can be used for describing work environment with the goal of introduction into an index. • The development of socioeconomic cost assessments, for example in terms of ecosystem services, is interesting and could be included in indices in the future. It is recommended that this development is followed for future use. • At the moment, there is not an easy way to include the economic dimension in terms of economic stability of the company in an index, but this should be further investigated. • The possible use of MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) in indices should be evaluated.
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