| 1. |
- Anrup, Roland, et al.
(författare)
-
Centrala universitetsvärden hotas av bolagiseringsidén
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Dagens nyheter. - 1101-2447.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Högskolestiftelser. Förslaget att driva svenska universitet i stiftelseform öppnar för bolagisering. Men det är ingen riktig utredning, utan en politisk pamflett utan eftertanke. Privatisering av universitet hotar både oberoendet, forskningskvaliteten och samhällsnyttan, skriver 36 forskare vid svenska högskolor och universitet.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
- Bengtsson, Mattias
(författare)
-
Att lämna en placering i samhällsvård : En studie om ungas övergång från samhällsvård till vuxenliv
- 2022
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The focus in this thesis is young peoples’ (aged 17–20) experiences of leaving out-of-home care (OHC) and making the transition into adulthood. Prior research shows care leavers as a vulnerable group making the transition to adulthood at younger age, in shorter duration and with less support than their peers. The overarching aim is to gain knowledge of how young care leavers experience and handle their transition from OHC to adulthood, and how their experiences and strategies change over time. The study design is longitudinal with three waves of interviews: when still in care (T1), 6–11 months later when most of them had left care (T2) and another 10–19 months later (T3). Article I focuses the informants’ (n=15) expectations for their future and how these are changing over time (T1–T2). The participants’ short term expectations are characterized by worries (T1) and ambivalence (T2) – their long-term expectations are more optimistic (both T1 and T2) and tend to be guided by normative developmental patterns. The aim of article II is to study care leavers’ (n=20) strategies for handling adversities during their OHC transition. The results show that the participants over time (T1–T2) develop externally oriented strategies by navigating towards available resources, and internally oriented reflexive strategies for re-negotiating the meaning of their earlier experiences. Departing from an agency perspective article III focuses care leavers’ (n=14) transitional patterns of leaving care (T1–T3). Three patterns are identified: one stable long-term future oriented, one unstable short-term future oriented and one ambivalent pattern shuttling between long- and short-term future orientations. The aim in article IV is to study occupational trajectories, i.e. care leavers’ (n=14) paths into education and employment from a theoretical framework of agency vs. structure. The results show three ideal types of trajectories where agency is: (1) facilitated by structure, (2) perceived as free from structural constraints, and (3) hindered by structural constraints. The longitudinal design provides an original contribution the field of study by uncovering how care leavers’ expectations for their future is changing during the process of transition, how increasingly successful strategies are developed over time, and how transitional OHC patterns are influenced by the agents’ time horizons as well as by structural forces. A conclusion from the study is that societal support targeting young care leavers is deficient and needs to be developed and strengthened. Furthermore, the transition could be facilitated by extending the duration of the transition process, by including care leavers as active participating agents in the planning process of their passage out from OHC, and by strengthening the maintenance of care leavers’ relationships to supportive members in their formal and informal network. ”Independence” as the ultimate goal for young people leaving OHC is criticized based on the results showing that interdependent relationships to significant others is an integrated part of care leavers’ perception of adult life.
|
|
| 5. |
- Bengtsson, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
Teaming up or struggling alone from care to occupation – A study of young Swedish care leavers’ occupational trajectories
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Employment is crucial for independence and integration into society, but few studies have focused on care leavers’ own experiences of the transition to working life. This study presents longitudinal data on 14 young Swedish care leavers’ occupational trajectories from out-of-home care (OHC) towards working life. The first interview (T1) was conducted when the respondents were still in OHC but on the verge of leaving care, the second (T2) when the majority had left care, and the third (T3) when they had been out of care for some time. The aim was to study occupational trajectories from out-of-home care among young Swedish care leavers. What are the main features of their trajectories? How do they handle this transition? The thematic analysis generated three different occupational trajectories, recognized as “teamwork,” “lone wolf,” and “tug-of-war.” The theoretical concepts of structure and agency were used to understand these trajectories over time. “Agency enabled by structure” outlined the teamwork trajectory and seemed to imply a successful pathway towards working life. The lone wolf trajectory represented “agency perceived as free from structural constraint” and meant a successful “self-made” trajectory, however, at the expense of vulnerability, and the tug-of-war trajectory represented “agency hindered by structural constraint” as well as individual adversities.
|
|
| 6. |
- Bengtsson, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
Transitional patterns when leaving care – Care leavers’ agency in a longitudinal perspective
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Children and youth services review. - : Elsevier. - 0190-7409 .- 1873-7765. ; 118
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Based on three waves of semi-structured interviews, this longitudinal qualitative study aims to understand the transition from out-of-home care (OHC; foster care, residential care) to independent adulthood, for a group of Swedish care leavers aged 16–20 years (n = 14). What are the main patterns in their transition process? How is agency reflected in these processes? The first interview (T1) was conducted when they were all still in OHC but on the verge of leaving, the second (T2) when the majority had left care and the third (T3) when they had been out for some time. Average time from T1 to T3 was 21 months, ranging from 17 to 28 months. By directed content analysis and an abductive approach, three transitional patterns were identified: From care to societal insiders, From care to societal outsiders and From care to societal in-betweeners. These patterns were connected to different dimensions of agency. Agency with long-term goals was shown to be connected to a stable transition from care, facilitating the emerging identification as independent “insiders” of society. Agency oriented towards the short term instead seemed to be connected to unstable transitions with a growing perception of being left as “outsiders” of society. Shuttling between those agentic positions, trying to apply long-term agency but experiencing the need for instant and pragmatic decisions, implied a halted transition “in-between” OHC and independent adulthood.
|
|
| 7. |
- Bengtsson, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
‘Well, it’s up to me now’ – young care leavers’ strategies for handling adversities when leaving out-of-home care in Sweden
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Nordic Social Work Research. - : Routledge. - 2156-857X .- 2156-8588. ; 8:sup 1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AbstractThis qualitative longitudinal study of 20 young Swedish care leavers investigates their subjective experience of and strategies for handling adversities when being in the process of leaving out-of-home care. The empirical data is based on two sets of interviews, the first conducted at time 1 (T1) when they were still in care but the moving out process had begun, the second (T2) 6-10 months later when the vast majority had left care. The thematic analysis based on resilience theory showed that the majority of the informants over time developed process-oriented strategies, which in our categorization emanated either from the inner world of the informants (e.g. through re-framing of experiences and an emerging self-reliance) or from their outer contextual world (e.g. through a restructuring of the social network). The results are discussed from a resilience theoretical perspective in which the informants' strategies are illustrated by the conceptual pair of 'navigation' and 'negotiation', used to make sense of their inner and outer world-oriented strategies.
|
|
| 8. |
- Bengtsson, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
Young care leavers’ expectations of their future : A question of time horizon
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Child & Family Social Work. - : Wiley. - 1356-7500 .- 1365-2206. ; 23:2, s. 188-195
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper investigates young care leavers’ expectations of their future after discharge from care. The results are based on qualitative longitudinal data where 16- to 21-year-old care leavers (n = 15) were interviewed twice, first when still in care but planning for their discharge (T1) and the second time 6–9 months later (T2). The analysis using a general inductive approach showed that their expectations were dependent on the time horizon and that there was an obvious difference between the young informants’ short- and long-term expectations. Their short-term expectations consisted of worries connected to their approaching discharge (at T1) and how to cope with challenges of everyday life after discharge from care (at T2). These results seem to echo negative outcomes shown in previous quantitative research. However, the informants’ long-term expectations provide a different picture, being mainly positive in both interviews (T1 and T2). The results are discussed from a life course perspective, where the informants’ visions of their future are framed and understood in terms of the different stages of their transition process.
|
|
| 9. |
- Boåsen, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
-
Analysis of thermal embrittlement of a low alloy steel weldment using fracture toughness and microstructural investigations
- 2020
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A thermally aged low alloy steel is investigated in terms of its fracture toughness and microstructural evolution and compared to a reference. The main purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of thermal embrittlement on the brittle fracture toughness, and its effects on the influence of loss of crack tip constraint. Ageing appears to enable brittle fracture initiation from grain boundaries besides initiation from second phase particles, making the fracture toughness distribution bimodal as a result. The consequence is that the constraint effect is significantly reduced when grain boundary initiation dominates the toughness distribution, as compared to the reference material where the constraint effect is significant. The microstructure is investigated at the nano scale using atom probe tomography where nanometer sized Cu-rich clusters are found primarily situated on dislocation lines.
|
|
| 10. |
- Boåsen, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
-
Analysis of thermal embrittlement of a low alloy steel weldment using fracture toughness and microstructural investigations
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Engineering Fracture Mechanics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0013-7944 .- 1873-7315. ; 262
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A thermally aged low alloy steel weld metal is investigated in terms of its fracture toughness and microstructural evolution and compared to a reference. The main purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of embrittlement due to thermal ageing on the brittle fracture toughness, and its effects on the influence of loss of crack tip constraint. The comparison of the investigated materials has been made at temperatures that give the same median fracture toughness of the high constraint specimens, ensuring comparability of the low constraint specimens. Ageing appears to enable brittle fracture initiation from grain boundaries besides initiation from second phase particles, making the fracture toughness distribution bimodal. Consequently, this appears to reduce the facture toughness of the low constraint specimens of the aged material as compared to the reference material. The microstructure is investigated at the nano scale using atom probe tomography where nanometer sized Ni-Mn-rich clusters, precipitated during ageing, are found primarily situated on dislocation lines.
|
|
| 11. |
- Bäck, Maria, et al.
(författare)
-
The remote exercise SWEDEHEART study-Rationale and design of a multicenter registry-based cluster randomized crossover clinical trial (RRCT)
- 2023
-
Ingår i: American Heart Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-8703 .- 1097-6744. ; 262, s. 110-118
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Despite proven benefits of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (EBCR), few patients with myocardial infarction (MI) participate in and complete these programs.Study design and objectives: The Remote Exercise SWEDEHEART study is a large multicenter registry-based cluster randomized crossover clinical trial with a planned enrollment of 1500 patients with a recent MI. Patients at intervention centers will be offered supervised EBCR, either delivered remotely, center-based or as a combination of both modes, as self -preferred choice. At control centers, patients will be offered supervised center-based EBCR, only. The duration of each time period (intervention/control) for each center will be 15 months and then cross-over occurs. The primary aim is to evaluate if remotely delivered EBCR, offered as an alternative to center-based EBCR, can increase participation in EBCR sessions. The proportion completers in each group will be presented in a supportive responder analysis. The key secondary aim is to investigate if remote EBCR is as least as effective as center-based EBCR, in terms of physical fitness and patient-reported outcome measures. Follow-up of major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular-and all-cause mortality, recurrent hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome, heart failure hospitalization, stroke, and coronary revascularization) will be performed at 1 and 3 years. Safety monitoring of serious adverse events will be registered, and a cost-effectiveness analysis will be conducted to estimate the cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) associated with the intervention compared with control.Conclusions: The cluster randomized crossover clinical trial Remote Exercise SWEDEHEART study is evaluating if par-ticipation in EBCR sessions can be increased, which may contribute to health benefits both on a group level and for individual patients including a more equal access to health care.Trial registration The study is registered atClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04260958) (Am Heart J 2023;262:110-118.)
|
|
| 12. |
- Cotgreave, Ian, et al.
(författare)
-
Pyriproxifen and microcephaly: an investigation of potential ties to the ongoing "Zika epidemic"
- 2016
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- As part of the Swetox mission to react to emerging concerns in chemical health and environmental safety, a preliminary litterature investigation was undertaken to gather all readily available scientific information on PPF with respect to safety assessment, in order to better understand potential links between chemical exposure and the devopment of microcephaly in affected areas. Therefore the contents of the report do not constitute an attempt at either questioning the use of existing regulatory data in the manner prescribed by international regulatory proceedures, or as a new risk assessment, based on the scientific information and concepts discussed. Here we report our findings, with particular emphasis on exisiting regulatory information, potential for lack of translation of results from regulatory animal testing to humans, lack of human exposure data and suggestions on plausible mode(s) of action of PPF in human neurodevelopmental adversities such as microcephaly.
|
|
| 13. |
- Ekeblad, Sara, et al.
(författare)
-
Temozolomide as monotherapy is effective in treatment of advanced malignant neuroendocrine tumors
- 2007
-
Ingår i: Clinical Cancer Research. - 1078-0432 .- 1557-3265. ; 13:10, s. 2986-2991
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: A retrospective analysis of the toxicity and efficacy of temozolomide in advanced neuroendocrine tumors. Experimental Design: Thirty-six patients with advanced stages of neuroendocrine tumor (1 gastric, 7 thymic and 13 bronchial carcinoids, 12 pancreatic endocrine tumors, 1 paraganglioma, 1 neuroendocrine foregut, and 1 neuroendocrine cecal cancer) were treated with temozolomide (200 mg/m2) for 5 days every 4 weeks. Patients had previously received a mean of 2.4 antitumoral medical regimens. Tumor response was evaluated radiologically according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors every 3 months on an intent-to-treat basis. The circulating tumor marker plasma chromogranin A was also assessed. The expression of 06-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase, an enzyme implicated in chemotherapy resistance, was studied by immunohistochemistry (n = 23) and compared with response to temozolomide. Results: Median overall time to progression was 7 months (95% confidence interval, 3-10). Radiologic response was seen in 14% of patients and stable disease in 53%. Side effects were mainly hematologic; 14% experienced grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia (National Cancer Institute toxicity criteria). Ten patients had tumors with 06-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase immunoreactivity in <10% of nuclei, whereas four patients showed radiologic responses. Conclusions: Temozolomide as monotherapy had acceptable toxicity and antitumoral effects in a small series of patients with advanced malignant neuroendocrine tumors and four of these showed radiologic responses.
|
|
| 14. |
- Gennings, Chris, et al.
(författare)
-
Incorporating regulatory guideline values in analysis of epidemiology data
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier. - 0160-4120 .- 1873-6750. ; 120, s. 535-543
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fundamental to regulatory guidelines is to identify chemicals that are implicated with adverse human health effects and inform public health risk assessors about “acceptable ranges” of such environmental exposures (e.g., from consumer products and pesticides). The process is made more difficult when accounting for complex human exposures to multiple environmental chemicals. Herein we propose a new class of nonlinear statistical models for human data that incorporate and evaluate regulatory guideline values into analyses of health effects of exposure to chemical mixtures using so-called ‘desirability functions’ (DFs). The DFs are incorporated into nonlinear regression models to allow for the simultaneous estimation of points of departure for risk assessment of combinations of individual substances that are parts of chemical mixtures detected in humans. These are, in contrast to published so-called biomonitoring equivalent (BE) values and human biomonitoring (HBM) values that link regulatory guideline values from in vivo studies of single chemicals to internal concentrations monitored in humans. We illustrate the strategy through the analysis of prenatal concentrations of mixtures of 11 chemicals with suspected endocrine disrupting properties and two health effects: birth weight and language delay at 2.5 years. The strategy allows for the creation of a Mixture Desirability Function i.e., MDF, which is a uni-dimensional construct of the set of single chemical DFs; thus, it focuses the resulting inference to a single dimension for a more powerful one degree-of-freedom test of significance. Based on the application of this new method we conclude that the guideline values need to be lower than those for single chemicals when the chemicals are observed in combination to achieve a similar level of protection as was aimed for the individual chemicals. The proposed modeling may thus suggest data-driven uncertainty factors for single chemical risk assessment that takes environmental mixtures into account.
|
|
| 15. |
- Gustafsson, Mats, et al.
(författare)
-
Effekter av vinterdäck : en kunskapsöversikt
- 2006
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Choice of winter tyres has, from mainly being a matter of safety and economic costs for wearing of road pavements, during later years also become a matter of inhalable particles formed during pavement wear from studded tyres and their negative effects on public health. Further, the tyres' effects on environment and noise have been illustrated in several studies. The issue is also complicated by the fact that tyre choice effects on traffic safety have several components, including such diverging parameters as friction and behaviour. Finally all aspects have to be evaluated from a socioeconomic point of view for society to be able to decide which kind of distribution of tyre types that is the most profitable. This report is a summary of current knowledge in this complex research field.
|
|
| 16. |
- Hedlund, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
-
Mass transport in porous media from first principles : an experimental and theoretical study
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Journal of Membrane Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0376-7388 .- 1873-3123. ; 415-416, s. 271-277
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the present work, the mass transport of helium through zeolite is experimentally determined by measuring the flow of helium through a zeolite membrane. By using a mathematical model, the mass transport through defects was accounted for to arrive at mass transport through zeolite pores. For the first time, we could thereby experimentally show that the mass transport of helium in zeolite pores is strongly controlled by the amount and location of hydrocarbons in the zeolite pores and varies several orders of magnitude. The mass transport of helium in ZSM-5 zeolite pores is first reduced gradually more than one order of magnitude when the loading of n-hexane is increased from 0 to 47% of saturation. As the loading of n-hexane is further increased to 54% of saturation, the mass transport of helium in the zeolite pores is further reduced abruptly by more than two orders of magnitude. This gradual decrease followed by an abrupt decrease of mass transport is caused by adsorption of n-hexane in the zeolite pores. In a similar yet different fashion, the mass transport of helium in the zeolite pores is reduced abruptly by almost two orders of magnitude when the loading of benzene is increased from 0 to 19% of saturation due to adsorption of benzene in the pore intersections. Effective medium approximation percolation models with parameters estimated using density functional theory employing the local density approximation, i.e. models with no adjustable parameters and the most sophisticated theory yet applied to this system, can adequately describe the experimental observations.
|
|
| 17. |
- Helmfrid, Ingela, 1964-
(författare)
-
Exposure and body burden of environmental pollution and risk of cancer in a historically contaminated areas
- 2019
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- There are many villages where environmental contamination is substantial due to historical industrial activities. According to the European Environment Agency, there are about 2.5 million potentially contaminated sites in the European member states. In Sweden, there are about 80 000 more or less contaminated areas. About 1000 of them are classified into the highest risk category, Hazard Class 1, and should be remediated. Population exposure due to these industrially contaminated sites may contribute to adverse health effects and is a global environmental problem.The general aim of this thesis was to evaluate the occurrence of cancer in populations residing in contaminated areas in relation to indirect exposure via the long-term consumption of locally produced food, taking into account residential, occupational and lifestyle factors. Associations between reported local food consumption frequencies, biomarker concentrations and environmental and lifestyle factors were explored. The Swedish national cancer registers and questionnaire information was used to identify cancer risk groups in the study population. The questionnaire was evaluated regarding how well it reflected measured levels of biomarkers in human biological samples, and how the consumption of local food from contaminated areas contributed to the total body burden of contaminants.Despite historically high environmental levels of contaminants in the soil and sediments, current contaminant exposure in the studied population living in the contaminated areas was similar to or only moderately higher than that of the general population.No significant associations with increased cancer risk were detected in the highest tertile of metals concentrations in blood or PAH in urine.Reported long-term high consumption of certain local foods was associated with higher cadmium (vegetarian food) and lead (fish, meat) concentrations in blood and urine. Long-term high consumption of non-local food from places outside the study areas was not associated with increased concentrations of metals compared with consumers of local food. It was concluded that the questionnaire information on consumption of locally produced food describes differences in food consumption in the study population reasonably well.An increased risk of cancer was associated with smoking, family history of cancer and obesity. Residing in a contaminated area during the first five years of life was associated with an increased risk of cancer, which may indicate exposure to contaminants in early life. Also, long-term high consumption of particular local foods (fish, chicken, lamb, game meat) was associated with an increased risk of various forms of cancer, while reported high consumption of these foods from non-local sources was not associated with increased risk of cancer. The associations between habitual consumption of local food and different types of cancer may reflect a higher exposure in the past, and thus, if consumption of local food contributes to the risk of acquiring cancer, that contribution is probably lower today than previously. Furthermore, it cannot be ruled out that other contaminants in the food contribute to the increased cancer risks observed.In conclusion, the questionnaire that was developed for the present thesis can identify risk groups within populations and can be used as a tool in a health-risk assessment.
|
|
| 18. |
- Herlin, Maria, et al.
(författare)
-
Inhibitory effects on osteoblast differentiation in vitro by the polychlorinated biphenyl mixture Aroclor 1254 are mainly associated with the dioxin-like constituents.
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Toxicology in Vitro. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-3177 .- 0887-2333. ; 29:5, s. 876-883
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixture Aroclor 1254 alters bone tissue properties. However, the mechanisms responsible for the observed effects have not yet been clarified. This study compared the effect of Aroclor 1254 on the expression of osteoblast differentiation markers in MC3T3-E1 cells with the corresponding effect of the dioxin reference compound 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), and two PCB congeners belonging to the category of non-dioxin-like PCBs. The aim of the study was to quantify the relative influence of dioxin-like and non-dioxin-like PCB-components on osteoblast differentiation. Expression of marker genes for AhR activity and osteoblast differentiation were analyzed, and relative potency (REP) values were derived from Benchmark concentration-effect curves. Expression of alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin were decreased by both Aroclor 1254 and TCDD exposure, while the PCB-congeners PCB19 and PCB52 slightly induced the expression. The relative potency of Aroclor 1254 for inhibitory effects on osteoblast differentiation marker genes was within the expected range as estimated from the chemical composition of Aroclor 1254. These results are consistent with previously observed bone modulations following in vivo exposure to Aroclor 1254 and TCDD, and demonstrate that the inhibitory effects of Aroclor 1254 on osteoblast differentiation by the dioxin-like constituents are over-riding the contribution of non-dioxin-like PCBs.
|
|
| 19. |
- Hjort, Mattias, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
-
Bus accidents in wintertime
- 2010
-
Ingår i: PIARC 2010 XIII International Winter Road Congress, February 8-11, 2010, Quebec, Canada.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Buses in Sweden have a low accident risk. However, statistics from 1996 - 2002 indicate that the number of bus accidents in Sweden with personal injuries have been increasing by 4% yearly. Buses also have a higher percentage of accidents that occur on ice/snow covered roads than other vehicles. In Sweden passenger cars must be equipped with winter tyres during the winter period. There is no such regulation for heavy vehicles, and many buses are using summer tyres all around the year. The present project had the purpose of looking at the bus-winter problem in more detail, with the main focus on tyres. Four different studies were carried out: tyre tests, focus group discussions, driving simulator tests and an accident study. Here is given a short summary concerning methods and conclusions of each sub project.Tyre tests on smooth ice did not show any significant difference between summer tyres and non-studded winter tyres, while studded tyres exhibits a better ice grip than non-studded tyres. Nor did driving simulator tests with driving on ice covered road under the influence of heavy wind from the side show a difference between summer tyres and non-studded winter tyres. Also in these tests studded tyres were superior to non-studded. Accident statistics indicate that buses with summer tyres on the steering axle and winter tyres on the drive axle have the lowest estimated accident risk, which is in accordance with the results in a previous study. The results are however not statistically significant due the low number of accidents. Three focus groups were carried out and the importance of the tyres for traffic safety during winter was discussed. It is however hard from the gathered discussion material to estimate just how important the tyres really are. The results do not warrant a winter tyre regulation for heavy vehicles, and a restriction of the use of studded tyres for buses would probably have negative consequences on traffic safety.
|
|
| 20. |
- Hjort, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
Bussars trafiksäkerhet vintertid
- 2008
-
Rapport (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Earlier studies have shown that buses are overrepresented at accidents during winter road conditions compared to other vehicle types. Hence, the traffic safety of buses during the wintertime has been studied in more detail. The study comprised the following parts: - Gripping power studies on ice in VTI's tyre test facility. - Accident study and a survey of the use of tyre. - Focus group to gain knowledge about dangerous situations. - Driving simulator study to test the importance of the tyres during problematic situations.Tests in VTI's tyre test facility on smooth ice did not show any significant difference between summer tyres and non-studded winter tyres, while studded tyres exhibit a better ice grip than non-studded tyres. Nor did driving simulator tests when driving on ice covered road under the influence of heavy wind from the side show a difference between summer tyres and non-studded winter tyres. Also in these tests the studded tyres were superior to the non-studded. If studded tyres are used only on one axle, the driving simulator study showed that during side wind the ability to steer is important. The accident study showed that the buses that have summer tyres on the steering axle and winter tyres on the drivé axle has the lowest estimated accident risk, although it is not statistically significant. The buses equipped with studded tyres on both axles could not be statistically analysed since only 2 accidents occurred on bare roadways, and none on icy/snowy roadways, while at the same time the buses in this category drive a lot on icy/snowy roadways. This probably makes these buses the safest on winter roadways. From the focus groups it was clear that the time table has a great influence on the creating of stress and the demands on the drivers to keep the speed even during slippery roadways. Many bus drivers experience large problems with bad snow clearance, or other winter maintenance. At the same time there is a large consciousness among the drivers that it is always their own way of handling the vehicle that is the determining factor for traffic safety. The drivers were expressing a lack of further education and practical exercises with buses on slippery roads.
|
|
| 21. |
- Holm, Karin, et al.
(författare)
-
Convalescence plasma treatment of COVID-19 : results from a prematurely terminated randomized controlled open-label study in Southern Sweden
- 2021
-
Ingår i: BMC Research Notes. - : BioMed Central. - 1756-0500. ; 14:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Convalescent plasma has been tried as therapy for various viral infections. Early observational studies of convalescent plasma treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients were promising, but randomized controlled studies were lacking at the time. The objective of this study was to investigate if convalescent plasma is beneficial to hospitalized patients with COVID-19.Results: Hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 and an oxygen saturation below 94% were randomized 1:1 to receive convalescent plasma in addition to standard of care or standard of care only. The primary outcome was number of days of oxygen treatment to keep saturation above 93% within 28 days from inclusion. The study was prematurely terminated when thirty-one of 100 intended patients had been included. The median time of oxygen treatment among survivors was 11 days (IQR 6–15) for the convalescent plasma group and 7 days (IQR 5–9) for the standard of care group (p = 0.4, median difference -4). Two patients in the convalescent plasma group and three patients in the standard of care group died (p = 0.64, OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.08–2.79). Thus no significant differences were observed between the groups.
|
|
| 22. |
|
|
| 23. |
- Jantsch, A, et al.
(författare)
-
Comparison of Six Languages for System Level Descriptions of Telecom Systems
- 2001
-
Ingår i: Electronic Chips & Systems Design Languages. - Boston, Mass. : Kluwer Academic Publishers. - 0792373111 ; , s. 320-
-
Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Language evaluation for various purposes is an often repeated exercise in industry and academia. Due to the large number of influencing factors the dependence of the result on implicit or explicit assumptions is not always apparent and clear. Based on a systematic evaluation method with a large number of criteria we compare six languages with respect to the suitability as a system specification and description language for telecom applications. The languages under evaluation are VHDL, C++, SDL, Haskell, Erlang, and ProGram, which represent different paradigms. The evaluation method allows to give specific emphasis on particular aspects in a controlled way, which we use to make separate comparisons for pure software systems, pure hardware systems and mixed HW/SW systems.
|
|
| 24. |
- Jantsch, A, et al.
(författare)
-
Conparison of six languages for system level descriptions of telecom systems
- 1998
-
Ingår i: Proceedings / FDL'98 / First International Forum on Design Languages. - Lausanne : Swiss Federal Inst. Of techn.. ; , s. 160-
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Language evaluation for various purposes is an often repeated exercise in industry and academia. Due to the large number of influencing factors the dependence of the result on implicit or explicit assumptions is not always apparent and clear. Based on a systematic evaluation method with a large number of criteria we compare six languages with respect to the suitability as a system specification and description language for telecom applications. The languages under evaluation are VHDL, C++, SDL, Haskell, Erlang, and ProGram, which represent different paradigms. The evaluation method allows to give specific emphasis on particular aspects in a controlled way, which we use to make separate comparisons for pure software systems, pure hardware systems and mixed HW/SW systems.
|
|
| 25. |
- Johansson, Mia K. V., et al.
(författare)
-
Does industry take the susceptible subpopulation of asthmatic individuals into consideration when setting derived no-effect levels?
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Journal of Applied Toxicology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0260-437X .- 1099-1263. ; 36:11, s. 1379-1391
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Asthma, a chronic respiratory disease, can be aggravated by exposure to certain chemical irritants. The objectives were first to investigate the extent to which experimental observations on asthmatic subjects are taken into consideration in connection with the registration process under the EU REACH regulation, and second, to determine whether asthmatics are provided adequate protection by the derived no-effect levels (DNELs) for acute inhalation exposure. We identified substances for which experimental data on the pulmonary functions of asthmatics exposed to chemicals under controlled conditions are available. The effect concentrations were then compared with DNELs and other guideline and limit values. As of April 2015, only 2.6% of 269 classified irritants had available experimental data on asthmatics. Fourteen of the 22 identified substances with available data were fully registered under REACH and we retrieved 114 reliable studies related to these. Sixty-three of these studies, involving nine of the 14 substances, were cited by the REACH registrants. However, only 17 of the 114 studies, involving four substances, were regarded as key studies. Furthermore, many of the DNELs for acute inhalation were higher than estimated effect levels for asthmatics, i.e., lowest observed adverse effect concentrations or no-observed adverse effect concentrations, indicating low or no safety margin. We conclude that REACH registrants tend to disregard findings on asthmatics when deriving these DNELs. In addition, we found examples of DNELs, particularly among those derived for workers, which likely do not provide adequate protection for asthmatics. Copyright (c) 2016 The Authors Journal of Applied Toxicology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. We investigate the extent to which experimental observations on asthmatic subjects are taken into consideration by REACH registrants and determine whether asthmatics are provided adequate protection by the acute inhalation Derived No-Effect Levels. Of 114 studies concerning 14 substances fulfilling our inclusion criteria, 63 studies, involving nine substances, were cited by the REACH registrants. However, only 17 of the 114 studies, involving four substances, were regarded as key studies. Furthermore, many of the Derived No-Effect Levels were higher than Lowest- or No-Observed Adverse Effect Concentrations values from these studies.
|
|
| 26. |
- Lind, Lars, et al.
(författare)
-
Uppsala Consensus Statement on Environmental Contaminants and the Global Obesity Epidemic
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives. - : Environmental Health Perspectives. - 0091-6765 .- 1552-9924. ; 124:5, s. A81-A83
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- From the lectures presented at the 2nd International Workshop on Obesity and Environmental Contaminants, which was held in Uppsala, Sweden, on 8–9 October 2015, it became evident that the findings from numerous animal and epidemiological studies are consistent with the hypothesis that environmental contaminants could contribute to the global obesity epidemic. To increase awareness of this important issue among scientists, regulatory agencies, politicians, chemical industry management, and the general public, the authors summarize compelling scientific evidence that supports the hypothesis and discuss actions that could restrict the possible harmful effects of environmental contaminants on obesity.
|
|
| 27. |
|
|
| 28. |
- Molander, Linda, 1984-
(författare)
-
Chemicals in consumer products : Towards a safe and sustainable use
- 2012
-
Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Health and environmental risks associated with emissions of hazardous chemicals from articles, including everyday consumer products such as clothes and toys, have become widely acknowledged internationally, particularly in the EU. This thesis contributes to new understandings of how these risks are currently managed within the EU and recommends actions for ensuring a safe and sustainable use of chemicals in articles.Paper I provides an overview and comparative analysis of regulatory strategies for managing risks of chemicals in articles in the EU. The in-depth analysis, which is focused on the Toys Safety Directive, the RoHS Directive, and REACH, shows that the legislations differ significantly. Differences include e.g. what criteria are used for the selection of substances to be targeted for regulation, and the kind of requirements and restrictions applied to the selected substances. It is concluded that product-specific directives are important complements to REACH in order to ensure a safe use of chemicals in articles.Paper II evaluates to what extent the regulation of chemicals in articles under REACH is coherent with the rules concerning chemicals in the Sewage Sludge Directive (SSD) and the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The results show that the majority of the chemicals that are prioritized for phase-out under the WFD or for concentration restrictions in sludge and soil under the SSD are allowed to be used in articles according to REACH. In order to avoid end-of-pipe problems and to increase resource efficiency, it is argued that it is necessary to minimize the input of chemicals identified as hazardous to health or the environment into articles.Paper III aims to clarify what the substitution principle means and how it can reasonably be applied as part of chemical policies. A general definition is proposed that gives equal weight to hazard, functionality and economical considerations, while at the same time recognizing that the aim of the substitution principle is to reduce hazards to human health and the environment. This paper also summarizes major methods to promote and implement the principle, discusses legislative approaches with regard to their ability to promote substitution of hazardous chemicals, and makes proposals for an efficient implementation of the principle.
|
|
| 29. |
- Ohlin, Lindsay, et al.
(författare)
-
Effect of Water on the Adsorption of Methane and Carbon Dioxide in Zeolite Na-ZSM-5 Studied Using in Situ ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy
- 2016
-
Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 120:51, s. 29144-29152
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Methane is the main component in biogas and natural gas along with contaminants such as water and carbon dioxide. Separation of methane from these contaminants is therefore an important step in the upgrading process. Zeolite adsorbents and zeolite membranes have great potential to be cost-efficient candidates for upgrading biogas and natural gas, and in both of these applications, knowing the nature of the competitive adsorption is of great importance to further develop the properties of the zeolite materials. The binary adsorption of methane and carbon dioxide in zeolites has been studied to some extent, but the influence of water has been much less studied. In the present work, in situ ATR (attenuated total reflection)–FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectroscopy was used to study the adsorption of water/methane and water/carbon dioxide from binary mixtures in a high-silica Na-ZSM-5 zeolite film at various gas compositions and temperatures. Adsorbed concentrations for all species were determined from the recorded IR spectra, and the experimental values were compared to values predicted using the ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST). At lower temperatures (35, 50, and 85 °C), the IAST was able to predict the binary adsorption of water and methane, whereas the values predicted by the IAST deviated from the experimental data at the highest temperature (120 °C). For the binary adsorption of water and carbon dioxide, the IAST could not predict the adsorption values accurately. This discrepancy was assigned to the particular adsorption behavior of water in high-silica MFI forming clusters at hydrophilic sites. However, the predicted values did follow the same trend as the experimental values. The adsorption selectivity was determined, and it was found that the H2O/CH4 adsorption selectivity was decreasing with increasing water content in the gas phase at low temperatures whereas the selectivity was increasing at higher temperatures. The H2O/CO2 adsorption selectivity was increasing with increasing water content at all temperatures.
|
|
| 30. |
|
|
| 31. |
- O'Nils, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
Grammar Based Modelling and Synthesis of Device Drivers and Bus Interfaces
- 1998
-
Ingår i: Proceedings. 24th EUROMICRO Conference, 25-27 Aug. 1998, Västerås. - 0818686464 ; , s. 55-58
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- ProGram, a grammar based communication protocol description language, is used for architectural independent modelling of device drivers and bus interfaces for mixed hardware/software systems. The specification of the protocol is separated from the description of processor bus interfaces and operating system device driver interfaces, which ensures a high efficiency in device driver development and maintenance. A synthesis method for device drivers is presented together with results on modelling and implementation efficiency for both device drivers and bus interfaces.
|
|
| 32. |
- Peolsson, Anneli, 1967-, et al.
(författare)
-
Neurological outcomes after surgery and postoperative rehabilitation for cervical radiculopathy due to disc disease: a 2-year-follow-up of a randomized clinical trial
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : NATURE PORTFOLIO. - 2045-2322. ; 13:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Reports on neurological outcomes in patients with cervical radiculopathy (CR) undergoing surgery and postoperative rehabilitation are important to inform prognosis. This 2-year-follow-up of a randomized clinical trial aimed to compare secondary neurological outcomes between structured postoperative rehabilitation and a standard approach after surgery for CR. A secondary aim was to increase knowledge about recovery of neurological impairments in relation to patient-reported neck disability. Neurological outcomes included assessment of sensibility, motor function, arm reflexes and the Spurling test. A total of 153 and 135 participants (>70% response rate) completed the clinical examination. Between-group differences, changes over time, and associations between persistent neurological impairments and the Neck Disability Index were investigated. No between-group differences were reported (p>0.07), and neurological impairments in sensibility, motor function, and a positive Spurling test decreased over time in both groups (p<0.04). Persistent impairments in sensibility and reflex arm were most frequent at follow-up, whereas, a persistent positive Spurling test, and impairments in motor function were associated with higher NDI score. Neurological outcomes improved over time in patients undergoing surgery for CR with no between-group differences., However, persistent neurological impairments were common, and associated with poorer outcome for patient-reported neck disability.Clinical registration: clinicaltrial.gov NCT01547611, 08/03/2012, Title: Outcome of physiotherapy after surgery for cervical disc disease: a prospective multi-centre trial.
|
|
| 33. |
- Silva, Antero Vieira, et al.
(författare)
-
A probabilistic approach to evaluate the risk of decreased total triiodothyronine hormone levels following chronic exposure to PFOS and PFHxS via contaminated drinking water
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Environmental Health Perspectives. - 0091-6765 .- 1552-9924. ; 128:7, s. 1-11
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Extensive exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been observed in many countries. Current deterministic frame-works for risk assessment lack the ability to predict the likelihood of effects and to assess uncertainty. When exposure exceeds tolerable intake levels, these shortcomings hamper risk management and communication. OBJECTIVE: The integrated probabilistic risk assessment (IPRA) combines dose-response and exposure data to estimate the likelihood of adverse effects. We evaluated the usefulness of the IPRA for risk characterization related to decreased levels of total triiodothyronine (T3) in humans following a real case of high exposure to PFAS via drinking water. METHODS: PFAS exposure was defined as serum levels from residents of a contaminated area in Ronneby, Sweden. Median levels were 270 ng=mL [perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)] and 229 ng=mL [perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)] for individuals who resided in Ronneby 1 y before the exposure termination. This data was integrated with data from a subchronic toxicity study in monkeys exposed daily to PFOS. Benchmark dose modeling was employed to describe separate dose–effect relationship for males and females, and extrapolation factor distributions were used to estimate the corresponding human benchmark dose. The critical effect level was defined as a 10% decrease in total T3. RESULTS: The median probability of critical exposure, following a combined exposure to PFOS and PFHxS, was estimated to be [2.1% (90% CI: 0:4%–13:1%)]. Gender-based analysis showed that this risk was almost entirely distributed among women, namely [3.9% (90% CI: 0:8%–21:6%)]. DISCUSSION: The IPRA was compared with the traditional deterministic Margin of Exposure (MoE) approach. We conclude that probabilistic risk characterization represents an important step forward in the ability to adequately analyze group-specific health risks. Moreover, quantifying the sour-ces of uncertainty is desirable, as it improves the awareness among stakeholders and will guide future efforts to improve accuracy. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6654.
|
|
| 34. |
- Silva, Antero Vieira, et al.
(författare)
-
Associations between clinical signs and pathological findings in toxicity testing
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Altex. - : ALTEX Edition. - 1868-596X .- 1868-8551. ; 38:2, s. 198-214
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Animal testing for toxicity assessment of chemicals and pharmaceuticals must take the 3R principles into consideration. During toxicity testing in vivo, clinical signs are used to monitor animal welfare and to inform about potential toxicity. This study investigated possible associations between clinical signs, body weight change and histopathological findings observed after necropsy. It was hypothesized that clinical signs and body weight loss observed during experiments could be used as early markers of organ toxicity. This represents a potential for Refinement in terms of improved study management and decrease of pain and distress experienced during animal experiments. To this end, data from three sequential toxicity studies in rats were analyzed using the multivariate partial least squares (PLS) regression method. Associations with correct prediction over 80% were found between the occurrence of mild to severe clinical signs and histopathological findings in the thymus, testes, epididymides and bone marrow. Piloerection, eyes half shut and slightly decreased motor activity showed the strongest associations to the pathological findings. A 5% body weight loss was found to be a strong empirical predictor of pathological findings but could also be predicted accurately by clinical signs. Thus, we suggest using mild clinical signs and a 5% body weight loss as toxicity markers, and as a non-invasive surveillance tool to monitor research animal's welfare and toxicity testing. These clinical signs may also enable Reduced animal use due to their informative potential to support scientific decisions regarding drug candidate selection, dose setting, study design and toxicity assessment.
|
|
| 35. |
- Stern, Natalia, et al.
(författare)
-
Subchronic toxicity of Baltic herring oil and its fractions in the rat II : Clinical observations and toxicological parameters.
- 2002
-
Ingår i: Pharmacology and Toxicology. - : Wiley. - 0901-9928 .- 1600-0773. ; 91:5, s. 232-244
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aimed to increase the knowledge about the toxicity of fish-derived organohalogen pollutants in mammals. The strategy chosen was to separate organohalogen pollutants derived from Baltic herring (Clupea harengus) fillet, in order to obtain fractions with differing proportions of identified and unidentified halogenated pollutants, and to perform a subchronic toxicity study in rats, essentially according to the OECD guidelines, at three dose levels. Nordic Sea lodda (Mallotus villosus) oil, with low levels of persistent organohalogen pollutants, was used as an additional control diet. The toxicological examination showed that exposure to Baltic herring oil and its fractions at dose levels corresponding to a human intake in the range of 1.6 to 34.4 kg Baltic herring per week resulted in minimal effects. The spectrum of effects was similar to that, which is observed after low-level exposure to pollutants such as chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (CDD/F) and chlorinated biphenyls, despite the fact that these contaminants contribute to a minor part of the extractable organically bound chlorine (EOCl). The study confirmed previous findings that induction of hepatic ethoxyresorufin deethylase (EROD) activity takes place at daily intake levels 0.15 ng fish-derived CDD/F-TEQs/kg body weight. The study also demonstrated that hepatic vitamin A reduction takes place at somewhat higher daily exposure levels, i.e. 0.16–0.30 ng fish-derived CDD/F-TEQs/kg body weight. Halogenated fatty acids, the major component of EOCl, could not be linked to any of the measured effects. From a risk management point of view, the study provides important new information of effect levels for Ah-receptor mediated responses following low level exposure to organohalogen compounds from a matrix relevant for human exposure.
|
|
| 36. |
- Tarvainen, Ilari, et al.
(författare)
-
Identification of phthalate mixture exposure targets in the human and mouse ovary in vitro
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Reproductive Toxicology. - : Elsevier. - 0890-6238 .- 1873-1708. ; 119
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chemical health risk assessment is based on single chemicals, but humans and wildlife are exposed to extensive mixtures of industrial substances and pharmaceuticals. Such exposures are life-long and correlate with multiple morbidities, including infertility. How combinatorial effects of chemicals should be handled in hazard charac-terization and risk assessment are open questions. Further, test systems are missing for several relevant health outcomes including reproductive health and fertility in women. Here, our aim was to screen multiple ovarian cell models for phthalate induced effects to identify biomarkers of exposure. We used an epidemiological cohort study to define different phthalate mixtures for in vitro testing. The mixtures were then tested in five cell models representing ovarian granulosa or stromal cells, namely COV434, KGN, primary human granulosa cells, primary mouse granulosa cells, and primary human ovarian stromal cells. Exposures at epidemiologically relevant levels did not markedly elicit cytotoxicity or affect steroidogenesis in short 24-hour exposure. However, significant effects on gene expression were identified by RNA-sequencing. Altogether, the exposures changed the expression of 124 genes on the average (9-479 genes per exposure) in human cell models, without obvious concentration or mixture-dependent effects on gene numbers. The mixtures stimulated distinct changes in different cell models. Despite differences, our analyses suggest commonalities in responses towards phthalates, which forms a starting point for follow-up studies on identification and validation of candidate biomarkers that could be developed to novel assays for regulatory testing or even into clinical tests.
|
|
| 37. |
|
|
| 38. |
- Öberg, Johnny, et al.
(författare)
-
Grammar-based design of embedded systems
- 2001
-
Ingår i: Journal of systems architecture. - : Elsevier. - 1383-7621 .- 1873-6165. ; 47:3-4, s. 225-240
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Grammars define syntax of languages and as such have not been commonly considered as methods for design, despite well-known applications in computer science. Only in recent years grammar-based design has become a promising research field and the first commercial tools have appeared on the market. This paper reviews the basic concepts of applying grammars to electronic design - in particular to the device driver synthesis of communication protocols for embedded software, to the design of custom-hardware, and to the virtual prototyping of DSP systems. The paper shows the power of these methods, presents the latest research results and discusses future developments in this field.
|
|
| 39. |
- Öberg, Kim, et al.
(författare)
-
Templating Gold Surfaces with Function: A Self-Assembled Dendritic Monolayer Methodology Based on Monodisperse Polyester Scaffolds
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Langmuir. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0743-7463 .- 1520-5827. ; 29:1, s. 456-465
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The antibiotic resistance developed among several pathogenic bacterial strains has spurred interest in understanding bacterial adhesion down to a molecular level. Consequently, analytical methods that rely on bioactive and multivalent sensor surfaces are sought to detect and suppress infections. To deliver functional sensor surfaces with an optimized degree of molecular packaging, we explore a library of compact and monodisperse dendritic scaffolds based on the nontoxic 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid (bis-MPA). A self-assembled dendritic monolayer (SADM) methodology to gold surfaces capitalizes on the design of aqueous soluble dendritic structures that bear sulfur-containing core functionalities. The nature of sulfur (either disulfide or thiol), the size of the dendritic framework (generation 1-3), the distance between the sulfur and the dendritic wedge (4 or 14 angstrom), and the type of functional end group (hydroxyl or mannose) were key structural elements that were identified to affect the packaging densities assembled on the surfaces. Both surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and resonance-enhanced surface impedance (RESI) experiments revealed rapid formation of homogenously covered SADMs on gold surfaces. The array of dendritic structures enabled the fabrication of functional gold surfaces displaying molecular covering densities of 0.33-2.2 molecules.nm(-2) and functional availability of 0.95-5.5 groups.nm(-2). The cell scavenging ability of these sensor surfaces for Escherichia coli MS7fim+ bacteria revealed 2.5 times enhanced recognition for G3-mannosylated surfaces when compared to G3-hydroxylated SADM surfaces. This promising methodology delivers functional gold sensor surfaces and represents a facile route for probing surface interactions between multivalently presented motifs and cells in a controlled surface setting.
|
|
| 40. |
- Öberg, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
Toxicity of Bromkal 70-5DE, a technical mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, following 28 d of oral exposure in rats and impact of analysed impurities
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Chemosphere. - : Elsevier. - 0045-6535 .- 1879-1298. ; 80:2, s. 137-143
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The subacute toxicity of a commercial polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) preparation, Bromkal 70-5DE, was investigated. In addition to a vehicle control, the mixture was given orally to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats for 28d at three dose levels; 2.5, 25 and 250mgkg(-1) b.w.d(-1). The observed effects include increased hepatic EROD activity (from 2.5mgkg(-1)d(-1)); increased liver weight (males), increased PROD activity and depletion of hepatic retinoids (from 25mgkg(-1)d(-1)); and increased liver weight (females), marked histological changes in the liver and lungs, as well as increased serum parameters such as total protein, cholesterol and albumin (from 250mgkg(-1)d(-1)). Chemical analysis of the PBDE mixture with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GS/MS) showed impurities of polybrominated dibenzofurans and to a lesser extent dibenzodioxins, in total levels of about 7.0mugg(-1) of Bromkal technical mixture. The animals were thereby exposed to an estimated dose of dioxin-like equivalents corresponding to 1.3-131ng TEQkg(-1) b.w.d(-1). It cannot be ruled out that this level of impurities can explain the hepatic EROD induction and hepatic retinoid depletion, which are considered typical markers of toxicity mediated via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR).
|
|
| 41. |
- Öberg, Mattias U L
(författare)
-
Health risk assessment of dioxin-like compounds in complex samples
- 2003
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- There are several scientific as well as political and economic reasons why the risk assessment of dioxins in complex samples needs to be further refined. Today, there seems to be no margin of safety between doses that cause suspected effects and exposure. Therefore, uncertainties and gaps in the knowledge have to be minimized. This thesis work aims to provide novel scientific data on the toxicity of dioxin-like pollutants with focus on complex samples which address some of the present data gaps. Fish is a major source of human dioxin exposure. There is a concern that high intake of fish could cause adverse health effects. In addition to dioxin exposure, there is a concern as yet unidentified pollutants, other than dioxin, could pose a significant hazard to man. To further investigate the relevance of these issues to human health a study investigating the subchronic toxicity of Baltic herring oil or fractions was performed in rats (Study I and II). No adverse effects were observed after exposure of up to 34.4 kg fish/week (expressed as corresponding human intake). No effects could be linked to any unidentified organohalogens. Importantly, dioxin-like biochemical effects were observed at a daily intake of 0. 15 pg TEQ/kg and above. Kinetic data are essential for extrapolation from laboratory animals to humans; these aspects are not adequately addressed in most assessments. To deliver congener specific kinetic data on PCBs in a low dose range, a kinetic study was performed (Study III). Half-lives and partition coefficients were reported for several PCBs, as well as concentration data of one major PCB- metabolite. Briefly, the results showed that halflives seem to be longer than previously reported and that PCB77 has a liver specific retention. Today, the concept of toxic equivalency factors (TEF) in combination with chemical analysis is used to summarize some of the dioxin-like potency of a sample. However, this concept has many drawbacks. There is a need for efficient biological screening tools for dioxin-like compounds to complement the chemical analysis. In this thesis, the MH1C1-EROD-assay was shown to readily assess dioxin-like potency in various complex samples (Study IV). In addition, the use of a clean-up procedure with sulphuric acid was shown to be important for result interpretation. Finally, a study was performed to investigate how light can influence AhR mediated EROD- activity in vitro (Study V). A photoproduct of tryptophan, which has been suggested as the endogenous ligand, namely formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ) was identified as a causative mediator.
|
|
| 42. |
- Öberg, Sandra, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
-
Primary care patients with cardiovascular disease eligible for nurse-led internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia : Characteristics and motives for participation
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Nursing Open. - : Wiley. - 2054-1058. ; 10:7, s. 4676-4689
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIM: To describe demographic, physical and psychological characteristics associated with insomnia in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) participating in nurse-led Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (I-CBTI), and their motives and expectations regarding participation in I-CBTI.DESIGN: A mixed method design was applied, including primary care patients with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter or arrhythmia in southern Sweden.METHODS: Data on demographics, insomnia severity and physical and psychological characteristics were collected through self-rated validated questionnaires (n = 126). Motives and expectations were collected through interviews (n = 19) and analysed using the 'personas' model.RESULTS: Physical symptoms and psychological characteristics were associated with insomnia. Three personas were identified: the pragmatist (a curious and optimistic persona), the philosopher (a problem-solving persona) and the philanthropist (an altruistic persona). Expectations were positive among the three personas, but comorbid conditions reduced the perceived ability to make necessary behavioural changes.
|
|
| 43. |
|
|
| 44. |
|
|
| 45. |
- Öberg, Sandra, 1974-
(författare)
-
The Hit-IT project : The development and evaluation of an internet-based complex intervention for primary healthcare patients with cardiovascular disease and insomnia
- 2022
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- There is a need to explore insomnia among patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), since they have increased risk for disease deterioration, poor quality of life and a shorter lifetime expectancy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the main recommended insomnia treatment, although it is a rare treatment choice in the healthcare due to lack of certified CBT therapists.The aim of the thesis was therefore to investigate a nurse-led internet-based CBT for insomnia (I-CBTI) tailored for patients with CVD, that includes qualitative and quantitative measures to explore the patients’ characteristics and treatment motive, insomnia experience, treatment effect, adherence and the usability of a complex intervention called the Hit-IT program.The first paper had a mixed study design to investigate the participants (n=126) sleep, physical and psychological characteristics in relation to insomnia via baseline questionnaires, as well as interviews (n=19) covering their motivation and expectations when participating in the Hit-IT treatment study. The second paper was a qualitative study using a Critical incident technique, to capture the experience of the participants (n=20) with CVD and insomnia sleep situation, and determine how they managed their insomnia. The third paper included 48 participants who were randomised to test the nine-week nurse-led I-CBTI treatment, tailored for patients with CVD or a three-week of self-studies (control group) without support. Paper four was a qualitative study to explore the experience and management of the Hit-IT program.The thesis findings showed that the participants were primarily male participants of older age, and that insomnia symptoms were significantly associated with worse somatic symptom severity, reduced physical quality of life, increased levels of depressive symptoms and cardiac anxiety. The participants were motivated to engage in the Hit-IT study, but were concerned the comorbid condition would be a hindering factor for the required behavioral change if randomized to the nine-week Hit-IT program. The participants also experience physical and cognitive insomnia triggers caused by cardiac symptoms at night. However, the participants in the Hit-IT program group significantly improved their insomnia symptoms compared to the three-week self-study control group. Also, the participants adherent to the Hit-IT program significantly increased their physical quality of life compared to those not adherent to treatment. Moreover, the results showed that the participants had trust in the Hit-IT program and experienced the intervention as very interesting yet challenging. The major treatment adherence facilitator was to experience improved sleep during the course of treatment.The thesis findings conclude that nurses have the skills to deliver a nurse-led I-CBTI treatment, tailored for patients’ with CVD with a sleep improvement outcome. The findings also confirm that primary healthcare patients of older age living with CVD and insomnia, are interested in and able to use internet-based complex interventions to improve their sleep.
|
|
