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| 3. |
- Mishra, A, et al.
(författare)
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Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents' growth and development
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 615:7954, s. 874-883
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Taddei, C, et al.
(författare)
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Repositioning of the global epicentre of non-optimal cholesterol
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 582:7810, s. 73-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High blood cholesterol is typically considered a feature of wealthy western countries1,2. However, dietary and behavioural determinants of blood cholesterol are changing rapidly throughout the world3 and countries are using lipid-lowering medications at varying rates. These changes can have distinct effects on the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, which have different effects on human health4,5. However, the trends of HDL and non-HDL cholesterol levels over time have not been previously reported in a global analysis. Here we pooled 1,127 population-based studies that measured blood lipids in 102.6 million individuals aged 18 years and older to estimate trends from 1980 to 2018 in mean total, non-HDL and HDL cholesterol levels for 200 countries. Globally, there was little change in total or non-HDL cholesterol from 1980 to 2018. This was a net effect of increases in low- and middle-income countries, especially in east and southeast Asia, and decreases in high-income western countries, especially those in northwestern Europe, and in central and eastern Europe. As a result, countries with the highest level of non-HDL cholesterol—which is a marker of cardiovascular risk—changed from those in western Europe such as Belgium, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Malta in 1980 to those in Asia and the Pacific, such as Tokelau, Malaysia, The Philippines and Thailand. In 2017, high non-HDL cholesterol was responsible for an estimated 3.9 million (95% credible interval 3.7 million–4.2 million) worldwide deaths, half of which occurred in east, southeast and south Asia. The global repositioning of lipid-related risk, with non-optimal cholesterol shifting from a distinct feature of high-income countries in northwestern Europe, north America and Australasia to one that affects countries in east and southeast Asia and Oceania should motivate the use of population-based policies and personal interventions to improve nutrition and enhance access to treatment throughout the world.
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| 10. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(författare)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 11. |
- Bixby, H., et al.
(författare)
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Rising rural body-mass index is the main driver of the global obesity epidemic in adults
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 569:7755, s. 260-4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Body-mass index (BMI) has increased steadily in most countries in parallel with a rise in the proportion of the population who live in cities(.)(1,2) This has led to a widely reported view that urbanization is one of the most important drivers of the global rise in obesity(3-6). Here we use 2,009 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in more than 112 million adults, to report national, regional and global trends in mean BMI segregated by place of residence (a rural or urban area) from 1985 to 2017. We show that, contrary to the dominant paradigm, more than 55% of the global rise in mean BMI from 1985 to 2017-and more than 80% in some low- and middle-income regions-was due to increases in BMI in rural areas. This large contribution stems from the fact that, with the exception of women in sub-Saharan Africa, BMI is increasing at the same rate or faster in rural areas than in cities in low- and middle-income regions. These trends have in turn resulted in a closing-and in some countries reversal-of the gap in BMI between urban and rural areas in low- and middle-income countries, especially for women. In high-income and industrialized countries, we noted a persistently higher rural BMI, especially for women. There is an urgent need for an integrated approach to rural nutrition that enhances financial and physical access to healthy foods, to avoid replacing the rural undernutrition disadvantage in poor countries with a more general malnutrition disadvantage that entails excessive consumption of low-quality calories.
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| 12. |
- Bydén, Stefan, 1951, et al.
(författare)
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Mark - Människa -Miljö
- 2004
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Boken handlar om hur marken formats och påverkats av spadar och grävskopor, mular och harvar, kemikalier och sura regndroppar. Den fjärde upplagan har reviderade texter som ingående behandlar marken ur alla aspekter: markegenskaper, kulturlandskapet, skogsbruk, exploatering, planering och lagar, naturvård, information m.m. Boken är rikligt illustrerad med foton, diagram, teckningar och kartor. Boken är ett samarbete mellan Stockholms och Göteborgs universitet. Författarna är verksamma inom högskolan eller annan utbildning.
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| 16. |
- Franceschini, N, et al.
(författare)
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GWAS and colocalization analyses implicate carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaque loci in cardiovascular outcomes
- 2018
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Ingår i: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 9:1, s. 5141-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Carotid artery intima media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaque are measures of subclinical atherosclerosis associated with ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD). Here, we undertake meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in 71,128 individuals for cIMT, and 48,434 individuals for carotid plaque traits. We identify eight novel susceptibility loci for cIMT, one independent association at the previously-identified PINX1 locus, and one novel locus for carotid plaque. Colocalization analysis with nearby vascular expression quantitative loci (cis-eQTLs) derived from arterial wall and metabolic tissues obtained from patients with CHD identifies candidate genes at two potentially additional loci, ADAMTS9 and LOXL4. LD score regression reveals significant genetic correlations between cIMT and plaque traits, and both cIMT and plaque with CHD, any stroke subtype and ischemic stroke. Our study provides insights into genes and tissue-specific regulatory mechanisms linking atherosclerosis both to its functional genomic origins and its clinical consequences in humans.
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| 17. |
- Franceschini, N., et al.
(författare)
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GWAS and colocalization analyses implicate carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaque loci in cardiovascular outcomes
- 2018
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Carotid artery intima media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaque are measures of subclinical atherosclerosis associated with ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD). Here, we undertake meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in 71,128 individuals for cIMT, and 48,434 individuals for carotid plaque traits. We identify eight novel susceptibility loci for cIMT, one independent association at the previously-identified PINX1 locus, and one novel locus for carotid plaque. Colocalization analysis with nearby vascular expression quantitative loci (cis-eQTLs) derived from arterial wall and metabolic tissues obtained from patients with CHD identifies candidate genes at two potentially additional loci, ADAMTS9 and LOXL4. LD score regression reveals significant genetic correlations between cIMT and plaque traits, and both cIMT and plaque with CHD, any stroke subtype and ischemic stroke. Our study provides insights into genes and tissue-specific regulatory mechanisms linking atherosclerosis both to its functional genomic origins and its clinical consequences in humans. © 2018, The Author(s).
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Kumar, Jitender, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of persistent organic pollutants on the complement system in a population-based human sample
- 2014
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Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0160-4120 .- 1873-6750. ; 71, s. 94-100
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Persistent organic pollutants (POPS) are toxic compounds generated through various industrial activities and have adverse effects on human health. Studies performed in cell cultures and animals have revealed that POPs can alter immune-system functioning. The complement system is part of innate immune system that helps to clear pathogens from the body. We performed a large-scale population-based study to find out associations between summary measures of different POPs and different complement system markers.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 16 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 3 organochlorine (OC) pesticides, octachloro-p-dibenzodioxin, and 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) were analyzed for their association with levels of protein complement 3 (C3), 3a (C3a), 4 (C4) and C3a/C3 ratio. A total of 992 individuals (all aged 70 years, 50% females) were recruited from the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors cohort. Regression analysis adjusting for a variety of confounders was performed to study the associations of different POP exposures (total toxic equivalency value or TEQ and sum of 16 PCBs) with protein complements.Results: The TEQ values were found to be positively associated with C3a (beta = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.017-0.131, p = 0.01) and C3a/C3 ratio (beta = 0.07, 95% Cl = 0.015-0.126, p = 0.01) taking possible confounders into account. The association observed was mainly driven by PCB-126.Conclusion: In this study involving 992 elderly individuals from the general population, we showed that POPs, mainly PCB-126, were associated with levels of complement system markers indicating that the association of these toxic compounds with downstream disease could be mediated by activation of immune system. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 21. |
- Lind, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)
- 2021
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Ingår i: eLife. - : eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. - 2050-084X. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the underweight tail of the BMI distribution was left behind as the distribution shifted. There is a need for policies that address all forms of malnutrition by making healthy foods accessible and affordable, while restricting unhealthy foods through fiscal and regulatory restrictions.
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| 22. |
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| 25. |
- Smith, Jennifer A, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide association study identifies 74 loci associated with educational attainment
- 2016
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Ingår i: Nature (London). - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 533:7604, s. 539-542
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Educational attainment is strongly influenced by social and other environmental factors, but genetic factors are estimated to account for at least 20% of the variation across individuals. Here we report the results of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for educational attainment that extends our earlier discovery sample of 101,069 individuals to 293,723 individuals, and a replication study in an independent sample of 111,349 individuals from the UK Biobank. We identify 74 genome-wide significant loci associated with the number of years of schooling completed. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with educational attainment are disproportionately found in genomic regions regulating gene expression in the fetal brain. Candidate genes are preferentially expressed in neural tissue, especially during the prenatal period, and enriched for biological pathways involved in neural development. Our findings demonstrate that, even for a behavioural phenotype that is mostly environmentally determined, a well-powered GWAS identifies replicable associated genetic variants that suggest biologically relevant pathways. Because educational attainment is measured in large numbers of individuals, it will continue to be useful as a proxy phenotype in efforts to characterize the genetic influences of related phenotypes, including cognition and neuropsychiatric diseases.
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| 26. |
- Teumer, A, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide association meta-analyses and fine-mapping elucidate pathways influencing albuminuria
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 10:1, s. 4130-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increased levels of the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) are associated with higher risk of kidney disease progression and cardiovascular events, but underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we conduct trans-ethnic (n = 564,257) and European-ancestry specific meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies of UACR, including ancestry- and diabetes-specific analyses, and identify 68 UACR-associated loci. Genetic correlation analyses and risk score associations in an independent electronic medical records database (n = 192,868) reveal connections with proteinuria, hyperlipidemia, gout, and hypertension. Fine-mapping and trans-Omics analyses with gene expression in 47 tissues and plasma protein levels implicate genes potentially operating through differential expression in kidney (including TGFB1, MUC1, PRKCI, and OAF), and allow coupling of UACR associations to altered plasma OAF concentrations. Knockdown of OAF and PRKCI orthologs in Drosophila nephrocytes reduces albumin endocytosis. Silencing fly PRKCI further impairs slit diaphragm formation. These results generate a priority list of genes and pathways for translational research to reduce albuminuria.
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| 27. |
- Vogelezang, Suzanne, et al.
(författare)
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Novel loci for childhood body mass index and shared heritability with adult cardiometabolic traits.
- 2020
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Ingår i: PLoS genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7404. ; 16:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The genetic background of childhood body mass index (BMI), and the extent to which the well-known associations of childhood BMI with adult diseases are explained by shared genetic factors, are largely unknown. We performed a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of BMI in 61,111 children aged between 2 and 10 years. Twenty-five independent loci reached genome-wide significance in the combined discovery and replication analyses. Two of these, located near NEDD4L and SLC45A3, have not previously been reported in relation to either childhood or adult BMI. Positive genetic correlations of childhood BMI with birth weight and adult BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure and type 2 diabetes were detected (Rg ranging from 0.11 to 0.76, P-values <0.002). A negative genetic correlation of childhood BMI with age at menarche was observed. Our results suggest that the biological processes underlying childhood BMI largely, but not completely, overlap with those underlying adult BMI. The well-known observational associations of BMI in childhood with cardio-metabolic diseases in adulthood may reflect partial genetic overlap, but in light of previous evidence, it is also likely that they are explained through phenotypic continuity of BMI from childhood into adulthood.
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| 28. |
- Winkler, TW, et al.
(författare)
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Differential and shared genetic effects on kidney function between diabetic and non-diabetic individuals
- 2022
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Ingår i: Communications biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 5:1, s. 580-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) can progress to kidney failure. Risk factors include genetics and diabetes mellitus (DM), but little is known about their interaction. We conducted genome-wide association meta-analyses for estimated GFR based on serum creatinine (eGFR), separately for individuals with or without DM (nDM = 178,691, nnoDM = 1,296,113). Our genome-wide searches identified (i) seven eGFR loci with significant DM/noDM-difference, (ii) four additional novel loci with suggestive difference and (iii) 28 further novel loci (including CUBN) by allowing for potential difference. GWAS on eGFR among DM individuals identified 2 known and 27 potentially responsible loci for diabetic kidney disease. Gene prioritization highlighted 18 genes that may inform reno-protective drug development. We highlight the existence of DM-only and noDM-only effects, which can inform about the target group, if respective genes are advanced as drug targets. Largely shared effects suggest that most drug interventions to alter eGFR should be effective in DM and noDM.
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| 32. |
- Ahmadi, Shilan Seyed, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of liraglutide on anthropometric measurements, sagittal abdominal diameter and adiponectin levels in people with type 2 diabetes treated with multiple daily insulin injections: evaluations from a randomized trial (MDI-liraglutide study 5)
- 2019
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Ingår i: Obesity Science and Practice. - : Wiley. - 2055-2238. ; 5:2, s. 130-140
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim Use of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist liraglutide has been shown to reduce weight. Different types of anthropometric measurements can be used to measure adiposity. This study evaluated the effect of liraglutide on sagittal abdominal diameter, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and adiponectin levels in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) treated with multiple daily insulin injections (MDI). Materials and methods In the multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled MDI-liraglutide trial, 124 individuals with T2D treated with MDI were randomized to either liraglutide or placebo. Basal values of weight, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, sagittal abdominal diameter and adiponectin were compared with measurements at 12 and 24 weeks after randomization. Results Baseline-adjusted mean weight loss was 3.8 +/- 2.9 kg greater in liraglutide than placebo-treated individuals (p < 0.0001). Waist circumference was reduced by 2.9 +/- 4.3 cm and 0.2 +/- 3.6 cm in the liraglutide and placebo groups, respectively, after 24 weeks (baseline-adjusted mean difference: 2.6 +/- 4.0 cm, p = 0.0005). Corresponding reductions in sagittal abdominal diameter were 1.1 +/- 1.7 cm and 0.0 +/- 1.8 cm (baseline-adjusted mean difference: 1.1 +/- 1.7 cm, p = 0.0008). Hip circumference was reduced in patients randomized to liraglutide (baseline-adjusted mean difference between treatment groups: 2.8 +/- 3.8 cm, p = 0.0001), but there was no significant difference between the groups in either waist-to-hip ratio (baseline-adjusted mean difference: 0.0 +/- 0.04 cm, p = 0.51) or adiponectin levels (baseline-adjusted mean difference: 0.8 +/- 3.3 mg L-1, p = 0.17). Lower HbA1c and mean glucose levels measured by masked continuous glucose monitoring at baseline were associated with greater effects of liraglutide on reductions in waist circumference and sagittal abdominal diameter. Conclusions In patients with T2D, adding liraglutide to MDI may reduce abdominal and hip obesity to a similar extent, suggesting an effect on both visceral and subcutaneous fat. Liraglutide had greater effects on reducing abdominal obesity in patients with less pronounced long-term hyperglycaemia but did not affect adiponectin levels.
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| 33. |
- Albin, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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0253 Hairdressers are occupationally exposed to ortho- and meta- toluidine
- 2014
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Ingår i: Occupational and Environmental Medicine. - : BMJ. - 1470-7926 .- 1351-0711. ; 71 Suppl 1, s. 32-33
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hairdressing work is classified as carcinogenic based on excess risk for bladder cancer. We aimed at evaluating if current hairdressers are exposed to established/suspected bladder carcinogens (aromatic amines) and indicate possible sources of exposure.
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| 34. |
- Andersson, Bo, et al.
(författare)
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The Adoption of Advanced Mobile Services
- 2007
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Ingår i: Expanding the Knowledge Economy: Issues, Applications, Case Studies. Volume 4, Part 1.. - : IOS Press. - 9781586038014 ; , s. 1508-1514
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 35. |
- Andersson, Bo, Docent, 1965-, et al.
(författare)
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The Adoption of Advanced Mobile Services
- 2007
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Ingår i: Expanding the Knowledge Economy. - The Hauge, Netherlands : IOS Press. - 9781586038014
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- From a diffusion and innovation perspective, the use of advanced mobileservices is limited, immature, and unsophisticated in several Swedish businessorganizations. In this paper, we report the result from a survey of the 20 out of the 50largest business corporations in Sweden. A number of factors explain the currentsituation, e.g. the mobile phone operators current business models, the lack ofservice providers working between the user organisations and the operators,difficulties in integrating mobile phones with other systems, and a generation issuewhere managers perceive advanced mobile service as a teenage thing.
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| 36. |
- Andersson-Sköld, Yvonne, 1957-, et al.
(författare)
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Coal tar-containing asphalt : Resource or hazardous waste?
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Industrial Ecology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1088-1980 .- 1530-9290. ; 11:4, s. 99-116
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Coal tar was used in Sweden for the production of asphalt and for the drenching of stabilization gravel until 1973. The tar has high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), some of which may be strongly carcinogenic. Approximately 20 million tonnes of tar-containing asphalt is present in the public roads in Sweden. Used asphalt from rebuilding can be classified as hazardous waste according to the Swedish Waste Act. The cost of treating the material removed as hazardous waste can be very high due to the large amount that has to be treated, and the total environmental benefit is unclear. The transport of used asphalt to landfill or combustion will affect other environmental targets. The present project, based on three case studies of road projects in Sweden, evaluates the consequences of four scenarios for handling the material: reuse, landfill, biological treatment, and incineration. The results show that reuse of the coal tar-containing materials in new road construction is the most favorable alternative in terms of cost, material use, land use, energy consumption, and air emissions.
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| 37. |
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| 38. |
- Anop, Sviatlana, 1974-
(författare)
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Apartment price determinants : A comparison between Sweden and Germany
- 2015
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Similar development of economic fundamentals in Germany over the last two decades did not lead to the same dramatic house price increases as it is in Sweden. What can explain this house price stability over a long period? This thesis attempts to find the answer this question.The first paper in this thesis contains an extended literature review on the studies focused on the factors affecting house prices in the short and in the long run. Existing literature adopts a broad variation of approaches and reaches different conclusions attempting to answer the question about what are the key drivers of house prices. Conclusions often depend on the model specifications and econometric methods applied. Though there is a considerable agreement in real estate economics theory regarding the main factors that affect house prices (or so called “fundamental determinants”), it is hard to find a consistent definition regarding what factors can be considered as “fundamentals” and what factors belong to “non-fundamentals”. The dominating factors that are presented in the majority of the studies are income, population, interest rate, housing stock and unemployment. Studies done after the recent financial crisis put more attention on such factors as the behavior of the market participants, financing conditions and regulations. The characteristics of the bank lending and valuation policies as well as regulations on the rental market have received attention in the research literature, but the impact of these factors on house price dynamics is not measured and not well described. Therefore the other two papers in this thesis aim to provide a better insight in to the factors that create fluctuations in housing markets.The second paper investigates the effects of macroeconomic indicators such as population, income housing stock, mortgage interest rate on house prices. Estimation is done by applying panel data methodology on regional data for major cities in Germany and Sweden and by using yearly observations from 1995 to 2010. Results suggest that the long-run development of apartment prices in Sweden can be explained by changes in such factors as population, disposable income per capita, mortgage interest rate, housing stock, and prices per square meter in the previous period. The price for the previous period has the highest impact in comparison with other factors in Sweden. At the same time for Germany this is the only factor that is valid for long-term house price development. Estimates for fundamental factors such as population, disposable income, mortgage interest rate and housing stock appeared as not significant in house price development in the long run in Germany. A closer analysis has shown that the fundamental factors developed in a similar way in both countries during the analyzed period, though the house prices dynamic is very different. The conclusion is that fundamental factors cannot provide an explanation for the differences in house price developments in two countries and further analysis of institutional differences in the housing markets is done in the third paper.Third paper applies a comparative analysis approach and hypothetico-deductive method in order to examine the differences in the banking policies on mortgage financing and approaches to valuation of mortgage properties in Germany and Sweden. The results suggest that the extreme rise in Swedish house prices above the long-term trend was created by expanding bank lending policies that was supported by the general macroeconomic factors and regulation environment on the housing market. The main difference between countries in approaches to valuation for mortgage purposes is that in Germany that mortgage is based not on the market value as it is in Sweden, but on the long-run sustainable value, so called “fundamental” value. Mortgage lending value is determined in such a way that is also develops in the same tempo as fundamentals in the long-run and is not that procyclical as market value. Using a long-term sustainable value has a restrictive effect on the housing prices and in such a way stabilizes the market. One more factor that gives stability to the housing market in Germany is the well-functioning rental market. Third paper contributes to a better understanding of necessary conditions for the house prices to rise in the long run above the fundamentals level and suggests policy solutions that can reduce the risks of housing bubbles and increase financial stability.
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| 39. |
- Anundi, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Air and biological monitoring of solvent exposure during grafitti removal
- 2000
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Ingår i: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-0131 .- 1432-1246. ; 73:8, s. 561-569
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: The principal aim of the study was to estimate the level of exposure to organic solvents of graffiti removers, and to identify the chemicals used in different cleaning agents. A secondary objective was to inform about the toxicity of various products and to optimise working procedures.METHODS: Exposure to organic solvents was determined by active air sampling and biological monitoring among 38 graffiti removers during an 8-h work shift in the Stockholm underground system. The air samples and biological samples were analysed by gas chromatography. Exposure to organic solvents was also assessed by a questionnaire and interviews.RESULTS: Solvents identified were N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether (DPGME), propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PGME), diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (DEGEE), toluene, xylene, pseudocumene, hemimellitine, mesitylene, ethylbenzene, limonene, nonane, decane, undecane, hexandecane and gamma-butyrolactone. The 8-h average exposures [time-weighted average (TWA)] were below 20% of the Swedish permissible exposure limit value (PEL) for all solvents identified. In poorly ventilated spaces, e.g. in elevators etc., the short-term exposures exceeded occasionally the Swedish short-term exposure limit values (STEL). The blood and urine concentrations of NMP and its metabolites were low. Glycol ethers and their metabolites (2-methoxypropionic acid (MPA), ethoxy acetic acid (EAA), butoxy acetic acid (BAA), and 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) acetic acid (MEAA)) were found in low concentrations in urine. There were significant correlation between the concentrations of NMP in air and levels of NMP and its metabolites in blood and urine. The use of personal protective equipment, i.e. gloves and respirators, was generally high.CONCLUSIONS: Many different cleaning agents were used. The average exposure to solvents was low, but some working tasks included relatively high short-term exposure. To prevent adverse health effects, it is important to inform workers about the health risks and to restrict the use of the most toxic chemicals. Furthermore, it is important to develop good working procedures and to encourage the use of personal protection equipment.
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| 40. |
- Arm, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Pulp mill fly ash for stabilization of low-volume unpaved forest roads — field performance
- 2014
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Ingår i: Canadian journal of civil engineering (Print). - : Canadian Science Publishing. - 0315-1468 .- 1208-6029. ; 41:11, s. 955-963
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increased temperatures and rainfalls will give more settlements and less bearing capacity in gravel roads, which will have implications for the forestry. Pulp mill fly ash without additives was used for stabilizing the road base of a low-volume gravel road. A two-year monitoring of the road was conducted, including measurements of achieved ash content, density, water infiltration capacity, and load bearing capacity. The results showed that the ash-stabilized sections performed better than conventionally upgraded sections and also achieved increased bearing capacity over time. Hydration of the fly ash increased the stiffness and decreased the permeability of the road base. The differences were more pronounced during spring thaw. Best performance was achieved in the section with thicker ash stabilized layer.
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| 41. |
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| 42. |
- Barbu, Andreea, et al.
(författare)
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The role of complement factor C3 in lipid metabolism
- 2015
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Ingår i: Molecular Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0161-5890 .- 1872-9142. ; 67:1, s. 101-107
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abundant reports have shown that there is a strong relationship between C3 and C3a-desArg levels, adipose tissue, and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. The data indicate that complement components, particularly C3, are involved in lipid metabolism. The C3 fragment, C3a-desArg, functions as a hormone that has insulin-like effects and facilitates triglyceride metabolism. Adipose tissue produces and regulates the levels of complement components, which promotes generation of inflammatory initiators such as the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a. The anaphylatoxins trigger a cyto/chemokine response in proportion to the amount of adipose tissue present, and induce inflammation and mediate metabolic effects such as insulin resistance. These observations support the concept that complement is an important participant in lipid metabolism and in obesity, contributing to the metabolic syndrome and to the low-grade inflammation associated with obesity.
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| 43. |
- Beaumont, Robin N, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide association study of offspring birth weight in 86,577 women identifies five novel loci and highlights maternal genetic effects that are independent of fetal genetics.
- 2018
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Ingår i: Human molecular genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2083 .- 1460-2083 .- 0964-6906. ; 27:4, s. 742-756
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of birth weight have focused on fetal genetics, while relatively little is known about the role of maternal genetic variation. We aimed to identify maternal genetic variants associated with birth weight that could highlight potentially relevant maternal determinants of fetal growth. We meta-analysed data on up to 8.7 million SNPs in up to 86,577 women of European descent from the Early Growth Genetics (EGG) Consortium and the UK Biobank. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) and analyses of mother-child pairs to quantify the separate maternal and fetal genetic effects. Maternal SNPs at 10 loci (MTNR1B, HMGA2, SH2B3, KCNAB1, L3MBTL3, GCK, EBF1, TCF7L2, ACTL9, CYP3A7) were associated with offspring birth weight at P<5x10-8. In SEM analyses, at least 7 of the 10 associations were consistent with effects of the maternal genotype acting via the intrauterine environment, rather than via effects of shared alleles with the fetus. Variants, or correlated proxies, at many of the loci had been previously associated with adult traits, including fasting glucose (MTNR1B, GCK and TCF7L2) and sex hormone levels (CYP3A7), and one (EBF1) with gestational duration. The identified associations indicate genetic effects on maternal glucose, cytochrome P450 activity and gestational duration, and potentially on maternal blood pressure and immune function, are relevant for fetal growth. Further characterization of these associations in mechanistic and causal analyses will enhance understanding of the potentially modifiable maternal determinants of fetal growth, with the goal of reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with low and high birth weights.
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| 44. |
- Bengtsson, Bo, et al.
(författare)
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Hyresboendets roller - lokal organisering och boinflytande i förändring
- 2007
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Changing Roles in Rental Housing – Local Organisation and Tenant Participation in Transition Since the 1970’s a wide-ranging system of tenant participation and local organisation has developed in Sweden, based on local tenant associations(LTAs). These are the smallest organizational units within the Swedish tenant movement, which is uniquely strong, with high membership rates, institutionalised market power and considerable political influence. LTAs have been granted some influence on the management of their estates through centralised agreements between landlords and regional tenant unions.Lately these forms of tenant participation and local organisation have been challenged through centralisation within the tenant movement and an increasing general interest in alternative, less formal modes of local organisation and co-operation between landlords and tenants.Some observers foresee that the traditional forms based on LTAs and collective agreements will be successively replaced by a multitude of more informal solutions. This study investigates the validity of such claims by scrutinizing the development that has taken place in local organisation and tenant participation during the last decade or so. This is done by testing how LTAs have adjusted to the new conditions, and mapping and examining the alternative forms that have developed.The theoretical point of departure is that LTAs, as well as other local voluntary organisations of tenants, have four different roles to fulfil: (1) to function as a democratic unit for members and esidents (‘democratic community’); (2) to act as the base organisation within the tenant movement (’grass-roots organisation); (3) to represent all residents in the estate towards the landlord (’voice’); (4) to organise and support social interaction in the estate (’social organiser’).The study is based on several empirical materials, including (a) two questionnaires (1997 and 2005) directed to 350–400 chairpersons of LTAs (the sample included a panel of LTAs that received the questionnaire on both occasions); (b) a questionnaire directed to 100 tenants who are active in alternative forms of local organisation; (c) a questionnaire to 1,000 ordinary tenants in five municipalities; (d) process-oriented case studies of 32 LTAs between 1990 and 2006; and (e) case studies of four estates with alternative forms of local organisation.Between 1997 and 2005 the number of LTAs went down from 3,500 to 2,500. Those still existing take on the same roles as before and at almost the same level of activity. In the role as democratic community, tenants’ attendance at LTA general meetings is still relatively low, and the competition for seats on the board is almost non-existent. There is a slight female majority among LTA board members, whereas immigrants are poorly represented.In the role as grass-roots organisation, despite diminishing formal LTA influence within the tenant movement, LTAs and higher levels still co-operate regularly and in mutual respect. In the role as voice towards the landlord, most LTAs still have agreements on tenant participation, although the level of influence has gone down somewhat, in particular on economic issues. Finally, in the role as social organiser, LTAs still take great responsibility for leisure activities in their estates. All three roles as grass-roots organisation, voice and social organiser are considered to be important by LTAs. The role as the voice of the tenants in relation to the landlord is seen as the most important of the three, and the individual tenants responding to the questionnaire share this opinion. Most boards feel equally responsible to non-member residents as to members of the tenant union.Our case studies give some indications about the LTAs that have disappeared in the last decade. The 15 LTAs that were terminated since 1990 had lower levels of activity in all the four roles than the 17 still in existence. The case studies also indicate that the difference between development and decline can be explained in terms of institutionalisation: that associations grow successively less dependent on individual activists. In five extensive case studies we have identified how processes of institutionalisation and deinstitutionalisation arise and develop. These studies also illustrate that institutionalisation, cannot be taken for granted but is vulnerable to shifts in population and in relations to the landlord, including the sale of the estate.The alternative organisational units are far too few to replace the 1,000 LTA units that have disappeared. They sometimes engage individuals who have not been previously active, by means of openness to all tenants and informal modes of working. Still their activities have important similarities with those of LTAs, though many alternative units emphasize the role as social organiser more and, not surprisingly, the role as grass-roots organisation less than LTAs. Furthermore, without formal agreements, many of the alternative units have a weaker position to act as voice than LTAs. It is too early to say something definitive about the prospects of institutionalisation of the alternative forms. In most estates they still seem to be dependent on a few active tenants who put in a lot of effort in the activities.
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| 45. |
- Bengtsson, Bo, 1947-, et al.
(författare)
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Lokal kontroll och kollektivt handlande : En utvärdering av självförvaltning i Bostads AB Poseidon i Göteborg
- 2003
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Local Control and Collective Action. An Evaluation of Self-Management in the Municipal Housing Company Poseidon in Gothenburg. This report presents an evaluation over three years of a programme on ’local democracy and self-management’ in the municipal housing company Poseidon in Gothenburg. The point of departure is the assumption that a programme of this type has to offer both local control and individual motives for collective action if it is to be sustainable. Tenants must be able to influence housing conditions together, as well as to have some individual motivation to take part in the activities. The evaluation is based mainly on three data sources: (1) a questionnaire distributed to a random sample of 1400 tenants; (2) a number of questionnaires distributed to all tenants who are active in the self-management, all chair-persons in local tenants associations (LTAs) in Poseidon’s housing stock, and all Poseidon’s ’area hosts’, who are responsible for the local management of the estates; (3) intensive studies of the processes of self-management in seven local housing estates. Use has also been made of official and company statistics, earlier surveys, programmes, agreements, minutes and other documents, as well as interviews with key informants, observations from meetings and inspections in the estates. The report includes a comprehensive evaluation in terms of tenants’ local control and collective action and a number of special studies on particular themes and perspectives.By Autumn 2002 self-management had been established in all Poseidon’s districts and in a considerable share of the housing stock. The number of active tenants was estimated at 800–1000. They are organised in about 80, mainly informal and rather loosely defined groups. The ambitious programme aiming at considerable local decision-making proved to be unrealistic, and activities today are based on informal collaboration between local staff and active tenants, in a few cases formalised in ’estate associations’. Initially both the area hosts and the representatives of the local tenants movement were rather sceptical of the self-management, but both groups have gradually acquired a more positive attitude.At the time of the tenant questionnaire (January 2001) no more than one fourth of all tenants knew about the project, but since the knowledge was clearly better in those districts where activities were most developed, the share today is probably considerably higher, perhaps nearly 40 per cent. Ordinary tenants consider that most physical aspects of the outdoor environment has been improved, in particular the care of plants and lawns. In contrast they see only minor positive effects on social relations. Active tenants, LTA chair-persons and area hosts all judge that the self-management has had clear positive effects on the outdoor environment and on tenants’ influence, as well as on the social ties and general well-being among residents. Tenants, and not only active tenants, feel an improved sense of control over their housing conditions.A majority of the active tenants are women. While women have been engaged in all types of activities, men have primarily taken on physically demanding tasks. Tenants with foreign background are somewhat fewer among the active than their share of the population, but still they are better represented than usual in local housing activities. This may be due to the informal organisation and the orientation towards practical work. The self-management also seems to have stimulated a higher growth in commitment and sense of responsibility among tenants with foreign background than among those with Swedish background.The active tenants are on average 55 years old; the active women on average nine years younger than the active men. The share of age pensioners is high, and a large number of the somewhat younger activists are also without gainful employment. The active tenants take part in organisational and political life somewhat more than the population in general. Their prime mover is a ’norm of local utility’, i.e. a norm that prescribes that they take part if it would mean a positive contribution to the common good of their neighbourhood. Economic incentives are less prominent, and the participation of one’s neighbours is rarely seen as a prerequisite of taking part oneself. The tenants’ most important resources are time in and knowledge of the estate, and the work carried out comprises an important contribution to the management of Poseidon’s housing stock.The intensive studies – in most cases in housing estates with a relatively high level of activity – confirm this picture. They also make clear that the self-management activities are dominated by informally organised practical work outdoors. The case studies also show that the mode of interplay between active tenants and local staff is formed to a large extent by local conditions and traditions. The decentralised organisation of Poseidon’s housing management has been of particular importance to the actual influence of the tenants. The decentralisation of decision-making has made it meaningful to keep up a continuous and goal-oriented dialogue about the different issues that have been raised locally.The self-management has improved the outdoor environment and strengthened the ties between the active tenants as well as their identification with the estate. However, the effect on ecological issues has been limited, and so have the direct economic effects on housing management. Conflicts have been few and the informal conflict management has been on the whole successful. The absence of formally democratic elections, decision-making and accountability has sometimes been a problem when controversial issues have come up on the local agenda. Still many active tenants in the case-study estates are sceptical of introducing more formal procedures. By now the self-management has reached a certain degree of institutionalisation within the company. In contrast the prospects of institutionalisation among tenants still seem uncertain. The absence of democratic forms of decision-making could make it difficult to deal with issues about rents, periodic maintenance and repair, local rules of conduct, etc. A crucial condition for Poseidon’s self-management to be sustainable is that the positive attitudes of the company and the local staff will continue, another that a workable division of responsibility between the tenants association and the self-management can be developed. The most plausible scenario is a development towards a higher degree of differentiation. This would mean some estates without local collective action, other estates remaining on the current level of informal work on the outdoor environment, and still other moving towards formal local democracy and influence.
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| 46. |
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| 47. |
- Carlsson, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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Enhanced systolic myocardial function in elite endurance athletes during combined arm-and-leg exercise
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Applied Physiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1439-6319 .- 1439-6327. ; 111:6, s. 905-913
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim here was to employ color tissue velocity imaging (TVI), to test the hypothesis that highly trained endurance athletes exhibit enhanced systolic function of the left ventricular (LV) myocardium both at rest and during combined arm-and-leg exercise in comparison with untrained subjects. For each of the ten elite male (EG) and ten matched control participants (CG), LV dimensions and systolic function were assessed at rest using echocardiography. Subsequently, these subjects exercised continuously on a combined arm-and-leg cycle ergometer for 3 min each at 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100% of VO2max. Oxygen uptake, heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and peak contraction systolic velocities of the LV myocardium (PSV) were recorded in the end of each level. At rest, the trained and untrained groups differed with respect to LV dimensions, but not systolic function. At 60–100% VO2max, the EG group demonstrated both higher PSV and SBP. The observation that the EG athletes had higher PSV than CG during exercise at 60–100% VO2max, but not at rest or at 50% of VO2max, suggested an enhanced systolic capacity. This improvement is likely to be due to an enhanced inotropic contractility, which only becomes apparent during exercise.
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| 48. |
- Dahlqvist, S., et al.
(författare)
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Variables associated with HbA1c and weight reductions when adding liraglutide to multiple daily insulin injections in persons with type 2 diabetes (MDI Liraglutide trial 3)
- 2018
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Ingår i: BMC Open Diabetes Research and Care. - : BMJ. - 2052-4897. ; 6:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To evaluate variables associated with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and weight reduction when adding liraglutide to persons with type 2 diabetes treated with multiple daily insulin injections (MDI). Research design and methods This was a reanalysis of a previous trial where 124 patients were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter randomized trial carried out over 24 weeks. Predictors for effect on change in HbA1c and weight were analyzed within the treatment group and with concurrent interaction analyses. Correlation analyses for change in HbA1c and weight from baseline to week 24 were made. Results The mean age at baseline was 63.7 years, 64.8% were men, the mean number of insulin injections was 4.4 per day, the mean daily insulin dose was 105 units and the mean HbA1c was 74.5 mmol/mol (9.0%). The mean HbA1c and weight reductions were 12.3 mmol/mol (1.13%; P<0.001) and 3.8 kg (P<0.001) greater in liraglutide than placebo-Treated persons. There was no significant predictor for greater effect on HbA1c that existed in all analyses (univariate, multivariate and interaction analyses against controls). For a greater weight reduction when adding liraglutide, a lower HbA1c level at baseline was a predictor (liraglutide group P=0.002, P=0.020 for liraglutide group vs placebo). During follow-up in the liraglutide group, no significant correlation was found between change in weight and change in HbA1c (r=0.09, P=0.46), whereas a correlation existed between weight and insulin dose reduction (r=0.44, P<0.001). Conclusion Weight reduction becomes greater when adding liraglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with MDI who had a lower HbA1c level compared with those with a higher HbA1c level. There was no correlation between reductions in HbA1c and weight when liraglutide was added, that is, different patient groups responded with HbA1c and weight reductions. Trial registration number EudraCT nr: 2012-001941-42. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.
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