| 1. |
- Andersson, Erik, et al.
(författare)
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Ambio fit for the 2020s
- 2022
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Ingår i: Ambio. - : Springer Nature. - 0044-7447 .- 1654-7209. ; 51:5, s. 1091-1093
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 2. |
- Finnveden, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of integration of sustainable development in higher education in Sweden
- 2020
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Ingår i: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1467-6370 .- 1758-6739. ; 21:4, s. 685-698
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Since 2006, higher education institutions (HEIs) in Sweden, should according to the Higher Education Act, promote sustainable development (SD). In 2016, the Swedish Government asked the Swedish higher education authority to evaluate how this study is proceeding. The authority chose to focus on education. This paper aims to produce a report on this evaluation. Design/methodology/approach All 47 HEIs in Sweden were asked to write a self-evaluation report based on certain evaluation criteria. A panel was appointed consisting of academics and representatives for students and working life. The panel wrote an evaluation of each HEI, a report on general findings and recommendations, and gave an overall judgement of each HEI in two classes as follows: the HEI has well-developed processes for integration of SD in education or the HEI needs to develop their processes. Findings Overall, a mixed picture developed. Most HEIs could give examples of programmes or courses where SD was integrated. However, less than half of the HEIs had overarching goals for integration of SD in education or had a systematic follow-up of these goals. Even fewer worked specifically with pedagogy and didactics, teaching and learning methods and environments, sustainability competences or other characters of education for SD. Overall, only 12 out of 47 got a higher judgement. Originality/value This is a unique study in which all HEIs in a country are evaluated. This provides unique possibilities for identifying success factors and barriers. The importance of the leadership of the HEIs became clear.
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| 3. |
- Jons, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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Seroreactivity against lytic, latent and possible cross-reactive EBV antigens appears on average 10 years before MS induced preclinical neuroaxonal damage
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 1468-330X .- 0022-3050.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) and presymptomatic axonal injury appear to develop only after an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. This association remains to be confirmed across a broad preclinical time range, for lytic and latent EBV seroreactivity, and for potential cross-reacting antigens. Methods: We performed a case-control study with 669 individual serum samples obtained before clinical MS onset, identified through cross-linkage with the Swedish MS register. We assayed antibodies against EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1), viral capsid antigen p18, glycoprotein 350 (gp350), the potential cross-reacting protein anoctamin 2 (ANO2) and the level of sNfL, a marker of axonal injury. Results: EBNA1 (latency) seroreactivity increased in the pre-MS group, at 15-20 years before clinical MS onset, followed by gp350 (lytic) seroreactivity (p=0.001-0.009), ANO2 seropositivity appeared shortly after EBNA1-seropositivity in 16.7% of pre-MS cases and 10.0% of controls (p=0.001).With an average lag of almost a decade after EBV, sNfL gradually increased, mainly in the increasing subgroup of seropositive pre-MS cases (p=8.10-5 compared with non-MS controls). Seropositive pre-MS cases reached higher sNfL levels than seronegative pre-MS (p=0.038). In the EBNA1-seropositive pre-MS group, ANO2 seropositive cases had 26% higher sNfL level (p=0.0026). Conclusions: Seroreactivity against latent and lytic EBV antigens, and in a subset ANO2, was detectable on average a decade before the appearance of a gradually increasing axonal injury occurring in the last decade before the onset of clinical MS. These findings strengthen the hypothesis of latent EBV involvement in the pathogenesis of MS.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Grundeken, Marijke, et al.
(författare)
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Toxic metals and essential trace elements in placenta and their relation to placental function
- 2024
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Ingår i: Environmental Research. - : Elsevier. - 0013-9351 .- 1096-0953. ; 248
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Placental function is essential for fetal development, but it may be susceptible to malnutrition and environmental stressors. Objective: To assess the impact of toxic and essential trace elements in placenta on placental function. Methods: Toxic metals (cadmium, lead, mercury, cobalt) and essential elements (copper, manganese, zinc, selenium) were measured in placenta of 406 pregnant women in northern Sweden using ICP-MS. Placental weight and birth weight were obtained from hospital records and fetoplacental weight ratio was used to estimate placental efficiency. Placental relative telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) were determined by quantitative PCR (n = 285). Single exposure-outcome associations were evaluated using linear or spline regression, and joint associations and interactions with Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), all adjusted for sex, maternal smoking, and age or BMI. Results: Median cadmium, mercury, lead, cobalt, copper, manganese, zinc, and selenium concentrations in placenta were 3.2, 1.8, 4.3, 2.3, 1058, 66, 10626, and 166 μg/kg, respectively. In the adjusted regression, selenium (>147 μg/kg) was inversely associated with placental weight (B: −158; 95 % CI: −246, −71, per doubling), as was lead at low selenium (B: −23.6; 95 % CI: −43.2, −4.0, per doubling). Manganese was positively associated with placental weight (B: 41; 95 % CI: 5.9, 77, per doubling) and inversely associated with placental efficiency (B: −0.01; 95 % CI: −0.019, −0.004, per doubling). Cobalt was inversely associated with mtDNAcn (B: −11; 95 % CI: −20, −0.018, per doubling), whereas all essential elements were positively associated with mtDNAcn, individually and joint. Conclusion: Among the toxic metals, lead appeared to negatively impact placental weight and cobalt decreased placental mtDNAcn. Joint essential element concentrations increased placental mtDNAcn. Manganese also appeared to increase placental weight, but not birth weight. The inverse association of selenium with placental weight may reflect increased transport of selenium to the fetus in late gestation.
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| 6. |
- Jons, Daniel, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Axonal injury in asymptomatic individuals preceding onset of multiple sclerosis
- 2022
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Ingår i: Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. - : Wiley. - 2328-9503. ; 9:6, s. 882-887
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Axonal loss is the main cause of irreversible disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Serum neurofilament light (sNfL) is a biomarker of axonal disintegration. In this nested case-control study, blood samples from 519 presymptomatic persons (age range 4-39 years) who later received an MS diagnosis showed higher sNfL concentrations than 519 matched controls (p < 0.0001), noticeable at least 10 years before clinical MS onset. Mean values for pre-MS and control groups were 9.6 pg/mL versus 7.4 pg/mL 0-5 years before onset, and 6.4 pg/mL versus 5.8 pg/mL 5-10 years before onset. These results support that axonal injury occurs early in MS pathogenesis.
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| 7. |
- Mhd Omar, Nor Adila, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of a diet rich in galactose or fructose, with or without fructooligosaccharides, on gut microbiota composition in rats
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Nutrition. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-861X. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent studies suggest that a diet rich in sugars significantly affects the gut microbiota. Adverse metabolic effects of sugars may partly be mediated by alterations of gut microbiota and gut health parameters, but experimental evidence is lacking. Therefore, we investigated the effects of high intake of fructose or galactose, with/without fructooligosaccharides (FOS), on gut microbiota composition in rats and explored the association between gut microbiota and low-grade systemic inflammation. Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 6/group) were fed the following isocaloric diets for 12 weeks (% of the dry weight of the sugars or FOS): (1) starch (control), (2) fructose (50%), (3) galactose (50%), (4) starch+FOS (15%) (FOS control), (5) fructose (50%)+FOS (15%), (6) galactose (50%)+FOS (15%), and (7) starch+olive (negative control). Microbiota composition in the large intestinal content was determined by sequencing amplicons from the 16S rRNA gene; 341F and 805R primers were used to generate amplicons from the V3 and V4 regions. Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Tenericutes, and Cyanobacteria composition differed between diets. Bifidobacterium was significantly higher in all diet groups where FOS was included. Modest associations between gut microbiota and metabolic factors as well as with gut permeability markers were observed, but no associations between gut microbiota and inflammation markers were observed. We found no coherent effect of galactose or fructose on gut microbiota composition. Added FOS increased Bifidobacterium but did not mitigate potential adverse metabolic effects induced by the sugars. However, gut microbiota composition was associated with several metabolic factors and gut permeability markers which warrant further investigations.
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| 8. |
- Omar, Adila, 1985, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of High Intakes of Fructose and Galactose, with or without Added Fructooligosaccharides, on Metabolic Factors, Inflammation, and Gut Integrity in a Rat Model
- 2021
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Ingår i: Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. - : Wiley. - 1613-4125 .- 1613-4133. ; 65:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Scope A high fructose and galactose intake show adverse metabolic effects in animal models and in humans, but it is yet unknown if addition of fermentable dietary fiber can mitigate such effects. This study investigate the effects of high intakes of fructose and galactose, with/without added fructooligosaccharides (FOS), on metabolic factors, inflammation, and gut integrity markers in rats. Methods and Results Rats (n = 6/group) receive different carbohydrates at isocaloric conditions for 12 weeks as follows: 1) starch (control), 2) fructose, 3) galactose, 4) starch + FOS (FOS control), 5) fructose + FOS, and 6) galactose + FOS, together with a high amount of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFA) in all diets except for in 7) starch + olive oil (negative control). The rats fed the galactose and galactose + FOS diets exhibit lower body weight than other groups. High-galactose diets has more pronounced effects on metabolic factors and gut permeability than high-fructose diets. High-fructose diets show less pronounced effect on these selected markers. No differences in inflammatory markers are detected for any of the diets. Conclusions The results suggest potential adverse effects of high galactose and fructose on metabolic factors and gut integrity markers, but not on inflammation. However, several mechanisms are at play, and general net effects are difficult to determine conclusively for the conditions tested.
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| 9. |
- Zamaratskaia, Galia, et al.
(författare)
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Consumption of whole grain/bran rye instead of refined wheat decrease concentrations of TNF-R2, e-selectin, and endostatin in an exploratory study in men with prostate cancer
- 2020
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Ingår i: Clinical Nutrition. - : Elsevier BV. - 1532-1983 .- 0261-5614. ; 39:1, s. 159-165
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background & aims: Rye consumption has shown beneficial effects on prostate cancer tumors, as indicated by slower initial tumor growth in animal models and lowering of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in humans. This study evaluated the effects of whole grain/bran rye consumption on low-grade inflammation and endothelial function biomarkers in men with prostate cancer. Methods: Seventeen men with untreated, low-grade prostate cancer consumed 485 g rye whole grain and bran products (RP) per day or refined wheat products with added cellulose (WP) in a randomized crossover design. Fasting blood samples were taken before and after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment. Results: Concentrations of tumor nuclear factor-receptor 2 (TNF-R2), e-selectin, and endostatin were significantly lower after consumption of the RP diet compared with WP (p < 0.05). Cathepsin S concentration was positively correlated to TNF-R2 and endostatin concentrations across all occasions. Strong correlations were consistently found between intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and between interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA). No effect of intervention was found in 92 inflammation-related protein biomarkers measured in a proximity extension assay. Conclusions: RP diet lowered TNF-R2, e-selectin, and endostatin, compared with WP in men with prostate cancer. These effects were accompanied by a reduction in PSA.
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| 10. |
- Schillemans, Tessa, et al.
(författare)
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Omics signatures linking persistent organic pollutants to cardiovascular disease in the Swedish mammography cohort
- 2024
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 58:2, s. 1036-1047
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) development may be linked to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including organochlorine compounds (OCs) and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). To explore underlying mechanisms, we investigated metabolites, proteins, and genes linking POPs with CVD risk. We used data from a nested case-control study on myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke from the Swedish Mammography Cohort - Clinical (n = 657 subjects). OCs, PFAS, and multiomics (9511 liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolite features; 248 proteins; 8110 gene variants) were measured in baseline plasma. POP-related omics features were selected using random forest followed by Spearman correlation adjusted for confounders. From these, CVD-related omics features were selected using conditional logistic regression. Finally, 29 (for OCs) and 12 (for PFAS) unique features associated with POPs and CVD. One omics subpattern, driven by lipids and inflammatory proteins, associated with MI (OR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.47; 2.79), OCs, age, and BMI, and correlated negatively with PFAS. Another subpattern, driven by carnitines, associated with stroke (OR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.16; 2.09), OCs, and age, but not with PFAS. This may imply that OCs and PFAS associate with different omics patterns with opposite effects on CVD risk, but more research is needed to disentangle potential modifications by other factors.
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