| 1. |
- Lager, Susanne, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Perinatal lack of maternal IL-6 promotes increased adiposity during adulthood in mice.
- 2011
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Ingår i: Endocrinology. - : The Endocrine Society. - 1945-7170 .- 0013-7227. ; 152:4, s. 1336-46
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The perinatal environment appears important in establishing metabolic phenotypes in adulthood. Mice deficient in IL-6 (IL-6(-/-)) tend to develop mature-onset obesity, but it is unknown whether perinatal exposure to IL-6 produced by the dam influences the metabolism of adult offspring. To address this issue, we monitored IL-6(-/-) offspring of IL-6(-/-) or IL-6(+/-) dams, as well as wild-type (WT) mice. At adult age, IL-6(-/-) mice weighed significantly more and had more body fat than WT mice, regardless of maternal genotype, and had lower insulin sensitivity. This phenotype was more pronounced in IL-6(-/-) offspring of IL-6(-/-) dams, because they gained weight significantly faster than IL-6(-/-) offspring of IL-6(+/-) dams and had more body fat and higher serum leptin levels at an earlier age. The leptin content was 2-fold higher in milk from IL-6(-/-) than WT dams. However, cross-fostering IL-6(-/-) mice with WT dams did not alter body weight, body composition, or adipocyte size at adult age compared with IL-6(-/-) mice fostered by IL-6(-/-) dams. Conversely, WT mice fostered by IL-6(-/-) dams weighed significantly more than those fostered by WT dams and had more body fat, larger adipocytes, and altered hypothalamic gene expression. We conclude that body fat of adult mice can be increased by perinatal exposure to factors affected by lack of maternal IL-6.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Niklas, 1970, et al.
(författare)
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A variant near the interleukin-6 gene is associated with fat mass in Caucasian men
- 2010
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Ingår i: International Journal of Obesity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0307-0565 .- 1476-5497. ; 34:6, s. 1011-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- CONTEXT: Regulation of fat mass appears to be associated with immune functions. Studies of knockout mice show that endogenous interleukin (IL)-6 can suppress mature-onset obesity. OBJECTIVE: To systematically investigate associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near the IL-6 (IL6) and IL-6 receptor (IL6R) genes with body fat mass, in support for our hypothesis that variants of these genes can be associated with obesity. DESIGN AND STUDY SUBJECTS: The Gothenburg Osteoporosis and Obesity Determinants (GOOD) study is a population-based cross-sectional study of 18- to 20-year-old men (n=1049), from the Gothenburg area (Sweden). Major findings were confirmed in two additional cohorts consisting of elderly men from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Sweden (n=2851) and MrOS US (n=5611) multicenter population-based studies. MAIN OUTCOME: The genotype distributions and their association with fat mass in different compartments, measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Out of 18 evaluated tag SNPs near the IL6 and IL6R genes, a recently identified SNP rs10242595 G/A (minor allele frequency=29%) 3' of the IL6 gene was negatively associated with the primary outcome total body fat mass (effect size -0.11 standard deviation (s.d.) units per A allele, P=0.02). This negative association with fat mass was also confirmed in the combined MrOS Sweden and MrOS US cohorts (effect size -0.05 s.d. units per A allele, P=0.002). When all three cohorts were combined (n=8927, Caucasian subjects), rs10242595(*)A showed a negative association with total body fat mass (effect size -0.05 s.d. units per A allele, P<0.0002). Furthermore, the rs10242595(*)A was associated with low body mass index (effect size -0.03, P<0.001) and smaller regional fat masses. None of the other SNPs investigated in the GOOD study were reproducibly associated with body fat. CONCLUSIONS: The IL6 gene polymorphism rs10242595(*)A is associated with decreased fat mass in three combined cohorts of 8927 Caucasian men.
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| 3. |
- Bolling, Anne, et al.
(författare)
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SHAKE - an approach for realistic simulation of rough roads in a moving base driving simulator
- 2010
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Ingår i: Trends in driving simulation design and experiments. - Arcueil : Institut national de recherche sur les transports et leur securite, INRETS. - 9782857826859 ; , s. 135-143
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- With today’s advanced measurement equipment for measuring roads, it is possible to measure road geometry at high precision within a large span of wavelengths. Detailed information about the roads longitudinal and lateral profile, including macro texture, would in theory be sufficient for a realistic reproduction of road induced vibration and noise in a driving simulator. Especially, it would be possible to create a direct connection between the visual information of the road condition and the ride experience, which would increase the level of realism in the simulation. VTI has during three years performed an internal project called SHAKE with the aim to develop and implement models in VTI driving simulator III that use measured road data for generating realistic vibrations and audible road noise connected to the visual impression presented on the projection screen. This has indeed resulted in an more realistic driving experience, and a validation study with test persons driving both in the simulator and in the field has been undertaken. The OpenDRIVE standard is used as a framework for describing the road properties (e.g. visual, vibrations and noise). For this purpose some augumentations to the OpenDRIVE standard had to be made. This paper describes the technical implementations in the driving simulator, along with results from test drives on the implemented road sections
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| 4. |
- Carlsson, Noomi
(författare)
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A Zero-vision for Children’s Tobacco Smoke Exposure : Tobacco prevention in Child Health Care
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Adverse health effects in children caused by environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are well known. Children are primarily exposed by their parents’ smoking in their homes. A comprehensive evidence base shows that parental smoking during pregnancy and ETS exposure in early childhood are associated with an increased risk for a range of adverse health problems. Child Health Care nurses, who meet nearly all families in Sweden with children aged 0-6 years, have thus an important role in tobacco preventive work in order to support parents in their ambitions to protect their children from ETS exposure.The overall aim of this thesis was to develop, test and evaluate a new model for tobacco preventive work in Child Health Care (CHC) with special focus on areas with a high prevalence of parental smoking. In a first step CHC nurses’ and parents’ views on tobacco preventive work were analysed in two studies based on questionnaires.The intervention was performed during the second step, based on the results from nurses’ and parents’ experience of the tobacco preventive work in CHC, and with methods from Quality Improvement. An “intervention bundle” was developed which included evidence based methods for prevention of ETS exposure, and four learning sessions for the nurses. The instrument “Smoking in Children’s Environment Test” (SiCET) included in the bundle was evaluated with focus group interviews with the CHC nurses who participated in the intervention. Two urine samples were analysed to measure cotinine levels in children which provide an estimate for ETS exposure. Parents’ answers from the SiCET questionnaire, measurements of cotinine, and data from the nurses’ log-books were used in the evaluation of the effects of the intervention. In areas with a high prevalence of parental smoking 22 nurses recruited 86 families of whom 72 took part for the entire one-year period of the intervention.The results showed that parents wanted to have information on the harmful effects tobacco smoke have on their children and how they can protect their children from ETS exposure. The nurses saw tobacco preventive work as important but they experienced difficulties to reach certain groups such as fathers, foreign-born parents, and those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. The SiCET instrument provided a basis for dialogue with parents. The main results from the intervention showed that ten parents (11%) quit smoking, thirty-two families (44%) decreased their cigarette consumption in the home, and fewer children were exposed to tobacco smoke. Consequently, more children showed levels of urinary cotinine less than 6 ng/ml (base-line n=43, follow up n=54; p=0.05). The total number of outdoor smokers did not change. Seven of the nurses (30%) had successful results in their areas with a decrease of smokers in families with a child of 8 months, from 20% in 2009 to 12% in 2011. The corresponding figures for the whole county as well as the country did not decrease during the same period.The sustainability of the intervention has to be followed and thus measures should be followed prospectively over time. The SiCET instrument was found useful and might be applicable in other arenas where children’s ETS exposure is discussed. The development of an instant cotinine test using dipsticks would make it possible to give parents immediate feedback on the effectiveness of taken protective actions. This could work as a pedagogic resource in the dialogue with parents.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Engström, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of the impact of genetic polymorphisms in glutathione-related genes on the association between methylmercury or n-3 polyunsaturated long chain fatty acids and risk of myocardial infarction : a case-control study
- 2011
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Ingår i: Environmental Health. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1476-069X. ; 10:33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which are present in fish, are protective against myocardial infarction. However, fish also contains methylmercury, which influences the risk of myocardial infarction, possibly by generating oxidative stress. Methylmercury is metabolized by conjugation to glutathione, which facilitates elimination. Glutathione is also an antioxidant. Individuals with certain polymorphisms in glutathione-related genes may tolerate higher exposures to methylmercury, due to faster metabolism and elimination and/or better glutathione-associated antioxidative capacity. They would thus benefit more from the protective agents in fish, such as eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid and selenium. The objective for this study was to elucidate whether genetic polymorphisms in glutathione-related genes modify the association between eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid or methylmercury and risk of first ever myocardial infarction. Methods: Polymorphisms in glutathione-synthesizing (glutamyl-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit, GCLC and glutamyl-cysteine ligase modifier subunit, GCLM) or glutathione-conjugating (glutathione S-transferase P, GSTP1) genes were genotyped in 1027 individuals from northern Sweden (458 cases of first-ever myocardial infarction and 569 matched controls). The impact of these polymorphisms on the association between erythrocyte-mercury (proxy for methylmercury) and risk of myocardial infarction, as well as between plasma eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid and risk of myocardial infarction, was evaluated by conditional logistic regression. The effect of erythrocyte-selenium on risk of myocardial infarction was also taken into consideration. Results: There were no strong genetic modifying effects on the association between plasma eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid or erythrocyte-mercury and risk of myocardial infarction risk. When eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid or erythrocyte-mercury were divided into tertiles, individuals with GCLM-588 TT genotype displayed a lower risk relative to the CC genotype in all but one tertile; in most tertiles the odds ratio was around 0.5 for TT. However, there were few TT carriers and the results were not statistically significant. The results were similar when taking plasma eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid, erythrocyte-selenium and erythrocyte-mercury into account simultaneously. Conclusions: No statistically significant genetic modifying effects were seen for the association between plasma eicosapentaenoic+docosahexaenoic acid or erythrocyte-mercury and risk of myocardial infarction. Still, our results indicate that the relatively rare GCLM-588 TT genotype may have an impact, but a larger study is necessary for confirmation.
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| 7. |
- Fagerlind, Magnus G., et al.
(författare)
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Dynamic modelling of cell death during biofilm development
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Theoretical Biology. - : Academic Press. - 0022-5193 .- 1095-8541. ; 295, s. 23-36
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biofilms are currently recognised as the predominant bacterial life-style and it has been suggested that biofilm development is influenced by a number of different processes such as adhesion, detachment, mass transport, quorum sensing, cell death and active dispersal. One of the least understood processes and its effects on biofilm development is cell death. However, experimental studies suggest that bacterial death is an important process during biofilm development and many studies show a relationship between cell death and dispersal in microbial biofilms. We present a model of the process of cell death during biofilm development, with a particular focus on the spatial localisation of cell death or cell damage. Three rules governing cell death or cell damage were evaluated which compared the effects of starvation, damage accumulation, and viability during biofilm development and were also used to design laboratory based experiments to test the model. Results from model simulations show that actively growing biofilms develop steep nutrient gradients within the interior of the biofilm that affect neighbouring microcolonies resulting in cell death and detachment. Two of the rules indicated that high substrate concentrations lead to accelerated cell death, in contrast to the third rule, based on the accumulation of damage, which predicted earlier cell death for biofilms grown with low substrate concentrations. Comparison of the modelling results with experimental results suggests that cell death is favoured under low nutrient conditions and that the accumulation of damage may be the main cause of cell death during biofilm development. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 8. |
- Grape, Sophie, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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New perspectives on nuclear power - Generation IV nuclear energy systems to strengthen nuclear non-proliferation and support nuclear disarmament
- 2014
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Ingår i: Energy Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0301-4215 .- 1873-6777. ; 73, s. 815-819
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recently, nuclear power has received support from environmental and climate researchers emphasizing the need to address factors of global importance such as climate change, peace and welfare. Here, we add to previous discussions on meeting future climate goals while securing safe supplies of energy by discussing future nuclear energy systems in the perspective of strengthening nuclear non-proliferation and aiding in the process of reducing stockpiles of nuclear weapons materials.New nuclear energy systems, currently under development within the Generation IV (Gen IV) framework, are being designed to offer passive safety and inherent means to mitigate consequences of nuclear accidents. Here, we describe how these systems may also be used to reduce or even eliminate stockpiles of civil and military plutonium—the former present in waste from today׳s reactors and the latter produced for weapons purposes. It is argued that large-scale implementation of Gen IV systems would impose needs for strong nuclear safeguards. The deployment of Safeguards-by-Design principles in the design and construction phases can avoid draining of IAEA resources by enabling more effective and cost-efficient nuclear safeguards, as compared to the current safeguards implementation, which was enforced decades after the first nuclear power plants started operation.
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| 9. |
- Grape, Sophie, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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Students’ approaches to learning from other students’ oral presentations
- 2013
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A phenomenographic study has been performed in order to investigate students’ approaches to learning from other students’ oral presentations in the context of a compulsory seminar on nuclear accidents in the third year of the nuclear engineering programme at Uppsala University.
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| 10. |
- Hellesen, Carl, et al.
(författare)
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Improved proliferation resistance of fast reactor blankets manufactured from spent nuclear fuel
- 2013
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this paper we investigate how a blanket manufactured from recycled light water reactor (LWR)waste, instead of depleted uranium (DU), could potentially improve the non- proliferationcharacteristics. The blanket made from LWR waste would from the start of operation contain a fractionof plutonium isotopes unsuitable for weapons production. As 239Pu is bred in the blanket it istherefore always mixed with the plutonium already present.We use a Monte Carlo model of the advanced burner test reactor (ABTR) as reference design, andthe proliferation resistance of the blanket material is evaluated for two criteria, spontaneous neutronemission and decay heat. We show that it is possible to achieve a production of plutonium withproliferation resistance comparable to light water reactor waste with a burnup of 50MWd/kg.
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