| 1. |
- Arne, Mats, 1954-, et al.
(författare)
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Factors associated with good self-rated health and quality of life in subjects with self-reported COPD
- 2011
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Ingår i: The International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. - 1176-9106 .- 1178-2005. ; 6, s. 511-519
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Recent guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) state that COPD is both preventable and treatable. To gain a more positive outlook on the disease it is interesting to investigate factors associated with good, self-rated health and quality of life in subjects with self-reported COPD in the population. Methods: In a cross-sectional study design, postal survey questionnaires were sent to a stratified, random population in Sweden in 2004 and 2008. The prevalence of subjects (40–84 years) who reported having COPD was 2.1% in 2004 and 2.7% in 2008. Data were analyzed for 1475 subjects. Regression models were used to analyze the associations between health measures (general health status, the General Health Questionnaire, the EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire) and influencing factors. Results: The most important factor associated with good, self-rated health and quality of life was level of physical activity. Odds ratios for general health varied from 2.4 to 7.7 depending on degree of physical activity, where subjects with the highest physical activity level reported the best health and also highest quality of life. Social support and absence of economic problems almost doubled the odds ratios for better health and quality of life. Conclusions: In this population-based public health survey, better self-rated health status and quality of life in subjects with self-reported COPD was associated with higher levels of physical activity, social support, and absence of economic problems. The findings indicated that of possible factors that could be influenced, promoting physical activity and strengthening social support are important in maintaining or improving the health and quality of life in subjects with COPD. Severity of the disease as a possible confounding effect should be investigated in future population studies.
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| 2. |
- Wieslander, Gunilla, et al.
(författare)
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Eating Buckwheat Cookies Is Associated with the Reduction in Serum Levels of Myeloperoxidase and Cholesterol: A Double Blind Crossover Study in Day-Care Centre Staffs
- 2011
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Ingår i: Tohoku journal of experimental medicine. - : Tohoku University Medical Press. - 0040-8727 .- 1349-3329. ; 225:2, s. 123-130
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Buckwheat food is a good source of antioxidants, e.g. rutin, and other beneficial substances. Here we investigated the effects of the intake of common buckwheat (low rutin content) and tartary buckwheat cookies (high rutin content) on selected clinical markers. A double blind crossover study was performed among female day-care centre staffs (N = 62) from five day-care centres. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first group initially consumed four common buckwheat cookies per day (16.5 mg rutin equivalents/day) for two weeks, while the second group consumed four tartary buckwheat cookies per day (359.7 mg rutin equivalents/day). Then the groups switched their type of cookies and consumed them for another two weeks. We monitored selected clinical markers related to cardiovascular disease and lower airway inflammation, lung function, and subjective breathing difficulties in the staffs. Intake of tartary buckwheat cookies reduced the serum level of myeloperoxidase (MPO) by a factor 0.84 (p = 0.02). When grouping the two types of buckwheat cookies together, there was a reduction of total serum cholesterol (p andlt; 0.001) and HDL-cholesterol (p andlt; 0.001) during the study period, with improved lung vital capacity (p andlt; 0.001). The degree of reduction in total and HDL cholesterol levels was similar in staffs with low and high body mass index (cut off 25). In conclusion, intake of tartary buckwheat cookies with high level of the antioxidant rutin may reduce levels of MPO, an indicator of inflammation. Moreover, intake of both types of buckwheat cookies may lower cholesterol levels.
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| 3. |
- Accordini, Simone, et al.
(författare)
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The Cost of Persistent Asthma in Europe : An International Population-Based Study in Adults
- 2013
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Ingår i: International Archives of Allergy and Immunology. - : S. Karger AG. - 1018-2438 .- 1423-0097. ; 160:1, s. 93-101
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: This study is aimed at providing a real-world evaluation of the economic cost of persistent asthma among European adults according to the degree of disease control [as defined by the 2006 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines]. Methods: A prevalence-based cost-of-illness study was carried out on 462 patients aged 30-54 years with persistent asthma (according to the 2002 GINA definition), who were identified in general population samples from 11 European countries and examined in clinical settings in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II between 1999 and 2002. The cost estimates were computed from the societal perspective following the bottom-up approach on the basis of rates, wages and prices in 2004 (obtained at the national level from official sources), and were then converted to the 2010 values. Results: The mean total cost per patient was EUR 1,583 and was largely driven by indirect costs (i.e. lost working days and days with limited, not work-related activities 62.5%). The expected total cost in the population aged 30-54 years of the 11 European countries was EUR 4.3 billion (EUR 19.3 billion when extended to the whole European population aged from 15 to 64 years). The mean total cost per patient ranged from EUR 509 (controlled asthma) to EUR 2,281 (uncontrolled disease). Chronic cough or phlegm and having a high BMI significantly increased the individual total cost. Conclusions: Among European adults, the cost of persistent asthma drastically increases as disease control decreases. Therefore, substantial cost savings could be obtained through the proper management of adult patients in Europe.
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| 4. |
- Accordini, Simone, et al.
(författare)
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The Role of Smoking in Allergy and Asthma : Lessons from the ECRHS
- 2012
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Ingår i: Current Allergy and Asthma Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1529-7322 .- 1534-6315. ; 12:3, s. 185-191
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The European Community Respiratory Health Survey is an international multicenter cohort study of asthma, allergy, and lung function that began in the early-1990s with recruitment of population-based samples of 20- to 44-year-old adults, mainly in Europe. The aims of the study are broad ranging but include assessment of the role of in utero exposure to tobacco smoke, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, and active smoking on the incidence, prevalence, and prognosis of allergy and asthma. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses looking at these associations have been conducted, sometimes only using information collected in one country, and on other occasions using information collected in all the participating centers. This article summarizes the results from these various publications from this large epidemiologic study.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Ali, M. A. E., et al.
(författare)
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Antimicrobial potential of Saccharomyces boulardii extracts and fractions
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Applied Sciences Research. - 1816-157X .- 1819-544X. ; 8:8, s. 4537-4543
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Different extracts of viable therapeutic Saccharomyces boulardii cells were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Water, methanol, isopropanol, n-butanol and ethanol were used as solvents for extraction. Ethanol-extract exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity towards both strains, followed by water-extract. No antimicrobial activity could be detected on testing methanol-extract towards both strains. Ethanol- and water-extracts, cells remaining after water and ethanol extraction and broth were also tested for their antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, non-filamentous and filamentous fungi and showed considerable amounts of antimicrobial activities. Ethanol extracts exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against all the tested strains, was then fractionated on a Sephadex G-100 column and the obtained fractions were examined using the agar-well diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus, E.coli, C. albicans and Aspergillus niger. Results obtained indicate the presence of different scattered active fractions with different potencies against the four tested microorganisms. A large scale fermentation process was conducted using a BioFlo benchtop-15L Fermentor/ Bioreactor and the products were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities.
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| 7. |
- Amaral, Andre F. S., et al.
(författare)
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Interaction between gas cooking and GSTM1 null genotype in bronchial responsiveness : results from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey
- 2014
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Ingår i: Thorax. - : BMJ. - 0040-6376 .- 1468-3296. ; 69:6, s. 558-564
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Increased bronchial responsiveness is characteristic of asthma. Gas cooking, which is a major indoor source of the highly oxidant nitrogen dioxide, has been associated with respiratory symptoms and reduced lung function. However, little is known about the effect of gas cooking on bronchial responsiveness and on how this relationship may be modified by variants in the genes GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1, which influence antioxidant defences. Methods The study was performed in subjects with forced expiratory volume in one second at least 70% of predicted who took part in the multicentre European Community Respiratory Health Survey, had bronchial responsiveness assessed by methacholine challenge and had been genotyped for GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1-rs1695. Information on the use of gas for cooking was obtained from interviewer-led questionnaires. Effect modification by genotype on the association between the use of gas for cooking and bronchial responsiveness was assessed within each participating country, and estimates combined using meta-analysis. Results Overall, gas cooking, as compared with cooking with electricity, was not associated with bronchial responsiveness (beta=-0.08, 95% CI -0.40 to 0.25, p=0.648). However, GSTM1 significantly modified this effect (beta for interaction=-0.75, 95% CI - 1.16 to -0.33, p=4x10(-4)), with GSTM1 null subjects showing more responsiveness if they cooked with gas. No effect modification by GSTT1 or GSTP1-rs1695 genotypes was observed. Conclusions Increased bronchial responsiveness was associated with gas cooking among subjects with the GSTM1 null genotype. This may reflect the oxidant effects on the bronchi of exposure to nitrogen dioxide.
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| 8. |
- Andersson, Mikael, et al.
(författare)
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Accuracy of three activity monitors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease : A comparison with video recordings
- 2014
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Ingår i: COPD. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1541-2555 .- 1541-2563. ; 11:5, s. 560-567
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Low physical activity and sedentary behaviour characterise the lives of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Using activity monitors, assessment of both aspects are possible, but many outcomes are not well validated. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and equivalency of three activity monitors regarding steps, body position and their ability to differentiate between periods of physical activity and inactivity.Fifteen patients with COPD (8 females; median (interquartile range, IQR) age, 64 (59-69) years; forced expiratory volume in one second, 37 (28-48) % predicted; six-minute walk distance, 444 (410-519) m) were enrolled. The DynaPort ADL-monitor, the DynaPort MiniMod monitor and the SenseWear Armband Pro 3 monitor were assessed. Subjects performed a structured protocol alternating physical activity and inactivity while simultaneously wearing all three monitors and being video recorded. The mean difference (limits of agreement) in step count from monitors compared to manual step count was -69 (-443 to 305) for the ADL-monitor, -19 (-141 to 103) for the MiniMod and -479 (-855 to -103) for the SenseWear Armband. Compared to the video, the sitting time was 97 (94-100) % when measured by the ADL-monitor and 121 (110-139) % by the MiniMod. Standing time was 114 (107-122) % when measured by the ADL-monitor and 68 (47-106) % by the MiniMod. Activity monitors are not equivalent in their abilities to detect steps or body positions. The choice of monitor should be based on the particular outcome of interest.
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| 9. |
- Andersson, Mikael, 1979-
(författare)
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Assessing Physical Activity and Physical Capacity in Subjects with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to assess measurement properties of methods suitable for screening or monitoring of physical capacity and physical activity in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and to explore factors associated with physical activity levels.Methods: Four observational studies were conducted. Participants in studies I-III (sample sizes) (n=49, n=15, n=73) were recruited from specialist clinics, and in study IV from a population-based cohort (COPD n=470 and Non-COPD n=659). Psychometric properties of methods assessing physical capacity (study I) and physical activity (study II) were investigated in laboratory settings. Daily physical activity and clinical characteristics were assessed with objective methods (study III) and with subjective methods (study IV).Results: Physical capacity as measured by walking speed during a 30-metre walk test displayed high test-retest correlations (ICC>0.87) and small measurement error. The accuracy for step count and body positions differed between activity monitors and direct observations. In study III 92% of subjects had an activity level below what is recommended in guidelines. Forty five percent of subjects’ activity could be accounted for by clinical characteristics with lung function (22.5%), walking speed (10.1%), quadriceps strength (7.0%) and fat-free mass index (3.0%) being significant predictors. In study IV, low physical activity was significantly more prevalent in COPD subjects from GOLD grade ≥II than among Non-COPD subjects (22.4 vs. 14.6%, p = 0.016). The strongest factors associated with low activity in COPD subjects were a history of heart disease, OR (CI 95%) 2.11 (1.10-4.08) and fatigue, OR 2.33 (1.31-4.13) while obesity was the only significant factor in Non-COPD subjects, OR 2.26 (1.17-4.35).Conclusion: The 30 meter walk test and activity monitors are useful when assessing physical capacity and physical activity, respectively in patients with COPD. Impaired physical activity in severe COPD is related to low lung function, low walking speed, low muscle strength and altered body composition, whereas comorbidities and fatigue are linked to insufficient physical activity in patients with moderately severe COPD.
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| 10. |
- Andersson, Mikael, 1964-
(författare)
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Characterisation of Chromatography Media Aimed for Purification of Biomolecules
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Chromatography media (resins) are very important for and widely used by the biopharma industry in large scale production of biopharmaceuticals, e.g. monoclonal antibodies. Today there are several hundred biopharmaceuticals released globally on the healthcare market. This thesis discusses various strategies and methods for the characterisation of chemical and functional stability of chromatography media. In addition, various analytical techniques used in these areas were evaluated and applied. Further, more specific physical and chemical characterisation methods were evaluated and applied to explore different properties of various chromatography media.In Papers I-III, established methodologies for performing chemical and functional stability studies were used. Mainly agarose-based chromatography media were investigated. For fast screening of the chemical stability, the total organic carbon analysis technique was evaluated and applied. This technique that measures the carbon leakage from the chromatography media at different conditions, proved to be very suitable and robust. For detection and/or identification of leakage compounds responsible for or for part of the measured carbon leakage, different methods such as (high performance) liquid chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry were used.In Papers IV-VII, different properties (i.e. functional performance, ligand content and surface chemistry) were evaluated for different agarose-based chromatography media. Standard chromatographic methods (ion exchange chromatography) and spectroscopic methods (e.g. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry) were evaluated and applied. Chemometric methods were used for efficient evaluation of data.Information of chemical, functional and leakage data of chromatography media are valuable and important for the biopharmaceutical companies to be able to fulfil the regulatory requirements of biopharmaceuticals. In addition, information of various chemical, functional and physical properties of chromatography media is likewise important during development and set up of new biopharmaceutical processes.
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