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- Norbäck, Dan, et al.
(author)
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Fungal DNA in dust in Swedish day care centres : associations with respiratory symptoms, fractional exhaled nitrogen oxide (FeNO) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum among day care centre staff
- 2016
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In: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-0131 .- 1432-1246. ; 89:2, s. 331-340
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To study associations between fungal DNA in day care centres, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and inflammatory markers in day care centre staff. Totally, 62 staff (90 %) from five day care centres in Sweden participated. All were females. Settled dust was collected and analysed for five sequences of fungal DNA by quantitative PCR. Levels of FeNO (NIOX MINO 50 ml/min) and serum levels of eosinophilic cationic protein, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in blood (HsCRP) were measured. Dynamic spirometry was performed, and dyspnoea was measured. Biomarkers and dyspnoea ratings were log-transformed, and associations were analysed by linear mixed models, adjusting for age, atopy, smoking, body mass index (BMI), ETS and dampness/mould at home. Geometric mean (GM) for FeNO was 15.3 ppb, 6 % were smokers, 14 % were obese, 31 % were overweight and 18 % had atopy. GM concentration was 2.16 x 10(5) cell equivalents (CE)/g for total fungal DNA, 2310 CE/g for Aspergillus/penicillium (Asp/Pen) DNA, 17 CE/g for Aspergillus versicolor DNA and 14 CE/g dust for Streptomyces DNA. FeNO was associated with total fungal DNA (p = 0.004), Asp/Pen DNA (p = 0.005) and Streptomyces DNA (p = 0.03). HsCRP was associated with total fungal DNA (p = 0.03) and BMI (p = 0.001). Dyspnoea was associated with Asp/Pen DNA (p = 0.04). Subjects with ETS at home had lower lung function (FEV1) (p = 0.03), and those with dampness/mould at home had lower MPO (p = 0.03). Fungal contamination in day care centres, measured as fungal DNA, can be a risk factor for airway inflammation, and CRP is associated with BMI.
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2. |
- Paula, Pongrac, et al.
(author)
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The effects of hydrothermal processing and germination on Fe speciation and Fe bioaccessibility to human intestinal Caco-2 cells in Tartary buckwheat
- 2016
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In: Food Chemistry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0308-8146 .- 1873-7072. ; 199, s. 782-790
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tartary buckwheat is a gluten-free crop with great potential as a wheat substitute. Iron (Fe) is an important mineral element in staple foods which is required in sufficient bioaccessible quantities. The aim of the study was to investigate how processing of grains into groats (hydrothermal processing to remove the husk) and sprouts (7-day-old seedlings) affected Fe speciation (Fe2+ or Fe3+), Fe ligand composition and Fe bioaccessibility to human Caco-2 cells. Groats contained the least Fe (23.8 ± 1.65 mg kg-1) and the lowest amounts of Fe2+ (8%). Grains and sprouts had comparable Fe concentrations (78.2 ± 2.65 and 68.9 ± 2.73 mg kg-1) and similar proportions of Fe2+ (15% and 18%). The main ligands for Fe in Tartary buckwheat material were phytate and citrate. Phytate was less abundant in sprouts, which did not correlate with greater Fe bioaccessibility. Iron bioaccessibility was 4.5-fold greater for grains than groats,suggesting that Fe is more bioaccessible in the husk than in the rest of the grain.
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3. |
- Wieslander, Gunilla, et al.
(author)
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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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In: Tohoku journal of experimental medicine. - : Tohoku University Medical Press. - 0040-8727 .- 1349-3329. ; 225:2, s. 123-130
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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4. |
- Wieslander, Gunilla, et al.
(author)
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Effects of common and Tartary buckwheat consumption on mucosal symptoms, headache and tiredness : A double-blind crossover intervention study
- 2012
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In: Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment (JFAE). - 1459-0255 .- 1459-0263. ; 10:2, s. 107-110
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Buckwheat is rich in the flavonoid rutin and other compounds beneficial to human health. Buckwheat is used traditionally as a health food in the treatment of different diseases, but there have been few studies of its effects on symptoms and well-being. This study aimed to investigate the effects on general and mucosal symptoms of the consumption of two types or buckwheat: Tartary buckwheat (TBW; Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) and common buckwheat (CBW; F. esculentum Moench). Cookies were produced from both types of buckwheat flour. TBW cookies contained 2,530 mg rutin and 1,620 mg quercetin kg(-1) dry weight (DW). CBW cookies contained less rutin, i.e. 270 mg kg(-1) DW, while quercetin was below the detection limit. A double-blind random crossover study was performed with 62 healthy women. Participants were divided randomly into two groups. The First group consumed four TBW cookies per day (359.7 mg rutin-equivalents day(-1)) whereas the second group consumed four CBW cookies per day (16.5 mg rutin day(-1)), for two weeks. The groups then switched the type of cookies and consumed them for a further two weeks (four cookies daily). We monitored ocular, nasal, and throat symptoms, headache, fatigue, and nausea using symptom scales. Both types of cookies had positive effects on symptoms compared with the baseline. TBW initially reduced fatigue symptoms (p<0.05), although it increased ocular symptoms (p<0.05). In conclusion, buckwheat consumption generally reduced the symptoms analyzed in this study. A daily consumption of 359.7 mg rutin-equivalents day(-1) in the form of TBW cookies reduced fatigue in healthy subjects and it did not increase the levels of symptoms.
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