| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Ruilope, LM, et al.
(författare)
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Design and Baseline Characteristics of the Finerenone in Reducing Cardiovascular Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease Trial
- 2019
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Ingår i: American journal of nephrology. - : S. Karger AG. - 1421-9670 .- 0250-8095. ; 50:5, s. 345-356
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- <b><i>Background:</i></b> Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. <b><i>Patients and</i></b> <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥25 mL/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup> and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 to ≤5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level α = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049.
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| 8. |
- Kozak Ljunggren, Monika, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of Surgical Technique on Corneal Implant Performance.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Translational Vision Science & Technology. - : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). - 2164-2591. ; 3:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: Our aim was to determine the effect of a surgical technique on biomaterial implant performance, specifically graft retention.METHODS: Twelve mini pigs were implanted with cell-free, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) cross-linked recombinant human collagen type III (RHCIII) hydrogels as substitutes for donor corneal allografts using overlying sutures with or without human amniotic membrane (HAM) versus interrupted sutures with HAM. The effects of the retention method were compared as well as the effects of collagen concentration (13.7% to 15% RHCIII).RESULTS: All implanted corneas showed initial haze that cleared with time, resulting in corneas with optical clarity matching those of untreated controls. Biochemical analysis showed that by 12 months post operation, the initial RHCIII implants had been completely remodeled, as type I collagen, was the major collagenous protein detected, whereas no RHCIII could be detected. Histological analysis showed all implanted corneas exhibited regeneration of epithelial and stromal layers as well as nerves, along with touch sensitivity and tear production. Most neovascularization was seen in corneas stabilized by interrupted sutures.CONCLUSIONS: This showed that the surgical technique used does have a significant effect on the overall performance of corneal implants, overlying sutures caused less vascularization than interrupted sutures.TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Understanding the significance of the suturing technique can aid the selection of the most appropriate procedure when implanting artificial corneal substitutes. The same degree of regeneration, despite a higher collagen content indicates that future material development can progress toward stronger, more resistant implants.
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| 9. |
- Liu, Wei, et al.
(författare)
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Super-resolution structured illumination fluorescence microscopy of the lateral wall of the cochlea : the Connexin26/30 proteins are separately expressed in man
- 2016
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Ingår i: Cell and Tissue Research. - : Springer. - 0302-766X .- 1432-0878. ; , s. 1-15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Globally 360 million people have disabling hearing loss and, of these, 32 million are children. Human hearing relies on 15,000 hair cells that transduce mechanical vibrations to electrical signals in the auditory nerve. The process is powered by the endo-cochlear potential, which is produced by a vascularized epithelium that actively transports ions in conjunction with a gap junction (GJ) system. This “battery” is located “off-site” in the lateral wall of the cochlea. The GJ syncytium contains the GJ protein genes beta 2 (GJB2/connexin26 (Cx26)) and 6 (GJB6/connexin30 (Cx30)), which are commonly involved in hereditary deafness. Because the molecular arrangement of these proteins is obscure, we analyze GJ protein expression (Cx26/30) in human cochleae by using super-resolution structured illumination microscopy. At this resolution, the Cx26 and Cx30 proteins were visible as separate plaques, rather than being co-localized in heterotypic channels, as previously suggested. The Cx26 and Cx30 proteins thus seem not to be co-expressed but to form closely associated assemblies of GJ plaques. These results could assist in the development of strategies to treat genetic hearing loss in the future.
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| 10. |
- Shao, Z., et al.
(författare)
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Cytochrome P450 2C8 omega 3-Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Metabolites Increase Mouse Retinal Pathologic Neovascularization-Brief Report
- 2014
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Ingår i: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 1079-5642 .- 1524-4636. ; 34:3, s. 581-586
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective Regulation of angiogenesis is critical for many diseases. Specifically, pathological retinal neovascularization, a major cause of blindness, is suppressed with dietary 3-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (3LCPUFAs) through antiangiogenic metabolites of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase. Cytochrome P450 epoxygenases (CYP2C8) also metabolize LCPUFAs, producing bioactive epoxides, which are inactivated by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) to transdihydrodiols. The effect of these enzymes and their metabolites on neovascularization is unknown. Approach and Results The mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy was used to investigate retinal neovascularization. We found that CYP2C (localized in wild-type monocytes/macrophages) is upregulated in oxygen-induced retinopathy, whereas sEH is suppressed, resulting in an increased retinal epoxide:diol ratio. With a 3LCPUFA-enriched diet, retinal neovascularization increases in Tie2-driven human-CYP2C8-overexpressing mice (Tie2-CYP2C8-Tg), associated with increased plasma 19,20-epoxydocosapentaenoic acid and retinal epoxide:diol ratio. 19,20-Epoxydocosapentaenoic acids and the epoxide:diol ratio are decreased with overexpression of sEH (Tie2-sEH-Tg). Overexpression of CYP2C8 or sEH in mice does not change normal retinal vascular development compared with their wild-type littermate controls. The proangiogenic role in retina of CYP2C8 with both 3LCPUFA and 6LCPUFA and antiangiogenic role of sEH in 3LCPUFA metabolism were corroborated in aortic ring assays. Conclusions Our results suggest that CYP2C 3LCPUFA metabolites promote retinal pathological angiogenesis. CYP2C8 is part of a novel lipid metabolic pathway influencing retinal neovascularization.
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| 11. |
- Amizhtan, S. K., et al.
(författare)
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Experimental Study and ANN Analysis of Rheological Behavior of Mineral Oil-Based SiO2 Nanofluids
- 2022
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Ingår i: IEEE transactions on dielectrics and electrical insulation. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 1070-9878 .- 1558-4135. ; 29:3, s. 956-964
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This work reports an experimental and theoretical analysis of the rheological properties of mineral oil-based SiO2 nanofluid for their potential applications in transformer insulation. The flow electrification mechanism on the nanofluids with different surfactants such as cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), oleic acid, and Span 80 is studied using a spinning disk technique. The results show a higher streaming current for the nanofluids with CTAB as a surfactant compared to oleic acid and Span 80. The rheological behavior of nanofluids is explored with the double gap concentric cylinder geometry. The variation of shear stress with shear rate follows a power law relationship along with a yield stress observed for all the nanofluids. A transition is seen from storage modulus to dominant loss modulus for the nanofluids during the frequency sweep analysis, whereas no transition is observed in the case of mineral oil. In addition, regression analysis using artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms are performed on the experimentally measured viscosity of the nanofluids in order to estimate theoretical parameters and provide insights into the streaming current formation. The desirable rheological characteristics of nanofluids are identified for achieving enhanced insulation performance in transformers.
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| 12. |
- Amizhtan, S. K., et al.
(författare)
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Impact of Magnetic Field on Corona Discharge Behavior of Mineral Oil Under AC Voltage
- 2022
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Ingår i: IEEE transactions on dielectrics and electrical insulation. - : IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC. - 1070-9878 .- 1558-4135. ; 29:4, s. 1417-1424
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article reports an experimental investigation of the impact of magnetic field on corona discharge activity in mineral oil, using both ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) and fluorescence techniques under ac voltage. The results show that corona inception voltage (CIV) increased under ac voltage with varying harmonic frequencies without considering any phase shift and reduced marginally under magnetic field. In addition, the impact of the magnetic field shifted the dominating frequency of the UHF signal (0.9 GHz) obtained under ac voltage toward lower frequencies (0.3 and 0.6 GHz). Under high magnetic fields, the parameters such as rise time, fall time, and pulsewidth of the fluorescence signal increased in its magnitude compared to its effect without a magnetic field. Also, using both the UHF sensor and the fluorescence sensor, there was no clear difference in the phase-resolved partial discharge (PRPD) pattern caused by corona discharge (with and without magnetic field). Furthermore, the number of discharges is observed to be high under the impact of harmonic ac voltages with third- and seventh-order containing total harmonic distortions (THDs) of 4% and 40%.
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| 13. |
- Amizhtan, S. K., et al.
(författare)
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Impact of Surfactants on the Electrical and Rheological Aspects of Silica Based Synthetic Ester Nanofluids
- 2022
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Ingår i: IEEE Access. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 2169-3536. ; 10, s. 18192-18200
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study reports experimental investigations of the effects of different surfactants (CTAB, Oleic acid and Span 80) on silica based synthetic ester nanofluids. The positive and negative potential observed for the ionic (CTAB) and non-ionic surfactant (Span 80) from zeta potential analysis indicates an improved stability. The optimization of nanofillers and surfactants is performed considering the corona inception voltage measured using ultra high frequency (UHF) technique and fluorescent fiber. Rheological analysis shows no significant variation of properties with shear rate, implying Newtonian behavior even with the addition of surfactant. In addition, the permittivity of the nanofluid is not much affected by adding surfactant but a marginal variation is noticed in the loss tangent with the effect of temperature. The fluorescence spectroscopy shows no change in the emission wavelength with the addition of silica nanofiller and surfactants. Flow electrification studies indicate an increase in the streaming current with the rotation speed and temperature, with a higher current magnitude observed in the case of nanofluids.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Doddapaneni, Venkatesh, et al.
(författare)
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Spectroscopic investigations of the ablated species from the polymers exposed to electric arcs in air
- 2015
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Ingår i: 2015 3rd International Conference on Electric Power Equipment - Switching Technology, ICEPE-ST 2015. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 9781467374149 ; , s. 337-340
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polymeric walls have been widely used in the last decades to improve the arc interruption process in electrical switching applications. This improvement is achieved by the evaporation (ablation) of the polymeric walls due to the highly energetic radiation generated by the electrical arcs. This experimental study deals with polymeric walls that are exposed to the electrical arcs generated between a 5 mm air gap with prospective current of 1.4 kA. In this paper, two different techniques are discussed aiming at the identification of the dominant ablated species produced during the arc interruption process, namely Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thermogravimetric analysis coupled with Fourier transform infrared analysis of evolved gases (EGA). In addition, the morphological and chemical changes on the surface of the exposed polymeric walls are analyzed by microscopical techniques.
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| 16. |
- Edin, Benoni B, et al.
(författare)
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Classification of human muscle stretch receptor afferents : a Bayesian approach.
- 1990
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurophysiology. - 0022-3077 .- 1522-1598. ; 63:6, s. 1314-1322
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1. A sample of 124 human muscle afferents originating from the finger extensor muscles were recorded from the radial nerve in the upper arm. A method is described to formalize the classification of units in muscle spindle primary and secondary afferents and Golgi tendon organ afferents on the basis of a few, nonrigorous assumptions. The classification was based on experimental data that largely have been described in a series of previous papers, although some additional data were collected in the present study. 2. The units were subjected to five tests providing identification data: twitch contraction test, ramp-and-hold stretch, small-amplitude sinusoidal stretches superimposed on ramp stretch, stretch sensitization, and isometric contraction/relaxation. From these five tests the following eight response features were extracted: response to maximal isometric twitch contractions, type of stretch sensitization, correlation between discharge rate and contractile force, response to sudden isometric relaxation, presence or absence of an initial burst, deceleration response, prompt silencing at slow muscle shortening, and driving by small-amplitude sinusoidal stretches. 3. A Bayesian decision procedure was adopted to classify the units on the basis of the eight discriminators. As a first step, units were provisionally classified into muscle spindle primary and secondary afferents, and Golgi tendon organ afferents, by intuitively weighting their responses to the identification tests. Prior probabilities were estimated on the basis of the provisional classification. The eight response features were analyzed and tabulated for all afferents, and the likelihood functions of the tests were directly calculated on the basis of these data.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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| 17. |
- Edin, Benoni B, et al.
(författare)
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Dynamic response of human muscle spindle afferents to stretch.
- 1990
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurophysiology. - 0022-3077 .- 1522-1598. ; 63:6, s. 1297-1306
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1. One hundred and twenty-four muscle afferents from the finger extensor muscles were recorded from the radial nerve in human subjects. 2. The afferents were provisionally classified as muscle spindle primary (78/124) and secondary afferents (25/124), and Golgi tendon organ afferents (21/124), on the basis of their response to 1) maximal twitch contractions, 2) 20- and 50-Hz sinusoids superimposed on ramp-and-hold stretches, 3) stretch sensitization, and 4) isometric contractions and sudden relaxations. 3. Ramp-and-hold stretches at two velocities, 10 and 50 degrees/s, were applied to the appropriate metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint while the parent muscle remained relaxed. For each unit three discrete parameters were assessed: the presence or absence of 1) an initial burst at the commencement of the ramp stretch, 2) a deceleration response at the beginning of the hold phase, and 3) a prompt silencing at muscle shortening. In addition, two kinds of dynamic indexes were calculated for 79 of the muscle spindle afferents. 4. Most spindle afferents responded readily to stretch, whereas the Golgi tendon organ afferents produced very poor stretch responses. All of them lacked a static response, whereas the dynamic response, when present at all, consisted of only a few impulses. 5. The dynamic index was higher for spindle primaries than for secondaries, and this difference was statistically significant although the distribution was unimodal for spindle afferents as a group. Hence, this parameter was a poor discriminator. 6. Initial bursts, deceleration responses, and silences during imposed shortening were more common in spindle primaries than in secondaries. The differences were significant in all these respects. 7. The three discrete parameters were statistically pairwise independent for the spindle afferents, justifying the combination of the three into a useful battery for discrimination between primary and secondary spindle afferents and the use of this battery as a partial data base for a probability approach towards a solid classification of human muscle afferents.
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| 18. |
- Edin, Benoni B, et al.
(författare)
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Muscle afferent responses to isometric contractions and relaxations in humans.
- 1990
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurophysiology. - 0022-3077 .- 1522-1598. ; 63:6, s. 1307-1313
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1. One hundred and two single afferents from the finger extensor muscles of humans were studied with the microneurography technique. 2. The afferents were provisionally classified as primary muscle spindle afferents (62/102), secondary spindle afferents (22), and Golgi tendon organ afferents (18) on the basis of their responses to four tests: 1) ramp-and-hold stretch, 2) 20- and 50-Hz small-amplitude sinusoidal stretch superimposed on ramp-and-hold stretch, 3) maximal isometric twitch contraction, and 4) stretch sensitization. 3. The response profiles of the three unit types were analyzed during slowly rising isometric contraction terminating with an abrupt relaxation. About 75% (61/84) of all muscle spindle afferents increased their discharge during isometric contraction, whereas the discharge was reduced for the remaining afferents. All Golgi tendon organs increased their discharge during the contraction. 4. The level of extrafusal contraction at which a spindle afferent increased its discharge rate often varied from trial to trial, speaking against a fixed fusimotor recruitment level of the individual spindle ending. 5. In 70% of the spindle afferents, a distinct burst of impulses appeared when the subject rapidly relaxed after the isometric contraction. The burst was more common and usually much more prominent with primary than secondary afferents, often reaching instantaneous discharge rates well above 100 Hz. 6. Whereas all Golgi tendon organ afferents displayed an increased discharge during the contraction phase, only one of them exhibited a rate acceleration close to the relaxation phase. However, this response could clearly be identified as being of different nature than the spindle bursts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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| 19. |
- Edin, Benoni B, et al.
(författare)
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Single unit retrieval in microneurography : a microprocessor-based device controlled by an operator.
- 1988
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Ingår i: Journal of Neuroscience Methods. - 0165-0270 .- 1872-678X. ; 24:2, s. 137-144
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A microprocessor-based device was constructed to retrieve single unit activity from nerve recordings contaminated by other units and EMG activity. The microneurographic signal is sampled at 10 kHz and an algorithm applied to identify impulses from a single nerve fibre. On line, a TTL pulse is delivered when an event, i.e. a provisional nerve impulse, is selected. The wave form and clock time of events are stored. Moreover, the latest selected event and the actual selection criteria are continuously displayed on a standard oscilloscope. Off line, the wave form and clock time of events as well as an instantaneous frequency plot can be displayed on the oscilloscope. The final selection of events is done with a combination of a second algorithm, which essentially is a wave form comparator, and a manual check. The device is controlled either by hardware, with knobs on the front panel, or by software through a data bus connected to a microcomputer. Clock times and wave forms of the events, which are stored in the microprocessor memory, may also be presented on the data bus for later off-line analysis and coordination with other related signals collected during the experiment, e.g. transducer and electromyography records, whether these were stored on analog or digital tape or computer disc. Compared to other available techniques, the device has a superior discriminative power when electromyographic artefacts are present.
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| 20. |
- Edin, Benoni B, et al.
(författare)
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Stretch sensitization of human muscle spindles.
- 1988
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Ingår i: Journal of Physiology. - 0022-3751 .- 1469-7793. ; 400, s. 101-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1. Sixty-seven afferents from the finger extensor muscles were consecutively recorded by microneurography. 2. The units were classified as primary or secondary muscle spindle afferents or Golgi tendon organ afferents on the basis of their responses to ramp-and-hold stretches, sinusoidals superimposed on ramp-and-hold stretches, maximal twitch contractions and isometric contractions and relaxations. 3. The muscle was repeatedly stretched and then either kept short or long for a few seconds followed by a slow ramp stretch. The responses of the muscle afferents to the slow stretch were compared under the two conditions. 4. Thirty out of thirty-eight units classified as primary spindle afferents and four out of eleven units classified as secondary afferents showed an enhanced response to the slow ramp when the muscle had been kept short compared to the response when the muscle had been kept long. 5. None of the eighteen Golgi tendon organ afferents showed any difference in this respect. 6. It is concluded that stretch sensitization does occur in human muscle spindles and, when present, constitutes firm evidence of the afferent originating from a muscle spindle rather than a Golgi tendon organ. In addition, due to differences in the response characteristics of primaries and secondaries, the test may aid in separating muscle spindle primary afferents from secondary afferents.
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| 21. |
- Edin, Benoni B, et al.
(författare)
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Twitch contraction for identification of human muscle afferents.
- 1987
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Ingår i: Acta Physiologica Scandinavica. - 0001-6772 .- 1365-201X. ; 131:1, s. 129-138
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A classical test to differentiate between Golgi tendon organs and muscle spindles is the twitch contraction elicited by electrical stimulation. The possibility of producing maximal twitches in the finger extensor muscles using surface stimulation over the muscle belly was investigated as well as the feasibility of the test in microneurography experiments. Electrical stimuli were applied either over the muscle in the forearm or the radial nerve in the upper arm, while the resulting torque output at single metacarpophalangeal joints was measured. The relationship between current intensity and maximal contraction force was determined and stimulus response plots were constructed over a large range of current intensities. Stimulation of the radial nerve always yielded plots with a steep and monotonous rising limb up to a plateau. It was concluded that the plateau represented maximal twitch contractions. With transcutaneous stimulation over the muscle belly, the stimulus response plots were usually more complex. However, this could be explained by force transmission through the intertendinous connections on the dorsum of the hand and by antagonist activation. It was concluded that maximal twitch contractions can readily be elicited in the human extensor digitorum muscle with nonpainful transcutaneous electrical stimulations. Moreover, maximal twitches are compatible with single unit recording from muscle afferents in microneurography experiments.
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| 22. |
- Edin Grimheden, Martin, 1971-, et al.
(författare)
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Guest Editors Introduction: Special Issue on Education for Cyber-Physical Systems
- 2020
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Ingår i: IEEE design & test. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 2168-2356 .- 2168-2364. ; 37:6, s. 5-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) are integrations of physical systems with computations. Their design poses many challenges. For example, CPS design is interdisciplinary by nature, crossing the boundaries of many engineering disciplines. In addition, there is a potential mismatch between the discrete nature of today’s computing systems and typically continuous physical systems, and CPS design has to meet and adhere to many constraints and take many objectives into account. As a result, education for the CPS design is quite challenging. In this context, the special issue on education for CPS aims to provide educators, industrial representatives, and researchers with a view on the needs and share solutions for embedded and CPS education. The special issue addresses questions such as “How can we ensure that students will be able to work in interdisciplinary teams?,” “What skills and capabilities are required by the engineers of tomorrow?,” “How should the corresponding educational programs be formed?,” and “How can effective pedagogic methods be introduced in this domain?”
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| 23. |
- Edin, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
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Perspectives on intimate relationships among young people in rural South Africa : the logic of risk
- 2016
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Ingår i: Culture, Health and Sexuality. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1369-1058 .- 1464-5351. ; 18:9, s. 1010-1024
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper explores how young people in rural South Africa understand gender, dating, sexuality and risk-taking in adolescence. The empirical material drawn upon consists of 20 interviews with young men and women (aged 18-19) and reflects normative gender patterns characterised by compulsory heterosexuality and dating as obligatory, and representing key symbols of normality. However, different meanings of heterosexual relationships are articulated in the interviews, for example in the recurring concept of 'passing time', and these meanings show that a relationship can be something arbitrary: a way to reduce boredom and have casual sex. Such a rationale for engaging in a relationship reflects one of several other normative gender patterns, which relate to the trivialisation of dating and sexual risk-taking, and which entail making compromises and legitimising deviations from the 'ideal' life-script and the hope of a better future. However, risks do not exclusively represent something bad, dangerous or immoral, because they are also used as excuses to avoid sex, HIV acquisition and early pregnancy. In conclusion, various interrelated issues can both undermine and/or reinforce risk awareness and subsequent risk behaviour. Recognition of this tension is essential when framing policies to support young people to reduce sexual risk-taking behaviour.
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| 24. |
- Edin-Liljegren, A, et al.
(författare)
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Psychosocial risk factors among Sami in Sweden : a controlled cohort study
- 2006
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Ingår i: Vaartoe.
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Konferensbidrag (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Objective: To investigate the occurrence of psychosocial, clinical and behavioural risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among reindeer herding and non-reindeer herding Sami. The results on psychosocial risk factors are presented here. Materials and Methods: A cohort of 611 Swedish Sami (276 men and 335 women) was constructed from national population registers and compared with a twice as large control population of non-Sami, matched by age, gender and area of residency. Information on quality of life, social support and Karasek and Theorell`s job-strain indices was obtained from a database containing information from a regional CVD-preventive program. The data was collected from the period of 1990–2001. Results: The Sami people reported lower quality of life and higher demand and intellectual discretion at work than the non-Sami. The Sami women, the reindeer herding as well as the non-reindeer herding, had lower scores on intellectual discretion and social support at work compared with the Sami men. Conclusions: Regarding the psychosocial risk factors investigated here it seems that the Sami women are at higher risk than the Sami men.
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| 25. |
- Edin-Liljegren, A, et al.
(författare)
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Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among Swedish Sami : a controlled cohort study
- 2004
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Ingår i: International Journal of Circumpolar Health. - 1239-9736 .- 2242-3982. ; 63:Suppl 2, s. 292-297
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate the occurrence of clinical, psychosocial and behavioural risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among reindeer herding (RS) and non-reindeer herding Sami (NRS). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study, comparing risk factors behind CVD between Sami and non-Sami, RS and NRS, and Sami men and women. METHODS: A cohort of 611 Swedish Sami (276 men and 335 women) was constructed from national population registers. A twice as large control cohort of non-Sami was created, matched by age, gender and area of residence. Information on risk factors was obtained from a database containing clinical and psychosocial-behavioural data from a regional CVD preventive programme for the period 1990-2001. RESULTS: The Sami and the non-Sami showed similar risk factor patterns. The main differences were related to working conditions and lifestyle factors of the RS. The RS men had lower blood pressure, were more physically active and had higher job demand and decision latitude. The RS women showed more negative scores on the indices of the job strain model. CONCLUSIONS: Previously reported differences in CVD mortality between Sami and non-Sami, and Sami men and women, can only partly be explained by different exposure to the psychosocial and behaviour risk factors investigated in this study.
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
- Friberg, Andrew S, 1979-
(författare)
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Standardization of Islet Isolation and Transplantation Variables
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Currently, the transplantation of islets of Langerhans is a viable means to maintain control of blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia in defined populations with brittle type I diabetes mellitus or those requiring pancreatectomy. However, the process of islet isolation is highly variable and not all isolations result in islet numbers or quality suitable for transplantation. This thesis aimed to improve transplantation success through optimization and standardization of the isolation process and to identify pretransplant variables associated with early islet engraftment. A previously disregarded enzyme activity, tryptic-like activity (TLA), has been identified to influence pancreas digestion efficiency and islet isolation success in both the preclinical and clinical situations. For human pancreases, islet isolation success rates improved from 0% in the lowest TLA group to over 50% in the highest TLA groups without affecting islet quality. These findings should help standardize evaluation of enzymes for clinical islet isolation. A closed, automated, pump-made gradient system was compared to the open, manual method for islet separation. No differences were observed in expected gradient volumes, islet yields or total purities between the two methods. The pump-made gradient system successfully removed manual influences on density gradient production while fulfilling regulatory requirements for closed system processing. Islet quantification was evaluated with computer-assisted digital imaging analysis (DIA) and a semi-closed assessment system. By using the DIA system method, which measures islet purity and pellet volume instead of manual counting methods, variation in islet counts and purity reduced by almost half. By using a transplant outcome measurement of C-peptide adjusted by blood glucose and creatinine, we identified four pretransplant factors that affect early transplant outcome. Of the four factors, one was related to the organ transport time, one to function of the islets, and two to the transplanted tissue volume. When these four factors were put into a predictive model, it accounted for about 40% of the transplant outcome. The work contained in this thesis identifies and optimizes a number of critical elements related to islet isolation and transplantation protocols.
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| 28. |
- Gallina, Barbara, et al.
(författare)
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Towards safety risk assessment of socio-technical systems via failure logic analysis
- 2014
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Ingår i: Proceedings - IEEE 25th International Symposium on Software Reliability Engineering Workshops, ISSREW 2014. - 9781479973774 ; , s. 287-292
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- A thorough understanding of the safety risks of a system requires an understanding of its human and organizational factors, as well as its technical components. Analysis approaches that focus only on the latter without considering, for example, how human decision makers may respond to a technical failure, are not able to adequately capture the wide variety of safety risk scenarios that need to be considered. In this paper, we propose a model-based analysis approach that allows analysts to interpret humans and organizations in terms of components and their behavior in terms of failure logic. Our approach builds on top of CHESS-FLA, which is a tool-supported failure logic analysis technique that supports analysis of component-based system architectures to understand what can go wrong at the system level and to identify the causes (i.e. Faulty components). However, CHESS-FLA currently deals only with hardware and software components and thus it is not adequate to reason about socio-technical systems. We therefore provide an extension based on a pre-existing classification of socio-failures and combine it with the one used in CHESS-FLA for technical failures, thereby giving birth to a novel approach to analysis of socio-technical systems. We demonstrate our approach on an example from the petroleum domain.
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| 29. |
- Gong, Y., et al.
(författare)
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Cytochrome P450 oxidase 2J inhibition suppresses choroidal neovascularization in mice
- 2022
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Ingår i: Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental. - : Elsevier BV. - 0026-0495. ; 134
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) leads to blindness. It has been widely reported that increased intake of ω−3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) diets reduce CNV. Of the three major pathways metabolizing ω−3 (and ω−6 LCPUFA), the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways generally produce pro-angiogenic metabolites from ω−6 LCPUFA and anti-angiogenic ones from ω−3 LCPUFA. Howevehr, cytochrome P450 oxidase (CPY) 2C produces pro-angiogenic metabolites from both ω−6 and ω−3 LCPUFA. The effects of CYP2J2 products on ocular neovascularization are still unknown. Understanding how each metabolic pathway affects the protective effect of ω−3 LCPUFA on retinal neovascularization may lead to therapeutic interventions. Objectives: To investigate the effects of LCPUFA metabolites through CYP2J2 pathway and CYP2J2 regulation on CNV both in vivo and ex vivo. Methods: The impact of CYP2J2 overexpression and inhibition on neovascularization in the laser-induced CNV mouse model was assessed. The plasma levels of CYP2J2 metabolites were measured by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectroscopy. The choroidal explant sprouting assay was used to investigate the effects of CYP2J2 inhibition and specific LCPUFA CYP2J2 metabolites on angiogenesis ex vivo. Results: CNV was exacerbated in Tie2-Cre CYP2J2-overexpressing mice and was associated with increased levels of plasma docosahexaenoic acids. Inhibiting CYP2J2 activity with flunarizine decreased CNV in both ω−6 and ω−3 LCPUFA-fed wild-type mice. In Tie2-Cre CYP2J2-overexpressing mice, flunarizine suppressed CNV by 33 % and 36 % in ω−6, ω−3 LCPUFA diets, respectively, and reduced plasma levels of CYP2J2 metabolites. The pro-angiogenic role of CYP2J2 was corroborated in the choroidal explant sprouting assay. Flunarizine attenuated ex vivo choroidal sprouting, and 19,20-EDP, a ω−3 LCPUFA CYP2J2 metabolite, increased sprouting. The combined inhibition of CYP2J2 with flunarizine and CYP2C8 with montelukast further enhanced CNV suppression via tumor necrosis factor-α suppression. Conclusions: CYP2J2 inhibition augmented the inhibitory effect of ω−3 LCPUFA on CNV. Flunarizine suppressed pathological choroidal angiogenesis, and co-treatment with montelukast inhibiting CYP2C8 further enhanced the effect. CYP2 inhibition might be a viable approach to suppress CNV in AMD. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
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| 32. |
- Hughes, K, et al.
(författare)
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Calmodulin-dependent kinase II mediates T cell receptor/CD3- and phorbol ester-induced activation of IkappaB kinase.
- 2001
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 276:38, s. 36008-36013
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Numerous fundamental biological processes involve the NFkappaB family of transcription factors. The mechanisms by which this family of proteins is regulated are therefore of widespread importance. In most cells, NFkappaB is bound to inhibitory IkappaB proteins and sequestered in the cytoplasm. NFkappaB-inducing signals result in activation of a large multisubunit kinase complex, IKK, which phosphorylates IkappaB. IkappaB is subsequently degraded, releasing NFkappaB, which translocates to the nucleus. We previously reported that inhibitors of the calcium-binding protein calmodulin (CaM) prevent phorbol ester-induced phosphorylation of IkappaB. Here we show that KN93, an inhibitor of CaM-dependent kinases (CaMKs), also inhibits the phosphorylation of IkappaB. The effect of both CaM and CaMK inhibitors on IkappaB phosphorylation is due to the inhibition of the activity of CaMK II because neither drug has any effect when a derivative of CaMK II that is insensitive to these inhibitors is expressed. When CaMK II is inhibited, phorbol ester is no longer able to activate IKK, placing CaMK II in the signaling pathway that leads to IKK activation. CaM and CaMK inhibitors also block T cell receptor/CD3-induced activation but have no effect on the ability of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha or the phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A to induce degradation of IkappaB. Finally we show that expression of a constitutively active CaMK II results in the activation of NFkappaB. The results identify CaMK II as a mediator of IKK activation specifically in response to T cell receptor/CD3 and phorbol ester stimulation.
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| 33. |
- Kinsman, John, et al.
(författare)
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A model for promoting physical activity among rural South African adolescent girls
- 2015
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Co-Action Publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: In South Africa, the expanding epidemic of non-communicable diseases is partly fuelled by high levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour. Women especially are at high risk, and interventions promoting physical activity are urgently needed for girls in their adolescence, as this is the time when many girls adopt unhealthy lifestyles.OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study aimed to identify and describe facilitating factors and barriers that are associated with physical activity among adolescent girls in rural, north-eastern South Africa and, based on these, to develop a model for promoting leisure-time physical activity within this population.DESIGN: The study was conducted in and around three secondary schools. Six focus group discussions were conducted with adolescent girls from the schools, and seven qualitative interviews were held with sports teachers and youth leaders. The data were subjected to thematic analysis.RESULTS: Seven thematic areas were identified, each of which was associated with the girls' self-reported levels of physical activity. The thematic areas are 1) poverty, 2) body image ideals, 3) gender, 4) parents and home life, 5) demographic factors, 6) perceived health effects of physical activity, and 7) human and infrastructural resources. More barriers to physical activity were reported than facilitating factors.CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the barriers found in the different themes indicated potential remedial actions that could be taken, and these were synthesised into a model for promoting physical activity among South African adolescent girls in resource-poor environments. The model presents a series of action points, seen both from the 'supply-side' perspective (such as the provision of resources and training for the individuals, schools, and organisations which facilitate the activities) and from the 'demand-side' perspective (such as the development of empowering messages about body image for teenage girls, and encouraging more parental involvement). The development of physical activity interventions that incorporate this supply- and demand-side model would represent an additional tool for ongoing efforts aimed at tackling the expanding non-communicable disease epidemic in South Africa, and in other resource-constrained settings undergoing rapid health transitions.
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| 34. |
- Liu, Wei, et al.
(författare)
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The Pre- and Post-Somatic Segments of the Human Type I Spiral Ganglion Neurons - Structural and Functional Considerations Related to Cochlear Implantation
- 2015
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Ingår i: Neuroscience. - : Elsevier BV. - 0306-4522 .- 1873-7544. ; 284, s. 470-482
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human auditory nerve afferents consist of two separate systems; one is represented by the large type I cells innervating the inner hair cells and the other one by the small type II cells innervating the outer hair cells. Type I spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) constitute 96% of the afferent nerve population and, in contrast to other mammals, their soma and pre- and post-somatic segments are unmyelinated. Type II nerve soma and fibers are unmyelinated. Histopathology and clinical experience imply that human SGNs can persist electrically excitable without dendrites, thus lacking connection to the organ of Corti. The biological background to this phenomenon remains elusive. We analyzed the pre- and post-somatic segments of the type I human SGNs using immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in normal and pathological conditions. These segments were found surrounded by non-myelinated Schwann cells (NMSCs) showing strong intracellular expression of laminin-beta 2/collagen IV. These cells also bordered the perikaryal entry zone and disclosed surface rugosities outlined by a folded basement membrane (BM) expressing laminin-beta 2 and collagen IV. It is presumed that human large SGNs are demarcated by three cell categories: (a) myelinated Schwann cells, (b) NMSCs and (c) satellite glial cells (SGCs). Their BMs express laminin-beta 2/collagen IV and reaches the BM of the sensory epithelium at the habenula perforata. We speculate that the NMSCs protect SGNs from further degeneration following dendrite loss. It may give further explanation why SGNs can persist as electrically excitable monopolar cells even after long-time deafness, a blessing for the deaf treated with cochlear implantation. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of IBRO. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.
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| 35. |
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| 36. |
- Lundby, Carsten, et al.
(författare)
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Physiological, biochemical, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on exercise economy in humans
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. - : Wiley. - 0905-7188. ; 27:12, s. 1627-1637
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Interindividual variation in running and cycling exercise economy (EE) remains unexplained although studied for more than a century. This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate the importance of biochemical, structural, physiological, anthropometric, and biomechanical influences on running and cycling EE within a single study. In 22 healthy males (VO(2)max range 45.5-72.1mLmin-1kg-1), no factor related to skeletal muscle structure (% slow-twitch fiber content, number of capillaries per fiber), mitochondrial properties (volume density, oxidative capacity, or mitochondrial efficiency), or protein content (UCP3 and MFN2 expression) explained variation in cycling and running EE among subjects. In contrast, biomechanical variables related to vertical displacement correlated well with running EE, but were not significant when taking body weight into account. Thus, running EE and body weight were correlated (R-2=.94; P<.001), but was lower for cycling EE (R-2=.23; P<.023). To separate biomechanical determinants of running EE, we contrasted individual running and cycling EE considering that during cycle ergometer exercise, the biomechanical influence on EE would be small because of the fixed movement pattern. Differences in cycling and running exercise protocols, for example, related to biomechanics, play however only a secondary role in determining EE. There was no evidence for an impact of structural or functional skeletal muscle variables on EE. Body weight was the main determinant of EE explaining 94% of variance in running EE, although more than 50% of the variability of cycling EE remains unexplained.
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| 37. |
- Manithip, C, et al.
(författare)
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Factors associated with antenatal care utilization among rural women in Lao People's Democratic Republic
- 2011
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Ingår i: Maternal and Child Health Journal. - : Springer. - 1092-7875 .- 1573-6628. ; 15:8, s. 1356-1362
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aims at exploring factors related to the antenatal care (ANC) utilization in rural areas of Lao PDR. A quantitative, cross-sectional interview study was conducted in the Khammouane and Champasack provinces. The study population comprised all currently pregnant women 15-45 years of age with a gestational period beyond 32 weeks plus all women who had given birth during the last 12 months. With the informed consent of all eligible women, 460 respondents were included in the study and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to determine factors significantly related to ANC use. Fifty-one percent of the respondents had at least one ANC visit. Among the users, 63% had visited ANC three times or more but only 28% attended during the first trimester. After adjusting for other factors, using a 95% Confidence Interval (CI), statistically significant associations were found between ANC use and the following factors: women whose husbands were salaried employees (OR = 2.66, CI = 1.45-4.88); women younger than 18 years old at first pregnancy (OR 0.56, CI = 0.28-0.97); women perceiving ANC as somewhat useful (OR = 2.88, CI = 1.26-6.61) or very useful (OR = 7.45, CI = 3.59-15.46). Awareness of the usefulness of ANC was related to more frequent use and could be one focus of community intervention to increase utilization.
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| 38. |
- Montero, D., et al.
(författare)
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Sexual dimorphism of substrate utilization: Differences in skeletal muscle mitochondrial volume density and function
- 2018
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Ingår i: Experimental Physiology. - : Wiley. - 0958-0670. ; 103:6, s. 851-859
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fat oxidation during exercise is greater in females than in males. We sought to determine whether sex differences in substrate metabolism are paralleled by distinct skeletal muscle mitochondrial volume density and oxidative capacity. Whole-body substrate (fat and carbohydrate) utilization during submaximal treadmill running was assessed, and skeletal muscle biopsies were taken to determine mitochondrial volume density and function in healthy young females (n=12) and males (n=12) matched by aerobic exercise capacity and exercise performance. Females presented a lower respiratory exchange ratio (0.87 +/- 0.04 versus 0.91 +/- 0.04, P=0.023) and whole-body carbohydrate oxidation (27.8 +/- 8.3 versus 35.8 +/- 6.5mgkg(-1)min(-1), P=0.027), whereas fat oxidation was higher (8.7 +/- 2.8 versus 5.9 +/- 2.6mgkg(-1)min(-1), P=0.034) during submaximal exercise compared with males. In skeletal muscle biopsies, females demonstrated augmented mitochondrial volume density (7.51 +/- 1.77 versus 5.90 +/- 1.72%, P=0.035) and oxidative capacity for fatty acid [36.6 +/- 12.8 versus 24.5 +/- 7.3pmol O(2)s(-1)(mg wet weight)(-1), P=0.009] and lactate [71.1 +/- 24.4 versus 53.2 +/- 14.6pmol O(2)s(-1)(mg wet weight)(-1), P=0.040]. No sex differences in respiratory exchange ratio, whole-body fat oxidation and skeletal muscle variables were detected when adjusted for anthropometric variables including body mass or leg mass, which were lower in females. In conclusion, female prioritization of fat over carbohydrate oxidation during exercise is underpinned by augmented body size-related mitochondrial volume density, fatty acid and lactate oxidative capacity in skeletal muscle fibres.
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| 39. |
- Nilsson, Bo, 1959-, et al.
(författare)
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Obstacles to intergenerational communication in caregivers' narratives regarding young people's sexual and reproductive health and lifestyle in rural South Africa
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2458. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Statistics from South Africa show the world's highest HIV prevalence with an estimated seven million people living with the virus. Several studies have pointed to communication about sexuality between parents/caregivers and children as a protective factor. However, communication between generations has been described as problematic, especially due to discomfort in discussing sexual matters. The aim of this study was to explore how caregivers in a poor, rural part of South Africa talked about young people in general, their sexuality, and their lifestyle practices. A particular interest was directed towards central discourses in the caregivers' narratives and how these discourses were of importance for the caregivers to function as conversation partners for young people.METHODS: In this qualitative study convenience sampling was used to select and invite participants. Information was collected from nine one-on-one interviews conducted with caregivers from rural areas within South Africa. The interview guide included nine main questions and optional probing questions. Each interview took place in an uninterrupted setting of choice associated with the caregivers' home environment. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using discourse analysis.RESULTS: Interview narratives were characterized by three central discourses - demoralized youths in a changing society, prevailing risks and modernity and a generation gap. The youths were discursively constructed as a problematic group relating to specific prevailing risks such as early pregnancies, modern technologies, STI/HIV and contraceptives. The interview narratives illustrated that caregivers tried to impose their views of a respectable lifestyle in young people. At the same time caregivers expressed a morality of despair mirroring a generation gap which counteracted their ability to communicate with their children and grandchildren.CONCLUSIONS: The findings add to the body of earlier research illustrating that rural South African caregivers and their children/grandchildren hold different moral standards. The interview material reflected a 'clash' between generations relating to their differing perceptions of a desirable lifestyle. To overcome the generational gap, we recommend further research about how a well-founded national and community collaboration linked to school-based programs can support family participation in order to empower adults in their communication with young people.
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| 40. |
- Näverlo, Simon, et al.
(författare)
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Patient perceptions of a Virtual Health Room installation in rural Sweden
- 2016
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Ingår i: Rural and remote health. - : ARHEN - Australian Rural Health Education Network Ltd. - 1445-6354. ; 16:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: The Virtual Health Room (VHR) is an ehealth initiative in the village of Slussfors in northern Sweden. Construction of VHRs in other locations is taking place, and the Centre for Rural Medicine in the Västerbotten County Council primary care department has implemented a VHR evaluation framework. This research focuses on evaluation of patient perceptions of the usability of the VHR and its contribution to their health care.Methods: Nineteen of the 25 unique users of the VHR during 2014/15 completed a survey asking about their attitudes to their own health (using the 13-question version of the Patient Activation Measure (PAM)), their demographic attributes, and their satisfaction with their visit to the VHR.Results: Respondents with lower PAM scores were less satisfied with the technical performance of the VHR, but equally likely to think the VHR made a good contribution to access to health care. In contrast, older patients were less likely to value the contribution of the VHR, but no less likely to be satisfied with its technical performance. There were no relationships between level of education and distance travelled and perceptions of the VHR.Conclusions: The research clearly demonstrated the distinction between technical performance of an ehealth initiative and its overall contribution to health care and access. Evaluation frameworks need to consider both aspects of performance. Transferability of these findings to other settings may depend at least in part on the nature of the catchment area for the VHR, with the Slussfors catchment being quite small and the impact of distance on access consequently limited.
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| 41. |
- Sedibe, Heather M., et al.
(författare)
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Qualitative study exploring healthy eating practices and physical activity among adolescent girls in rural South Africa
- 2014
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Ingår i: BMC Pediatrics. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2431. ; 14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Dietary behaviours and physical activity are modifiable risk factors to address increasing levels of obesity among children and adolescents, and consequently to reduce later cardiovascular and metabolic disease. This paper explores perceptions, attitudes, barriers, and facilitators related to healthy eating and physical activity among adolescent girls in rural South Africa.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in the rural Agincourt subdistrict, covered by a health and sociodemographic surveillance system, in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Semistructured "duo-interviews" were carried out with 11 pairs of adolescent female friends aged 16 to 19 years. Thematic content analysis was used.Results: The majority of participants considered locally grown and traditional foods, especially fruits and vegetables, to be healthy. Their consumption was limited by availability, and these foods were often sourced from family or neighbourhood gardens. Female caregivers and school meal programmes facilitated healthy eating practices. Most participants believed in the importance of breakfast, even though for the majority, limited food within the household was a barrier to eating breakfast before going to school. The majority cited limited accessibility as a major barrier to healthy eating, and noted the increasing intake of "convenient and less healthy foods". Girls were aware of the benefits of physical activity and engaged in various physical activities within the home, community, and schools, including household chores, walking long distances to school, traditional dancing, and extramural activities such as netball and soccer.Conclusions: The findings show widespread knowledge about healthy eating and the benefits of consuming locally grown and traditional food items in a population that is undergoing nutrition transition. Limited access and food availability are strong barriers to healthy eating practices. School meal programmes are an important facilitator of healthy eating, and breakfast provision should be considered as an extension of the meal programme. Walking to school, cultural dance, and extramural activities can be encouraged and thus are useful facilitators for increasing physical activity among rural adolescent girls, where the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing.
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| 42. |
- Sjölander, P, et al.
(författare)
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Musculoskeletal symptoms and perceived work strain among reindeer herders in Sweden
- 2008
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Ingår i: Occupational Medicine. - Oxford : Oxford University Press. - 0962-7480 .- 1471-8405. ; 58:8, s. 572-579
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background There is a shortage of knowledge on the extent of musculoskeletal symptoms in reindeer husbandry.Aims To investigate the prevalence and relative risk for musculoskeletal symptoms and perceived psychosocial work strain among reindeer herders.Methods The prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms during the last week and last year, respectively, were obtained from male reindeer herders (n = 74) of northern Sweden. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were calculated using two reference groups-women of reindeer-herding families (n = 53) and men in blue-collar occupations (n = 194). Comparisons were made of perceived job strain between the study and reference groups. Associations between job strain factors and the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms from different body regions were analysed with regression statistics.Results The PRs for musculoskeletal symptoms from the hand/wrist (PR 3.48, 95% CI 1.86-6.50) and lower back (PR 1.44, 95% CI 1.06-1.95) were significantly higher among the reindeer herders in comparison with men working with other blue-collar occupations. The reindeer herders reported significantly higher work demands and decision latitude compared with both reference groups (P < 0.05). Significant associations were observed between demands and prevalence of symptoms from the lower back (OR 1.42, 95 % CI 1.0 1-2. 0 1) and from at least one body region (OR 1.58, 95 % CI 1.07-2.32).Conclusions The relative risk for musculoskeletal symptoms, particularly from the hands/wrists and lower back, was high among reindeer herders. It is suggested that musculoskeletal symptoms constitute a considerable health problem in modern reindeer husbandry, which calls for implementation of preventive measures addressing psychosocial, physical and socio-economic risk factors.
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| 43. |
- Säfström, Daniel, 1978-
(författare)
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Sensorimotor transformations during grasping movements
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- ‘Sensorimotor transformations’ are processes whereby sensory information is used to generate motor commands. One example is the ‘visuomotor map’ that transforms visual information about objects to motor commands that activates various muscles during grasping movements. In the first study we quantified the relative impact (or ‘weighting’) of visual and haptic information on the sensorimotor transformation and investigated the principles that regulates the weighting process. To do this, we let subjects perform a task in which the object seen (visual object) and the object grasped (haptic object) were physically never the same. When the haptic object became larger or smaller than the visual object, subjects in the following trials automatically adapted their maximum grip aperture (MGA) when reaching for the object. The adaptation process was quicker and relied more on haptic information when the haptic objects increased in size than when they decreased in size. As such, sensory weighting is molded to avoid prehension error.In the second study we investigated the degree to which the visuomotor map could be modified. Normally, the relationship between the visual size of the object (VO) and the MGA can be expressed as a linear relationship, where MGA = a + b * VO. Our results demonstrate that subjects inter- and extrapolate in the visuomotor map (that is, they are reluctant to abandon the linear relationship) and that the offset (a) but not the slope (b) can be modified.In the third study, we investigated how a ‘new’ sensorimotor transformation can be established and modified. We therefore replaced the normal input of visual information about object size with auditory information, where the size of the object was log-linearly related to the frequency of a tone. Learning of an audiomotor map consisted of three distinct phases: during the first stage (~10-15 trials) there were no overt signs of learning. During the second stage there was a period of fast learning where the MGA became scaled to the size of the object until the third stage where the slope was constant.The purpose of the fourth study was to investigate the sensory basis for the aperture adaptation process. To do that, the forces acting between the fingertips and the object was measured as the subjects adapted. Our results indicate that information about when the fingers contacts the object, that is, the ‘timing’ of contact, is likely to be used by the CNS to encode an unexpected object size.Since injuries and disease can affect the sensorimotor transformations that controls the hand, knowledge about how these processes are established and modified may be used to develop techniques for sensory substitution and other rehabilitation strategies.
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