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| 2. |
- Hermann, Silke, et al.
(author)
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Level of education and the risk of lymphoma in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition
- 2010
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In: Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-1335 .- 0171-5216. ; 136:1, s. 71-77
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lymphomas belong to the few cancer sites with increasing incidence over past decades, and only a few risk factors have been established. We explored the association between education and the incidence of lymphoma in the prospective EPIC study. Within 3,567,410 person-years of follow-up, 1,319 lymphoma cases [1,253 non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and 66 Hodgkin lymphomas (HL)] were identified. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to examine the association between highest educational level (primary school or less, technical/professional school, secondary school, university) and lymphoma risk. Overall, no consistent associations between educational level and lymphoma risk were observed; however, associations were found for sub-groups of the cohort. We observed a higher risk of B-NHL (HR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.02-1.68; n = 583) in women with the highest education level (university) but not in men. Concerning sub-classes of B-NHL, a positive association between education and risk of B cell chronic lymphatic leukaemia (BCLL) was observed only in women. In both genders, the risk of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was significantly lower for subjects with university degree (HR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.27-0.79) versus lowest educational level. No association was found for HL. We could not confirm an overall consistent association of education and risk of HL or NHL in this large prospective study; although, education was positively related to the incidence of BCLL and B-NHL (in women) but inversely to incidence of DLBCL. Due to limited number of cases in sub-classes and the large number of comparisons, the possibility of chance findings can not be excluded.
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| 3. |
- Leufkens, Anke M, et al.
(author)
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Educational level and risk of colorectal cancer in EPIC with specific reference to tumor location
- 2011
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In: International Journal of Cancer. - New York : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0020-7136 .- 1097-0215. ; 130:3, s. 622-630
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Existing evidence is inconclusive on whether socioeconomic status (SES) and educational inequalities influence colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, and whether low or high SES/educational level is associated with developing CRC. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between educational level and CRC. We studied data from 400,510 participants in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study, of whom 2,447 developed CRC (colon: 1,551, rectum: 896, mean follow-up 8.3 years). Cox proportional hazard regression analysis stratified by age, gender and center, and adjusted for potential confounders were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Relative indices of inequality (RII) for education were estimated using Cox regression models. We conducted separate analyses for tumor location, gender and geographical region. Compared with participants with college/university education, participants with vocational secondary education or less had a nonsignificantly lower risk of developing CRC. When further stratified for tumor location, adjusted risk estimates for the proximal colon were statistically significant for primary education or less (HR 0.73, 95%CI 0.57–0.94) and for vocational secondary education (HR 0.76, 95%CI 0.58–0.98). The inverse association between low education and CRC risk was particularly found in women and Southern Europe. These associations were statistically significant for CRC, for colon cancer and for proximal colon cancer. In conclusion, CRC risk, especially in the proximal colon, is lower in subjects with a lower educational level compared to those with a higher educational level. This association is most pronounced in women and Southern Europe.
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| 4. |
- Ackermann, Kathrin, et al.
(author)
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N-2 Fixation in Feather Mosses is a Sensitive Indicator of N Deposition in Boreal Forests
- 2012
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In: Ecosystems. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-9840 .- 1435-0629. ; 15:6, s. 986-998
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nitrogen (N) fixation in the feather moss-cyanobacteria association represents a major N source in boreal forests which experience low levels of N deposition; however, little is known about the effects of anthropogenic N inputs on the rate of fixation of atmospheric N-2 in mosses and the succeeding effects on soil nutrient concentrations and microbial community composition. We collected soil samples and moss shoots of Pleurozium schreberi at six distances along busy and remote roads in northern Sweden to assess the influence of road-derived N inputs on N-2 fixation in moss, soil nutrient concentrations and microbial communities. Soil nutrients were similar between busy and remote roads; N-2 fixation was higher in mosses along the remote roads than along the busy roads and increased with increasing distance from busy roads up to rates of N-2 fixation similar to remote roads. Throughfall N was higher in sites adjacent to the busy roads but showed no distance effect. Soil microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) composition exhibited a weak pattern regarding road type. Concentrations of bacterial and total PLFAs decreased with increasing distance from busy roads, whereas fungal PLFAs showed no distance effect. Our results show that N-2 fixation in feather mosses is highly affected by N deposition, here derived from roads in northern Sweden. Moreover, as other measured factors showed only weak differences between the road types, atmospheric N-2 fixation in feather mosses represents a highly sensitive indicator for increased N loads to natural systems.
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| 5. |
- Bastian, N., et al.
(author)
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Evidence for environmentally dependent cluster disruption in M83
- 2011
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966 .- 1745-3925. ; 417:1, s. l6-L10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Using multiwavelength imaging from the Wide Field Camera 3 on the Hubble Space Telescope we study the stellar cluster populations of two adjacent fields in the nearby face-on spiral galaxy, M83. The observations cover the galactic centre and reach out to similar to 6 kpc, thereby spanning a large range of environmental conditions, ideal for testing empirical laws of cluster disruption. The clusters are selected by visual inspection to be centrally concentrated, symmetric and resolved on the images. We find that a large fraction of objects detected by automated algorithms (e. g. SEXTRACTOR or DAOFIND) are not clusters, but rather are associations. These are likely to disperse into the field on time-scales of tens of Myr due to their lower stellar densities and not due to gas expulsion (i.e. they were never gravitationally bound). We split the sample into two discrete fields (inner and outer regions of the galaxy) and search for evidence of environmentally dependent cluster disruption. Colour-colour diagrams of the clusters, when compared to simple stellar population models, already indicate that a much larger fraction of the clusters in the outer field are older by tens of Myr than in the inner field. This impression is quantified by estimating each cluster's properties (age, mass and extinction) and comparing the age/mass distributions between the two fields. Our results are inconsistent with 'universal' age and mass distributions of clusters, and instead show that the ambient environment strongly affects the observed populations.
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| 6. |
- Bastian, N., et al.
(author)
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Stellar clusters in M83 : formation, evolution, disruption and the influence of the environment
- 2012
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In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1365-2966 .- 0035-8711. ; 419:3, s. 2606-2622
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study the stellar cluster population in two adjacent fields in the nearby, face-on spiral galaxy M83 using multiwavelength Wide Field Camera 3/Hubble Space Telescope imaging. After automatic detection procedures, the clusters are selected through visual inspection to be centrally concentrated, symmetric, and resolved on the images, which allows us to differentiate between clusters and likely unbound associations. We compare our sample with previous studies and show that the differences between the catalogues are largely due to the inclusion of a large numbers of diffuse associations within previous catalogues as well as the inclusion of the central starburst region, where the completeness limit is significantly worse than in the surrounding regions. We derive the size distribution of the clusters, which is well described by a lognormal distribution with a peak at ˜2.5 pc, and find evidence for an expansion in the half-light radius of clusters with age. The luminosity function of the clusters is well approximated by a power law with an index of -2 over most of the observed range; however, a steepening is seen at MV=-9.3 and -8.8 in the inner and outer fields, respectively. Additionally, we show that the cluster population is inconsistent with a pure power-law mass distribution, but instead exhibits a truncation at the high-mass end. If described as a Schechter function, the characteristic mass is 1.6 × 105 and 0.5 × 105 M&sun; for the inner and outer fields, respectively, in agreement with previous estimates of other cluster populations in spiral galaxies. Comparing the predictions of the mass-independent disruption (MID) and mass-dependent disruption (MDD) scenarios with the observed distributions, we find that both models can accurately fit the data. However, for the MID case, the fraction of clusters destroyed (or mass lost) per decade in age is dependent on the environment; hence, the age and mass distributions of clusters are not universal. In the MDD case, the disruption time-scale scales with galactocentric distance (being longer in the outer regions of the galaxy) in agreement with analytic and numerical predictions. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results on other extragalactic surveys, focusing on the fraction of stars that form in clusters and the need (or lack thereof) for infant mortality.
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| 7. |
- DeLuca, Thomas H., et al.
(author)
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Diazotrophy in Alluvial Meadows of Subarctic River Systems
- 2013
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 8:11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is currently limited understanding of the contribution of biological N-2 fixation (diazotrophy) to the N budget of large river systems. This natural source of N in boreal river systems may partially explain the sustained productivity of river floodplains in Northern Europe where winter fodder was harvested for centuries without fertilizer amendments. In much of the world, anthropogenic pollution and river regulation have nearly eliminated opportunities to study natural processes that shaped early nutrient dynamics of large river systems; however, pristine conditions in northern Fennoscandia allow for the retrospective evaluation of key biochemical processes of historical significance. We investigated biological N-2 fixation (diazotrophy) as a potential source of nitrogen fertility at 71 independent floodplain sites along 10 rivers and conducted seasonal and intensive analyses at a subset of these sites. Biological N-2 fixation occurred in all floodplains, averaged 24.5 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) and was down regulated from over 60 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) to 0 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) by river N pollution. A diversity of N-2-fixing cyanobacteria was found to colonize surface detritus in the floodplains. The data provide evidence for N-2 fixation to be a fundamental source of new N that may have sustained fertility at alluvial sites along subarctic rivers. Such data may have implications for the interpretation of ancient agricultural development and the design of contemporary low-input agroecosystems.
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| 8. |
- Gallo, Valentina, et al.
(author)
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Social Inequalities and Mortality in Europe - Results from a Large Multi-National Cohort
- 2012
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In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 7:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Socio-economic inequalities in mortality are observed at the country level in both North America and Europe. The purpose of this work is to investigate the contribution of specific risk factors to social inequalities in cause-specific mortality using a large multi-country cohort of Europeans. Methods: A total of 3,456,689 person/years follow-up of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) was analysed. Educational level of subjects coming from 9 European countries was recorded as proxy for socioeconomic status (SES). Cox proportional hazard model's with a step-wise inclusion of explanatory variables were used to explore the association between SES and mortality; a Relative Index of Inequality (RII) was calculated as measure of relative inequality. Results: Total mortality among men with the highest education level is reduced by 43% compared to men with the lowest (HR 0.57, 95% C.I. 0.52-0.61); among women by 29% (HR 0.71, 95% C.I. 0.64-0.78). The risk reduction was attenuated by 7% in men and 3% in women by the introduction of smoking and to a lesser extent (2% in men and 3% in women) by introducing body mass index and additional explanatory variables (alcohol consumption, leisure physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake) (3% in men and 5% in women). Social inequalities were highly statistically significant for all causes of death examined in men. In women, social inequalities were less strong, but statistically significant for all causes of death except for cancer-related mortality and injuries. Discussion: In this European study, substantial social inequalities in mortality among European men and women which cannot be fully explained away by accounting for known common risk factors for chronic diseases are reported.
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| 9. |
- Gustafsson, Sofia, 1982-, et al.
(author)
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Effects of cannabinoids and related fatty acids upon the viability of P19 embryonal carcinoma cells
- 2013
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In: Archives of Toxicology. - : Springer Berlin/Heidelberg. - 0340-5761 .- 1432-0738. ; 87:11, s. 1939-1951
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Compounds acting on the cannabinoid (CB) receptors are involved in the control of cell fate, and there is an emerging consensus that CBs have anticancer effects. However, the CB-mediated effects are contradictory since some studies suggest stimulatory effects on cancer cell proliferation, and CBs have been shown to stimulate both proliferation and differentiation of other mitotic cells such as stem and progenitor cells. In this study, the concentration-dependent effects of synthetic and endogenous CBs on the viability of mouse P19 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells have been examined by using fluorescence assays of cell membrane integrity, cell proliferation, oxidative stress, and detection of apoptosis and necrosis. All compounds examined produced a concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability in the micromolar range, with the potent CB receptor agonist HU 210 and the enantiomer HU 211(with no CB receptor activity) being the most potent compounds examined with apparent IC50 values of 1 µM and 0.6 µM, respectively. The endogenous CB anandamide showed similar potency and efficacy as structurally related polyunsaturated fatty acids with no reported activity at the CB receptors. The rapid (within hours) decrease in cell viability induced by the examined CBs suggests cytocidal rather than antiproliferative effects, and is dependent on the plating cell population density with the highest toxicity around 100 cells/mm2. The CB-induced cytotoxicity, that appears to involve CB receptors and the sphingomyelin-ceramide pathway, is a mixture of both apoptosis and necrosis that can be blocked by the antioxidants α-tocopherol and N-acetylcysteine. In conclusion, both synthetic and endogenous CBs, produce seemingly unspecific cytotoxic effects in the P19 EC cells.
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| 10. |
- Neasham, David, et al.
(author)
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Occupation and risk of lymphoma : a multicentre prospective cohort study (EPIC)
- 2011
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In: Occupational and Environmental Medicine. - : BMJ. - 1351-0711 .- 1470-7926. ; 68:1, s. 77-81
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The findings in this current study of a higher risk of NHL among car repair workers and butchers and a higher risk of HL among gasoline station workers suggest a possible role from occupationally related exposures, such as solvents and zoonotic viruses, as risk factors for malignant lymphoma.
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