Chimney sweeps have higher incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD), likely related to their exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In order to identify underlying mechanisms of PAH-related CVD, we here investigated whether PAH exposure was associated with levels of putative CVD-related proteins in serum among currently working chimney sweeps. We enrolled 116 chimney sw

Manganese (Mn), an essential nutrient, is a neurotoxicant at high concentrations. We measured Mn concentrations in repeated blood and hair samples collected from 449 pregnant women living near banana plantations with extensive aerial spraying of Mn-containing fungicide mancozeb in Costa Rica, and examined environmental and lifestyle factors associated with these biomarkers. Mean blood Mn and geome

The aim of this study was to quantify bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations in saliva and urine before and after treatment with dental polymer-based restorative materials to assess if placement of this material is associated with increased BPA levels in saliva and urine. Twenty individuals in need of at least one dental restoration with polymer-based restorative material were included in this study. Th

Background: Pesticide use is increasing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including Costa Rica. This increase poses health risks to farm owners, farm workers, and communities living near agricultural farms. Objective: We aimed to examine the health effects associated with occupational pesticide exposure in farm owners and workers from conventional and organic smallholder farms in Costa R

Background: Prenatal exposure to mixtures of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) has the potential to disrupt human metabolism. Prenatal periods are especially sensitive as many developmental processes are regulated by hormones. Prenatal exposure to EDCs has inconsistently been associated with children's body mass index (BMI) and obesity. The objective of this study was to investigate if prenatal

Icke-förskriven användning av opioidläkemedel, såsom tramadol, är ett stort globalt hälsoproblem. I Sverige har användningen av tramadol bland unga uppmärksammats stort och lyfts fram som ett nytt droganvändningsmönster. Det övergripande syftet med denna licentiatuppsats är att utforska droganvändningsförlopp och processen att försöka sluta med droger bland unga med erfarenhet av problematiskt traNon-medical use of prescription opioids, such as tramadol, is a major global health concern. In Sweden, tramadol use among young people is widely recognized and highlighted as a novel drug use pattern. The overall aim of this licentiate thesis is to explore drug use trajectories and the process of attempting to quit drugs among young people with experiences of problematic tramadol use. 24 qualitat

In Europe thyroid ultrasound has been used at outpatient endocrine clinics since many years, and in southern Sweden only during the last years. Ultrasound has a role in the investigation of Graves' disease, subacute thyroiditis, gestational thyrotoxicosis, postpartum thyroiditis, amiodarone thyrotoxicosis and goiter with or without adenoma, but adenomas are usually investigated by endocrine surgeo

Background Population-based studies have indicated an increase in bone turnover in hyperthyroidism with a subsequent decrease in bone mineral density and an increased risk of fractures, especially in postmenopausal women. However, heterogeneity between studies prevents a definitive conclusion. Graves' disease (GD) is an autoimmune disease, and it is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. The ai

Globins are usually associated with oxygen carriage in vertebrates. However, plants also contain similar heme-containing proteins, called phytoglobins (Pgbs). Unlike conventional hemoglobin, these proteins are often linked to nitric oxide metabolism, energy metabolism and redox maintenance under hypoxic and related abiotic and biotic stress conditions. Class I and II non-symbiotic Pgbs (nsPgbs) ha

Encapsulation in self-assembled lipid structures has been shown to increase the stability of large biomolecules, including proteins and nucleic acids (NAs), which has many potential applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In order to fully optimise the encapsulation system for a certain application, however, it is important to understand the effect of the encapsulated biomolecule o

Matts Leiderstam s art and researched-based work is closely related to the history of painting. He is systematically looking for alternative, queer, narratives relating to viewing a painting. Leiderstam explores the grid as a tool for the composition of images, which was developed during the Italian Renaissance. The grid has been central to image-making ever since, including for photography, and n

Initiatives to upscale repair activities are becoming increasingly common, with the latestbeing the EU commission’s proposal to strengthen consumers’ right to repair. However, theseinitiatives are not viewed comprehensively, particularly not for how they impact the product user’sexperience of the repair process, and what type of repair conditions would emerge once fullyimplemented. This gap exists