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Objectives: Occupational exposure to diesel exhaust is common due the widespread use of dieselpowered combustion engines. Diesel exhaust is chemically complex and consists of thousands of compounds present as gases and particulate matter. Both nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and elemental carbon(EC) have been used as markers for diesel exhaust exposure. Currently EC is regarded as the best surrogate of die
Popular Science SummaryPolymers are giant molecules consisting of a repetition of many small units (monomers) that are linked together by chemical bonds. If we consider a long necklace as a polymer chain, the beads are the monomers and the part of the thread which connects the beads together is the chemical bond. Polymers are important materials in our everyday life and they can be found e.g., in This thesis incorporates studies on the aqueous systems of two types of thermoresponsive amphiphilic block copolymers; a series of nonionic triblock copolymers comprising blocks of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) denoted as PEO-PPO-PEO block copolymers, and a series of ionic diblock copolymers consisting of one charged block and one block of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (
Ambient fine particulate matter PM2.5 (particles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 μm) has been associated with cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality. It has been shown that biomass burning for heat production purposes can generate large amounts of fine particles. Thus characteristics of particle emissions from biofuel combustion may be important in the assessment of health effects
Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy is central to the long-term management of asthma and is extensively used in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While administration via inhalation limits systemic exposure compared with oral or injected corticosteroids and, therefore, the risk of systemic corticosteroid-related adverse effects, concerns over the long-term safety of
The aim of the present study was to examine mean HbA1c and blood pressure levels during a 5 year period in 442 type 1 adult diabetic patients in relation to the incidence and progression of retinopathy, nephropathy and to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The study showed, that in patients under routine care at a diabetic unit with four visits to the out-patient clinic per year, the intraind
Objective: To evaluate under- and overreporting and their determinants in the EPIC :24-hour diet recall (24-HDR) measurements collected in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Design: Cross-sectional analysis. 24-HDR measurements were obtained by means of a standardised computerised interview program (EPIC-SOFT). The ratio of reported energy intake (EI) to estim
Background: The aim of this study is to estimate ovarian volume, number and volume of antral follicles, and ovarian power Doppler vascular indices as assessed by three-dimensional (3D) transvaginal grayscale and power Doppler ultrasound in women using combined oral contraceptives (COC). Study Design: Two hundred thirteen gynecologically asymptomatic women 20-39 years old using COC were examined wi
Does perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanate (PFOA) exposure disrupt the menstrual cyclicity? The female reproductive system may be sensitive to PFOA exposure, with longer menstrual cycle length at higher exposure. PFOS and PFOA are persistent man-made chemicals. Experimental animal studies suggest they are reproductive toxicants but epidemiological findings are inconsistent. A cros
The ever increasing data rates in wireless communication require analog to digital converters (ADCs) with greater requirements on speed and accuracy, while being power efficient to prolong battery life. This dissertation contains an introduction to the field and five papers that focus on the continuous-time (CT) Delta-Sigma modulator (DSM) as ADC. Paper I analyses the performance degradation of d
The exhaustion doctrine (also known in some jurisdictions as the ''first sale doctrine See U.S. Copyright Code Section 109(a)'') is one of the basic rules of intellectual property (IP) system, and is applied to many IP rights, from copyright to trademark. The term ''exhaustion'' or ''first sale'' describes the concept of this rule, where, after the &
Intracerebral haemorrhage and small vessel ischaemic stroke (SVS) are the most acute manifestations of cerebral small vessel disease, with no established preventive approaches beyond hypertension management. Combined genome-wide association study (GWAS) of these two correlated diseases may improve statistical power to detect novel genetic factors for cerebral small vessel disease, elucidating unde
The European spruce bark beetle is considered as one of the most destructive forest insects to Norway spruce trees in Europe. Climate change may increase the frequency and intensity of bark beetle outbreaks. It is therefore of vital importance to detect the bark beetle outbreaks and take it under control to prevent further damages. Remote sensing techniques may provide a cost-efficient solution to
Background: Several aggregate data meta-analyses have provided estimates of the effectiveness of influenza vaccination in community-dwelling elderly people. However, these studies ignored the effects of patient-level confounders such as sex, age, and chronic diseases that could bias effectiveness estimates. We aimed to assess the confounder-adjusted effectiveness of influenza vaccines on laborator
Background: The optimal timing of oral anticoagulation for prevention of early ischaemic stroke recurrence in people with acute ischaemic stroke and atrial fibrillation remains uncertain. We aimed to estimate the effects of starting a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) early (≤4 days) versus later (≥5 days) after onset of ischaemic stroke. Methods: For this systematic review and meta-analysis we sea
Salinity gradient energy (SGE) can play an important role in the energy transition from fossil-based sources to renewable sources. Its potential is estimated to be around 625 TWh·a-1 corresponding to 3% of global electricity consumption [1]. SGE sources are most abundant in the estuaries where rivers meet seawater. However, it is also available in different forms such as brackish water, brine etc
Importance Active perinatal care increases survival of extremely preterm infants; however, improved survival might be associated with increased disability among survivors. Objective To determine neurodevelopmental outcome in extremely preterm children at 2.5 years (corrected age). Design, Setting, and Participants Population-based prospective cohort of consecutive extremely preterm infants born be
Popular Abstract in English Mobile communication systems are now evolving towards the fifth generation (5G). In the near future, we expect an explosive increase in the number of connected devices, such as phones, tablets, wearable accessories, sensors, connected vehicles and so on. We can imagine that much higher data rates than in today's 4G systems are required. Sounds like the future of communiMobile communications are now evolving towards the fifth generation (5G). In the near future, we expect an explosive increase in the number of connected devices, such as phones, tablets, sensors, connected vehicles and so on. Much higher data rates than in today's 4G systems are required. In the 5G visions, better coverage in remote regions is also included, aiming for bringing the current "4 bill
Background & Purpose: Radiation therapy is an essential treatment for cancer patients with the ultimate goal to deliver radiation doses to the tumour with precision while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. Treatment verification is crucial to ensure the accuracy of radiation delivery, for instance by measuring the radiation dose distribution. Among various dosimetry techniques
Salinisation is a global issue which leads to desertification and soil degradation and exposure to salt is also known to inhibit microbial activity and plant growth. This study was conducted to determine the influence of salinity on microbial activity of a non- saline soil. By using Salt Induced Community Tolerance (SICT) concept I found that microbial community tolerance to salt can be induced in
Background: One of the polymer gel dosimeters available today is the N-isopropylamide (NIPAM) polymer gel dosimeter which has a less toxic monomer compared to other polymer gels and the advantage of being able to be manufactured under normal oxygen levels. Polymer gel dosimeters in general are advantageous independent dosimeters to use for verification of new radiation treatment techniques due to
