46 research outputs found
Whole and Particle-Free Diesel Exhausts Differentially Affect Cardiac Electrophysiology, Blood Pressure, and Autonomic Balance in Heart FailureâProne Rats
Epidemiological studies strongly link short-term exposures to vehicular traffic and particulate matter (PM) air pollution with adverse cardiovascular (CV) events, especially in those with preexisting CV disease. Diesel engine exhaust is a key contributor to urban ambient PM and gaseous pollutants. To determine the role of gaseous and particulate components in diesel exhaust (DE) cardiotoxicity, we examined the effects of a 4-h inhalation of whole DE (wDE) (target PM concentration: 500 ”g/m3) or particle-free filtered DE (fDE) on CV physiology and a range of markers of cardiopulmonary injury in hypertensive heart failureâprone rats. Arterial blood pressure (BP), electrocardiography, and heart rate variability (HRV), an index of autonomic balance, were monitored. Both fDE and wDE decreased BP and prolonged PR interval during exposure, with more effects from fDE, which additionally increased HRV triangular index and decreased T-wave amplitude. fDE increased QTc interval immediately after exposure, increased atrioventricular (AV) block Mobitz II arrhythmias shortly thereafter, and increased serum high-density lipoprotein 1 day later. wDE increased BP and decreased HRV root mean square of successive differences immediately postexposure. fDE and wDE decreased heart rate during the 4th hour of postexposure. Thus, DE gases slowed AV conduction and ventricular repolarization, decreased BP, increased HRV, and subsequently provoked arrhythmias, collectively suggesting parasympathetic activation; conversely, brief BP and HRV changes after exposure to particle-containing DE indicated a transient sympathetic excitation. Our findings suggest that whole- and particle-free DE differentially alter CV and autonomic physiology and may potentially increase risk through divergent pathways
Dobutamine âStressâ Test and Latent Cardiac Susceptibility to Inhaled Diesel Exhaust in Normal and Hypertensive Rats
Background: Exercise âstressâ testing is a screening tool used to determine the amount of stress for which the heart can compensate before developing abnormal rhythm or ischemia, particularly in susceptible persons. Although this approach has been used to assess risk in humans exposed to air pollution, it has never been applied to rodent studies
An Autonomic Link Between Inhaled Diesel Exhaust and Impaired Cardiac Performance: Insight From Treadmill and Dobutamine Challenges in Heart FailureâProne Rats
Cardiac disease exacerbation is associated with short-term exposure to vehicular emissions. Diesel exhaust (DE) might impair cardiac performance in part through perturbing efferent sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic nervous system (ANS) input to the heart. We hypothesized that acute changes in ANS balance mediate decreased cardiac performance upon DE inhalation. Young adult heart failureâprone rats were implanted with radiotelemeters to measure heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), core body temperature, and pre-ejection period (PEP, a contractility index). Animals pretreated with sympathetic antagonist (atenolol), parasympathetic antagonist (atropine), or saline were exposed to DE (500 ”g/m3 fine particulate matter, 4h) or filtered air and then treadmill exercise challenged. At 1 day postexposure, separate rats were catheterized for left ventricular pressure (LVP), contractility, and lusitropy and assessed for autonomic influence using the sympathoagonist dobutamine and surgical vagotomy. During DE exposure, atenolol inhibited increases in HR, BP, and contractility, but not body temperature, suggesting a role for sympathetic dominance. During treadmill recovery at 4h post-DE exposure, HR and HRV indicated parasympathetic dominance in saline- and atenolol-pretreated groups that atropine inhibited. Conversely, at treadmill recovery 21h post-DE exposure, HRV and PEP indicated sympathetic dominance and subsequently diminished contractility that only atenolol inhibited. LVP at 1 day postexposure indicated that DE impaired contractility and lusitropy while abolishing parasympathetic-regulated cardiac responses to dobutamine. This is the first evidence that air pollutant inhalation both causes time-dependent oscillations between sympathetic and parasympathetic dominance and decreases cardiac performance via aberrant sympathetic dominance
Diesel Exhaust Inhalation Increases Cardiac Output, Bradyarrhythmias, and Parasympathetic Tone in Aged Heart FailureâProne Rats
Acute air pollutant inhalation is linked to adverse cardiac events and death, and hospitalizations for heart failure. Diesel engine exhaust (DE) is a major air pollutant suspected to exacerbate preexisting cardiac conditions, in part, through autonomic and electrophysiologic disturbance of normal cardiac function. To explore this putative mechanism, we examined cardiophysiologic responses to DE inhalation in a model of aged heart failureâprone rats without signs or symptoms of overt heart failure. We hypothesized that acute DE exposure would alter heart rhythm, cardiac electrophysiology, and ventricular performance and dimensions consistent with autonomic imbalance while increasing biochemical markers of toxicity. Spontaneously hypertensive heart failure rats (16 months) were exposed once to whole DE (4h, target PM2.5 concentration: 500 ”g/m3) or filtered air. DE increased multiple heart rate variability (HRV) parameters during exposure. In the 4h after exposure, DE increased cardiac output, left ventricular volume (end diastolic and systolic), stroke volume, HRV, and atrioventricular block arrhythmias while increasing electrocardiographic measures of ventricular repolarization (i.e., ST and T amplitudes, ST area, T-peak to T-end duration). DE did not affect heart rate relative to air. Changes in HRV positively correlated with postexposure changes in bradyarrhythmia frequency, repolarization, and echocardiographic parameters. At 24h postexposure, DE-exposed rats had increased serum C-reactive protein and pulmonary eosinophils. This study demonstrates that cardiac effects of DE inhalation are likely to occur through changes in autonomic balance associated with modulation of cardiac electrophysiology and mechanical function and may offer insights into the adverse health effects of traffic-related air pollutants
Skapande verksamhet i förskola och förskoleklass
Sammanfattning
Syftet med studien Àr att se och i sÄ fall hur pedagogerna arbetar pÄ olika sÀtt med skapande verksamhet i
förskola och i förskoleklasser? Vad anvÀnder pedagogerna för olika uttrycksformer? Hur arbetar man med
skapande verksamhet i förskolan och i förskoleklass?
I studien observerades med hjÀlp av anteckningar som datainsamlings - metod. Under observationstillfÀllena,
studerades, hur pedagogerna arbetar. Vilka material som anvÀndes och deras förhÄllningssÀtt i den pedagogiska
verksamheten. .
Undersökningens resultat att alla de deltagande pedagogerna anvÀnde sig av olika arbetsÀtt i den skapande
verksamheten i de estetiska Àmnena. I barns och elevers fria lek upptÀcktes flera sÀtt att uttrycka den skapande
verksamheten. Förskolan arbetade med de skapande verksamheterna t.ex. genom samling och temaarbete. I
förskoleklassen skapades bildkonst, sĂ„ som âvĂ„rknopparâ, pĂ„skteckning och tulpanmobil pĂ„ olika sĂ€tt under
bildlektioner. PÄ förskolan anvÀnde man sig av drama dÀr dockan fanns som hjÀlpmedel och bildkonst dÀr man
skapade en elefant, tiger etc. Ăven en rytmiklektion dĂ€r barnen fick röra sig till musik utgjorde den skapande
verksamheten
Slutsatsen som vi kom fram till i vÄr studie var att förskolorna/förskoleklasserna jobbar med skapande
verksamhet, men med olika uttrycksformer sÄ som bildskapande i förskoleklasserna och förskolan mer med
musik/rytmik och drama. NÀr det gÀller uppföljning av skapandet, ser man en stor skillnad pÄ hur pedagogerna
uppfattar Äterkopplingen till sin verksamhet, eftersom dÀr endast tre av tio pedagoger hade Ätersamling. Vi har
Àven kommit fram till att olika uttrycksformer för skapande sÄ som lek, drama, musik och rörelse Àr
sammanvÀvda i verksamheterna. Bild förekom som skapande uttrycksform i förskoleklasserna. NÀr det gÀller
reflektioner pÄ skapandet sÄ saknades detta bÄde i förskolan och i förskoleklasserna.
Nitric oxide within the concept of united airway disease : Exhaled and nasal nitric oxide in cystic fibrosis, asthma and upper airway inflammatory diseases
Background: Within the concept of united airway disease, it is postulated that inflammatory disorders in the upper and lower airways are interrelated and influence each other. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is an established biomarker of type-2 inflammation in the lower airways and is elevated in patients with asthma. However, the relation between nasal nitric oxide (nNO) and upper airway inflammation is less clear. Although cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with increased airway inflammation, nitric oxide is not elevated in patients with CF. Aims: To study nNO and FeNO as biomarkers of type-2 inflammation in the upper and lower airways, respectively, in relation to symptoms, disease control and treatment of both upper and lower airway diseases, and in relation to systemic inflammation. Methods: This thesis is based on the MIDAS cohort of children and young adults with asthma (n=411) with a follow-up after 2-5 years (n=258), as well as one cohort of children and adults with CF (n=38) and one multicentre population-based cohort of middle-aged adults (n=5,824). Cross-sectional (Paper I-IV) and longitudinal (Paper III) analyses were performed. The main outcomes were nNO (Paper I-III) and FeNO (Paper II and IV) and their relations to IgE sensitisation, upper and lower airway symptoms and treatment, and systemic inflammation. Results: In subjects with asthma, nNO was associated with FeNO and increased bronchial responsiveness and nNO was higher in subjects with perennial sensitisation. In non-asthmatic middle-aged subjects with perennial sensitisation, rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis were associated with higher FeNO. There was also a positive interaction with perennial sensitisation for the relation between upper airway inflammatory disorders and FeNO. Treatment with nasal or inhaled corticosteroids was associated with lower nNO levels in subjects with asthma. In middle-aged subjects with asthma and perennial sensitisation, use of nasal corticosteroids related to lower FeNO, whereas use of inhaled corticosteroids related to higher FeNO levels. Patients with CF had lower levels of nNO and FeNO than controls. Moreover, lower FeNO levels were associated with lower lung function and higher blood neutrophil counts in CF. Conclusion: Within the concept of united airway disease, nNO is related to lower airway inflammation, responsiveness and treatment, and FeNO is related to upper airway inflammatory disorders, with a significant interaction with perennial sensitisation. In CF, lower FeNO is related to more severe disease with lower lung function and more systemic inflammation
Nitric oxide within the concept of united airway disease : Exhaled and nasal nitric oxide in cystic fibrosis, asthma and upper airway inflammatory diseases
Background: Within the concept of united airway disease, it is postulated that inflammatory disorders in the upper and lower airways are interrelated and influence each other. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is an established biomarker of type-2 inflammation in the lower airways and is elevated in patients with asthma. However, the relation between nasal nitric oxide (nNO) and upper airway inflammation is less clear. Although cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with increased airway inflammation, nitric oxide is not elevated in patients with CF. Aims: To study nNO and FeNO as biomarkers of type-2 inflammation in the upper and lower airways, respectively, in relation to symptoms, disease control and treatment of both upper and lower airway diseases, and in relation to systemic inflammation. Methods: This thesis is based on the MIDAS cohort of children and young adults with asthma (n=411) with a follow-up after 2-5 years (n=258), as well as one cohort of children and adults with CF (n=38) and one multicentre population-based cohort of middle-aged adults (n=5,824). Cross-sectional (Paper I-IV) and longitudinal (Paper III) analyses were performed. The main outcomes were nNO (Paper I-III) and FeNO (Paper II and IV) and their relations to IgE sensitisation, upper and lower airway symptoms and treatment, and systemic inflammation. Results: In subjects with asthma, nNO was associated with FeNO and increased bronchial responsiveness and nNO was higher in subjects with perennial sensitisation. In non-asthmatic middle-aged subjects with perennial sensitisation, rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis were associated with higher FeNO. There was also a positive interaction with perennial sensitisation for the relation between upper airway inflammatory disorders and FeNO. Treatment with nasal or inhaled corticosteroids was associated with lower nNO levels in subjects with asthma. In middle-aged subjects with asthma and perennial sensitisation, use of nasal corticosteroids related to lower FeNO, whereas use of inhaled corticosteroids related to higher FeNO levels. Patients with CF had lower levels of nNO and FeNO than controls. Moreover, lower FeNO levels were associated with lower lung function and higher blood neutrophil counts in CF. Conclusion: Within the concept of united airway disease, nNO is related to lower airway inflammation, responsiveness and treatment, and FeNO is related to upper airway inflammatory disorders, with a significant interaction with perennial sensitisation. In CF, lower FeNO is related to more severe disease with lower lung function and more systemic inflammation
Tidiga lĂ€sare â Bakomliggande faktorer
Alla barn har rÀtt att lyckas med sin lÀs- och skrivinlÀrning. Syftet med studien Àr att undersöka om tidig medveten trÀning ger mÄnga tidiga lÀsare och dÀrmed undviker onödiga lÀs- och skrivsvÄrigheter. Den empiriska delen av uppsatsen har genomförts i tvÄ kommuner. Studien bestÄr dels av en kvantitativ enkÀtundersökning vars syfte var att spÄra skolor med mÄnga tidiga lÀsare och dels av en kvalitativ intervjustudie, i syfte att undersöka bakomliggande faktorer till grupper med mÄnga tidiga lÀsare. Respondenterna bestÄr av Ätta lÀrare verksamma i sex förskolegrupper i tvÄ kommuner i södra Sverige. Studien visar vad gÀller de undersökta skolorna att metodisk trÀning ger bra resultat, men ocksÄ att bakomliggande sociala faktorer har betydelse. I resultatet framkommer ocksÄ att förskolornas olika pedagogiska arbetssÀtt har stor betydelse för hur barnen lyckas i sin lÀs- och skrivinlÀrning. Genom att börja tidigt och arbeta metodiskt medvetet, kan man undvika tidiga misslyckanden
Cross-sectional study on exhaled nitric oxide in relation to upper airway inflammatory disorders with regard to asthma and perennial sensitisation
Background: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a well-known marker of type-2 inflammation. FeNO is elevated in asthma and allergic rhinitis, with IgE sensitization as a major determinant. Objective: We aimed to see whether there was an independent association between upper airway inflammatory disorders (UAID) and FeNO, after adjustment for asthma and sensitization, in a multi-centre population-based study. Methods: A total of 741 subjects with current asthma and 4155 non-asthmatic subjects participating in the second follow-up of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS III) underwent FeNO measurements. Sensitization status was based on measurement of IgE against airborne allergens; information on asthma, UAID and medication was collected through interview-led questionnaires. Independent associations between UAID and FeNO were assessed in adjusted multivariate regression models and test for interaction with perennial sensitization and asthma on the relation between UAID and FeNO were made. Results: UAID were associated with higher FeNO after adjusting for perennial sensitization, asthma and other confounders: with 4.4 (0.9â7.9) % higher FeNO in relation to current rhinitis and 4.8 (0.7â9.2) % higher FeNO in relation to rhinoconjunctivitis. A significant interaction with perennial sensitization was found in the relationship between current rhinitis and FeNO (p = .03) and between rhinoconjunctivitis and FeNO (p = .03). After stratification by asthma and perennial sensitization, the association between current rhinitis and FeNO remained in non-asthmatic subjects with perennial sensitization, with 12.1 (0.2â25.5) % higher FeNO in subjects with current rhinitis than in those without. Conclusions & Clinical Relevance: Current rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis was associated with higher FeNO, with an interaction with perennial sensitization. This further highlights the concept of united airway disease, with correlations between symptoms and inflammation in the upper and lower airways and that sensitization needs to be accounted for in the relation between FeNO and rhinitis