Air pollution inequality and its temporal trends in Nordic countries

The demand for research on air pollution inequality in Nordic countries is rising with the growing evidence of adverse health effects. We examined socio-economic and ethnic disparities in air pollution exposure from 1990 to 2016. Results revealed that exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 was generally higher in municipalities with higher income, education and immigrant populations. Disparities mostly decreased over time, benefiting almost all groups. But, ozone exposure increased in many regions. The findings highlight the need for attention to rising ozone levels and disproportionate exposure of immigrants.publishedVersio

Rezidivverhalten bei Chorioretinitis durch Toxoplasmose - Eine retrospektive Analyse

Infektionen durch Toxoplasma gondii treten weltweit häufig auf. Die Toxoplasmose-Chorioretinitis stellt die häufigste Ursache einer posterioren Uveitis dar. In dieser Arbeit wurden Befunde von insgesamt 104 Rezidiven der Toxoplasmose-Chorioretinitis ausgewertet. Das Durchschnittsalter der Patienten bei ihrem ersten beobachteten Rezidiv lag bei 32,4 Jahren mit einer Spanne von 14 bis 75 Jahren. Rezidive betrafen vor allem junge Patienten. Bei 54% der Patienten trat das erste beobachtete Rezidiv zwischen dem 10. und 29. Lebensjahr auf. Die Krankheitslast zeigt sich darin, dass bei 48% der Patienten beidseitige Narben bestanden und 48% der Rezidive in der Makula auftraten. Der Großteil der Rezidive (86%) ging von vorhandenen Narben aus. Im Mittel lagen 23 Monate zwischen zwei Rezidiven. 40% der Rezidive flackerten innerhalb eines Jahres erneut auf. Dies betraf 63% der Patienten. Weder durch die Serologie allein noch durch den Vergleich mit Werten im krankheitsfreien Intervall konnte die Diagnose gesichert werden. Vor allem das klinische Bild bestimmte die Diagnose. Die Therapie der Rezidive zeigte sowohl bei der Verringerung der Größe der Netzhautläsion als auch bei der Visusentwicklung positive Effekte. Bei 43% der Rezidive war die chorioretinale Narbe kleiner als der ursprüngliche Entzündungsfokus und bei 59% der Rezidive konnte der endgültige Visus gegenüber dem Krankheitsbeginn gesteigert werden.Infections caused by Toxoplasma gondii occur worldwide frequently. Toxoplasmic chorioretinitis is the most common cause of posterior uveitis. In this paper we evaluated the medical results of in total 104 recurrences of toxoplasmic chorioretinitis. Mean age at first episode was 32,4 years with a range from 14 to 75 years. Recurrent disease affected younger patients. 54% of patients developed their first episode between the ages of 10 and 29. Almost every second patient (48%) had retinal scars in both eyes. 48% recurrences occurred in macula. The major part (86%) of episodes developed at the borders of existing scars. The mean interval between recurrences was 23 months. 40% of recurrences reinflamed within one year after an episode. This affected 63% of the study population. Neither the serology alone nor the comparison of antibody titre with the healthy interval could indicate the recurrence. The clinical presentation confirmed the diagnosis. Therapy resulted in reduction of lesion size in 43% of recurrences and in increase of visual acuity in 59% of cases

Cerebral transplantation of encapsulated mesenchymal stem cells improves cellular pathology after experimental traumatic brain injury

Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Oct-9PURPOSE: "Naked" human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are neuro-protective in experimental brain injury (TBI). In a controlled cortical impact (CCI) rat model, we investigated whether encapsulated MSC (eMSC) act similarly, and whether efficacy is augmented using cells transfected to produce the neuro-protective substance glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). METHODS: Thirty two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to five groups: controls (no CCI), CCI-only, CCI+eMSC, CCI+GLP-1 eMSC, and CCI+empty capsules. On day 14, cisternal cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) was sampled for measurement of GLP-1 concentration. Brains were immuno-histochemically assessed using specific antibody staining for NeuN, MAP-2 and GFAP. In another nine healthy rats, in vitro. RESULTS: GLP-1 production rates were measured from cells explanted after 2, 7 and 14 days. GLP-1 production rate in transfected cells, before implantation, was 7.03 fmol/capsule/h. Cells were still secreting GLP-1 at a rate of 3.68+/-0.49, 2.85+/-0.45 and 3.53+/-0.55 after 2, 7 and 14 days, respectively. In both of the stem cell treated CCI groups, hippocampal cell loss was reduced, along with an attenuation of cortical neuronal and glial abnormalities, as measured by MAP-2 and GFAP expression. The effects were more pronounced in animals treated with GLP-1 secreting eMSC. This group displayed an increased CSF level of GLP-1 (17.3+/-3.4pM). CONCLUSIONS: Hippocampal neuronal cell loss, and cortical glial and neuronal cyto-skeletal abnormalities, after CCI are reduced following transplantation of encapsulated eMSC. These effects were augmented by GLP-1 transfected eMSC