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Exploring the potential effects of PFAS exposure on biomarkers: Insights from legacy PFAS and oxidizable precursors on blood lipids, DNA methylation, and gene expression
Get PDFHumans are exposed to numerous chemicals daily, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of synthetic compounds that have dominated human exposure for decades. These highly persistent chemicals are widely used in industrial and consumer products and are among the most prevalent contaminants detected in human blood. While some legacy PFAS have been phased out due to increasing regulatory restrictions and growing awareness of their health risks, production has shifted toward alternative PFAS compounds, which have led to fluctuations in exposure patterns. Despite these efforts, the comprehensive scope of human exposure to PFAS, including contributions from emerging or unidentified PFAS precursors and alternatives, has not yet been fully explored, leaving significant gaps in the understanding of the long-term health implications of these substances.
The overall aim of this doctoral thesis was to gain a deeper understanding of human exposure to PFAS and its associations with specific biological markers, including DNA methylation, gene expression, and lipid profiles.
To investigate the potential role of unknown PFAS precursors in the overall body burden, the total oxidizable precursors (TOP) assay was employed, making this one of the few studies to examine unknown PFAS precursors in human blood. The findings showed that while these precursors were detectable, their contribution to the body burden remained relatively small. Additionally, this research uniquely combined both DNA methylation and gene expression analyses to explore functional changes associated with PFAS exposure, with both data being collected from the same individuals at the same time. Several statistical approaches were employed to assess these associations. The findings revealed that only one PFAS out of eight was associated with DNA methylation at 21 unique CpG sites. However, no significant associations were found between PFAS exposure and gene expression. Furthermore, associations between PFAS exposure and lipid profiles were investigated across repeated measurements over a 30-year period. By employing multiple statistical approaches, consistent relationships were observed over time, particularly between PFAS and total cholesterol. Additionally, temporal trends in PFAS exposure were analyzed to assess how exposure levels have evolved, reflecting the impact of regulatory interventions and shifts in production practices.Mennesker er daglig utsatt for et stort antall kjemikalier, inkludert per- og polyfluoralkylstoffer (PFAS), en gruppe syntetiske forbindelser som har dominert menneskelig eksponering i flere tiår. Disse svært persistente kjemikaliene er mye brukt i industrielle og forbrukerprodukter og er blant de mest utbredte kontaminantene som påvises i menneskelig blod. Selv om noen eldre PFAS har blitt faset ut på grunn av økte regulatoriske restriksjoner og økende bevissthet om helsefarene deres, har produksjonen flyttet mot alternative PFAS-forbindelser, noe som har ført til svingninger i eksponeringsmønstrene. Til tross for disse tiltakene, har den omfattende omfanget av menneskelig eksponering for PFAS, inkludert bidrag fra nye eller uidentifiserte PFAS-forløpere og alternativer, ikke blitt fullt utforsket, noe som etterlater betydelige hull i forståelsen av de langsiktige helsekonsekvensene av disse stoffene.
Hovedmålet med denne doktorgradsavhandlingen var å få en dypere forståelse av menneskelig eksponering for PFAS og dens assosiasjoner med spesifikke biologiske markører, inkludert DNA-metylering, genuttrykk og lipidprofiler.
For å undersøke den potensielle rollen til ukjente PFAS-forløpere i den totale kroppsbøren, ble den totale oksiderbare forløperen (TOP) assayen brukt, noe som gjør dette til en av få studier som undersøker ukjente PFAS-forløpere i menneskelig blod. Funnene viste at selv om disse forløperne var påviselige, var deres bidrag til kroppsbøren relativt små. I tillegg kombinerte denne forskningen på en unik måte både DNA-metylering og genuttrykksanalyser for å utforske funksjonelle endringer assosiert med PFAS-eksponering, med begge dataene samlet fra de samme individene på samme tid. Flere statistiske tilnærminger ble brukt for å vurdere disse assosiasjonene. Funnene avslørte at kun én PFAS av åtte var assosiert med DNA-metylering ved 21 unike CpG-steder. Imidlertid ble det ikke funnet noen signifikante assosiasjoner mellom PFAS-eksponering og genuttrykk. Videre ble assosiasjoner mellom PFAS-eksponering og lipidprofiler undersøkt gjennom gjentatte målinger over en 30-årsperiode. Ved å bruke flere statistiske tilnærminger ble det observert konsistente sammenhenger over tid, spesielt mellom PFAS og total kolesterol. I tillegg ble tidsmessige trender i PFAS-eksponering analysert for å vurdere hvordan eksponeringsnivåene har utviklet seg, noe som gjenspeiler virkningen av regulatoriske intervensjoner og endringer i produksjonspraksis
Foreldreveiledning på krisesenter - behov, erfaringer, og organisering
Get PDFSource at https://www.nordlandsforskning.no/nb.Rapporten presenterer resultatene fra en studie om foreldreveiledningstilbudet ved krisesentrene i Norge, med særlig vekt på ICDP-veiledning i foreldregrupper. Studien er utført på oppdrag for Barne-, ungdoms- og familiedirektoratet (Bufdir) og er et av prosjektene som Fafo, Nordlandsforskning og Velferdsforskningsinstituttet NOVA gjennomfører under det felles overordnede prosjektet «Utvikle likeverdige og virksomme tiltak mot vold og diskriminering». Et formål med studien har vært å belyse hvilke behov voldsutsatte foreldre har for veiledning i brudd- og reetableringsfasen, og hvordan krisesentrene kan ivareta disse behovene gjennom et foreldreveiledningsprogram som ICDP. Videre har det vært viktig å undersøke hvordan ICDP brukes og oppleves, både av foreldre og ansatte, og hvilke organisatoriske betingelser som påvirker programmets gjennomføring
Robustness and Mechanisms of the Atmospheric Response Over the Southern Ocean to Idealized Freshwater Input Around Antarctica
Get PDFEnhanced Antarctic ice sheet mass loss yields ocean surface freshening, cooling and sea ice expansion, which result in changes in the atmospheric conditions. Using the Southern Ocean Freshwater Input from Antarctica (SOFIA) multi-model ensemble, we study the atmospheric response to a 100-year idealized freshwater release of 0.1 Sv. All models simulate a surface-intensified tropospheric cooling and lower-stratospheric warming south of 35°S. Tropospheric cooling is attributed to sea ice expansion and the associated albedo enhancement in winter and a colder sea surface in summer. This cooling yields a downward displacement of the tropopause, reduced stratospheric water vapor content and ultimately warming around 200 hPa. An enhanced southward eddy heat flux explains warming at 10–100 hPa during austral winter. Despite a temporally (and spatially) uniform prescribed freshwater flux, a prominent sea ice seasonal cycle and atmosphere dynamics result in a distinct seasonal pattern in the occurrence and magnitude of the temperature responses
Tverrprofesjonelt samarbeid i utvikling av digitale lærings- og undervisningsressurser i helsefag
Get PDFSource at https://www.ntnu.no/ojs/index.php/lol/article/view/6336.Artikkelen beskriver utviklingen av tverrprofesjonelle digitale undervisningsressurser innen bachelorutdanningene i sykepleie og ergoterapi. Med bakgrunn i økt fokus på tverrprofesjonelt samarbeid og betydningen av digital kompetanse i felles rammeplan for helse- og sosialfagutdanninger, beskrives lærersamarbeid på tvers av to profesjoner. Prosjektet inkluderer også studentinvolvering. I samarbeidet ble det digitale læringsverktøyet H5P benyttet i utviklingen av interaktiv undervisning om velferdsteknologi. Artikkelen belyser hva som kan fremme undervisernes digitale kompetanse og betydningen av et tverrprofesjonelt samarbeid i utviklingen av digitale læringsressurser. Lærersamarbeidet diskuteres i lys av teorier om praksisfellesskap og hvilke faktorer som kan påvirke en vellykket utvikling av studentaktive undervisningsressurser. I prosjektet ble det identifisert at et felles utgangspunkt for tverrprofesjonelt samarbeid mellom ergoterapi og sykepleie, basert på felles læringsutbyttebeskrivelser hadde betydning for samarbeidet. Samarbeidet ga en trygg arena for kunnskapsdeling og inspirerte til utvikling av felles digitale læringsressurser, og deltakernes engasjement og gjensidige respekt for hverandres fagfelt bidro til ideutveksling og utvikling av disse
Sentrum og periferi i samepolitikken: En analyse av geografiske skillelinjer blant samiske velgere
Get PDFGeography and its territorial implications have increasingly shaped elections in Norway and internationally. This chapter explores whether Sami politics also exhibits a territorial dimension, drawing on Rokkan’s cleavage theory to analyze urban–rural and center–periphery divides, with a focus on how geography influences political trust and support for Sami self-determination. While overall geographical disparities among Sami voters are modest, the divides reveal specific characteristics. Inner Finnmark stands as a center of Sami political activity, defining a central–peripheral cleavage primarily between Inner Finnmark (central) and Outer Finnmark (peripheral). Data from the 2021 Sami Parliament elections reveal notable centre–periphery distinctions: voters in Outer Finnmark demonstrate less support for Sami self-determination and reduced trust in the Sami Parliament. Additionally, this pattern yields a less pronounced urban–rural divide compared to similar cleavages in other political systems, underscoring the unique territorial nature of Sami political dynamics
Resilience in the Bi-Multilingual Brain
Get PDFBi-/multilingualism has been suggested to aid cognitive functioning across the lifespan by improving resilience to age-related cognitive decline. It has been argued that multilingual engagement places unique requirements on attentional and inhibitory control processes in the brain, which again could potentially change the structure and functional dynamics of the brain. This thesis aims to explore how multilingual diversity (MLD) can relate to cognitive performance and baseline neural activity by measuring resting-state (RS) EEG power in healthy bi/multilingual Norwegian-English adults across multiple stages of adulthood. Furthermore, behavioral data were collected using a non-linguistic flanker task to evaluate attentional control. The primary effects of MLD on EEG power in the alpha and theta frequency bands were found to be negative in the current analyses. This suggests that increased multilingual engagement may counteract the conventional age-related increases in brain baseline activity. Those of older age had significantly slower response times (RTs), however, MLD was not associated with improved flanker task performance. Results also showed no distinguishable relationship between the flanker task performance and RS EEG power. While these findings are not immediately noticeable in attentional task performance, these suggest that increased multilingual engagement has the potential to slow down age-related neural changes and assist in maintaining baseline brain activity as we age.Bi-/multilingualism has been suggested to aid cognitive functioning across the lifespan by improving resilience to age-related cognitive decline. It has been argued that multilingual engagement places unique requirements on attentional and inhibitory control processes in the brain, which again could potentially change the structure and functional dynamics of the brain. This thesis aims to explore how multilingual diversity (MLD) can relate to cognitive performance and baseline neural activity by measuring resting-state (RS) EEG power in healthy bi/multilingual Norwegian-English adults across multiple stages of adulthood. Furthermore, behavioral data were collected using a non-linguistic flanker task to evaluate attentional control. The primary effects of MLD on EEG power in the alpha and theta frequency bands were found to be negative in the current analyses. This suggests that increased multilingual engagement may counteract the conventional age-related increases in brain baseline activity. Those of older age had significantly slower response times (RTs), however, MLD was not associated with improved flanker task performance. Results also showed no distinguishable relationship between the flanker task performance and RS EEG power. While these findings are not immediately noticeable in attentional task performance, these suggest that increased multilingual engagement has the potential to slow down age-related neural changes and assist in maintaining baseline brain activity as we age
Between Heaven and Earth: An analysis of moral ambiguity in interactive fiction through Edelgard von Hresvelg from Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Get PDFVideo games present a very distinct form of storytelling; while some games use the elements of interactivity and narrative as auxiliary features to one another, some of the greatest games blend these two facets to make interaction an intrinsic part of the narrative experience. This thesis focuses on how this is achieved through the controversial character Edelgard von Hresvelg in the video game Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019). Specifically, this thesis aims to examine why Edelgard is understood so differently from player to player, by analyzing how her moral framing in the game’s narrative is affected by player decisions which determine what contextual clues are made available for the player to understand the story. In examining this, the present thesis argues that video games like Fire Emblem: Three Houses are especially suited to address themes of moral and narrative perspectivism in literature, with the player’s understanding of the story being shaped by the way in which they choose to interact with the multicursal narrative and the game’s mechanics. This thesis examines all four possible story routes of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Edelgard’s role within them, and I argue that the interactivity which determines the story that the player witnesses reinforces the underlying theme of the importance of interpersonal relationships, as the main characters of the story can only become their best selves with the support and guidance of the player character and their peers. In Edelgard’s case, I argue that she is a morally complicated character, and a tragic and flawed hero of Fire Emblem: Three Houses’ narrative, who loses herself without the bonds that the player helps her create.Video games present a very distinct form of storytelling; while some games use the elements of interactivity and narrative as auxiliary features to one another, some of the greatest games blend these two facets to make interaction an intrinsic part of the narrative experience. This thesis focuses on how this is achieved through the controversial character Edelgard von Hresvelg in the video game Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019). Specifically, this thesis aims to examine why Edelgard is understood so differently from player to player, by analyzing how her moral framing in the game’s narrative is affected by player decisions which determine what contextual clues are made available for the player to understand the story. In examining this, the present thesis argues that video games like Fire Emblem: Three Houses are especially suited to address themes of moral and narrative perspectivism in literature, with the player’s understanding of the story being shaped by the way in which they choose to interact with the multicursal narrative and the game’s mechanics. This thesis examines all four possible story routes of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Edelgard’s role within them, and I argue that the interactivity which determines the story that the player witnesses reinforces the underlying theme of the importance of interpersonal relationships, as the main characters of the story can only become their best selves with the support and guidance of the player character and their peers. In Edelgard’s case, I argue that she is a morally complicated character, and a tragic and flawed hero of Fire Emblem: Three Houses’ narrative, who loses herself without the bonds that the player helps her create
A Systems Perspective on the Drivers of Adoption of the Norwegian School Fruit Scheme
Get PDFSuccessful adoption of evidence-based primary prevention interventions by schools is important for public health but relies on multiple factors. Using a systems perspective enables the identification of the interconnectivity and feedback loops among these factors, which can facilitate or hinder adoption. This study aimed to conceptualize a system structure showing how adoption factors are interrelated, and which feedback loops influence schools’ decisions to adopt interventions, using the parent-paid Norwegian school fruit scheme (the parent-paid scheme) as a case. We interviewed principals and personnel (n = 7) from schools that adopted, de-adopted, or never adopted the parent-paid scheme. These interviews were analyzed using qualitative system dynamics modeling. The analysis resulted in a causal loop diagram representing a system structure driving schools’ adoption decisions. The preliminary results were validated during a workshop with new participants who hold decision-making roles in schools (n = 5). Due to previous experiences with a free scheme, some schools perceived the parent-paid scheme’s relative advantages as low, which, in synergy with schools’ preference to offer it for free to pupils, resulted in the parent-paid scheme never being adopted. Nevertheless, there were schools that adopted the parent-paid scheme, driven by feedback loops like perceived need and relative advantages. These feedback loops, however, weakened over time as de-adoption resulted from a lack of demand from parents and pupils. Taking a systems perspective offered a temporal view of adoption processes, revealing how past decisions, like de-adopting a free scheme, influence future decisions. It highlighted how reinforcing feedback loops, like perceived need, set schools on adoption paths. Finally, it identified gaps in information flow, including those necessary for adaptation, as potential missing feedback loops to continuous adoption. As such, the schools’ decision to adopt the parent-paid scheme is a dynamic process with systemic characteristics that should be considered when developing strategies to ensure adoption
"I need to focus now on the manner of my suicide": Suicidality and Survivability in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games Series
Get PDFThis thesis examines what the representations of suicidality and survivability in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series (2008-2010), tell us about one of the core elements of the human experience: whether to live or to die. Through examining the factors and situations that determine the characters’ suicidality and survivability, we get a better understanding of why people commit suicide as well as what motivates them to stay alive. By conducting a close reading of the trilogy and analyzing relevant passages in light of altruism, survivability and psychology, we get a nuanced and deep insight into the suicidal situations presented in the novels. Additionally, this thesis examines how and if you should use The Hunger Games novels in school as a basis for reflection on suicidality and suicide. The novels are frequently used to foster reflection in lower-secondary classrooms, but the focus on suicidality has been minimal. The main theoretical framework consists of Durkheim’s theories on altruistic suicide and Andrew Bennet’s work in literary suicidology. The Norwegian Core Curriculum from LK2020 is also relevant as it explicitly states the importance of reading YA novels as well as the need for incorporation of themes such as mental health and emotional well-being. A lower-secondary classroom should be a safe space and using it as a space for reflection and education on suicidality and mental health could enhance their survivability