With cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and neurodegenerative conditions on the rise, understanding their pathogenesis is paramount to tackling this public health crisis. Current research indicates that the primary cause of these diseases is mitochondrial dysfunction in the affected patients. While genetics plays a role in these conditions, lifestyle choices and exposure to toxins also significantly contribute to their development. Unfortunately, early-stage diagnosis can be difficult due to overlapping symptoms with other diseases. Developing innovative therapies that can prevent or reverse the deterioration of metabolic dysfunctions is critical to establishing early intervention. My research focused on investigating molecular targets linked with Friedrich's Ataxia, an inherited metabolic disorder, through conducting functional in-vitro studies using human-derived cell samples, as well as developing inventive animal models created via Xenopus laevis tadpoles to evaluate the effects of environmental stressors. My investigations have uncovered promising treatment options that improve mitochondrial function, mitigate oxidative stress, and elucidate critical mechanisms involved in environmentally induced disruptions to mitochondria. / Doctor of Philosophy / Metabolic dysfunction is a widespread health issue that affects millions of individuals each day. Its associated disorders, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative conditions, are rising due to various factors ranging from genetic predispositions to environmental and lifestyle-related risks. Therefore, there's an urgent need to identify this disorder early on and develop innovative treatment options. Considering this growing public health concern, it has become imperative to establish new methods for detecting metabolic dysfunction at its nascent stage while also exploring potential therapeutic interventions. Our research utilized cells derived from affected patients and animal models in devising novel approaches toward understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning metabolic dysfunction. Our findings revealed several pathways and molecular targets contributing significantly to this condition, which could effectively be leveraged to develop targeted therapeutic strategies to combat its effects. Expanding our knowledge base will enable us to stay updated with emerging insights on treating metabolic dysfunction effectively while substantially improving patient outcomes.

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Vi utsätts dagligen för en mängd kemikalier, vissa av dem är skadliga både för människan och miljö. För att uppnå det svenska miljökvalitetsmålet giftfri miljö är det av yttersta vikt att förskolorna måste bli giftfria, detta då många förskolor har produkter och leksaker som innehåller miljöfarliga ämnen. Barn är känsligare än vuxna och det är därför av stor betydels att fasa ut produkter från förskolorna där barnen vistas många timmar om dagen. Flertalet kommuner har starta detta arbete men det är viktigt att det sker en beteendeförändring för att åstadkomma ett hållbart resultat. Syftet med studien var att undersöka om information till förskolepersonalen har bidragit till ökad kunskap om miljöfarliga kemikalier på förskolan. Studien syftar även att undersöka om ökad kunskap har lett till ett förändringsarbete samt vilka hinder och möjligheter som finns för att använda kunskapen i ett arbete för giftfri förskola. Det görs med hjälp av att både enkätundersökning och intervjuer hos förskolepersonal verksamma inom Karlstad kommun. Undersökningen som gjordes visar att det finns en positiv attityd hos förskolepersonalen för att jobba vidare med att fasa ut miljögifter på förskolan. Den visar även att medvetenheten och kunskaperna hos förskolepersonalen är goda då de har kännedom om produkter samt ämnen som bör undvikas inom förskolan. Flertalet hinder finns för att personalen ska kunna arbeta på ett effektivt sätt med att minska skadliga ämnen inom förskolorna. Det som begränsar personalens handlingsutrymme är bland annat ekonomi, bristfällig kunskap, tid, oro, upphandlingsavtal och utbud.  För att målet giftfri miljö skall kunna uppnås behöver stödet förbättras för förskolepersonalen. Detta kan göras genom bland annat vidareutbildning och uppdatering av personalen, hårdare krav på upphandling och andra hjälpmedel för att val av bättre produkter ska underlättas och en giftfri förskola ska bli möjliga. / In todays world we’re exposed daily to a large amount of chemicals, some of which are harmful to man and the environment. To reach to objective of a toxic free environment it is of uttermost importance that our preschools become free from toxins, especially since there today exist several products and toys that contain hazardous substances. Kids are more sensitive to these compared to adults which is why the importance of clearing them out from the preschools are even more important, especially since the kids spend several hours a day there. Several municipalities has begun this task though it is also important for a behavioral change to happen if the result is to be sustainable. The purpose of the study was to examine if information to the stuff of the preschools has contributed to an increased knowledge about hazardous substances in preschools.  The surveys purpose is also to examine if an increased knowledge has led to an improvement as well as which obstacles and possibilities exist for the usage of this knowledge in working for a toxin-free preschool. This will be done through a survey and interviews with preschool staff who are active within Karlstad municipality. The survey showed of a positive attitude in the preschool staff concerning continuing the work to phase out hazardous substances from their preschools. Their awareness and knowledge are at a good level since they have knowledge about what products and substances to avoid in preschools. Several obstacles that hinder the staff from working effectively at decreasing the amount of hazardous substances at preschools. Things which limits the staff are economics, lack of knowledge, time, anxiety, procurement terms and range among others. For the objective of a toxic free environment to be reached the support of the preschool staff needs to be improved. This can be accomplish through  tougher terms of procurement, more support and education of the staff among other things to help them make better choices of products which in turn will make a toxic free preschool a possibility.

Industrialization and "development" during the last 200 years have led to an increase of pesticides, an intensified use of synthetic chemicals, higher levels of environmental pollution, and more exposure to hazardous working conditions. Environmental toxins, many of which are endocrine disruptors, are stored in fat tissue, increasing reproductive health risks for both women and men. Women’s bodies are particularly vulnerable as sites for creating, growing, feeding, and nurturing the next generation. And yet, women’s lives are consistently devalued, especially in a capitalist economy, so that a woman’s rights to her own reproductive health are no longer guaranteed. In this thesis I first review ecological destruction, environmental policies, and food safety/security issues for women. I then examine neoliberal globalization as an active participant in the destruction of the environment and an attack on global health. I discuss how utilizing feminist theory effectively, and actively, will ensure women the right to their health. I employ postmodern feminist and refigured ecofeminist theory to demonstrate how a feminist perspective is necessary in the development of policies that address the problem of endocrine disruptors in terms of women’s reproductive health and the health of future generations. Finally, I suggest that the precautionary principle must include a feminist perspective to fully succeed.

Inom byggbranschen omsätts stora mängder byggavfall. Avfallet är svårt att hantera för att det består av så stora mängder. Restavfall som kommer från en byggarbetsplats källsorteras. Avfall från byggnation och rivning innehåller många olika typer av miljöfarliga ämnen, vilket förorsakar miljöföroreningar. Farliga ämnen riskerar att läcka ut i marken och ut i naturen. Branschen har funderat på om kakel och klinkers verkligen deponeras på rätt sätt idag från byggavfall och rivning. Syftet med arbetet var att undersöka om kakel och klinkers innehåller metaller som kan vara miljöfarliga. Halterna i ytskikten uppmättes och genom att utföra laktester kunde vi analysera avgivningen från materialen i olika miljöer. Det visade sig att kakel och klinker innehåller höga halter av metaller som kan läcka ut till omgivningen vid lågt pH-värde. Slutsatsen från laktesterna är att om kakel och klinker hanteras på rätt sätt i neutral eller basisk miljö är det inte miljöfarligt, eftersom samtliga utlakningsvärden vid pH åtta till tio låg inom gränserna. Men vi ser en fara om kakel och klinker hamnar i en sur miljö som har ett lågt pH runt fem till sex. Då är kakel och klinker inte inert avfall och skall alltså inte hanteras som det. Detta gör att kakel och klinker inte bör användas som till exempel fyllnadsmassor, utan att det bör deponeras som det görs idag. Arbetet bygger till stor del på diskussioner och samtal med Structor i Örebro och MTM på Örebro Universitet. / The construction industry deals with large quantities of construction waste. The waste is difficult to manage because of large amounts. Residual waste that comes from a construction site is recycled. Waste from construction and demolition includes many different types of pollutants causing environmental pollution. Hazardous substances likely to leach into the soil and into the wild. Structor have been thinking about if tile and clinkers tiles really are deposited in the right way today from construction waste and demolition. The purpose of this work is to investigate whether tile and clinker contains metals that can be harmful to the environment. The contents in the surface layers were measured and by performing leaching tests, we could analyze the leakage from materials in different surroundings. The samples proved that tile and clinker have high level of metals in the materials that can be given off to the environment at low pH. The conclusion from the leaching tests is that if the tiles are handled properly in the neutral or alkaline environment, it is not harmful to the environment because all results of leaching tests at pH values between eight and ten were within limits. But we see a danger if tiles end up in an acidic environment that has a low pH of around five to six. Then the tiles are not inert waste and therefore should not be handled like that. Tiles should thus not be used to such as aggregate, but it should be deposited as is done today. The work is largely based on discussions and conversations with Structor in Örebro and MTM at Örebro University.

Childhood cancer is the second leading cause of death in children aged 0-19 years. Research efforts to identify factors associated with or influencing this growing health problem are limited. The purpose of this research study was to examine, in reference to Louisiana during the period 2004-2010, the annual number of children diagnosed with cancer; the types of cancers; the possible effects of the environmental aftermath resulting from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav; and any correlation between environmental contaminants following these hurricanes with the number of children diagnosed with cancer. This study employed correlational quantitative methodology using archival data from the Louisiana Tumor Registry that identified childhood cancer types and incidence for the years 2004-2010. Data were analyzed using logistic regression. Data analysis demonstrated statistically significant differences in the number of children diagnosed with cancer in Louisiana following Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav, more specifically between the northern (p = .011) and southern (p =.013) regions. However, this may have no or limited practical significance. The sample size was large in this study, and given a large enough sample, regardless of insignificant population differences, almost any difference or any correlation will be statistically significant. The positive social change implication of this study is that it may lead to the development of preventive tools/measures for healthcare professionals and parents to help reduce childhood cancers associated with exposure to adverse environmental factors.