| 1. |
- Andersson, Johanna, 1990-
(författare)
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Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus : epidemiology and diagnostics
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a progressive neurological condition characterized by a deterioration of gait, cognition, and continence. The diagnosis is based on a combination of enlarged ventricles seen in neuroimaging, with typical clinical findings. iNPH often affects elderly individuals (i.e., over the age of 65). Shunt insertion is the only available treatment, with an improvement rate of up to 80%.The prevalence has previously been reported to be between 0.5 and 3% among individuals over age 65. However, most previous studies have been conducted on hospital-based materials, and there is a lack of epidemiological studies based on the general population. One of the challenges of diagnosing iNPH is that there are no common, widely accepted diagnostic criteria. There are currently two different diagnostic guidelines: the American-European guidelines and the Japanese ones, which makes it harder to compare different studies.The aim of this thesis was to determine the prevalence of iNPH in population-based materials and to evaluate the differences between the diagnostic guidelines. Furthermore, we wanted to assess the quality of life and depressive symptoms among individuals with iNPH compared to those without. In addition, we assessed longitudinal changes in the clinical and radiological findings of iNPH.We asked 1,000 individuals aged 65 and older to participate in the study by answering a questionnaire containing typical iNPH symptoms. We invited all participants who had marked at least two symptoms on the questionnaire for further investigation, in addition to a randomly selected group with fewer than two symptoms. A total of 168 participants underwent clinical examinations and computed tomography (CT) of the brain. We followed up with the same cohort two years later with repeated testing, with the addition of questionnaires on depressive symptoms and quality of life. A total of 122 individuals remained in the 2-year follow-up cohort. The clinical examinations included an iNPH-specific grading scale for symptoms and neurological examinations.The prevalence of iNPH for those 65 years and older was 3.7% according to the American-European guidelines and 1.5% according to the Japanese guidelines. The prevalence was higher for those over age 80, with no differences between the sexes. Furthermore, participants with iNPH had more depressive symptoms and lower quality of life than those without iNPH. Radiological findings and symptoms progressed slightly over two years, and those with symptom deterioration had an even higher degree of radiological progress compared to those with stationary or improved symptoms.This thesis shows that iNPH is fairly common in a normal population of elderly individuals. There is disagreement between the current diagnostic guidelines, which underscores the need for revisions, preferably into one common diagnostic system. In this thesis, individuals with iNPH had a lower functional status, more depressive symptoms, and lower quality of life than those without iNPH.Moreover, iNPH progresses slightly in both symptoms and radiological signs over two years, which underlines the value of clinical follow-up for asymptomatic individuals with radiological signs of iNPH. Finally, iNPH is probably underdiagnosed and an important diagnosis to consider in an elderly person with gait and balance impairments.
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| 2. |
- Bondelind, Mia, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Benchmarkingmodell för dricksvattenförsörjning i Sverige
- 2012
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Ingår i: Proceedings för Åttonde Nordiska Dricksvattenkonferensen, Stockholm Sverige 2012. ; , s. 36-39
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Swedish Water & Wastewater Association has initiated a benchmarking project to assess the quality and quantity, safety and efficiency of drinking water systems in Sweden. An important part of the project is to develop a benchmarking model which provides a useful tool for the municipalities to evaluate the status of their drinking water systems in respect to a safe drinking water quality and quantity. The increased focus on a safe drinking water, in terms of microbiological contaminants, originates from recent outbreaks of waterborne diseases in Östersund and Skellefteå in Sweden. The derived benchmarking model presented in this paper evaluates the safety of the water by a few carefully selected parameters. The model will apply to both small and large drinking water systems and will provide a useful tool for comparison of drinking water systems within Sweden to encourage for a continued improvement of the systems. In addition, the model provides a straightforward and transparent tool for the municipalities to communicate the status of the drinking water systems to the public.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Braunerhjelm, Pontus, et al.
(författare)
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Philanthropy as a source of innovation
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Philanthropic donations directed towards education and research have the potential to be growth enhancing by augmenting knowledge production in society. However, knowledge about the role of philanthropy is relatively limited. To fill this gap this paper first provides an overview of the extent and evolution of Swedish philanthropy and then examines the connection between philanthropic donations and knowledge output measured as patent application and scientific publications. We find that total funding for research and development and university research is a strong predictor for patent and publication output. However, funding composition is overall not significantly associated with knowledge or innovation outcomes.
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| 5. |
- Dahlin, Sandra, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of biofuel- and lube oil-originated sulfur and phosphorus on the performance of Cu-SSZ-13 and V2O5-WO3/TiO2 SCR catalysts
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Two different SCR catalysts, V2O5-WO3/TiO2 and Cu-SSZ-13, were exposed to biodiesel exhausts generated by a diesel burner. The effect of phosphorus and sulfur on the SCR performance of these catalysts was investigated by doping the fuel with P-, S-, or P+S-containing compounds. Elemental analyses showed that both catalysts captured phosphorus while only Cu-SSZ-13 captured sulfur. High molar P/V ratios, up to almost 3, were observed for V2O5-WO3/TiO2, while the highest P/Cu ratios observed were slightly above 1 for the Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst. Although the V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst captured more P than did the Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst, a higher degree of deactivation was observed for the latter, especially at low temperatures. For both catalysts, phosphorus exposure resulted in suppression of the SCR performance over the entire temperature range. Sulfur exposure, on the other hand, resulted in deactivation of the Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst mainly at temperatures below 300-350 ºC. The use of an oxidation catalyst upstream of the SCR catalyst during the exhaust-exposure could protect the SCR catalyst from phosphorus poisoning. The results in this work will improve the 2 understanding of chemical deactivation of SCR catalysts and aid in developing durable aftertreatment systems.
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| 6. |
- Dahlin, Sandra, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of biofuel- and lube oil-originated sulfur and phosphorus on the performance of Cu-SSZ-13 and V2O5-WO3/TiO2 SCR catalysts
- 2021
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Ingår i: Catalysis Today. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 0920-5861 .- 1873-4308. ; 360, s. 326-339
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Two different SCR catalysts, V2O5-WO3/TiO2 and Cu-SSZ-13, were exposed to biodiesel exhausts generated by a diesel burner. The effect of phosphorus and sulfur on the SCR performance of these catalysts was investigated by doping the fuel with P-, S-, or P + S-containing compounds. Elemental analyses showed that both catalysts captured phosphorus while only Cu-SSZ-13 captured sulfur. High molar P/V ratios, up to almost 3, were observed for V2O5-WO3/TiO2, while the highest P/Cu ratios observed were slightly above 1 for the Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst. Although the V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst captured more P than did the Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst, a higher degree of deactivation was observed for the latter, especially at low temperatures. For both catalysts, phosphorus exposure resulted in suppression of the SCR performance over the entire temperature range. Sulfur exposure, on the other hand, resulted in deactivation of the Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst mainly at temperatures below 300-350 °C. The use of an oxidation catalyst upstream of the SCR catalyst during the exhaust-exposure protects the SCR catalyst from phosphorus poisoning by capturing phosphorus. The results in this work will improve the understanding of chemical deactivation of SCR catalysts and aid in developing durable aftertreatment systems.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Mattsson, Johanna M, et al.
(författare)
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Proteolytic Activity of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) towards Protein Substrates and Effect of Peptides Stimulating PSA Activity.
- 2014
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA or kallikrein-related peptidase-3, KLK3) exerts chymotrypsin-like proteolytic activity. The main biological function of PSA is the liquefaction of the clot formed after ejaculation by cleavage of semenogelins I and II in seminal fluid. PSA also cleaves several other substrates, which may explain its putative functions in prostate cancer and its antiangiogenic activity. We compared the proteolytic efficiency of PSA towards several protein and peptide substrates and studied the effect of peptides stimulating the activity of PSA with these substrates. An endothelial cell tube formation model was used to analyze the effect of PSA-degraded protein fragments on angiogenesis. We showed that PSA degrades semenogelins I and II much more efficiently than other previously identified protein substrates, e.g., fibronectin, galectin-3 and IGFBP-3. We identified nidogen-1 as a new substrate for PSA. Peptides B2 and C4 that stimulate the activity of PSA towards small peptide substrates also enhanced the proteolytic activity of PSA towards protein substrates. Nidogen-1, galectin-3 or their fragments produced by PSA did not have any effect on endothelial cell tube formation. Although PSA cleaves several other protein substrates, in addition to semenogelins, the physiological importance of this activity remains speculative. The PSA levels in prostate are very high, but several other highly active proteases, such as hK2 and trypsin, are also expressed in the prostate and may cleave protein substrates that are weakly cleaved by PSA.
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| 9. |
- Mesilov, Vitaly, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of Biodiesel-Based Phosphorus and Sulfur on Copper Speciation of Cu-SSZ-13 Catalysts : XAFS Scanning during H-2-TPR
- 2022
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 126:7, s. 3385-3396
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biodiesel is a promising renewable fuel, which may help to limit our dependence on fossil fuels. However, the presence of contaminants in biodiesel can affect the Cu speciation of the Cu-SSZ-13 selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst, resulting in its deactivation and decreased durability. In situ Cu K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) scanning during a temperature-programmed reduction in hydrogen (H-2-TPR) has been applied here for the analysis of Cu speciation in Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts aged using pure and contaminated biodiesel fuels. XAFS data were analyzed using the multivariate curve resolution alternating least-squares (MCR-ALS) method. While only reduction from Cu-II to Cu-I was observed at temperatures below 500 degrees C for the catalyst aged using pure biodiesel, a one-step reduction of Cu-II to Cu-0 at temperatures between 400 and 500 degrees C was found for the catalyst aged using P-doped biodiesel. The transformation of isolated CuII species to Cu-II clusters was suggested for the catalyst as a result of aging using P-doped biodiesel. The catalyst aged using S-doped biodiesel showed mainly the reduction of isolated Cu-II to Cu-I, which was inhibited as compared to that observed for the catalyst aged using pure biodiesel. The reduction of the catalyst aged using P+S-doped biodiesel led to the reduction of Cu-II to both Cu-I and Cu-0. The phosphorus was responsible for the formation of Cu-II clusters during aging of the catalyst using P+S-doped biodiesel. This study reveals that the presence of phosphorus in biofuels should be strictly regulated to avoid major changes in the Cu speciation of Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts.
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