| 1. |
- Brännström, Inger, 1945-, et al.
(författare)
-
Changing social patterns of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in a Swedish community intervention programme
- 1993
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Epidemiology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0300-5771 .- 1464-3685. ; 22:6, s. 1026-1037
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since 1985 a small-scale community-based cardiovascular disease (CVD) preventive programme has been in operation in an inland municipality, Norsjö, in Northern Sweden. The aim of this study was to assess the development of the relationship between social position and CVD risk factors in repeated cross-sectional surveys (1985-1990) among all men and women aged 30, 40, 50 and 60 years in the study area, using an age-stratified random sample from the Northern Sweden MONICA Study of 1986 and 1990 as reference population. These multiple cross-sectional surveys comprised a self-administered questionnaire and a health examination. Of the study population 95% (n = 1499) and 80% of those in the reference area (n = 3208) participated. Subjects were classified with regard to demographic, structural and social characteristics in relation to CVD risk factors and self-reported health status. Time trends in classical risk factor occurrence were assessed in terms of age- and sex- adjusted odds ratios using Mantel-Haenszel procedures. When simultaneously adjusting for several potential confounders we used a logistic regression analysis. Initially, more than half of the study population, both males and females, had and elevated (> or = 6.5 mmol/l) serum cholesterol level. After adjustments had been made for age and social factors it was found that the relative risk of hypercholesterolaemia dropped substantially and significantly among both sexes during the 6 years of CVD intervention in the study area. However, the probability of being a smoker was significantly reduced only in highly educated groups. Among other risk factors no single statistically significant change over time could be found. In the reference area there were no changes over time for the selected CVD risk factors. People in the study area had a less favourable perception of their health than those in the reference area. Social differences were found when perceived good health was measured, especially in variables indicating emotional and social support. When sex, age and social factors had been accounted for there was not clear change over the years in perceived good health.
|
|
| 2. |
- Häggarth, Lars, et al.
(författare)
-
Diagnostic biomarkers of prostate cancer
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5599 .- 1651-2065. ; 45:1, s. 60-67
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. Diagnostic tissue biomarkers for prostate cancer (PC) include basal cell markers and alpha-methylacyl-coenzyme A-racemase (AMACR), often used in combination. Their sensitivity and specificity are not perfect and there is a need for additional diagnostic biomarkers for PC in cases that are difficult to diagnose on routine stained sections. Material and methods. This study investigated the diagnostic accuracy of three novel tissue biomarkers for PC found through a search in the Human Protein Atlas database (www.proteinatlas.com): somatic cytochrome c (CYCS), intestinal cell kinase (ICK) and inhibitor of nuclear factor-kappa B kinase subunit beta (IKBKB), and compared the results with AMACR. A tissue microarray was constructed from 40 consecutive radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens including benign prostatic tissue, atrophy, high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and PC. Immunoreactivity was scored based on staining intensity and extent. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on malignant and benign frozen tissue samples from 32 RP specimens. Results. All four biomarkers showed a stronger expression in PC and HGPIN than in benign tissue (p < 0.001). The highest diagnostic accuracy for PC was achieved with ICK and AMACR at 97%. The area under the curve for CYCS, ICK, IKBKB and AMACR was 0.859, 0.997, 0.865 and 0.983, respectively. The presence of mRNA transcripts of the genes was confirmed by real-time PCR in benign and malignant prostatic tissue. Conclusions. AMACR is an accurate diagnostic tissue marker for PC. However, in some PCs AMACR is false negative and a panel of CYCS, ICK and IKBKB may serve as ancillary diagnostic tool.
|
|
| 3. |
- Jaraj, Sara Jonmarker, et al.
(författare)
-
GAD1 is a biomarker for benign and malignant prostatic tissue
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5599 .- 1651-2065. ; 45:1, s. 39-45
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. Tissue-specific markers are useful for identification of tumour type in advanced cancers of unknown origin. This study investigated the expression of glutamate decarboxylase 1 (GAD1) in prostate and control tissue compared with the established prostate-specific markers prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). Material and methods. A tissue microarray was constructed of 36 prostate adenocarcinomas, eight benign prostate samples and benign and malignant control tissues from urinary bladder, lung and rectum. Immunohistochemistry for GAD 1, PSA and PSMA was performed. The products of staining intensity and extent were analysed. The GAD1 antibody was validated by Western blot. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed on malignant and benign samples from each tissue type. Results. GAD 1 and PSA immunostains were significantly stronger in malignant and benign prostatic tissue than in controls. PSMA was stronger in prostate cancer than in urothelial and rectal cancer but had a lower specificity than GAD1 and PSA. GAD I expression decreased with increasing Gleason score. RT-PCR confirmed the presence of mRNA for GAD I, PSA and PSMA in prostate samples. Conclusion. GAD1 is expressed in benign and malignant prostatic tissue and may serve as a highly prostate-specific tissue biomarker.
|
|
| 4. |
- Aronsson, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
Cost-effectiveness of endovascular thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Neurology. - : American Academy of neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 86:11, s. 1053-9
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective:To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of adding endovascular thrombectomy to standard care in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods:The cost-effectiveness analysis of endovascular thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke was based on a decision-analytic Markov model. Primary outcomes from ESCAPE, Extending the Time for Thrombolysis in Emergency Neurological Deficits-Intra-Arterial (EXTEND-IA), Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands (MR CLEAN), Endovascular Revascularization With Solitaire Device Versus Best Medical Therapy in Anterior Circulation Stroke Within 8 Hours (REVASCAT), and Solitaire with the Intention for Thrombectomy as Primary Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke (SWIFT PRIME) along with data from published studies and registries were used in this analysis. We used a health care payer perspective and a lifelong time horizon to estimate costs and effects.Results:The model showed that adding thrombectomy with stent retrievers to guideline-based care (including IV thrombolysis) resulted in a gain of 0.40 life-years and 0.99 quality-adjusted life-years along with a cost savings of approximately $221 per patient. The sensitivity analysis showed that the results were not sensitive to changes in uncertain parameters or assumptions.Conclusions:Adding endovascular treatment to standard care resulted in substantial clinical benefits at low costs. The results were consistent throughout irrespective of whether data from ESCAPE, EXTEND-IA, MR CLEAN, REVASCAT, or SWIFT PRIME were used in this model.
|
|
| 5. |
- Aronsson, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
-
Kostnadseffektiviteten av trombektomibehandling vid akut ischemisk stroke
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Neurologi i Sverige. - 2000-8538. ; 3
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Flera randomiserade studier har visat på mycket goda kortsiktiga medicinska effekter av trombektomibehandling som tillägg till standardbehandling. Frågan återstår dock om den långsiktiga nyttan kan rättfärdiga de höga kostnaderna för denna behandling. Mattias Aronsson, Josefine Persson, Christian Blomstrand, Per Wester och Lars-Åke Levin beskriver här resultaten från sin hälsoekonomiska studie, som publicerades i tidskriften Neurology tidigare i år.
|
|
| 6. |
- Bartusch, Cajsa, 1965-
(författare)
-
Boosting behavioral change in residential electricity consumption : demand response programs and feedback
- 2011
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- As part of realizing national and European climate ambitions, it is imperative to bring about increased energy efficiency and consumption flexibility in the residential sector of the Swedish power market. In addition to governmental policy instruments to this end, market-based measures play an important role in making behavioral change in domestic electricity use happen. In light of the prevailing lack of incentives for residential consumers to save electricity and cut peak demand at times of physical and financial market constraints, the research studies that form the basis of this thesis have the aim of adding to the body of knowledge on policy instruments for the purpose of boosting behavioral change in residential electricity consumption. The research has accordingly contributed to the general statistics on residential electricity consumption, which constitute the starting point for policy instrument development, and augmented knowledge on the merits of residential demand response programs involving hourly settlements in power trading and demand-based, time-of-use tariffs in power distribution as well as graphic feedback on individual households’ electricity use by means of a statistics service provided over the Internet. The overall results have shown that household behavior, together with physical factors such as heating systems, help explain the sizeable differences in electricity consumption among homeowners. Statistical analysis of variance has in this context proven to be an effective method for identifying key indicators of policy development. Power suppliers and electricity consumers as well as society as a whole have been found to gain substantially from hourly settlements in retail. To suppliers, the greatest benefits are associated with risk management, while the major advantage to customers is that they are provided with an opportunity to reduce their electricity costs. It has also been empirically demonstrated that electricity users are willing to adjust their consumption to a demand-based, time-varying distribution tariff. Households generally have a favorable attitude towards this type of distribution tariff, seeing as they indirectly have a positive impact on the environment. Providing households with feedback over the Internet on their individual electricity use and demand has been shown to contribute to an increased awareness and lead to energy efficiency in homes. Easy accessibility and simplicity have proven to be key success factors in this context. Combining conventional bar charts, color symbolism and historic feedback is expedient in this respect.
|
|
| 7. |
- Bartusch, Cajsa, 1965-, et al.
(författare)
-
Exploring variance in residential electricity consumption : Household features and building properties
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Applied Energy. - : Elsevier. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118. ; 92, s. 637-643
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Improved means of controlling electricity consumption plays an important part in boosting energy efficiency in the Swedish power market. Developing policy instruments to that end requires more in-depth statistics on electricity use in the residential sector, among other things. The aim of the study has accordingly been to assess the extent of variance in annual electricity consumption in single-family homes as well as to estimate the impact of household features and building properties in this respect using independent samples t-tests and one-way as well as univariate independent samples analyses of variance. Statistically significant variances associated with geographic area, heating system, number of family members, family composition, year of construction, electric water heater and electric underfloor heating have been established. The overall result of the analyses is nevertheless that variance in residential electricity consumption cannot be fully explained by independent variables related to household and building characteristics alone. As for the methodological approach, the results further suggest that methods for statistical analysis of variance are of considerable value in indentifying key indicators for policy update and development.
|
|
| 8. |
- Bartusch, Cajsa, 1965-, et al.
(författare)
-
Introducing a demand-based electricity distribution tariff in the residential sector : demand response and customer perception
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Energy Policy. - : Elsevier. - 0301-4215 .- 1873-6777. ; 39:9, s. 5008-5025
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increased demand response is essential to fully exploit the Swedish power system, which in turn is an absolute prerequisite for meeting political goals related to energy efficiency and climate change. Demand response programs are, nonetheless, still exceptional in the residential sector of the Swedish electricity market, one contributory factor being lack of knowledge about the extent of the potential gains. In light of these circumstances, this empirical study set out with the intention of estimating the scope of households’ response to, and assessing customers’ perception of, a demand-based time-of-use electricity distribution tariff. The results show that households as a whole have a fairly high opinion of the demand-based tariff and act on its intrinsic price signals by decreasing peak demand in peak periods and shifting electricity use from peak to off-peak periods.
|
|
| 9. |
- Bartusch, Cajsa, 1965-, et al.
(författare)
-
Potential of hourly settlements in the residential sector of the Swedish electricity market : Estimations of risk reduction and economic result
- 2010
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Green Energy. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1543-5075 .- 1543-5083. ; 7:3, s. 224-240
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increased demand response is essential in order to boost the effectiveness of the Swedish power market. The all-embracing installation of automatic meter reading systems enables power suppliers to introduce hourly settlements in the residential sector. The aim of the study has been to assess the impact of electricity retailers’ physical and financial risk in customer segments with different heating systems as well as to estimate the potential of the electricity contract ”Fixed price with the right to return” in terms of economic consequences and risk management. The results show that households whose main heating system consists of a geothermal heat pump constitute the largest physical price and volume risk of suppliers. The gain of introducing hourly settlements in the residential electricity market has furthermore proven to be manifold from both an economic and risk reducing point of view.
|
|
| 10. |
- Carlsson, Jörgen, et al.
(författare)
-
Planning for intracavitary anti-EGFR radionuclide therapy of gliomas : Literature review and data on EGFR expression
- 2006
-
Ingår i: Journal of Neuro-Oncology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0167-594X .- 1573-7373. ; 77:1, s. 33-45
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Targeting with radionuclide labelled substances that bind specifically to the epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR, is considered for intracavitary therapy of EGFR-positive glioblastoma multiforme, GBM. Relevant literature is reviewed and examples of EGFR expression in GBM are given. The therapeutical efforts made so far using intracavitary anti-tenascin radionuclide therapy of GBM have given limited effects, probably due to low radiation doses to the migrating glioma cells in the brain. Low radiation doses might be due to limited penetration of the targeting agents or heterogeneity in the expression of the target structure. In this article we focus on the possibilities to target EGFR on the tumour cells instead of an extracellular matrix component. There seems to be a lack of knowledge on the degree of intratumoral variation of EGFR expression in GBM, although the expression seemed rather homogeneous over large areas in most of the examples (n=16) presented from our laboratory. The observed homogeneity was surprising considering the genomic instability and heterogeneity that generally characterises highly malignant tumours. However, overexpression of EGFR is, at least in primary GBMs, one of the steps in the development of malignancy, and tumour cells that lose or downregulate EGFR will probably be outgrown in an expanding tumour cell population. Thus, loss of EGFR expression might not be the critical factor for successful intracavitary radionuclide therapy. Instead, it is likely that the penetration properties of the targeting agents are critical, and detailed studies on this are urgent.
|
|
| 11. |
- Dahlström Wester, Maria, 1979-
(författare)
-
Aspects of Tumour Targeting : Preclinical Studies on Human Malignant Cells in vitro
- 2009
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Exclusive eradication of tumour cells causing minimal damage to healthy tissue, a concept referred to as targeting, is an interesting approach to improve the outcome for patients afflicted with cancer.The general aim of this thesis was to highlighten aspects that could be of importance in developing novel treatment regimens based on specific targeting of tumour cells. Two variants of targeting strategies, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) tumour targeting were studied in vitro.In BNCT, the ability of boron-10, 10B, to capture neutrons is utilized. The capture reaction initiate emission of high linear energy transfer (LET) particles which exerts potential damaging effects on exposed cells. A preferential accumulation of at least 10 μg 10B/g tumour tissue is suggested to be required for effective clinical outcome. Here, the accumulation of boronophenylalanine, BPA, was investigated in human glioma, synovial sarcoma, fibroblast and monocytoid cells in vitro. For the purpose of quick and effective separation of extracellular and cell-associated boron, a rapid cell filtration method was developed. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, ICP-AES, was used to analyse the amount of boron associated to the cells.Over-expression of PDGFRs may render the possibility to target certain tumours using PDGF-based conjugates for a specific delivery of cytotoxic agents. PDGF-AA was conjugated to dextran of two different sizes, 10 and 40 kDa, and compared with 125I-radiolabelled PDGF-AA regarding accumulation, retention and localisation in human glioma cells in vitro.A boron concentration of >10 μg 10B/g tumour tissue was found in all human cell lines studied. For the two glioma cell lines, the results extend differences between the two although originating from the same human tumour material. Since fibroblasts and monocytoid cells, here used to represent normal cells, accumulated boron at a clinically relevant amount one may have to consider the role of these cells in/at the tumour site during treatment. Regarding results for the human synovial sarcoma cells, further investigations may state the potential of BNCT as a treatment modality and explore the possibilities of a directed delivery of boron-containing substances to receptors specifically expressed in this malignancy.PDGF-AA-based dextran conjugates, preferentially 10 kDa dextran conjugates, showed in vitro properties that were superior to radiolabelled unconjugated PDGF-AA. A prolonged retention time was observed for the conjugates. Radiolabelled PDGF-AA was mainly determined to be located intracellular but the localisation, internalised or membrane-associated, of radiolabelled conjugates seemed to be dependent on the composition of the conjugate. It is of interest to explore the potential of dextran conjugates carrying toxic substances for therapeutic purpose.
|
|
| 12. |
- Dyrskjøt, Lars, et al.
(författare)
-
Gene expression signatures predict outcome in non-muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma : a multicenter validation study
- 2007
-
Ingår i: Clinical Cancer Research. - 1078-0432 .- 1557-3265. ; 13:12, s. 3545-3551
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Clinically useful molecular markers predicting the clinical course of patients diagnosed with non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer are needed to improve treatment outcome. Here, we validated four previously reported gene expression signatures for molecular diagnosis of disease stage and carcinoma in situ (CIS) and for predicting disease recurrence and progression. Experimental Design: We analyzed tumors from 404 patients diagnosed with bladder cancer in hospitals in Denmark, Sweden, England, Spain, and France using custom microarrays. Molecular classifications were compared with pathologic diagnosis and clinical outcome. Results: Classification of disease stage using a 52-gene classifier was found to be highly significantly correlated with pathologic stage (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the classifier added information regarding disease progression of Ta or T1 tumors (P < 0.001). The molecular 88-gene progression classifier was highly significantly correlated with progression-free survival (P < 0.001) and cancer-specific survival (P = 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed the progression classifier to be an independently significant variable associated with disease progression after adjustment for age, sex, stage, grade, and treatment (hazard ratio, 2.3; P = 0.007). The diagnosis of CIS using a 68-gene classifier showed a highly significant correlation with histopathologic CIS diagnosis (odds ratio, 5.8; P < 0.001) in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: This multicenter validation study confirms in an independent series the clinical utility of molecular classifiers to predict the outcome of patients initially diagnosed with non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This information may be useful to better guide patient treatment.
|
|
| 13. |
- Englund, Hillevi, et al.
(författare)
-
Increase in beta-amyloid levels in cerebrospinal fluid of children with down syndrome
- 2007
-
Ingår i: Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. - : S. Karger AG. - 1420-8008 .- 1421-9824. ; 24:5, s. 369-374
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- <i>Background:</i> Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) invariably develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) during their life span. It is therefore of importance to study young DS patients when trying to elucidate early events in AD pathogenesis. <i>Aim:</i> To investigate how levels of different amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, as well as tau and phosphorylated tau, in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from children with DS change over time. The first CSF sample was taken at 8 months and the following two samples at 20–40 and 54 months of age. <i>Results:</i> Individual levels of the Aβ peptides, as well as total Aβ levels in CSF increased over time when measured with Western blot. Tau in CSF decreased whereas there was no change in levels of phosphorylated tau over time. <i>Conclusion:</i> The increasing levels of Aβ in CSF during early childhood of DS patients observed in this study are probably due to the trisomy of the Aβ precursor APP, which leads to an overproduction of Aβ. Despite the increased CSF concentrations of Aβ, there were no signs of an AD-indicating tau pattern in CSF, since the levels of total tau decreased and phosphorylated tau remained unchanged. This observation further strengthens the theory of Aβ pathology preceding tau pathology in AD.
|
|
| 14. |
- Ennab Vogel, Nicklas, et al.
(författare)
-
Optimized density and locations of stroke centers for improved cost effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 1759-8478 .- 1759-8486. ; 16, s. 156-162
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Despite the proven cost effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large vessel occlusion, treatment within 6 hours from symptom onset remains inaccessible for many patients. We aimed to find the optimal number and location of treatment facilities with respect to the cost effectiveness of MT in patients with AIS, first by the most cost effective implementation of comprehensive stroke centers (CSCs), and second by the most cost effective addition of complementary thrombectomy capable stroke centers (TSCs).Methods: This study was based on nationwide observational data comprising 18 793 patients with suspected AIS potentially eligible for treatment with MT. The most cost effective solutions were attained by solving the p median facility location-allocation problem with the objective function of maximizing the incremental net monetary benefit (INMB) of MT compared with no MT in patients with AIS. Deterministic sensitivity analysis (DSA) was used as the basis of the results analysis.Results: The implementation strategy with seven CSCs produced the highest annual INMB per patient of all possible solutions in the base case scenario. The most cost effective implementation strategy of the extended scenario comprised seven CSCs and four TSCs. DSA revealed sensitivity to variability in MT rate and the maximum willingness to pay per quality adjusted life year gained.Conclusion: The combination of optimization modeling and cost effectiveness analysis provides a powerful tool for configuring the extent and locations of CSCs (and TSCs). The most cost effective implementation of CSCs in Sweden entails 24/7 MT services at all seven university hospitals.
|
|
| 15. |
- Ennab Vogel, Nicklas, et al.
(författare)
-
Prediction modelling the impact of onset to treatment time on the modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days for patients with acute ischaemic stroke
- 2022
-
Ingår i: BMJ Neurology Open. - : BMJ. - 2632-6140. ; 4:2
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction Shortening the time from stroke onset to treatment increases the effectiveness of endovascular stroke therapies. Aim This study aimed to predict the modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days post-stroke (mRS-90d score) in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) with respect to four types of treatment: conservative therapy (CVT), intravenous thrombolysis only (IVT), mechanical thrombectomy only (MT) and pretreatment with IVT before MT (IVT+MT). Patients and methods This nationwide observational study included 124 484 confirmed cases of acute stroke in Sweden over 6 years (2012-2017). The associations between onset-to-treatment time (OTT), patient age and hospital admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score with the five-levelled mRS-90d score were retrospectively studied. A generalised linear model (GLM) was fitted to predict the mRS-90d scores for each patient group. Results The fitted GLM for CVT patients is a function of age and NIHSS score. For IVT, MT and IVT+MT patients, GLMs additionally employed OTT variables. By reducing the mean OTTs by 15 min, the number needed-to-treat (NNT) for one patient to make a favourable one-step shift in the mRS was 30 for IVT, 48 for MT and 21 for IVT+MT. Discussion and conclusion This study demonstrates linear associations of mRS-90d score with OTT for IVT, MT and IVT+MT, and shows in absolute effects measures that OTT reductions for IVT and/or MT produces substantial health gains for patients with AIS. Even moderate OTT reductions led to sharp drops in the NNT. © 2022 Author(s) (or their employer(s)).
|
|
| 16. |
- Eriksson, Henrik, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
Exploring Quality Challenges and the Validity of Excellence Models
- 2016
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Operations & Production Management. - 0144-3577 .- 1758-6593. ; 36:10, s. 1201-1221
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The purpose is to identify and explore important quality-related challenges facing organizations, and how current excellence models incorporate these challenges.Methodology: The article is based on a Delphi study in Swedish organizations, 49 challenges were generated and ranked according to importance. The top 10 ranked challenges were compared to the principles of four excellence models.Findings: The excellence models seem to still be relevant since their content matches many of the challenges identified. The MBNQA and the SIQ models were found to have the most comprehensive coverage, while the ISO model had limited coverage.Research Limitations/Implications: Three areas for further research were identified: 1) how QM can evolve in different contexts with varying needs in terms of adaptive and explorative capabilities, 2) the interfaces of QM and sustainability, and ways to understand how customers and stakeholders can be active contributors to improvements and 3) the roles of the owners and board of directors in QM, and how to organize and distribute responsibilities of the QM work.Practical and Social Implications: Three important challenges could be addressed in upcoming revisions of excellence models: 1) making QM a strategic issue for company owners; 2) involving customers in the improvement activities; and 3) developing processes that are robust, while still easily adaptable.Originality/Value: The Delphi study has identified upcoming challenges in the QM area based on input from 188 quality professionals.
|
|
| 17. |
- Gedda, Lars, et al.
(författare)
-
Evaluation of Real-Time Immunohistochemistry and Interaction Map as an Alternative Objective Assessment of HER2 Expression in Human Breast Cancer Tissue
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Applied immunohistochemistry & molecular morphology (Print). - 1541-2016 .- 1533-4058. ; 21:6, s. 497-505
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Immunohistochemical study (IHC) is a critical tool in the clinical diagnosis of breast cancer. One common assessment is the expression level of the HER2 receptor in breast cancer tissue samples with the aim of stratifying patients for applicability of the therapeutic antibody Herceptin. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether a novel assay, real-time IHC combined with Interaction Map analysis, offers the possibility of objective assessment of HER2 expression. Interaction Map presents real-time interaction data as a collection of peaks on a surface, and it was performed on 20 patient tissue samples previously scored for HER2 expression. The result shows that the relative weight of the peaks in the maps contains novel information that could discriminate between high and low HER2 expression in an operator-independent manner (P<0.001). We conclude that the real-time IHC assay has a promising potential to complement conventional IHC and may improve the precision in the future clinical diagnostics of breast cancer.
|
|
| 18. |
- Gustafsson, Nils, 1990-, et al.
(författare)
-
Association of high cardiovascular risk and diabetes with calcified carotid artery atheromas depicted on panoramic radiographs
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology. - : Elsevier. - 2212-4403 .- 2212-4411. ; 133:1, s. 88-99
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To evaluate whether estimates of risk of future cardiovascular events and death and established or unknown diabetes are significantly associated with calcified carotid artery atheromas (CCAAs) on panoramic radiographs (PRs). The main focus was on men and women without previous myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: The PAROKRANK (Periodontitis and its Relation to Coronary Artery Disease) study included patients with a first MI and matched control subjects. In this substudy, 738 patients (138 women) and 744 control subjects (144 women) with available PRs were assessed for CCAA. Cardiovascular risk estimates were determined according to the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE). Established and previously unknown diabetes was also determined. Results: CCAA was detected on PRs in 206 control subjects (28%) and 251 patients (34%). FRS was significantly associated with CCAA among control subjects (P = .04) and patients (P = .001). SCORE was associated with CCAA among control subjects (P < .01) but not patients (P = .07). Among men, FRS and SCORE were associated with CCAA in both control subjects and patients. Diabetes was not significantly associated with CCAA after adjustments. Conclusions: Elevated cardiovascular risk scores were associated with CCAA on PRs among control subjects. Diabetes was not independently associated with CCAA, possibly owing to selection bias.
|
|
| 19. |
|
|
| 20. |
|
|
| 21. |
- Johnson, Tomas, 1979, et al.
(författare)
-
A Multi-Scale Simulation Method for the Prediction of Edge Wicking in Multi-Ply Paperboard
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Nordic Pulp and Paper Research Journal. - 2000-0669 .- 0283-2631. ; 30:4, s. 640-650
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- When liquid packaging board is made aseptic in the filling machine the unsealed edges of the board are exposed to a mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide. A high level of liquid penetration may lead to aesthetic as well as functional defects. To be able to make a priori predictions of the edge wicking properties of a certain paperboard material is therefore of great interest to the paper industry as well as to packaging manufacturers. In this paper an extended multi-scale model of edge wicking in multi-ply paperboard is presented. The geometric and physical properties of the paperboard are modeled on the micro-scale, and include fillers and fines. The absolute air permeabilities and pore size distributions are validated with experimental and tomographic values. On the macro-scale random porosity and sizing distributions, time and sizing dependent contact angles, and inter-ply dependence are modeled. Arbitrary shapes of the paperboard are handled through an unstructured 3D surface mesh. Stationary and transient edge wicking simulations are validated against experiments with excellent agreement. The simulations show that the diffusive menisci between the liquid and air phases together with the two-ply model is necessary to achieve good agreement with the transient edge wicking experiments.
|
|
| 22. |
- Kettil, Gustav, 1990, et al.
(författare)
-
Novel Contact Forces for Immersed Boundary Paper Forming Simulations
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Online proceedings: http://tappi.sclivelearningcenter.com/; PF2 - The Past, Present and Future of CFD Papermaking; PaperCon 2015 Atlanta April 19-22.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- To be able to simulate the different processes involved in paper machines, models, numerical methods and algorithms have to be developed which capture as much as possible of the real physical phenomena. In this paper a model for calculation of the chemical and physical interaction between objects included in a fiber suspension is presented. The contact force model is based on DLVO theory [1, 2] and uses so-called contact points distributed along the fiber suspension objects. The contact model has been used in an existing framework to simulate the build-up of low density paper webs. In the framework fibers are modeled as elliptical cylinders whose movements are described by finite-strain beam theory which includes shearing. The fluid flow is computed using a Navier-Stokes solver and immersed boundary methods are utilized to resolve the flow around each fiber. For validation, the air permeability and thickness of the paper webs have been measured and compared with simulated data. The result demonstrates that the software can be used to simulate paper forming.
|
|
| 23. |
- Kumm, Mia, 1967-, et al.
(författare)
-
Competence Development in Co-operation between Universities and Rescue Services
- 2006
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 2004 the Swedish government implemented the new Civil Protection Act. The new reformed legislation involved a number of significant changes, for the fire and rescue services as well as for local authorities, private companies and owners of buildings. The changes have created a need for education, both for persons involved in fire prevention in the public sector and in private companies. The new tasks that have been imposed the fire and rescue services also raise the demand for competence development among professionals. This paper discusses the changes and possibilities from a competence development perspective and describes how fire and rescue services and academic institutions can co-operate in gain for all parts.
|
|
| 24. |
- Lindholm, Lars H, et al.
(författare)
-
Relation between drug treatment and cancer in hypertensives in the Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension 2: a 5-year, prospective, randomised, controlled trial
- 2001
-
Ingår i: The Lancet. - 1474-547X. ; 358, s. 539-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Is cancer related to hypertension and blood pressure? Do antihypertensive drugs promote cancer? Do antihypertensive drugs protect against cancer? We previously analysed the frequency of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in elderly people who participated in the Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension 2 (STOP-Hypertension-2). We have also looked at the frequency of cancer in these patients. METHODS: We randomly assigned 6614 elderly patients with hypertension (mean age 76 years, median time of follow-up 5.3 years) to one of three treatment strategies: conventional drugs (diuretics or b-blockers), calcium antagonists, or ACE inhibitors. We matched the patients to the Swedish Cancer Registry and compared our findings with expected values based on age, sex, and calendar-year-specific reference frequencies for the general Swedish population. We also compared the number of cancers between the three treatment groups. FINDINGS: At baseline, 607 (9%) patients had previous malignant disease. Diagnoses were closely similar to the distribution of cancer types that might be seen in elderly patients. During follow-up, there were 625 new cases of cancer in 590 patients. The frequency of cancer did not differ significantly between the treatment strategies, including all cancers and those at individual sites. The standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) for all cancers were also close to unity: 0.92 (95% CI 0.80-1.06) for conventional drugs, 0.96 (0.83-1.10) for calcium antagonists, and 0.99 (0.86-1.13) for ACE inhibitors. INTERPRETATIONS: No difference in cancer risk was seen between patients randomly assigned to conventional drugs, calcium antagonists, or ACE inhibitors. Thus, the general message to the practising physician is that more attention should be given to getting the blood pressure down than to the risk of cancer.
|
|
| 25. |
- Lundberg, Lars, et al.
(författare)
-
Epiduralt hematom med sen symptomdebut
- 1988
-
Ingår i: Tidsskrift for Den norske lægeforening. - : Den Norske Laegeforening. - 0029-2001 .- 0807-7096. ; 108:16, s. 1288-1289
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
|
|
| 26. |
- Nehrenheim, Emma
(författare)
-
Industrial by-products in treatment of metals from polluted water
- 2008
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Water treatment can be carried out effectively by passive, low cost methods, as an addition or alternative to existing advanced technology. Energy and resource use can be optimized (i.e. minimized) by reusing by-products from local or regional manufacturing of timber and steel. The ability of pine bark and blast furnace slag to treat metal contaminated water, primarily landfill leachate, has been evaluated. Several issues of concern were addressed in laboratory experiments and pilot scale measurements at a landfill site, including metal adsorption capability, saturation, variables influencing the adsorption process and potential leaching of organic toxicants from pine bark. The data was analyzed using kinetic modeling, regression and multivariate data analysis, i.e. PCA. These experiments showed that pine bark and blast furnace slag have great potential to retain metals from solution. Pine bark could also be used to treat solutions with high concentrations (>200 mg/l) and containing several heavy metals simultaneously (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr and Ni). A constructed pilot plant showed poor retention of metals, which was somewhat improved by increased contact time, a variable which was found to be important in one of the laboratory experiments. Studies of organic content in landfill leachate, primarily dissolved organic carbon (DOC), showed that this could limit adsorption to pine bark. Another important finding, which is in contrast to the suggestions of other researchers, was that leaching of phenols from pine bark constituted only a small fraction of the DOC and was not toxic to the test-organism Daphnia Magna at neutral pH. In order to understand more about the relationships between the different variables, a multivariate approach (PCA) was applied to data on the treatment of landfill leachate with pine bark. This study showed that the metal concentration of the leachate was the variable most strongly related to metal adsorption. The concentration of DOC had only a minor effect according to PCA. Overall, pine bark and blast furnace slag can be used as adsorbents, but with caution and preferably in effluents of moderate metal concentration and low DOC.
|
|
| 27. |
- Nordanstig, Annika, 1974, et al.
(författare)
-
Evaluation of the Swedish National Stroke Campaign : A population-based time-series study
- 2019
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Stroke. - : SAGE Publications. - 1747-4930 .- 1747-4949. ; 14:9, s. 862-870
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Time delay from stroke onset to hospital arrival is an important obstacle to recanalization therapy. To increase knowledge about stroke symptoms and potentially reduce delayed hospital arrival, a 27-month national public information campaign was conducted in Sweden. Aim: To assess the effects of a national stroke campaign in Sweden. Methods: This nationwide study included 97,840 patients with acute stroke, admitted to hospital and registered in the Swedish Stroke Register from 1 October 2010 to 31 December 2014 (one year before the campaign started to one year after the campaign ended). End points were (1) proportion of patients arriving at hospital within 3 h of stroke onset and (2) the proportion < 80 years of age receiving recanalization therapy. Results: During the campaign, both the proportion of patients arriving at hospital within 3 h (p < 0.05) and the proportion receiving recanalization therapy (p < 0.001) increased. These proportions remained stable the year after the campaign, and no significant improvements with respect to the two end points were observed during the year preceding the campaign. In a multivariable logistic regression model comparing the last year of the campaign with the year preceding the campaign, the odds ratio of arriving at hospital within 3 h was 1.05 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00–1.09) and that of receiving recanalization was 1.34 (95% CI: 1.24–1.46). Conclusion: The Swedish National Stroke Campaign was associated with a sustained increase in the proportion of patients receiving recanalization therapy and a small but significant improvement in the proportion arriving at hospital within 3 h.
|
|
| 28. |
- Nordanstig, Annika, 1974, et al.
(författare)
-
Impact of the Swedish National Stroke Campaign on stroke awareness
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0001-6314 .- 1600-0404. ; 136:4, s. 345-351
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundTime delay from stroke onset to arrival in hospital is an important obstacle to widespread reperfusion therapy. To increase knowledge about stroke, and potentially decrease this delay, a 27-month national public information campaign was carried out in Sweden. MethodsThe variables used to measure campaign effects were knowledge of the AKUT test [a Swedish equivalent of the FAST (Face-Arm-Speech-Time)] test and intent to call 112 (emergency telephone number) . Telephone interviews were carried out with 1500 randomly selected people in Sweden at eight points in time: before, three times during, immediately after, and nine, 13 and 21months after the campaign. ResultsBefore the campaign, 4% could recall the meaning of some or all keywords in the AKUT test, compared with 23% during and directly after the campaign, and 14% 21months later. Corresponding figures were 15%, 51%, and 50% for those remembering the term AKUT and 65%, 76%, and 73% for intent to call 112 when observing or experiencing stroke symptoms. During the course of the campaign, improvement of stroke knowledge was similar among men and women, but the absolute level of knowledge for both items was higher for women at all time points. ConclusionThe nationwide campaign substantially increased knowledge about the AKUT test and intention to call 112 when experiencing or observing stroke symptoms, but knowledge declined post-intervention. Repeated public information therefore appears essential to sustain knowledge gains.
|
|
| 29. |
- Näslund, Ulf, et al.
(författare)
-
Visualization of asymptomatic atherosclerotic disease for optimum cardiovascular prevention (VIPVIZA) : a pragmatic, open-label, randomised controlled trial
- 2019
-
Ingår i: The Lancet. - : Elsevier. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 393:10167, s. 133-142
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease often fails because of poor adherence among practitioners and individuals to prevention guidelines. We aimed to investigate whether ultrasound-based pictorial information about subclinical carotid atherosclerosis, targeting both primary care physicians and individuals, improves prevention.METHODS: Visualization of asymptomatic atherosclerotic disease for optimum cardiovascular prevention (VIPVIZA) is a pragmatic, open-label, randomised controlled trial that was integrated within the Västerbotten Intervention Programme, an ongoing population-based cardiovascular disease prevention programme in northern Sweden. Individuals aged 40, 50, or 60 years with one or more conventional risk factors were eligible to participate. Participants underwent clinical examination, blood sampling, and ultrasound assessment of carotid intima media wall thickness and plaque formation. Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 with a computer-generated randomisation list to an intervention group (pictorial representation of carotid ultrasound plus a nurse phone call to confirm understanding) or a control group (not informed). The primary outcomes, Framingham risk score (FRS) and European systematic coronary risk evaluation (SCORE), were assessed after 1 year among participants who were followed up. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01849575.FINDINGS: 3532 individuals were enrolled between April 29, 2013, and June 7, 2016, of which 1783 were randomly assigned to the control group and 1749 were assigned to the intervention group. 3175 participants completed the 1-year follow-up. At the 1-year follow-up, FRS and SCORE differed significantly between groups (FRS 1·07 [95% CI 0·11 to 2·03, p=0·0017] and SCORE 0·16 [0·02 to 0·30, p=0·0010]). FRS decreased from baseline to the 1-year follow-up in the intervention group and increased in the control group (-0·58 [95% CI -0·86 to -0·30] vs 0·35 [0·08 to 0·63]). SCORE increased in both groups (0·13 [95% CI 0·09 to 0·18] vs 0·27 [0·23 to 0·30]).INTERPRETATION: This study provides evidence of the contributory role of pictorial presentation of silent atherosclerosis for prevention of cardiovascular disease. It supports further development of methods to reduce the major problem of low adherence to medication and lifestyle modification.
|
|
| 30. |
|
|
| 31. |
|
|
| 32. |
- Rosengren, Lars, 1954, et al.
(författare)
-
Värna utförarens kompetens vid intrakraniell trombektomi
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Läkartidningen. - 0023-7205. ; 2018:115
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Den snabbkurs för kardiologer om 3–6 månader som föreslås av Sjögren och medförfattare utgör endast en bråkdel av den utbildningsinsats som det finns konsensus om, skriver 12 medlemmar i Nationella arbetsgruppen för stroke i en replik om trombektomi. De föreslår att ett modernt nationellt ambulanshelikoptersystem etableras.
|
|
| 33. |
|
|
| 34. |
- Skari, Hans, et al.
(författare)
-
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia in Scandinavia from 1995 to 1998: Predictors of mortality.
- 2002
-
Ingår i: Journal of Pediatric Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1531-5037 .- 0022-3468. ; 37:9, s. 1269-1275
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: There is a lack of large contemporary studies on the management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), and the prediction of mortality remains difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of perinatal factors on mortality rate in a contemporary multicenter study. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study. Twelve of 13 Scandinavian pediatric surgical centers participated in the study. During a 4-year period (1995 through 1998) 195 children with CDH were included. The main endpoints were hospital mortality rate and total mortality rate (before 2001). Bivariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier plots, Log-rank test, and Cox regression. RESULTS: Overall hospital mortality rate was 30%. Among 168 neonates with symptoms within 24 hours (early presenters) 35% died before discharge. All 61 deaths occurred in 157 neonates with symptoms within the first 2 hours of life. Among early presenters, 27% had prenatal ultrasound diagnosis, 26% were delivered by cesarean section, and 21% had associated major malformations. Bivariate analysis of early presenters showed increased risk of death in neonates with prenatal diagnosis, associated anomalies, right-sided diaphragmatic hernia (RCDH), low 1-minute and 5-minute Apgar scores, low birth weight, short gestational age, and cesarean delivery. Neonates with prenatal diagnosis were characterized by significantly lower Apgar scores, lower birth weight, and increased frequency of associated anomalies than those diagnosed after birth. Multivariate analysis found that prenatal diagnosis (P =.004), 1-minute Apgar (P =.001), and RCDH (P =.042) were independent predictors of total mortality rate. CONCLUSIONS: In a series of 195 CDH patients, all 61 deaths occurred in the 157 neonates presenting with symptoms within the first 2 hours of life. Prenatal diagnosis, 1-minute Apgar score, and RCDH were significant independent predictors of total mortality. J Pediatr Surg 37:1269-1275. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
|
|
| 35. |
- Stenström, Pernilla, et al.
(författare)
-
Total colonic aganglionosis: : a multicenter study of surgical treatment and patient-reported outcomes up to adulthood
- 2020
-
Ingår i: BJS Open. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2474-9842. ; 4:5, s. 943-953
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Surgery for total colonic aganglionosis (TCA) is designed to preserve continence and achieve satisfactory quality of life. This study evaluated a comprehensive group of clinical and social outcomes.Methods: An international multicentre study from eight Nordic hospitals involving examination of case records and a patient-reported questionnaire survey of all patients born with TCA between 1987 and 2006 was undertaken.Results: Of a total of 116 patients, five (4 center dot 3 per cent) had died and 102 were traced. Over a median follow-up of 12 (range 0 center dot 3-33) years, bowel continuity was established in 75 (73 center dot 5 per cent) at a median age of 11 (0 center dot 5-156) months. Mucosectomy with a short muscular cuff and straight ileoanal anastomosis (SIAA) (29 patients) or with aJpouch (JIAA) (26) were the most common reconstructions (55 of 72, 76 per cent). Major early postoperative complications requiring surgical intervention were observed in four (6 per cent) of the 72 patients. In 57 children aged over 4 years, long-term functional bowel symptoms after reconstruction included difficulties in holding back defaecation in 22 (39 per cent), more than one faecal accident per week in nine (16 per cent), increased frequency of defaecation in 51 (89 per cent), and social restrictions due to bowel symptoms in 35 (61 per cent). Enterocolitis occurred in 35 (47 per cent) of 72 patients. Supplementary enteral and/or parenteral nutrition was required by 51 (55 per cent) of 93 patients at any time during follow-up. Of 56 responders aged 2-20 years, true low BMI for age was found in 20 (36 per cent) and 13 (23 per cent) were short for age.Conclusion: Reconstruction for TCA was associated with persistent bowel symptoms, and enterocolitis remained common. Multidisciplinary follow-up, including continuity of care in adulthood, might improve care standards in patients with TCA.
|
|
| 36. |
- Söderberg, Ola, et al.
(författare)
-
Direct observation of individual endogenous protein complexes in situ by proximity ligation
- 2006
-
Ingår i: Nature Methods. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1548-7091 .- 1548-7105. ; 3:12, s. 995-1000
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cellular processes can only be understood as the dynamic interplay of molecules. There is a need for techniques to monitor interactions of endogenous proteins directly in individual cells and tissues to reveal the cellular and molecular architecture and its responses to perturbations. Here we report our adaptation of the recently developed proximity ligation method to examine the subcellular localization of protein-protein interactions at single-molecule resolution. Proximity probes-oligonucleotides attached to antibodies against the two target proteins-guided the formation of circular DNA strands when bound in close proximity. The DNA circles in turn served as templates for localized rolling-circle amplification (RCA), allowing individual interacting pairs of protein molecules to be visualized and counted in human cell lines and clinical specimens. We used this method to show specific regulation of protein-protein interactions between endogenous Myc and Max oncogenic transcription factors in response to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) signaling and low-molecular-weight inhibitors.
|
|
| 37. |
- Tehler, Henrik, et al.
(författare)
-
Evidence-based disaster risk management : A scoping review focusing on risk, resilience and vulnerability assessment
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Progress in Disaster Science. - : Elsevier. - 2590-0617. ; 23
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A plethora of methods exist to aid decision-making in mitigating disaster risk, many of which fall into the categories of risk, vulnerability and/or resilience assessment methods. The objective of the present study is to provide an overview of these methods, with a particular focus on evidence that supports their practical implementation. A scoping study of scientific literature reveal 97 distinct methods. Despite the growing interest in publishing new methods, there seems to be a lack of focus on demonstrating their effectiveness in practice. The few contributions that do include some forms of evaluation typically do so by comparing the method’s output with disaster data, by contrasting it with the output of other methods, by having experts evaluate the structure of the method, or by testing the method in practice and evaluating its usage. To further strengthen the relevance of research on this topic, increased attention should be paid to this matter. A good starting point would be to use the ways of evaluation identified in this study and systematically present evidence regarding the practical usefulness of methods for risk, vulnerability and/or resilience assessment.
|
|
| 38. |
- Wester-Herber, Misse, et al.
(författare)
-
Did they get it? : Examining the goals of risk communication within the Seveso II Directive in a Swedish context
- 2004
-
Ingår i: Journal of Risk Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1366-9877 .- 1466-4461. ; 7:5, s. 495-506
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this article, the success of a risk communication programme conducted in two municipalities in Sweden is evaluated. The communication efforts were initiated in order to comply with the Seveso II Directive, passed as a national law in July 1999. Data from two different questionnaires are used. Between the distribution of the two questionnaires, an information campaign took place in the communities. The first questionnaire was aimed at measuring the public's opinion and understanding of the risks related to chemical industries in their communities, as well as the public's knowledge of emergency behaviour in the event of an accident. The second was aimed at measuring the effects or impact of the risk communication programme on the public. A total of 346 respondents participated in the study by answering two questionnaires. An evaluation of the risk communication efforts was focused around three dimensions: comprehension, audience evaluation and communication failures. The results showed differences between the two campaigns that gave significantly different results in the two communities. In the community with the multimedia channel campaign, the respondents showed greater knowledge of the production process at the local industry, they also judged the health threats for that industry to be less after the campaign, and they saved the information material to a greater extent. However, the overall effects of the information campaigns were weak. Future research is needed to explore the relation between people's emergency behaviour and risk communication.
|
|
| 39. |
- Wester-Herber, Misse, et al.
(författare)
-
Gender and regional differences in risk perception : results from implementing the Seveso II directive in Sweden
- 2002
-
Ingår i: Journal of Risk Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1366-9877 .- 1466-4461. ; 5:1, s. 69-81
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper attempts to investigate whether there are gender and regional specific differences in risk perception in three municipalities in Sweden. It focuses on differences between gender and region with regard to risk perception, issues of trust and credibility as well as attitudes towards local industry and emergency response behaviour. This study is based on results from a larger study investigating the Seveso II Directive in Sweden. The aim of this paper is to investigate how gender and regional differences appear and in what way they should be taken into consideration when it comes to implementing national laws that deal with information to the public. The results show that there are differences between gender consistent with earlier findings, and also that there are regional differences which may influence the risk communication effort. Men tend to report having more knowledge of the industrial activities in their community and estimate the possible effect of an accident to be smaller than do women. Regional comparisons show that there are local variations with regard to estimated knowledge and the credibility of a source. Attempts are made to explain the gender differences from a power/influence perspective, and attribute the local variations to specific cultural contexts.
|
|
| 40. |
- Wester-Herber, Misse, 1969-
(författare)
-
Talking to me? : Risk communication to a diverse public
- 2004
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis focuses on the process of communication of environmental risks. A basic assumption in this thesis is that even though ambitious risk communication efforts can take place, the intended recipients are left with a feeling of alienation: Talking to me? The thesis presents a review of theories developed in the field of risk communication research and theories concerning risk perception. Results in this thesis are based on the findings in four papers. The first two papers report results from traditional risk communication strategies that have taken place in Sweden in accordance with the Seveso II Directive. The third paper looks at how industry and organizations view participatory strategies that include stakeholders in risk debates. The fourth paper attempts to fuse together placeidentity and risk perception in order to broaden the understanding of environmental conflicts. The main results of this thesis can be summarized under three headings. First that there is no homogenous public in a risk communication context. Instead there seems to be a number of publics that differ in risk perception or have different environmental concerns. Second, strategies that tend to incorporate parts of the concerned public or stakeholders seem to work better than traditional risk communication efforts. Third, if discussion about risk are to be fruitful, the concept of risk needs to be broadened to include concerns that are not directly or apparently linked to issues of health or safety. Instead concerns such as local culture or local attachment need to be included. The purpose of this thesis is to suggest methods for communicating about environmental risks in order to make the affected public feel: Yes, you are talking to me.
|
|
