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- Lindström, L, et al.
(författare)
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Elevated levels of kynurenic acid in the cerebrospinal fluid of male patients with schizophrenia.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Schizophrenia research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0920-9964 .- 1573-2509. ; 80:2-3, s. 315-22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Previous studies have shown that endogenous brain levels of kynurenic acid (KYNA), a glutamate receptor antagonist, are elevated in patients with schizophrenia. Here we analyse KYNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a large cohort, including male healthy controls (n=49) and male patients with schizophrenia (n=90). We found that male patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher levels of CSF KYNA compared to healthy male controls (1.45 nM+/-0.10 vs. 1.06 nM+/-0.06 in the control group). Furthermore, when the patients with schizophrenia were divided into subgroups we found that CSF KYNA levels were significantly elevated in drug-naïve, first episode patients (1.53 nM+/-0.19, n=37) and in patients undergoing treatment with antipsychotic drugs (1.53 nM+/-0.17, n=34) compared to healthy male controls. No elevated CSF KYNA levels were detected in drug-free patients with schizophrenia, i.e. patients previously undergoing antipsychotic medications but drug-free at time of sampling (1.16 nM+/-0.10, n=19). Present results confirm that CSF KYNA concentration is elevated in patients with schizophrenia and are consistent with the hypothesis that KYNA contributes to the pathophysiology of the disease.
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| 2. |
- Bell, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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The Swedish NICE Corpus – Spoken dialogues between children and embodied characters in a computer game scenario
- 2005
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Ingår i: Proceedings Interspeech 2005 - Eurospeech. - Lisbon, Portugal : ISCA. ; , s. 2765-2768, s. 2765-2768
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article describes the collection and analysis of a Swedish database of spontaneous and unconstrained children-machine dialogues. The Swedish NICE corpus consists of spoken dialogues between children aged 8 to 15 and embodied fairytale characters in a computer game scenario. Compared to previously collected corpora of children's computer-directed speech, the Swedish NICE corpus contains extended interactions, including three-party conversation, in which the young users used spoken dialogue as the primary means of progression in the game.
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| 7. |
- Eriksson, Gunnar, et al.
(författare)
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Förbränningskarakterisering av rapsmjöl och förslag till optimalt nyttjande i olika förbränningsanläggningar
- 2007
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- When rape oil is chemically extracted, rape seed meal, a solid residue remains. Currently, it is used as animal feed. Several plants for the production of rape methyl ester (RME, biodiesel) are in operation or under construction. Combustion properties have been studied for rape seed meal produced as a by product to rape-methyl esther (RME, biodiesel). Composition of the material has been measured, using proximate and ultimate analysis. The lower heating value was 18.2 ± 0,3 MJ/kg d.w. and the ash content was 7-8 percent d.w. The material is rich in nitrogen and sulphur. Concentrations of K, P, Ca and Mg are high in the fuel. Rape seed meal was mixed with bark and pelletised. Bark pellets were also used as a reference fuel. Pellets with 10 and 30 percent rape seed meal were produced. Material with 80 percent rape seed meal and 20 percent planer shavings was also pelletised. Wood had to be added to provide enough friction in the pelletising process, with adapted equipment rape seed meal could probably be easily pelletised). The material was studied using Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), and compared with data from tests with wood powder. The pyrolysis of the rape seed meal has a characteristic temperature of 320oC. Devolatilisation starts at 150 oC (at a lower temperature than for wood powder), and proceeds within a rather wide temperature range. The probable cause is the difference in organic content, in particular protein content. The result does not suggest that the material will be difficult to ignite. Experiments in a bench-scale fluidised bed (5 kW) showed that pellets containing only bark, and the mixture rape seed meal/wood had a bed agglomeration temperature well over the normal operational bed temperature. For the fuel mixtures rape seed meal and bark, the agglomeration temperature was slightly over the operational temperature. Particle emissions from fluidised bed combustion and grate combustion were, the latter simulated using a commercial pellet burner, were roughly doubled with fuels containing rape seed meal compared to bark. In the powder burner tests, particle emissions increased with a factor 17 with rape seed meal compared to wood powder. The emitted particles were mainly found in the fine (< 1 µm) mode during grate and powder combustion. During fluidized bed combustion the total particulate matter consisted both of a coarse (>1 µm) and a fine mode fraction. The particles from grate combustion of bark contain mostly K, S, Na and Cl apart from oxygen and carbon. When rape seed meal is present, Cl and Na concentrations decrease considerably and the main contents of the particles are K and S (and O and C). The results from the X-ray Diffraction Spectroscopy (XRD) analyses showed the presence of crystalline K2SO4 och KCl. The fine particles (<1 µm) from powder combustion contain mainly K, P and S. The only identified crystalline phase was K2SO4, suggesting that most phosphorus was in the amorphous phase, i.d. most probably molten. The deposit formation on a cooled probe was studied during the fluidized bed and powder combustion experiments. The fine particles deposited during fluidised bed combustion contained K, Cl and S. When bark was combusted in the fluidised bed, the coarse fraction contained Ca and Si, when rape seed meal in different mixes was combusted this changed to P, K, Ca and Mg. The deposits formed during combustion of rape seed meal in the powder burner were mainly made up of phosphates (Ca-, Mg/K-, Ca/Mg-phosphates) and MgO. Sintered material (slag) from grate combustion of bark contained mainly Si, Ca, K and Al, probably as silicates. Adding rape seed meal tended to increase P, Ca and Mg while Si and Ca content tended to decrease. Through XRD a number o crystalline phases in the sintered material and the rest of the bottom ashes could be identified. NO emissions from the combustions tests increased two to four times with rape seed meal compared to typical wood fuels. For the fluidised bed test, SO2 concentrations were rather high for the rape seed meal pellets (with 20 percent wood), still only about 20 percent of the sulphur in the fuel formed SO2. For the grate combustion and powder burner combustion, 60 percent and 70 percent of the sulphur respectively formed SO2. HCl emissions were low for all tests. The rather high emissions of NOx and SOx mean that the material should be used in large-scale facilities with external SOx and NOx cleaning. In smaller facilities, the material may be used in small amounts mixed with other fuels. The risk of slagging is not very high, and should not rule out grate combustion of pellets with rape seed meal mixed with other fuels. The risk of corrosion of superheater surfaces during combustion is probably low since the smaller-size particles formed at fluidised bed combustion and grate combustion contain K2SO4. However, a large fraction of the particles formed in powder burner combustion probably contains low temperature melting K2PO4, making the risk for deposit formation significant. Rape seed meal for powder burner applications should be used with care. The content of phosphorus in the material may be an advantage when mixes of rape seed meal and other fuels are considered. The high affinity between potassium and phosphorus means that more sulphur in the fuel will be available for sulphatising of any KC. (formed from combustion of many forest and agricultural fuels). Use of rape seed meal as a sulphur containing additive could thus be an option. For grate combustion and fluidised bed combustion, addition of rape seed meal may reduce the risk of slagging and bed agglomeration, respectively. Full scale tests in fluidised beds or grate combustors with problematic biofuels (containing Cl and K) would be useful to test whether ash-reduced operational problems could be reduced through the addition of rape seed meal.
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| 8. |
- Lindström, Linda Sofie
(författare)
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Population-based family studies : genetic contribution to cancer development and survival?
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Cancer affects essentially everyone, directly or indirectly. The aim of this thesis was to study the genetic and environmental factors in cancer development and survival. Our studies were based on a record linkage between several Swedish population-based registries, principally the Multi-Generation Register, which records familial relationships, the Swedish Cancer Registry, and the Cause of Death Registry. In summary, the Swedish Family-Cancer database comprised over 11 million individuals organized into around three million families, including more than one million cancers. In study I, we developed a generalized linear mixed model, enabling analyses of genetic and environmental effects in two- and three-generational families, considering all relationships in a family at once avoiding pairwise analyses of dependent family members. The two- and three-generational family design resulted in similar genetic and environmental estimates. In the two-generational families, no noteworthy differences were observed correcting for the unequal follow-up time in parents and children. Further, in our second study, the genetic contribution to melanoma was estimated at 18% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]=13% to 22%) in the analysis of all body sites. Contrasting the family-shared environment in sun-covered and sun-exposed body sites, the contribution was higher in covered sites, possibly conveying the benefit from cautious sunbathing on sensitive skin. The estimated childhood-shared environment for both melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (SCC) elucidated the impact of sun habits and the avoidance of risk inflicted sunburns during infancy and youth. Moreover, in SCC, the familial shared environment at 18% (95% CI=16% to 19%) is important in defining the susceptibility to the disease. Genetic variability in individuals enhancing sensitivity to accumulated sun exposure will most probably also be involved in the aetiology. Finally, we propose that genetic factors are vital in the common liability to both melanoma and SCC. We estimated that 47% (95% CI=43% to 51%) of the susceptibility was estimated to be attributed to genetic factors. It has been established that genetic variability influences the susceptibility to cancer; still little is known about the inheritance of cancer survival. In study III and IV, we present the first population-based comprehensive analyses of cancer survival concordance among family members. In study III, we noted a significantly increased risk of poor survival in children with poor parental survival compared to the risk in children with good parental survival in colorectal cancer (Hazard Ratio [HR]=1.44, 95% CI=1.01 to 2.01), lung cancer (HR=1.39, 95% CI=1.00 to 1.94), breast cancer (HR=1.75, 95% CI=1.13 to 2.71), ovarian cancer (HR=2.23, 95% CI=0.78 to 6.34) and prostate cancer (HR=2.07, 95% CI=1.13 to 3.79). All hazard ratio estimates, except for ovarian cancer, were statistically significant with trends of increasing risk of death among offspring by degree of survival outcome among parents. In study IV, lung cancer survival in children was associated with the lung cancer survival in their parents with a decreased hazard ratio for death in children with good parental survival (Hazard Ratio [HR]=0.71, 95% CI=0.51 to 0.99), compared to those with poor parental survival. We also found a strong protective effect (HR=0.14, 95% CI=0.030 to 0.65) for siblings, while no effect was seen on spouse survival. Genetic background of an individual may be more important than lifestyle factors such as smoking in lung cancer survival. The very strong protective effect in siblings compared to parent-child pairs further suggests a possible recessive pathway of inheritance. In light of study III and IV, we propose that genetic background is of importance in foreseeing an individual s cancer specific survival. In conclusion, genetic factors are vital in the familial aggregation of melanoma in addition to the co-aggregation of melanoma and SCC. The ability to fight cancer disease and survive may also be inherited. In the future, I envision that population-based studies will help in identification of genetic variation influencing both the liability to cancer disease development and subsequent survival.
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| 9. |
- Lång, Lars-Ove, et al.
(författare)
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Digital insamling av vattentäktsdata till databas DGV– exempel på metodik för miljömålsuppföljning
- 2007
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- SGU har under några år arbetat med att bygga upp ett system för överföring av vattentäktsdatafrån landets kommuner till en nationell databas för grundvattenförekomster och vattentäkter(DGV). Arbetet har främst varit inriktat mot landets allmänna vattentäkter, men även övrigavattentäkter som försörjer > 50 personer eller har ett uttag > 10m3/dygn ingår. Ett av huvudskälentill uppbyggnaden av databasen är behovet inom miljömålsarbetet av data avseende vattenförsörjningen.Användningen ligger framförallt inom miljömålet ”Grundvatten av god kvalitet”,men uppgifter i DGV har även tillämpning inom andra miljömål. Detta projekt är en del iarbetet med att utveckla DGV samt beskriva användbarheten utifrån miljömålssynpunkt.Arbetet med insamling av vattentäktsuppgifter direkt från kommunerna inleddes i slutet av2002. Under 2006 har för första gången en förfrågan om uppdatering av inlagrade uppgifterskett. I januari 2007 var 215 kommuner färdiga med inregistreringen av allmänna vattentäkter.Inlämningen av uppgifter från kommunerna är frivillig. Därför har inför efterfrågan av dataavstämning skett mot ett antal utvalda kontaktkommuner så att uppgiftslämnandet innebär enrimlig arbetsinsats. Det har också eftersträvats från SGUs sida att ha en effektiv teknisk supportoch kommunens egna data är alltid tillgängliga via webben. För att underlätta för kommunernainsamlas vattenanalysresultat direkt från anlitade laboratorier efter att avtal undertecknats avkommunerna eller vattentäktsinnehavare.I denna rapport ingår en sammanfattning av hur insamlingen av vattentäktsdata till DGV gårtill samt kortfattade beskrivningar av uppbyggnaden av databas och webbapplikation. För meruppgifter om den tekniska utformningen kan kontakt tas med SGU.En sammanfattning ingår också i rapporten avseende användningen av DGV-data imiljömålsarbetet på nationell, regional och lokal nivå. Uppgifter från DGV används vid framtagandeav indikatorer samt vid uppföljningen av dessa. DGV-data är ett av de viktigasteunderlagen i det nu pågående arbetet med den andra Fördjupade utvärderingen av miljömålet”Grundvatten av god kvalitet”.Arbetet med DGV är omfattande vad gäller kontakter och systemuppbyggnad. Ett stort antalpersoner har medverkat vid inmatningen av uppgifter hos kommunerna. Deras intresse ochengagemang har inneburit att de flesta av landets allmänna vattentäkter nu har registrerats iDGV. Arbetet med DGV innebär ett stort erfarenhetsutbyte mellan SGU, kommunerna ochandra berörda myndigheter. Förhoppningen är att verksamheten inom DGV ökar förståelsen församverkan mellan kommunerna och statliga myndigheter inom miljömålsarbetet. Denerfarenhet av webbaserad insamling av data som DGV-arbetet innebär bör kunna användas isamband med annat miljömålsarbete.
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