| 11. |
- Nilsson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Investigating human-computer interaction issues in information-fusion-based decision support
- 2008
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Information fusion is a research area which focuses on how to combine information from many different sources to support decision making. Commonly used information fusion systems are often complex and used in military and crises management domains. The focus of information fusion research so far has been mainly on the technological aspects. There is still a lack of understanding relevant user aspects that affect the information fusion systems as a whole. This paper presents a framework of HCI issues which considers users as embedded in the context of information fusion systems. The framework aims at providing insights regarding factors that affect user interaction to inform the development of future information fusion systems. Design considerations are presented together with a heuristic evaluation of an information fusion prototype.
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| 12. |
- Nord, Andreas, et al.
(författare)
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Patterns and dynamics of rest-phase hypothermia in wild and captive blue tits during winter.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Comparative Physiology B. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0174-1578 .- 1432-136X. ; 179, s. 737-745
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We evaluated biotic and abiotic predictors of rest-phase hypothermia in wintering blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) and also assessed how food availability influences nightly thermoregulation. On any given night, captive blue tits (with unrestricted access to food) remained largely homeothermic, whereas free-ranging birds decreased their body temperature (T (b)) by about 5 degrees C. This was not an effect of increased stress in the aviary as we found no difference in circulating corticosterone between groups. Nocturnal T (b) in free-ranging birds varied with ambient temperature, date and time. Conversely, T (b) in captive birds could not be explained by climatic or temporal factors, but differed slightly between the sexes. We argue that the degree of hypothermia is controlled predominantly by birds' ability to obtain sufficient energy reserves during the day. However, environmental factors became increasingly important for thermoregulation when resources were limited. Moreover, as birds did not enter hypothermia in captivity when food was abundant, we suggest that this strategy has associated costs and hence is avoided whenever resource levels permit.
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| 13. |
- Petersen, Zainonisa, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Possibilities for transparency and trust in the communication between midwives and pregnant women : the case of smoking
- 2009
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Ingår i: Midwifery. - : Elsevier BV. - 0266-6138 .- 1532-3099. ; 25:4, s. 382-391
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective to explore barriers to and possibilities for interactive communication between midwives and pregnant women regarding smoking behaviour during pregnancy. Design the study was based on a qualitative research design aiming at a Grounded Theory analysis of interviews with pregnant women. Setting public sector antenatal clinics in Cape Town, South Africa predominantly providing care to women of mixed ancestry. Informants in-depth interviews with 12 pregnant women purposively selected on the basis of smoking behaviour, age and marital status to reach maximum variation. Findings the findings indicated low levels of transparency and trust in antenatal visits. Lack of trust was related to categories such as conflicting personal capabilities and socio-cultural and medical expectations, combined with a didactic approach from caregivers. The unworthy woman was identified as the core category of the interviews describing how women feel in their relationship with midwives. A theoretical model illustrates possibilities for change in relation to an ideal situation where a supportive caregiver, congruent expectations and capabilities result in women feeling visible. Key conclusions and implications for practice culturally appropriate smoking cessation interventions should be of high priority. Training in patient-centred counselling for midwives is necessary for creating an open dialogue with pregnant mothers about their smoking habits. The time constraint experienced by midwives also suggests that other methods apart from midwife counselling should be investigated for inclusion in the clinical setting.
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| 14. |
- Pinay, Gilles, et al.
(författare)
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Patterns of denitrification rates in European alluvial soils under various hydrological regimes
- 2007
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Ingår i: Freshwater Biology. - 0046-5070 .- 1365-2427. - 0046-5070 ; 52:2, s. 252-266
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1. Denitrification in floodplain soils is one of the main biological processes emitting and reducing nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas, and the main process responsible for the buffering capacity of riparian zones against diffuse nitrate pollution. 2. The aim of this study was to measure denitrification rates under a wide range of current climatic conditions and hydrological regimes in Europe (from latitude 64 degrees N to latitude 42 degrees N and from longitude 2 degrees W to longitude 25 degrees E), in order to determine the response patterns of this microbial process under different climatic and hydrological conditions, and to identify denitrification proxies robust enough to be used at the European scale. 3. Denitrification activity was significant in all the floodplain soils studied whatever the latitude. However, we found an increase in rates of an order of magnitude from high to mid latitudes. Maximum rates (above 30 g N m(-2) month(-1)) were measured in the maritime conditions of the Trent floodplain. These rates are similar to mineralisation rates measured in alluvial soils and of the same order of magnitude as the amount of N stored in herbaceous plants in alluvial soils. 4. We used Multivariate Adaptative Regression Splines to relate the response variable denitrification with five relevant predictors, namely soil moisture, temperature, silt plus clay, nitrate content and herbaceous plant biomass. 5. Soil moisture, temperature, and nitrate were the three main control variables of microbial denitrification in alluvial soils in decreasing order of importance. 6. The model developed for denitrification with interaction effects outperformed a pure additive model. Soil moisture was involved in all interactions, emphasising its importance in predicting denitrification. 7. These results are discussed in the context of scenarios for future change in European hydrological regimes.
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| 15. |
- Rudbeck, Maria E., 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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The Infrared Spectrum of Phosphoenol Pyruvate : Computational and Experimental Studies
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Physical Chemistry A. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1089-5639 .- 1520-5215. ; 113:12, s. 2935-2942
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The infrared spectrum of phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP) in aqueous solution was studied experimentally and theoretically in its fully ionized, singly protonated and doubly protonated form. The density functional theory with the B3LYP functional and with the 6-31G(d,p), 6-31++G(d,p), and 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets were used in the theoretical study. The calculations with the two latter basis sets and the CPCM continuum model for water showed good agreement with the experiments except for vibrations assigned to hydroxyl groups. These needed to be modeled with explicit water molecules. The effects of deuteration and of 13C2,3 labeling of PEP were reproduced by the calculations.
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| 16. |
- Sehlstedt, Maria, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Suppressed signal transduction in the bronchial epithelium of patients with systemic sclerosis
- 2009
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Ingår i: Respiratory Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0954-6111 .- 1532-3064. ; 103:2, s. 301-308
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disorder, which frequently affects the lungs, with manifestations of interstitial lung disease (ILD) with lung fibrosis and of pulmonary hypertension. The pathogenesis remains largely unrecognised. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the inflammation in the bronchial mucosa in patients with SSc. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three subjects diagnosed with SSc participated. Twelve of the SSc patients showed signs of ILD, four were smokers and seven were treated with oral corticosteroids. Seventeen non-smoking, age- and sex-matched healthy subjects served as controls. Bronchoscopy was performed to sample endobronchial mucosal biopsies, which were immunohistochemically stained using a panel of antibodies against inflammatory markers. RESULTS: The number of neutrophils was significantly elevated in the submucosa of SSc patients, regardless of ILD, or whether the subject was smoking or using oral corticosteroids. No up-regulation of neutrophil chemoattractants or cytokines was seen in the bronchial epithelium. The signal transduction pathways and adhesion molecule expression tended to be suppressed or unchanged in SSc patients compared with controls. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that SSc is associated with a chronic neutrophilic inflammation in the bronchial mucosal, with signs of suppressed signal transduction, regardless of the presence of interstitial lung disease.
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| 17. |
- Skoog, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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ACTH reduces the rise in ApoB-48 levels after fat intake.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Atherosclerosis. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-1484 .- 0021-9150. ; 191:2, s. 433-439
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It has been repeatedly demonstrated that ACTH administration lowers plasma lipid concentrations in man. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis, based on observations of decreased apolipoprotein B (ApoB) synthesis and secretion in vitro, that ACTH administration inhibits the postprandial output of ApoB in man. Therefore, we studied the response to a fat-rich meal supplemented with Vitamin A in eight healthy volunteers, who underwent this test without premedication, after 4 days administration of ACTH, and after 4 days administration of a glucocorticoid (betamethasone). As expected, fasting plasma levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL)-cholesterol (−25%) and ApoB (−17%) decreased after ACTH, but not after betamethasone administration. Also, the elevation of plasma ApoB-48 in response to fat intake (to twice the basal levels) was markedly reduced after ACTH administration. However, the postprandial rise in plasma triglycerides and retinyl palmitate was unimpaired, suggesting that ACTH administration induced the secretion of fewer but larger chylomicrons. The effect of betamethasone on the postprandial response was similar but less pronounced. This study confirms earlier reports on the lipid-lowering effects of ACTH and supports our theory, based on in vitro studies, that the lipid-lowering effects of ACTH administration in man involves an inhibition of ApoB production.
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| 18. |
- Skyvell Nilsson, Maria, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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Clinical Course Content as a Dynamic Variable in Supervision of Medical Students.
- 2009
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Ingår i: The Internet Journal of Medical Education. - : Internet Scientific Publications, Llc, Canada. - 2155-6725. ; 1:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background During clinical supervision, medical students are expected to gain experience through clinical work, with the support of their clinical supervisor. What each supervisor chooses to emphasize and considers important will have a decisive impact on students’ understanding of what is content necessary to master in order to gain clinical skills. Therefore, in this study, the focus of attention is on what supervisors choose to emphasise during clinical supervision of fourth year medical students during a surgical course.Method An ethnographic approach was used, including a selective intermittent time mode, where observation and informal interviews were conducted. Twelve supervisors and nine medical students at a teaching hospital in Sweden participated. Field notes were made during observation; these were transcribed and analysed qualitatively.Results The analysis resulted in six topic areas describing what was emphasized during supervision. The topic areas were: 1) Identifying, collecting and combining information, 2) Problem-solving and decision-making, 3) Handling treatment of disease, 4) Practical skills and illustration of technical equipment, 5) Communicating with patients, and 6) Handling organisational demands.Conclusions The findings of this study show the existence of several areas that are focused on in supervision. In authentic clinical situations, these topic areas were intertwined and overlapped and often appeared simultaneously. The clinical situations were adjusted neither to the students’ clinical experience nor to the needs of the students. Consequently, the students may find it difficult to determine what to learn and what to achieve during supervision. They may also find it difficult to understand the situations in the same way as their supervisors, because students focus on handling situations with a more theoretical and declarative approach to a larger extent than do their supervisors. The students therefore need supervisor support to develop and integrate theoretical knowledge. One conclusion that can be made is that supervisor awareness of students’ understanding is of crucial significance for the effective supervision. Regarding the nature of the content chosen in supervised situations, research in other settings and specialities would be required to map and to determine a more general theory of what is focused during medical supervision
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| 19. |
- Starck, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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A 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy study in adults with obsessive compulsive disorder: relationship between metabolite concentrations and symptom severity.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996). - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0300-9564 .- 1435-1463. ; 115:7, s. 1051-62
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) studies exploring brain metabolites, especially glutamine + glutamate (Glx), in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are of vital interest for trying to understand more about the pathophysiology of OCD. Therefore, we conducted the present 1H MRS study with the aims of (1) comparing MRS metabolites in a group of adult patients with OCD and a group of healthy controls, and (2) examining the relationship between MRS metabolite concentrations and symptom severity in the patient group. Three brain regions were studied, the right caudate nucleus, the anterior gyrus cinguli and the occipital cortex bilaterally. Since multivariate analysis is a highly useful tool for extraction of 1H MRS data, we applied principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square projection to latent structures (PLS) to the MRS data. PLS disclosed a strong relationship between several of the metabolites and OCD symptom severity, as measured with Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale (YBOCS): the YBOCS score was found to be positively correlated to caudate creatine, Glx, glutamate, and choline compounds as well as occipital cortex myoinositol, and negatively correlated to occipital cortex Glx. The negative correlation between occipital cortex Glx and YBOCS was the most impressive. PCA did not reveal any tendency for a separation between the patients with OCD and controls with respect to MRS metabolites. The results are discussed in relation to corticostriatothalamocortical feedback and previous observations of poor visuospatial ability in OCD.
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| 20. |
- Strandberg, Louise, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Mice chronically fed high-fat diet have increased mortality and disturbed immune response in sepsis.
- 2009
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Ingår i: PloS one. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 4:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a potentially deadly disease that often is caused by gram-positive bacteria, in particular Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). As there are few effective therapies for sepsis, increased basic knowledge about factors predisposing is needed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The purpose of this study was to study the effect of Western diet on mortality induced by intravenous S. aureus inoculation and the immune functions before and after bacterial inoculation. Here we show that C57Bl/6 mice on high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks, like genetically obese Ob/Ob mice on low-fat diet (LFD), have increased mortality during S. aureus-induced sepsis compared with LFD-fed C57Bl/6 controls. Bacterial load in the kidneys 5-7 days after inoculation was increased 10-fold in HFD-fed compared with LFD-fed mice. At that time, HFD-fed mice had increased serum levels and fat mRNA expression of the immune suppressing cytokines interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and IL-10 compared with LFD-fed mice. In addition, HFD-fed mice had increased serum levels of the pro-inflammatory IL-1beta. Also, HFD-fed mice with and without infection had increased levels of macrophages in fat. The proportion and function of phagocytosing granulocytes, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by peritoneal lavage cells were decreased in HFD-fed compared with LFD-fed mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings imply that chronic HFD disturb several innate immune functions in mice, and impairs the ability to clear S. aureus and survive sepsis.
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