| 1. |
- Backlund, Sandra
(författare)
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Efficient improvement of energy efficiency in small and medium- sized Swedish firms
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This is a dissertation about efficient implementation of energy efficiency measures in small and medium-sized Swedish firms. The aim is to investigate the potential for economically efficient implementation of energy efficiency improvement measures in small and medium-sized firms. The thesis contains five papers that analyse different aspects that have been put forth in policy documents and academic debate as methods to improve energy efficiency in non-energy intensive sectors.By reading policy documents, interviewing representatives of small and medium- sized firms and energy auditors as well as analysing data from the Swedish energy audit program, different aspects of energy management practices, energy services and energy audits are considered. The thesis is the product of an interdisciplinary context but economic theory is at the foundation of the analysis and has helped formulate questions and hypotheses that have been tested and explored with the data.The results show that while the potential for improving energy efficiency in the small and medium- sized sector in Sweden is large there are challenges to realizing it in each individual firm. There is potential for improving energy efficiency in the sector and not just for investments in new technology but also for adjusting existing machinery and changing behaviour, but costs for investigating the potential and implementing the measures are large relative to the improvement potential in each company. Energy management practices in this sector are lacking and energy services will only be demanded if reduction in production cost is estimated larger than transaction costs of the service. The Swedish energy audit program has led to the implementation of energy efficiency improvements in the participating firms but compared to other policy instruments it has been a less cost-efficient way to improve energy efficiency in Sweden.
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| 2. |
- Daborg, Jonny, et al.
(författare)
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Complement Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Biomarker Endophenotypes of Alzheimer's Disease
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877. ; 35:1, s. 51-57
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The complement system has been implicated in both physiological synapse elimination and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we investigated associations between four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in complement genes and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for AD in 452 neurochemically or neuropathologically verified AD cases and 678 cognitively normal controls. None of the SNPs associated with risk of AD but there were potential associations of rs9332739 in the C2 gene and rs4151667 in the complement factor B gene with CSF tau levels (p = 0.023) and Mini-Mental State Examination scores (p = 0.012), both of which may be considered markers of disease intensity/severity.
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| 3. |
- Gustafsson, Karin, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Tumour-loaded alpha-type 1-polarized Dendritic Cells from Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Produce a Superior NK-, NKT- and CD8(+) T Cell-attracting Chemokine Profile
- 2011
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - 0300-9475. ; 74:3, s. 318-326
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tumour-loaded dendritic cells (DCs) from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) matured using an α-type 1-polarized DC cocktail (IL-1β/TNF-α/IFN-α/IFN-γ/poly-I:C;αDC1) were recently shown to induce more functional CD8+ T cells against autologous tumour cells in vitro than DCs matured with the ‘standard’ cocktail (IL-1β/TNF-α/IL-6/PGE2;PGE2DCs). However, the ability of vaccine DCs to induce a type 1-polarized immune response in vivo probably relies on additional features, including their ability to induce a CXCR3-dependent recruitment of NK cells into vaccine-draining lymph nodes. Moreover, their guiding of rare tumour-specific CD8+ T cells to sites of DC–CD4+ T cell interactions by secretion of CCL3 and CCL4 is needed. We therefore analysed the chemokine profile and the lymphocyte-attracting ability in vitro of monocyte-derived PGE2DCs and αDC1s from patients with CLL. αDC1s produced much higher levels of CXCR3 ligands (CXCL9/CXCL10/CXCL11) than PGE2DCs. Functional studies further demonstrated that αDC1s were superior recruiters of both NK and NKT cells. Moreover, αDC1s produced higher levels of CCL3/CCL4 upon CD40 ligation. These findings suggest that functional αDC1s, derived from patients with CLL, produce a desirable NK-, NKT- and CD8+ T cell-attracting chemokine profile which may favour a guided and Th1-deviated priming of CD8+ T cells, supporting the idea that αDC1-based vaccines have a higher immunotherapeutic potential than PGE2DCs.
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| 4. |
- Gustafsson, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Tumour-loaded alpha-type 1-polarized Dendritic Cells from Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Produce a Superior NK-, NKT- and CD8(+) T Cell-attracting Chemokine Profile
- 2011
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0300-9475 .- 1365-3083. ; 74:3, s. 318-326
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tumour-loaded dendritic cells (DCs) from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) matured using an a-type 1-polarized DC cocktail (IL-1 beta/TNF-alpha/IFN-alpha/IFN-gamma/poly-I:C;alpha DC1) were recently shown to induce more functional CD8(+) T cells against autologous tumour cells in vitro than DCs matured with the 'standard' cocktail (IL-1 beta/TNF-alpha/IL-6/PGE(2);PGE(2)DCs). However, the ability of vaccine DCs to induce a type 1-polarized immune response in vivo probably relies on additional features, including their ability to induce a CXCR3-dependent recruitment of NK cells into vaccine-draining lymph nodes. Moreover, their guiding of rare tumour-specific CD8(+) T cells to sites of DC-CD4(+) T cell interactions by secretion of CCL3 and CCL4 is needed. We therefore analysed the chemokine profile and the lymphocyte-attracting ability in vitro of monocyte-derived PGE(2)DCs and alpha DC1s from patients with CLL. alpha DC1s produced much higher levels of CXCR3 ligands (CXCL9/CXCL10/CXCL11) than PGE(2)DCs. Functional studies further demonstrated that alpha DC1s were superior recruiters of both NK and NKT cells. Moreover, alpha DC1s produced higher levels of CCL3/CCL4 upon CD40 ligation. These findings suggest that functional alpha DC1s, derived from patients with CLL, produce a desirable NK-, NKT- and CD8(+) T cell-attracting chemokine profile which may favour a guided and Th1-deviated priming of CD8(+) T cells, supporting the idea that alpha DC1-based vaccines have a higher immunotherapeutic potential than PGE(2)DCs.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Holmgren, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Water-level variations in Lake Nhauhache, Mozambique, during the last 2,300 years
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Paleolimnology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0921-2728 .- 1573-0417. ; 48:2, s. 311-322
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Stratigraphic variations in diatom composition and phytolith abundance in a sediment core from a small, hydrologically isolated waterbody, Lake Nhauhache, Mozambique, provide evidence of water-level fluctuations over the past 2,300 years. Ten AMS radiocarbon dates on bulk sediment samples show that the lake came into existence about 2,300 years ago and that it has dried out since then, but only for brief time periods. Changes in the diatom assemblage composition indicate that lake level fluctuated in response to shifting humidity conditions. The changes reflect wetter conditions ca. 300 BC-AD 800, more variable conditions between AD 800 and 1150, a distinct dry phase within the time span AD 1150-1700 and a return thereafter to more humid conditions until present. There is general agreement between the Lake Nhauhache record and other records from the Southern Hemisphere summer rainfall region. This suggests that sediments from small interdunal lakes, which are abundant along the coast of southern Africa, provide reliable, regional paleoenvironmental information about an area from which more such data are needed.
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| 7. |
- Norström, Elin, et al.
(författare)
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Coastal paleo-environment and sea-level change at Macassa Bay, southern Mozambique, since c. 6600 cal BP
- 2012
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Ingår i: Quaternary International. - : Elsevier BV. - 1040-6182 .- 1873-4553. ; 260, s. 153-163
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Changes in Holocene coastal paleo-environment and sea-level variations have been recorded in estuary sediments from Macassa Bay, southern Mozambique. Methods include analysis of fossil diatoms, sediment stratigraphy, mineral magnetic properties, stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition and carbon and nitrogen content. The chronology, based on six AMS 14C dates, suggests a basal age of the sediment core of c 6600 cal BP (calibrated years Before Present). The multi-proxy dataset implies two phases when the site was experiencing marine conditions and tentative sea-level high-stands: 1) between c 6600–6300 cal BP which is contemporary with the last phase of the global transgression and the Holocene climatic optimum, and 2) between c 4700–1000 cal BP, a period when sea level curves from the region suggest occasional minor sea level high-stands. Between these phases (c 6300–4700 cal BP), the environment within the Macassa Bay estuary was less influenced by marine processes, and studied proxies indicate a freshwater phase associated with relatively low sea levels. After c 1000 cal BP, a terrestrial environment prevailed at the site, probably as a result of a combined effect of sea level lowering and high accumulation of organic peat within the estuary.
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| 8. |
- Zhao, Ying, et al.
(författare)
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Residual compromised myocardial contractile reserve after valve replacement for aortic stenosis
- 2012
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging. - Oxford : Oxford University Press. - 2047-2404 .- 2047-2412. ; 13:4, s. 353-360
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Despite recovery of left ventricular (LV) function and morphology after aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS), its relationship with exercise capacity remains unknown. Twenty-one AVR patients (age 61 +/- 12 years, 14 male) with normal ejection fraction (EF, 64 +/- 7%) and 21 age- and sex-matched controls (57 +/- 9 years, 10 male, EF 68 +/- 8%) were studied.Methods and results: All subjects performed semi-supine bicycle exercise and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) study. Peak oxygen consumption (pVO(2)) was collected during semi-supine bicycle exercise. Systolic (GLSRs) and early diastolic (GLSRe) longitudinal strain rate using STE and Doppler echocardiographic parameters were measured at rest, submaximal, peak exercise, and 4 min after exercise. The two groups had comparable resting echocardiographic measurements. At peak exercise, pVO(2) was lower in patients than controls (18.5 +/- 4.5 vs. 22.1 +/- 4.3 L/min/kg, P < 0.05). GLSRs (0.98 +/- 0.28 vs. 1.55 +/- 0.30 1/s, P < 0.001), septal Sm (7.9 +/- 1.4 vs. 11.1 +/- 2.3 cm/s, P < 0.001) and their changes between rest and peak exercise (Delta GLSRs: 0.16 +/- 0.33 vs. 0.68 +/- 0.27 1/s, P < 0.001; Delta Sm 2.29 +/- 2.23 vs. 4.63 +/- 2.29 cm/s, P < 0.01) were significantly lower in patients than controls. There was no correlation between pVO(2) and any echocardiographic measurements in controls. In patients, pVO(2) correlated with peak exercise GLSRs (r = 0.60, P = 0.0007), septal Sm (r = 0.65, P = 0.002), and Em (r = 0.57, P = 0.009). In a multivariate model, peak exercise GLSRs (beta = 7.18, P = 0.03) was the only independent predictor of pVO(2) in the patients group.Conclusion: Exercise capacity is subnormal after AVR for AS, irrespective of normal LVEF suggesting residual compromised myocardial functional reserve.
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