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| 2. |
- Abera, Asmamaw, et al.
(author)
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Air pollution measurements and land-use regression in urban sub-saharan Africa using low-cost sensors—possibilities and pitfalls
- 2020
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In: Atmosphere. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4433. ; 11:12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Air pollution is recognized as the most important environmental factor that adversely affects human and societal wellbeing. Due to rapid urbanization, air pollution levels are increasing in the Sub-Saharan region, but there is a shortage of air pollution monitoring. Hence, exposure data to use as a base for exposure modelling and health effect assessments is also lacking. In this study, low-cost sensors were used to assess PM2.5 (particulate matter) levels in the city of Adama, Ethiopia. The measurements were conducted during two separate 1-week periods. The measurements were used to develop a land-use regression (LUR) model. The developed LUR model explained 33.4% of the variance in the concentrations of PM2.5. Two predictor variables were included in the final model, of which both were related to emissions from traffic sources. Some concern regarding influential observations remained in the final model. Long-term PM2.5 and wind direction data were obtained from the city’s meteorological station, which should be used to validate the representativeness of our sensor measurements. The PM2.5 long-term data were however not reliable. Means of obtaining good reference data combined with longer sensor measurements would be a good way forward to develop a stronger LUR model which, together with improved knowledge, can be applied towards improving the quality of health. A health impact assessment, based on the mean level of PM2.5 (23 µg/m3), presented the attributable burden of disease and showed the importance of addressing causes of these high ambient levels in the area.
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| 3. |
- Alnaes, Dag, et al.
(author)
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Brain Heterogeneity in Schizophrenia and Its Association With Polygenic Risk
- 2019
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In: JAMA psychiatry. - : AMER MEDICAL ASSOC. - 2168-6238 .- 2168-622X. ; 76:7, s. 739-748
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- ImportanceBetween-individual variability in brain structure is determined by gene-environment interactions, possibly reflecting differential sensitivity to environmental and genetic perturbations. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have revealed thinner cortices and smaller subcortical volumes in patients with schizophrenia. However, group-level comparisons may mask considerable within-group heterogeneity, which has largely remained unnoticed in the literature. ObjectivesTo compare brain structural variability between individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls and to test whether respective variability reflects the polygenic risk score (PRS) for schizophrenia in an independent sample of healthy controls. Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis case-control and polygenic risk analysis compared MRI-derived cortical thickness and subcortical volumes between healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia across 16 cohorts and tested for associations between PRS and MRI features in a control cohort from the UK Biobank. Data were collected from October 27, 2004, through April 12, 2018, and analyzed from December 3, 2017, through August 1, 2018. Main Outcomes and MeasuresMean and dispersion parameters were estimated using double generalized linear models. Vertex-wise analysis was used to assess cortical thickness, and regions-of-interest analyses were used to assess total cortical volume, total surface area, and white matter, subcortical, and hippocampal subfield volumes. Follow-up analyses included within-sample analysis, test of robustness of the PRS threshold, population covariates, outlier removal, and control for image quality. ResultsA comparison of 1151 patients with schizophrenia (mean [SD] age,33.8[10.6] years; 68.6% male [n=790] and 31.4% female [n=361]) with 2010 healthy controls (mean [SD] age,32.6[10.4] years; 56.0% male [n=1126] and 44.0% female [n=884]) revealed higher heterogeneity in schizophrenia for cortical thickness and area (t = 3.34), cortical (t=3.24) and ventricle (t range, 3.15-5.78) volumes, and hippocampal subfields (t range, 2.32-3.55). In the UK Biobank sample of 12 490 participants (mean [SD] age,55.9 [7.5] years; 48.2% male [n=6025] and 51.8% female [n=6465]), higher PRS was associated with thinner frontal and temporal cortices and smaller left CA2/3 (t=-3.00) but was not significantly associated with dispersion. Conclusions and RelevanceThis study suggests that schizophrenia is associated with substantial brain structural heterogeneity beyond the mean differences. These findings may reflect higher sensitivity to environmental and genetic perturbations in patients, supporting the heterogeneous nature of schizophrenia. A higher PRS was associated with thinner frontotemporal cortices and smaller hippocampal subfield volume, but not heterogeneity. This finding suggests that brain variability in schizophrenia results from interactions between environmental and genetic factors that are not captured by the PRS. Factors contributing to heterogeneity in frontotemporal cortices and hippocampus are key to furthering our understanding of how genetic and environmental factors shape brain biology in schizophrenia.
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| 4. |
- Bhadani, Kanishk, 1991, et al.
(author)
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CDIO Course Development for Faculty in Raw Materials Programmes
- 2017
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In: The 13th International CDIO Conference Proceedings, Calgary, Canada. - 1796-9964. - 9780889533998 ; , s. 315-326
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In Europe, the existing MSc programmes which are linked to the thematic Raw Material content often focus mainly on technical knowledge in itself, and students graduate as professionals who know how to solve pre-defined technical problems. Students in such programmes seldom practice entrepreneurial, communication and innovation skills at a level that is needed in working life. On the other hand, the CDIO Initiative has developed a framework for modernizing engineering education by introducing such skills and thinking into the technical programmes and courses. It is widely discussed in the CDIO community that one of the constraints in implementing CDIO is faculty staff professional development. CDIO standards 9 and 10 focus on the faculty development and competencies both in terms of pedagogic as well as learning methods to deal with personal and interpersonal skills, and product, process, and system building skills. In order to bring a change and implement CDIO into the Raw Materials programmes in Europe, a modular course for training in CDIO was developed and delivered for the faculty member in the Raw Materials sector. This paper accounts for the development of the faculty training course, and provides a unique perspective on the implementation of CDIO into raw materials related programmes capturing the different models of implementation from different universities’ programmes and courses. The various universities involved provide programmes and courses across the entire value chain of raw materials from mining and minerals processing to materials design, sustainability and recycling. This paper will serve as a reference for the educators to develop and implement CDIO education methods in specific disciplines as illustrated here in the field of raw materials related programmes.
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| 5. |
- Bhadani, Kanishk, 1991, et al.
(author)
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Student Perspectives on Video-Based Learning in CDIO-Based Project Courses
- 2017
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In: The 13th International CDIO Conference Proceedings, Calgary, Canada. - 1796-9964. - 9780889533998 ; , s. 689-704
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper aims at demonstrating the applicability of video learning in CDIO based project courses and at evaluating to what extent it benefits students. The courses are Machine Elements (PPU210), Product Planning - Needs and Opportunities (PPU085) and Engineering Design and Optimization (PPU190) in the Mechanical Engineering programme at Chalmers University of Technology. The research was carried out by first creating a set of videos for selected topics in three courses. In total, 22 videos were created including topics such as “Benchmarking”, “SWOT”, and “Prototype lab equipment instructions”. The learning outcomes of the video lectures were mapped to the CDIO syllabus. A blended learning environment was developed, i.e. the videos were utilised as additional support alongside existing learning activities. The videos were then used in the courses and the students’ feedbacks collected through a dedicated questionnaire, the regular course evaluation survey, and in student-teacher group meetings during and after the courses. The collected data was analysed to produce inferences about the applicability and utility of the video lectures. The resulting analysis shows the students’ preferences regarding the evaluated video lectures and instructions. The students find videos more appealing compared to traditional lectures. One of the main benefits highlighted is the possibility of watching the videos in parallel to the design-build-test project execution rather having the classroom lecture only. This helps in reinforcing concepts, and results in less dependency on supervisors during the project execution. Videos proved to be suitable for creating a blended learning environment and improved the perceived learning experience for the students. In order to maximize student satisfaction and interaction with the videos, the videos should be short and closely aligned to the other learning activities. The paper also suggests future improvements to be carried out for video-based learning in the courses, and proposes an easy adaptable way for teachers to develop video material.
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| 6. |
- Blomberg, Olle, 1978, et al.
(author)
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Cooperative activity, shared intention, and exploitation
- 2024
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In: Ethics. - 0014-1704 .- 1539-297X. ; 134:3, s. 387-401
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Jules Salomone-Sehr argues that an activity is cooperative if and only if, roughly, it consists of several participants’ actions that are (i) coordinated for a common purpose (ii) in ways that do not undermine any participant’s agency. He argues that guidance by shared intention is neither necessary nor sufficient for cooperation. Thereby, he claims to “topple an orthodoxy of shared agency theory." In response, we argue that Salomone-Sehr’s account captures another notion of cooperation than the sociopsychological notion shared agency theory has focused on. Furthermore, we argue that Salomone-Sehr’s interpretation of (ii) is too demanding; it implausibly makes cooperation incompatible with exploitation.
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| 7. |
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Bodily exchanges, bioethics and border crossing : perspectives on giving, selling and sharing bodies
- 2016. - 1
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Editorial collection (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Medical therapy, research and technology enable us to make our bodies, or parts of them, available to others in an increasing number of ways. This is the case in organ, tissue, egg and sperm donation as well as in surrogate motherhood and clinical research. Bringing together leading scholars working on the ethical, social and cultural aspects of such bodily exchanges, this cutting-edge book develops new ways of understanding them.Bodily Exchanges, Bioethics and Border Crossing both probes the established giving and selling frameworks for conceptualising bodily exchanges in medicine, and seeks to develop and examine another, less familiar framework: that of sharing. A framework of sharing can capture practices that involve giving up and giving away part of one’s body, such as organ and tissue donation, and practices that do not, such as surrogacy and research participation. Sharing also recognizes the multiple relationalities that these exchanges can involve and invites inquiry into the context in which they occur. In addition, the book explores the multiple forms of border crossing that bodily exchanges in medicine involve, from the physical boundaries of the body to relational borders – as can happen in surrogacy – to national borders and the range of ethical issues that these various border-crossings can give rise to. Engaging with anthropology, sociology, philosophy, and feminist and postcolonical perspectives, this is an original and timely contribution to contemporary bioethics in a time of increasing globalization. It will be of use to students and researchers from a range of humanities and social science backgrounds as well as medical and other healthcare professionals with an interest in bioethics.
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| 8. |
- Bohgard, Mats, et al.
(author)
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Kontinuerliga tvåfraktionsinsamlare för övervakning av partikulära luftföroreningar i arbetsmiljö
- 1981
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Rapporten beskriver prototyper av kontinuerliga tvåfraktionsinsamlare för övervakning av partikulära luftföroreningar i arbetsmiljö som har konstruerats. En prototyp är personburen och ger möjligheter till insamling av två partikelstorleksfraktioner i 18 diskreta intervall. PIXE-metoden (analys med partikelinducerad röntgenstrålning) används för multielementanalys av de erhållna proven. Även med mycket korta insamlingstider, ner till 5 minuter, blir detektionsgränserna för de flesta element av yrkeshygieniskt intresse väsentligt lägre än sina respektive hygieniska gränsvärden. Rapporten inkluderar resultat från en enkel fältmätning som utgör ett exempel på de möjligheter den personburna provtagaren ger för yrkeshygieniska mätningar och undersökningar
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Bonicalzi, Sofia, et al.
(author)
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Editorial
- 2022
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In: Ethical Theory and Moral Practice. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1386-2820 .- 1572-8447. ; 25:2, s. 177-179
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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