| 1. |
- Caretta, Martina Angela, et al.
(author)
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Water
- 2022
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In: Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability : Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)
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| 2. |
- Hansson, Linnea J., et al.
(author)
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Autoplant—Autonomous Site Preparation and Tree Planting for a Sustainable Bioeconomy
- 2024
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In: Forests. - : MDPI. - 1999-4907. ; 15:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sustainable forestry requires efficient regeneration methods to ensure that new forests are established quickly. In Sweden, 99% of the planting is manual, but finding labor for this arduous work is difficult. An autonomous scarifying and planting machine with high precision, low environmental impact, and a good work environment would meet the needs of the forest industry. For two years, a collaborative group of researchers, manufacturers, and users (forest companies) has worked together on developing and testing a new concept for autonomous forest regeneration (Autoplant). The concept comprises several subsystems, i.e., regeneration and route planning, autonomous driving (path planning), new technology for forest regeneration with minimal environmental impact, automatic plant management, crane motion planning, detection of planting spots, and follow-up. The subsystems were tested separately and integrated together during a field test at a clearcut. The concept shows great potential, especially from an environmental perspective, with significantly reduced soil disturbances, from approximately 50% (the area proportion of the area disturbed by disc trenching) to less than 3%. The Autoplant project highlights the challenges and opportunities related to future development, e.g., the relation between machine cost and operating speed, sensor robustness in response to vibrations and weather, and precision in detecting the size and type of obstacles during autonomous driving and planting.
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| 3. |
- Henricson, Cecilia
(author)
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Cognitive capacities and composite cognitive skills in individuals with Usher syndrome type 1 and 2
- 2015
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The present thesis belongs to the research area disability research and deal with specific aspects of cognition in individuals with Usher syndrome type 1 and 2. The subject has been investigated and is discussed within an interdisciplinary framework, though the theories applied and described are derived from the area of cognitive psychology. Usher syndrome is a rare genetic condition causing a combination of visual and hearing impairment: deafblindness. There is a congenital hearing loss that is profound in type 1 and moderate to severe in type 2. During mid-childhood symptoms of visual impairment, e.g. light sensitivity, emerge and a progressive loss of visual field follows as a result of the genetically caused eye disease Retinitis Pigmentosa. The syndrome has previously been well described with respect to the genetical and medical aspects, but there has been very little research with a cognitive perspective on the population. Studies 1 and 2 in the present thesis focused on children with Usher syndrome type 1 with cochlear implants and investigated phonological skills, lexical access, working memory and reading skill in the group. Studies 3 & 4 investigated the same cognitive abilities and theory of mind in adults with Usher syndrome type 2. In study 4 the performance on theory of mind in the adults with Usher syndrome type 2 was also compared to that of another group with genetically caused deafblindness: individuals with Alström syndrome.The results were that both the children and adults with Usher syndrome had significantly poorer phonological processing than the control groups with normal hearing. There was a large variation on performance on lexical access, especially in the group of children, however several individuals performed at the same level as the control group. Reading skill was found to be at level with the control groups’. There was also great variation in performance on ToM, however the majority of individuals performed similar to the control group with normal hearing and vision. The present project has resulted in some new knowledge on cognitive performance in individuals with Usher syndrome type 1 and type 2. Performance in the participants with Usher syndrome can to a large extent can be understood by application of the models developed in previous research on populations with hearing impairment or deafness for understanding the impact of hearing with a hearing aid or cochlear implant. However, individuals with Usher syndrome experience additional difficulties in accessing information due to the progressive visual loss and the impact this has on performance is still largely unknown. Hence, the present project would recommend that interventions and support would be designed specifically to each individuals’ needs, with consideration of both the visual impairment and the hearing impairment.
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| 4. |
- Henricson, Cecilia, et al.
(author)
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Cognitive skills and reading in adults with Usher syndrome type 2
- 2015
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In: Frontiers in Psychology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-1078. ; 6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: To investigate working memory (WM), phonological skills, lexical skills, and reading comprehension in adults with Usher syndrome type 2 (USH2).Design: The participants performed tests of phonological processing, lexical access, WM, and reading comprehension. The design of the test situation and tests was specifically considered for use with persons with low vision in combination with hearing impairment. The performance of the group with USH2 on the different cognitive measures was compared to that of a matched control group with normal hearing and vision (NVH).Study Sample: Thirteen participants with USH2 aged 21-60 years and a control group of 10 individuals with NVH, matched on age and level of education.Results: The group with USH2 displayed significantly lower performance on tests of phonological processing, and on measures requiring both fast visual judgment and phonological processing. There was a larger variation in performance among the individuals with USH2 than in the matched control group.Conclusion: The performance of the group with USH2 indicated similar problems with phonological processing skills and phonological WM as in individuals with long-term hearing loss. The group with USH2 also had significantly longer reaction times, indicating that processing of visual stimuli is difficult due to the visual impairment. These findings point toward the difficulties in accessing information that persons with USH2 experience, and could be part of the explanation of why individuals with USH2 report high levels of fatigue and feelings of stress Pahlqvist et al., 2013).
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| 5. |
- Henricson, Cecilia, 1980-, et al.
(author)
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Cognitive skills in children with Usher syndrome typ 1 and cochlear implants
- 2012
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In: International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. - Clare, Ireland : Elsevier. - 0165-5876 .- 1872-8464. ; 76:10, s. 1449-1457
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Usher syndrome is a genetic condition causing deaf-blindness and is one of the most common causes of syndromic deafness. Individuals with USH1 in Sweden born during the last 15 years have typically received cochlear implants (CI) as treatment for their congenital, profound hearing loss. Recent research in genetics indicates that the cause of deafness in individuals with Usher type 1 (USH1) could be beneficial for the outcome with cochlear implants (CI). This population has not previously been the focus of cognitive research.Objective: The present study aims to examine the phonological and lexical skills and working memory capacity (WMC) in children with USH1 and CI and to compare their performance with children with NH, children with hearing-impairment using hearing-aids and to children with non-USH1 deafness using CI. The participants were 7 children aged 7-16 years with USH1 and CI.Methods: The participants performed 10 sets of tasks measuring phonological and lexical skills and working memory capacity.Conclusions: The results indicate that children with USH1 and CI as a group in general have a similar level of performance on the cognitive tasks as children with hearing impairment and hearing aids. The group with USH1 and CI has a different performance profile on the tests of working memory, phonological skill and lexical skill than children with non-USH1 deafness using CI, on tasks of phonological working memory and phonological skill.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Henricson, Cecilia, 1980-, et al.
(author)
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Phonological skills and working memory in children with C1 and Usher typ 1
- 2012
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bakgrund: Ushers syndrom (USH) innebär hörselnedsättning/dövhet i kombination med Retinitis Pigmentosa och, i två av de tre kliniska typer som finns, ingen eller gradvis förlust av balansfunktion. Det är den vanligaste orsaken till dövblindhet och har varit i fokus i många studier med molekylära, fysiologiska och funktionella konsekvenser av de genetiska mutationerna. Det finns dock få studier med inriktning mot kognitiva aspekter. Föreliggande studie har undersökt kognition med tydlig koppling till hörsel och talspråk hos barn med Ushers syndrom typ 1 och cochleaimplantat.Metod: Sju barn i åldrarna 7.5-16 år, med bekräftad USH1-diagnos och CI, deltog i studien. Deltagarnas prestation på 10 test, riktade mot fonologiska och lexikala färdigheter samt arbetsminne, jämfördes mot tre kontrollgrupper: barn med normal hörsel, barn med hörselnedsättning och hörapparat, samt barn med icke-syndromal dövhet och cochleaimplantat.Resultat och slutsats: Liksom i tidigare studier av barn med CI når gruppen med USH1 och CI inte samma nivå avseende fonologiska och lexikala färdigheter, samt presterar signifikant lägre avseende fonologiskt arbetsminne än barn med normal hörsel. Resultaten från föreliggande studie visar dock att deltagarna med USH1 generellt har högre prestationsnivå än andra barn med CI, och presterar på en liknande nivå som barn med hörselnedsättning och hörapparat.
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| 9. |
- Henricson, Cecilia, 1980-, et al.
(author)
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Phonological skills and working memory in children with CI and Usher type I
- 2011
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Children with CI have a distinctive pattern of development of phonological skills (Wass, 2010). Previous research (Spencer & Tomblin, 2009; Wass et al., 2009) has shown that deaf children with CI perform on par with children with normal hearing on some cognitive tasks, whereas they have a significantly lower performance level than children with normal hearing on tasks with high demands on phonological processing. The present project aims to examine phonological skills and working memory capacity in children with Usher type 1 and compare their performance with deaf children with CI and nonsyndromal deafness, with children with normal hearing and children with hearing impairment. Few studies have focused on cognitive development in children with Usher syndrome type I and there is a lack of knowledge on whether the deafness and the co-existing visual condition have an impact on cognitive development and the spoken language development which is an outcome of the CI. Six children with Usher syndrome type I, in ages 6-14 years participated in the study. Preliminary results revealed that children with Usher syndrome type I have a similar pattern of results on the tests as the comparison group of children with CI.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
- Henricson, Cecilia, 1980-, et al.
(author)
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Reading skill in five children with Usher Syndrome type 1 and Cochlear implants
- 2015
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Objective: The aim of this study was to explore and describe reading skill in children with Usher syndrome type 1 and who have cochlear implants (USH1+CI), and to position their performance in relation to that of three control groups: children with normal hearing (NH), children with hearing impairment and hearing aids (HI+HA), and children with other types of deafness and CI (other CI).Method: Reading comprehension and decoding was measured in five children with USH1+CI in the ages 7.5–16 years. The children participated during a test session of 2–2.5 hours and performed tests including reading skill, WM, phonological skills, and lexical skills.Results: Four of the children with USH1+CI achieved results similar to those of the control group with NH on the measures of reading skill. One child with USH1+CI performed below all control groups. Three of the children with USH1+CI had high performance on both the measures of phonological skill and on the tests of reading skill. The groups perform similar results on the tests of reading skill.Conclusions: Three of the children with USH1+CI decode non-words with a phonological decoding strategy, similar to the strategy applied by the control group with NH. Two of the children with USH1+CI relied on an orthographic decoding strategy, possibly relying on other cognitive skills than the phonological strategy.
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| 13. |
- Hernefalk, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Inter-departmental variation in surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures: A nationwide observational cohort study
- 2023
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In: Plos One. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 18:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and purpose Hip fractures should be treated based on the best available evidence and cost-effectively to optimize the outcome for this large group of frail patients. This study examined nationwide variation in surgical methods used for hip fractures. Methods In this cohort study 46,243 patients >= 65 years with a trochanteric hip fracture (THF) or a femoral neck fracture (FNF) registered in the Swedish Fracture Register (SFR) between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2020 were included. Fractures were classified according to the AO Foundation/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) fracture classification system. The choice of surgical methods was assessed for each fracture type to compare national variation. Results 21,312 THFs and 24,072 FNFs (67% women) with a mean age of 83 years (SD 8) were surgically treated. In the treatment of two-fragment THFs (AO/OTA A1) departments ranged from using 90% short intramedullary nails to 98% sliding hip screws. Treating displaced FNFs (AO/OTA B3), the proportion of hemiarthroplasty ranged from 9 to 90%, and internal fixation between 0.6 to 21%, depending on the department. Interpretation A mature national fracture register permits the monitoring of treatment provided and thus serves as an important aid in assessing compliance with guidelines. The large inter-departmental variation in the surgical management of hip fractures in Sweden appears unwarranted based on the current evidence, indicating a need for updated national guidelines. Further research will have to clarify the impact of this variation on mortality and re-operation rates.
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| 14. |
- Kiwana, David, et al.
(author)
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Finance information systems usage in universities in a developing country : Implementing factors and their influence on use
- 2017
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In: Perspectives in Business Informatics Research : 16th International Conference, BIR 2017, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 28–30, 2017, Proceedings - 16th International Conference, BIR 2017, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 28–30, 2017, Proceedings. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 1865-1348. - 9783319649306 - 9783319649290 ; 295, s. 212-230
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Finance information systems (FISs) store and provide timely, accurate and consistent financial data for management and decision-making. Many organizations especially in developing world however fail to attain desired success during implementation and usage of the FISs despite the fact that many success factors for implementation have been suggested. This study thus investigated the usage of FISs with the aim of finding out how factors presumed to influence implementation impact usage. The presumed factors included; top management support, effective communication, evaluation of staff performance, technical support, project management, change management program, effectiveness of IT unit and flexibility of consultants. The study focused on universities in Uganda which is a developing country. Of the nine factors that were investigated only top management support, technical training and flexibility of consultants exhibited a positive impact with only top management support being significant. The rest of the factors exhibited negative impact and only effective IT unit being significant.
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| 15. |
- Nilbert, Mef, et al.
(author)
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The power of empirical data; lessons from the clinical registry initiatives in Scandinavian cancer care
- 2020
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In: Acta Oncologica. - 0284-186X. ; 59:11, s. 1343-1356
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: In Scandinavia, there is a strong tradition for research and quality monitoring based on registry data. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden, 63 clinical registries collect data on disease characteristics, treatment and outcome of various cancer diagnoses and groups based on process-related and outcome-related variables. Aim: We describe the cancer-related clinical registries, compare organizational structures and quality indicators and provide examples of how these registries have been used to monitor clinical performance, develop prediction models, assess outcome and provide quality benchmarks. Further, we define unmet needs such as inclusion of patient-reported outcome variables, harmonization of variables and barriers for data sharing. Results and conclusions: The clinical registry framework provides an empirical basis for evidence-based development of high-quality and equitable cancer care. The registries can be used to follow implementation of new treatment principles and monitor patterns of care across geographical areas and patient groups. At the same time, the lessons learnt suggest that further developments and coordination are needed to utilize the full potential of the registry initiative in cancer care.
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| 16. |
- Rönnåsen, Berit, 1954-, et al.
(author)
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Aspects of learning from the perspective of people with Alström syndrome
- 2016
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In: Disability and Rehabilitation. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1748-3107 .- 1748-3115 .- 0963-8288 .- 1464-5165. ; 38:7, s. 644-652
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: The aim of the study was to explore aspects of learning, from a lifelong perspective, in individuals with Alstro ̈m syndrome (AS). AS is an autosomal recessive disorder causing early blindness, progressive sensorineural hearing loss, cardiomyopathy, endocrine disorders, metabolic dysfunction, and abbreviated lifespan.Method: Eleven individuals with AS participated. The study had a qualitative explorative design, giving voice to the participants’ perspectives on their situation. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, which were subjected to conventional (inductive) qualitative content analysis.Results: The analysis revealed in the participants a quest for independence and an image of themselves as capable people willing to learn, but in constant need of support to continue learning throughout their lives to be as independent as possible.Conclusion: Based on the levels of functioning, i.e. personal resources, revealed in the interviews, supervisors, caregivers, and teachers are encouraged to allow people with AS to be their own advocates, as they know best how, what, and with whom they learn, and what type of sensory material – tactile, auditory, visual, or a combination – is most helpful. Implications for RehabilitationIndividuals with AS strive for independence, and to be independent they need to continue to learn throughout their lives.Individuals with AS know best how they learn, and should be asked what modalities are the most effective for them.The tactile modality for learning will continue throughout life and should be emphasized early in the individual's education and rehabilitation.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Akenine-Möller, Tomas, et al.
(author)
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Performance per What?
- 2012
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In: Journal of Computer Graphics Techniques. - 2331-7418. ; 1:1, s. 37-41
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this short note, we argue that performance per watt, which is often cited in the graphics hardware industry, is not a particularly useful unit for power efficiency in scientific and engineering discussions. We argue that joules per task and watts are more reasonable units. We show a concrete example where nanojoules per pixel is much more intuitive, easier to compute aggregate statistics from, and easier to reason about.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Andersson, Magnus, et al.
(author)
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Efficient multi-view ray tracing using edge detection and shader reuse
- 2011
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In: The Visual Computer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0178-2789 .- 1432-2315. ; 27:6-8, s. 665-676
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Stereoscopic rendering and 3D stereo displays are quickly becoming mainstream. The natural extension is autostereoscopic multi-view displays, which by the use of parallax barriers or lenticular lenses, can accommodate many simultaneous viewers without the need for active or passive glasses. As these displays, for the foreseeable future, will support only a rather limited number of views, there is a need for high-quality interperspective antialiasing. We present a specialized algorithm for efficient multi-view image generation from a camera line using ray tracing, which builds on previous methods for multi-dimensional adaptive sampling and reconstruction of light elds. We introduce multi-view silhouette edges to detect sharp geometrical discontinuities in the radiance function. These are used to significantly improve the quality of the reconstruction. In addition, we exploit shader coherence by computing analytical visibility between shading points and the camera line, and by sharing shading computations over the camera line.
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| 23. |
- Aronsson, Per, et al.
(author)
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An operational decision support tool for stump harvest
- 2011
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- A multi-criteria decision support tool was developed to optimise stump harvesting for energy in Sweden. The decision tool takes account of multiple, sometimes conflicting, criteria relating to stump harvest; energy and climate, economics, biodiversity, and soil and water. Data on harvested stems are used as primary input data in the tool. Such data are routinely collected in harvester computers. The tool effectively deals with mixed sets of data; quantitative harvest data are re-calculated to metric (e.g. stump biomass), and qualitative data (e.g. biodiversity implications) are incorporated. A digital terrain map derived from air-borne laser scanning provides basic data for estimating soil wetness, while digital maps of water courses, key habitats and protected areas, or other sensitive habitats, are used to identify potentially and practically harvestable stumps.In four sub-models, an index from 0 to 10 is calculated for each stump, with 0 representing ‘Not at all suitable’ and 10 ‘Highly suitable for extraction’. Through this, a stump of high value for wood-living species is assigned a low index in the biodiversity sub-model and a large, easily accessible stump is assigned a high index in the economic sub-model. When calculating the net index, the sub-indices can be weighted according to the preferences of the end-user.An energy and climate sub-model incorporates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from forest operations and the effect of advancing GHG emissions when stump biomass is incinerated instead of being left to decompose. In the economic sub-model the potential monetary return from each stump is calculated based on estimated revenue from harvested stump biomass and the costs of stump harvesting and forwarding operations (based on cost functions and GIS calculations of transport distances).The biodiversity sub-model considers four types of wood-dependent organisms (lichens, mosses, insects and fungi) in terms of their habitat requirements, vulnerability, sun exposure preferences, locality, etc. A panel of external experts has drawn up a grading scale of stump values for the different taxonomic groups. The proximity to key habitats and exposure to sunlight are derived from a spatial model.Soil and water issues are handled within a sub-model estimating the consequences for long-term soil fertility (nutrient cycling and soil compaction) and water (leaching of plant nutrients and mercury, and particle transport due to soil damage by heavy machinery).The tool offers the end-user possibilities to prioritise and plan for cost-effective stump harvesting, while minimising negative environmental impacts.
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| 24. |
- Backofen, Rolf, et al.
(author)
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Usage of bioinformatics tools and identification of information sources
- 2005
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Bioinformatics is an important application area for semantic web technologies as much of the data is online and accessible in XML format, as some sites already support web services, and as ontologies are widely used to annotate data. In this deliverable, we give a survey over 18 of the most important bioinformatics resources and discuss their availability and accessibility, which are two of the main criteria for these resources to act as bases for later demonstrators.
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| 25. |
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
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| 29. |
- Breidegard, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Raytracing in the compensation of the peripheral optics of the eye
- 2000
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In: Historielärarnas Förenings Årsskrift. - 0439-2434.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Abstract Background: Many people with a visual impairment have only peripheral vision. However, there is limited knowledge of the peripheral optics of the eye and only some measurements are available in this field. Methods: We simulated the paths of peripheral rays through the eye by means of raytracing. Five programs were compared. The OSLO raytracing software proved to be not only the best one in these circumstances but we also found it very well suited to our purpose. Remaining uncertainties are entirely due to a lack of input data about the peripheral part of the optical system of the eye. We designed compensatory optics on the basis of the test results. Results: Lenses have been manufactured in accordance with the calculations made by the program for angles of incidence of 20, 40, and 60 degrees. The lenses are high compensation astigmatic lenses. The results of perimeter examinations of changes in peripheral vision using attachment optics were inconclusive, while tests of the lenses as attachments in front of a fundus camera produced successful preliminary results. Conclusion: The next step is to test peripheral vision compensatory optics in traffic situations (driving simulator). At the same time attempts are being made to find methods and instruments for measuring the peripheral optics of the eye. Keywords: astigmatism, central scotoma, raytracing, macula degeneration, peripheral vision.
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
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| 32. |
- Claassen, Yvette H. M., et al.
(author)
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Treatment and survival of rectal cancer patients over the age of 80 years : a EURECCA international comparison
- 2018
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In: British Journal of Cancer. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0007-0920 .- 1532-1827. ; 119:4, s. 517-522
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment strategy for older rectal cancer patients remains unclear. The current study aimed to compare treatment and survival of rectal cancer patients aged 80+.METHODS: Patients of >= 80 years diagnosed with rectal cancer between 2001 and 2010 were included. Population-based cohorts from Belgium (BE), Denmark (DK), the Netherlands (NL), Norway (NO) and Sweden (SE) were compared side by side for neighbouring countries on treatment strategy and 5-year relative survival (RS), adjusted for sex and age. Analyses were performed separately for stage I-III patients and stage IV patients.RESULTS: Overall, 19 634 rectal cancer patients were included. For stage I-III patients, 5-year RS varied from 61.7% in BE to 72.3% in SE. Proportion of preoperative radiotherapy ranged between 7.9% in NO and 28.9% in SE. For stage IV patients, 5-year RS differed from 2.8% in NL to 5.6% in BE. Rate of patients undergoing surgery varied from 22.2% in DK to 40.8% in NO.CONCLUSIONS: Substantial variation was observed in the 5-year relative survival between European countries for rectal cancer patients aged 80+, next to a wide variation in treatment, especially in the use of preoperative radiotherapy in stage I-III patients and in the rate of patients undergoing surgery in stage IV patients.
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| 33. |
- Dahlström, Örjan, et al.
(author)
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Cognitive training and effects on speech-in noise performance in normal hearing and hearing impaired individuals
- 2015
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In: CHSCOM2015. - : Linköping University Electronic Press. ; , s. 127-127
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Cognitive training might have potential to improve speech understanding under adverse listening conditions. Here, we have examined the effects of a 5-week computer-based cognitive training program on speech-in-noise-performance, in normal hearing (NH) participants and in participants with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss (HI).Two groups, matched on gender and age (45-65 years), of 20 participants each (HI and NH respectively) are recruited. Participants perform four test-sessions; inclusion (t0), five weeks (t1), ten weeks (t2) and six months (t3). Training is performed either between t0 and t1, or between t1 and t2 (using a cross-over design), using the computer-based Cogmed training program, approximately 30-40 minutes per day, five days per week, during five weeks. At each session participants are tested in three different ways: (a) cognitive testing (KIPS, SICSPAN, TRT); (b) auditory performance (pure tone-audiometry (air- and bone-conduction) and speech audiometry (HINT, Swedish SPIN-test (SNR +4dB))); (c) cortical activation (MR sessions where participants performed a speech-in-noise task using Hagerman-sentences with steady-state speech-spectrum noise (SSN) and with two competing talkers). MR imaging is performed on a Philips Achieva 1.5 Tesla scanner using a sparse imaging technique in which stimuli are presented during the silent period between successive scans. Participants listen to auditory stimuli under eight different conditions: clear speech, SSN or two competing talkers (each at 90%, 50% and 0% intelligibility), and silent rest. Pre- and post-training, hearing disability is assessed by the Speech-Spatial-Qualities-Questionnaire.The study is on-going and behavioral results as well as results from fMRI will be presented.
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| 34. |
- Eliasson, Björn, 1959, et al.
(author)
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Lowering of postprandial lipids in individuals with type 2 diabetes treated with alogliptin and/or pioglitazone: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study.
- 2012
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In: Diabetologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-0428 .- 0012-186X. ; 55:4, s. 915-925
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Pharmacological augmentation of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor signalling by dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibition reduced intestinal lipoprotein secretion in experimental studies, suggesting that DPP-4 inhibitors may ameliorate dyslipidaemia and thus reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. We assessed the effects of alogliptin (Alo) and Alo co-administered with pioglitazone (Pio) vs placebo (Pbo) on triacylglycerol (TG)-rich lipoproteins in type 2 diabetes before and following a high-fat meal. METHODS: Seventy-one patients (age 18-70years), who did not reach HbA(1c) 6.5% (48mmol/mol) with lifestyle and/or metformin, sulfonylurea or glinide therapy, participated in this 16week, double-centre (university hospitals) Pbo-controlled parallel-group study. All participants, people doing measurements or examinations, and people assessing the outcomes were blinded to group assignment. Fasting TG 1.7-5.0mmol/l was among the entry criteria. Patients received a high-fat mixed meal before and 4 and 16weeks after randomisation (allocation by central office) to Alo (n=25), Alo/Pio (n=22) or Pbo (n=24). Blood was sampled at pre-specified intervals, starting at 15min before and ending 8h after meal ingestion. RESULTS: At week 16, Alo (n=25) and Alo/Pio (n=21) vs Pbo (n=24) produced similar significant reductions in total postprandial TG response (incremental AUC [iAUC]; p<0.001), as well as in chylomicron TG (p<0.001) and VLDL1 TG iAUCs (p<0.001 and p=0.012, respectively). Postprandial chylomicron apolipoprotein B-48 iAUC showed a significant decrease after Alo treatment (p=0.028), and a non-significant trend towards a decrease with Alo/Pio (p=0.213). The incidence of adverse events was low and consistent with previous studies. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Treatment with Alo and Alo/Pio produced significant reductions in postprandial TG and TG-rich lipoproteins, contributing to an improved overall cardiometabolic risk profile in type 2 diabetes. The data support the concept that incretins not only modulate glucose metabolism but also influence chylomicron metabolism in intestinal cells. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00655863. FUNDING: The study was funded by Takeda Global Research & Development.
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| 35. |
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| 36. |
- Feinberg, Alexandra J., et al.
(author)
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X-ray diffractive imaging of highly ionized helium nanodroplets
- 2022
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In: Physical Review Research. - 2643-1564. ; 4:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Finding the lowest energy configuration of N unit charges on a sphere, known as Thomson's problem, is a long-standing query which has only been studied via numerical simulations. We present its physical realization using multiply charged He nanodroplets. The charge positions are determined by x-ray coherent diffractive imaging with Xe as a contrast agent. In neutral droplets, filaments resulting from Xe atoms condensing on quantum vortices are observed. Unique to charged droplets, however, Xe clusters that condense on charges are distributed on the surface in lattice-like structures, introducing He droplets as experimental model systems for the study of Thomson's problem.
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| 37. |
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| 38. |
- Fredriksson Möller, Björn
(author)
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A Thermoeconomic Evaluation of CO2 Capture with Focus on Gas Turbine-Based Power Plants
- 2005
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The increasing emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning are today thought to be one of the main contributors to global warming. At the same time, developing countries are striving for an increased welfare and burning more fossil fuel, which in turn is augmenting the greenhouse gas effect. In this thesis the current understanding of the connection between greenhouse gases and the climate are illuminated, while some contradictory theories are also presented. Believing carbon dioxide to be a threat to the climate, which has been sufficiently evidenced to take actions against it, one possible option is to capture carbon dioxide in power plants and permanently store it underground. In this thesis different technologies for carbon dioxide capture are described. A thermodynamic model for post-combustion capture of carbon dioxide from flue gas is detailed, including thermodynamic models for a humidifier and exhaust gas condenser; components much needed in the proposed power plant layouts for power production with low or no emissions of carbon dioxide. Furthermore, an economic model suitable for modelling power plant schemes with low emissions of carbon dioxide in an economic environment with changing fuel prices and incentives for reduced emissions levels, are also presented. In a number of case studies, the thermodynamic and thermoeconomic performance of such proposed power plant layouts are compared, often with a standard combined cycle used as a reference base. In some case studies the performance, thermodynamic or thermoeconomic, have been optimised with an optimisation tool based on genetic algorithms, a method also thoroughly explained in this thesis. Case studies include among others; combined cycle gas turbines and humid air turbines with and without CO2 capture, pre-combustion combined cycle gas turbines and AZEP combined cycles. An overview of different methods for transport and storage of CO2, together with cost estimates and storage potential are also detailed in this thesis. A conclusion is made with the positive message that there seems to be a viable business case for carbon capture and storage with current high prices both on oil and certified emissions rights.
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| 39. |
- Fredriksson Möller, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Azep gas turbine combined cycle power plants thermo-economic analysis
- 2005
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In: Proceedings of Ecos 2005, Vols 1-3 - Shaping our future energy systems. ; , s. 819-826
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Conventional power plants based on fossil fuel without CO2 capture produce flue gas streams with concentrations Of CO2 between 3% and 15%, contributing to the threat of increasing global warming. Existing capture technologies such as post-combustion flue gas treatment using chemical absorption or pre-combustion carbon removal suffer from significant efficiency penalties as well as major increase in investment costs. Alternatively, combustion in O-2/CO2 atmospheres also requires expensive and energy-consuming oxygen supplies. A less energy intensive concept for oxygen production is a Mixed Conducting Membrane (MCM) reactor which produces pure oxygen from compressed air. The MCM reactor is best integrated into a conventional gas turbine combined cycle, called Advanced Zero Emissions Plant (AZEP), to provide an efficient and cost-effective power plant altogether. In this paper the economic performance of four different combined cycle alternatives in two different gas turbine sizes are evaluated; a 50 MWe size based on the Siemens SGT800 gas turbine and a 400 MWe size based on the Siemens SGT5-4000F gas turbine. ne evaluated combined cycles are one conventional combined cycle, one combined cycle with post-combustion CO2 capture and two optimised AZEP cases from a previous thermodynamic study. One AZEP alternative provides 100% CO2 capture and is thus a true zero emissions alternative, whereas the second alternative uses a sequential combustion system which enables 85% of the CO2 to be captured, making a comparison with traditional post-combustion treatment easier. The results show that the AZEP concept presents a more competitive system in terms of efficiency and economy compared to traditional capture systems.
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| 40. |
- Fredriksson Möller, Björn, et al.
(author)
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CO2-free power generation - A study of three conceptually different plant layouts
- 2003
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In: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, International Gas Turbine Institute, Turbo Expo (Publication) IGTI. ; 3, s. 255-262
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ever since the release of the Kyoto protocol the demand for CO2-free processes have been increasing. In this paper three different concepts with no or a very small release of CO2 to the atmosphere are evaluated and compared concerning plant efficiency and investment cost. A novel approach to biomass gasification is proposed to provide fuel for a combined gas turbine cycle, where the biomass is considered to be a renewable fuel with zero impact regarding CO2 in the exhaust gases. The gasification concept used is a Dual Pressurised Fluidised Bed Gasifier (DPFBG) system, using steam and recycled product gas as fluidising agent in the gasification reactor. In the separate combustion reactor air is used as fluidising agent. The second cycle is a hybrid fuelled Humid Air Turbine (HAT) cycle with post-combustion CO 2-separation. Steam used for regenerating the amines in the separation plant is produced using a biomass boiler, and natural gas is used as fuel for the humid air turbine. With this fuel mix the net release of CO 2 can even be less than zero if the exhaust gas from the steam generator is mixed and cleaned together with the main exhaust gas flow. The third cycle proposed is a combined cycle with postcombustion CO 2-separation and the steam generation for the CO 2-separation integrated in the bottoming steam cycle. All power cycles have been modelled in IPSEpro [trademark] (tm), a heat and mass balance software, using advanced component models developed by the authors. An equilibrium model is employed both for the gasification and the separation of CO2 from exhaust gases. All three power cycles show efficiencies around 45%, which is high for a biomass gasification cycle. The HAT and the combined cycle show efficiency drops of about 8 percentage points, due to the post-combustion treatment of exhaust gases.
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| 41. |
- Fredriksson Möller, Björn, et al.
(author)
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CO2-free power generation in combined cycles - Integration of post-combustion separation of carbon dioxide in the steam cycle
- 2006
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In: Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-6785 .- 0360-5442. ; 31:10-11, s. 1520-1532
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ever since the release of the Kyoto protocol the demand for CO2-free processes have been increasing. One of the most expanding sources of electric power in the industrialised world today is the gas-fired combined cycle, combining high efficiency and low investment cost. In this paper, the integration of a post-combustion CO2-separation unit into a combined cycle is studied from a thermodynamic and economic point-of-view. A standard dual-pressure combined cycle is chosen as a reference cycle. It is compared to a dual-pressure combined cycle and a triple-pressure combined cycle with the lowest pressure level producing steam for a CO2-separation unit. The steam pressure levels in the different cycles are optimised for maximum efficiency and minimum specific cost, respectively, using genetic algorithms. The efficiency drop due to CO2-separation is approximately 8% points, from 54 to 46%. The specific cost of the power plant is expected to increase with almost 100% and the cost of electricity with approximately 30%. In several countries a carbon dioxide tax is already introduced as an incentive for more efficient power cycles and use of fuels with lower content of coal. The result above implies that the level of such a tax would be in the order of 30% of the price of electricity to encourage CO2-free power generation.
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| 42. |
- Fredriksson Möller, Björn, et al.
(author)
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On the off-design of a natural gas-fired combined cycle with CO2 capture
- 2007
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In: Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-6785 .- 0360-5442. ; 32:4, s. 353-359
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- During the last 15 years cycles with CO, capture have been in focus, due to the growing concern over our climate. Often, a natural gas fired combined cycle with a chemical absorption plant for CO, capture from the flue gases have been used as a reference in comparisons between cycles. Neither the integration of the steam production for regeneration of amines in the combined cycle nor the off-design behaviour of such a plant has been extensively Studied before. In this paper, the integration of steam production for regeneration of the amines is modelled at design load and studied in off-design conditions for a combined cycle. Different ambient conditions and part-load strategies and their influence on the cycle performance are also examined. Of particular interest is a novel strategy with the possibility of longer life of gas turbine blading, with marginal loss in efficiency. The off-design performance of the combined cycle is modelled in a rigorous Way using a gas turbine performance deck, while the boiler is calculated using simplified correlations for oft-design heat transfer and pressure drop. The steam turbine calculation is based on verified models for the flow-pressure-efficiency relations, whilst the steam condenser is based oil the HEI method.
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| 43. |
- Fredriksson Möller, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
On the off-design of a natural gas-fired combined cycle with CO2 capture
- 2005
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In: Proceedings of Ecos 2005, Vols 1-3 - Shaping our future energy systems. - 8251920418 ; , s. 811-818
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- During the last 15 years cycles with CO2 capture have been in focus, due to the growing concern over our climate. Often a natural-gas fired combined cycle with a chemical absorption plant for CO2 capture from the flue gases have been used as a reference in comparisons between cycles. The integration of the steam production in the cycle to minimise the drop in efficiency have not been extensively studied. Neither have there been any studies on the off-design behaviour of such a plant if it should be built. In this paper the integration of steam production for regeneration of the amines is modelled at design load and studied in off-design conditions for a combined cycle. Different ambient conditions and part-load strategies and their influence on the cycle performance are also examined. Of particular interest is a novel strategy with the possibility of longer life of gas turbine blading, with marginal loss in efficiency. The off-design performance of the combined cycle is modelled in a rigorous way, using a gas turbine performance deck to calculate the performance of the gas turbine. The boiler is calculated using simplified correlations for off-design heat transfer and pressure drop. The steam turbine calculation is based on verified models for the flow - pressure - efficiency relations, whilst the steam condenser is based on the HEI (Heat Exchange Institute) method.
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| 44. |
- Fredriksson Möller, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Optimisation of an SOFC/GT system with CO2-capture
- 2004
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In: Selected papers presented at the Eighth Grove Fuel Cell Symposium (Journal of Power Sources). - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-7753 .- 1873-2755. ; 131:1-2, s. 320-326
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hybrid systems combining solid oxide fuel cells and gas turbines (SOFC/GT) have been extensively studied in recent years. They show very high theoretical electrical efficiencies and are considered as prime contenders for distributed generation. The addition of a CO2-capture system could make them even more attractive from an environmental perspective. In this study, a SOFC/GT configuration with and without a tail-end CO2 separation plant has been examined. In this work, the key parameters of the hybrid system are selected by an innovative tool based on a genetic algorithm (GA), which replaces the cumbersome parameter studies that generally are performed for this purpose. The focus is put on the evaluation of the GA as a tool for handling the multi-variable non-linear optimisation problem. The result of the optimisation procedure is a SOFC/GT system that exhibits an electrical efficiency above 60% with part capture of the CO2. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 45. |
- Fredriksson Möller, Björn, et al.
(author)
-
Optimisation of hat-cycles - With and without CO2 capture
- 2004
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In: Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2004. ; 7, s. 461-468
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In a world where distributed power generation and deregulation of energy markets are on everyone's agenda, the need for highly efficient power plants with short lead times is greater than ever. Although at present combined cycles provide a solution, development of ever more advanced machines to increase efficiency and lower the environmental impact has led to high maintenance costs and a decrease in availability. The Humid Air Turbine (HAT) represents a different approach, suitable for distributed power generation in the medium power range. The HAT cycle, and other wet gas turbine cycles, which have been extensively studied during the last ten years, show as high an efficiency as that of combined cycles, but at a lower specific cost and, with inherently low emissions of NOX. Despite all research done no full-scale plant has been built as yet. CO2 capture is another concept widely studied in recent years. In the present study three HAT cycle configurations are investigated, two of them connected to a post-combustion CO2-capture plant. Thermodynamic and thermoeconomic optimisation of the plants was performed using genetic algorithms (GA), a robust optimisation technique based on Darwinian evolution theories. The three configurations studied were 1) a standard inter-cooled HAT cycle, referred to as the reference cycle. 2) the reference cycle together with an integrated CO2-capture plant taking the energy needed for the CO2 separation from the exhaust heat of the turbine, and 3) the reference cycle together with a CO2 capture plant, in which the energy is supplied by a separate bio-fuelled boiler. This third configuration enables all fossil-based CO2 to be separated. All power cycles were modelled using IPSEpro, a heat-and mass-balance software, employing advanced component models developed by the authors. It has an interface for optimisation and the possibility of employing user-defined objective functions. The impact of CO2 taxation was studied to determine showing which configuration is the most economical at the current fuel-price and tax-level.
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| 46. |
- Frölander, Hans-Erik, 1966-
(author)
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Deafblindness : Theory-of-mind, cognitive functioning and social network in Alström syndrome
- 2016
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis addresses young adults with Alström syndrome (AS). AS causes acquired deafblindness, a severe, progressive, combined auditory and visual impairment affecting daily life and self-reliance to a degree that full participation depends on help from others and society. AS is an autosomal, recessively inherited single-gene disorder that affects the ALMS1 gene. AS has a multi-systemic pathology including a high incidence of additional multiple endocrine abnormalities, cardiomyopathy, pulmonary fibrosis, restrictive lung disease and progressive hepatic and renal failure leading to reduced life expectancy. The focus in the present thesis is on the development of Theory-of-mind (ToM) and on how ToM relates to the development of certain cognitive skills and the characteristics of the individual social network. ToM refers to the ability to understand the thoughts and feelings of others.The results reveal that individuals with AS displayed a significantly higher degree of heterogeneity in the performance of ToM tasks, and some individuals with AS performed on an equal level with nondisabled individuals. ToM performance was predicted by verbal ability and executive functioning (EF), whereas working memory capacity (WM) proved to be an indirect predictor. Later onset of visual loss further characterized AS individuals with better ToM. The sizes of the social networks of individuals with AS were smaller relative to those of nondisabled individuals, and many of the acquaintances were professionals working with individuals with AS. The number of friends correlated with ToM performance.Methods to improve verbal ability and EF, and interventions to enhance social participation in childhood of individuals with AS might prove to be fruitful. In addition assistive technology to establish and maintain friendships in adulthood is required.
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| 47. |
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| 48. |
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| 49. |
- Frölander, Hans-Erik, 1966-, et al.
(author)
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Theory-of-mind in adolescents and young adults with Alström Syndrome
- 2014
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In: International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. - : Elsevier. - 0165-5876 .- 1872-8464. ; 78:3, s. 530-537
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: The study focuses on theory-of-mind in adolescents and young adults with Alström syndrome (ALMS). ALMS, an autosomal recessive syndrome causes juvenile blindness, sensorineural hearing loss, cardiomyopathy, endocrinological disorders and metabolic dysfunction. Theory-of-mind (ToM) refers to the ability to impute mental states to one self and to others. Clinical observations have revealed an increased occurence of deviances in mental state understanding in ALMS. In the present study ToM will be examined and related to working memory (WM), verbal ability and sensory loss.Methods: Twelve young individuals (16-37 years) with ALMS and 24 nondisabled individuals matched on age, gender and educational level participated. ToM was assessed by means of a multiple task that taxes the ability to understand thoughts and feelings of story chraracters´. WM was examined by means of a reading span task and verbal ability by means of a vocabulary test.Results: The ALMS group performed at significantly lower levels in ToM tasks and displayed a higher variability in performance than the control group. Individuals with ALMS and a relatively poor level performance provided fewer correct mental state inferences in ToM tasks than ALMS individuals with relatively higher performance levels. ALMS individuals with relatively high performance levels made as many correct inferences in ToM tasks as the control group, but their inferences were more often incomplete. Vocabulary skills and educational level, but not WM-capacity predicted ToM performance. Degree of deafblindness did not have an impact on ToM. Age of onset of visual loss but not hearing loss related to ToM.Conclusions: The individuals with ALMS display a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of ToM, where some individuals reached performance levels comparable to nondisabled individuals. The results are discussed with respect to how cognitive and verbal abilities and factors related to the disability affect ToM.
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| 50. |
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