1. |
- Lindberg, Ola J., 1966-, et al.
(author)
-
Researching school practices with a complementary and symmetrical approach : the case of remote teaching in the rural north of Sweden
- 2020
-
In: Education in the North. - : School of Education at the University of Aberdeen. - 0424-5512 .- 2398-0184. ; 27:2, s. 235-241
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This feature describes an ongoing research project on remote teaching in the rural north of Sweden. Remote teaching is a form of teaching in which the teacher and students are separated in space but not in time, and students are accompanied by a designated supervisor at their location. The project is conducted within the framework of the national initiative Development, Learning, Research (DLR) to try out sustainable collaboration models between academia and school practice. At Umeå University, this relation has been described as complementary and symmetrical: complementary in the sense that each part brings unique competencies into the work, and symmetrical in the sense that each part is valued as equal in the work, which allows for a dimension of development work into the research approach. The feature elaborates on opportunities and challenges in conducting complementary and symmetrical research, seeking to promote knowledge built on collaboration between academia and school practice.
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2. |
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3. |
- Adolfsson, Jan, et al.
(author)
-
Clinical characteristics and primary treatment of prostate cancer in Sweden between 1996 and 2005
- 2007
-
In: Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5599 .- 1651-2065. ; 41:6, s. 456-477
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: The incidence of prostate cancer is rising rapidly in Sweden and there is a need to better understand the pattern of diagnosis, tumor characteristics and treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 1996 and 2005, all new cases of adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland were intended to be registered in the National Prostate Cancer Register (NPCR). This register contains information on diagnosing unit, date of diagnosis, cause of diagnosis, tumor grade, tumor stage according to the TNM classification in force, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels at diagnosis and primary treatment given within the first 6 months after diagnosis. RESULTS: In total, 72,028 patients were registered, comprising >97% of all pertinent incident cases of prostate cancer in the Swedish Cancer Register (SCR). During the study period there was a considerable decrease in median age at the time of diagnosis, a stage migration towards smaller tumors, a decrease in median serum PSA values at diagnosis, a decrease in the age-standardized incidence rate of men diagnosed with distant metastases or with a PSA level of > 100 ng/ml at diagnosis and an increase in the proportion of tumors with Gleason score <6. Relatively large geographical differences in the median age at diagnosis and the age-standardized incidence of cases with category T1c tumors were observed. Treatment with curative intent increased dramatically and treatment patterns varied according to geographical region. In men with localized tumors and a PSA level of <20 ng/ml at diagnosis, expectant treatment was more commonly used in those aged > or =75 years than in those aged <75 years. Also, the pattern of endocrine treatment varied in different parts of Sweden. CONCLUSIONS: All changes in the register seen over time are consistent with increased diagnostic activity, especially PSA testing, resulting in an increased number of cases with early disease, predominantly tumors in category T1c. The patterns of diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer vary considerably in different parts of Sweden. The NPCR continues to be an important source for research, epidemiological surveillance of the incidence, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
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4. |
- Alvfors, Per, 1954-, et al.
(author)
-
Research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors – three illustrative examples : Improvement potential discussed in the context of Well-to-Tank analyses
- 2010
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Currently biofuels have strong political support, both in the EU and Sweden. The EU has, for example, set a target for the use of renewable fuels in the transportation sector stating that all EU member states should use 10% renewable fuels for transport by 2020. Fulfilling this ambition will lead to an enormous market for biofuels during the coming decade. To avoid increasing production of biofuels based on agriculture crops that require considerable use of arable area, focus is now to move towards more advanced second generation (2G) biofuels that can be produced from biomass feedstocks associated with a more efficient land use. Climate benefits and greenhouse gas (GHG) balances are aspects often discussed in conjunction with sustainability and biofuels. The total GHG emissions associated with production and usage of biofuels depend on the entire fuel production chain, mainly the agriculture or forestry feedstock systems and the manufacturing process. To compare different biofuel production pathways it is essential to conduct an environmental assessment using the well-to-tank (WTT) analysis methodology. In Sweden the conditions for biomass production are favourable and we have promising second generation biofuels technologies that are currently in the demonstration phase. In this study we have chosen to focus on cellulose based ethanol, methane from gasification of solid wood as well as DME from gasification of black liquor, with the purpose of identifying research and development potentials that may result in improvements in the WTT emission values. The main objective of this study is thus to identify research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors based on literature studies as well as discussions with the the researchers themselves. We have also discussed improvement potentials for the agriculture and forestry part of the WTT chain. The aim of this study is to, in the context of WTT analyses, (i) increase knowledge about the complexity of biofuel production, (ii) identify and discuss improvement potentials, regarding energy efficiency and GHG emissions, for three biofuel production cases, as well as (iii) identify and discuss improvement potentials regarding biomass supply, including agriculture/forestry. The scope of the study is limited to discussing the technologies, system aspects and climate impacts associated with the production stage. Aspects such as the influence on biodiversity and other environmental and social parameters fall beyond the scope of this study. We find that improvement potentials for emissions reductions within the agriculture/forestry part of the WTT chain include changing the use of diesel to low-CO2-emitting fuels, changing to more fuel-efficient tractors, more efficient cultivation and manufacture of fertilizers (commercial nitrogen fertilizer can be produced in plants which have nitrous oxide gas cleaning) as well as improved fertilization strategies (more precise nitrogen application during the cropping season). Furthermore, the cultivation of annual feedstock crops could be avoided on land rich in carbon, such as peat soils and new agriculture systems could be introduced that lower the demand for ploughing and harrowing. Other options for improving the WTT emission values includes introducing new types of crops, such as wheat with higher content of starch or willow with a higher content of cellulose. From the case study on lignocellulosic ethanol we find that 2G ethanol, with co-production of biogas, electricity, heat and/or wood pellet, has a promising role to play in the development of sustainable biofuel production systems. Depending on available raw materials, heat sinks, demand for biogas as vehicle fuel and existing 1G ethanol plants suitable for integration, 2G ethanol production systems may be designed differently to optimize the economic conditions and maximize profitability. However, the complexity connected to the development of the most optimal production systems require improved knowledge and involvement of several actors from different competence areas, such as chemical and biochemical engineering, process design and integration and energy and environmental systems analysis, which may be a potential barrier.
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5. |
- Alvfors, Per, et al.
(author)
-
Research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors – three illustrative examples
- 2010
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Currently biofuels have strong political support, both in the EU and Sweden. The EU has, for example, set a target for the use of renewable fuels in the transportation sector stating that all EU member states should use 10% renewable fuels for transport by 2020. Fulfilling this ambition will lead to an enormous market for biofuels during the coming decade. To avoid increasing production of biofuels based on agriculture crops that require considerable use of arable area, focus is now to move towards more advanced second generation (2G) biofuels that can be produced from biomass feedstocks associated with a more efficient land use.Climate benefits and greenhouse gas (GHG) balances are aspects often discussed in conjunction with sustainability and biofuels. The total GHG emissions associated with production and usage of biofuels depend on the entire fuel production chain, mainly the agriculture or forestry feedstock systems and the manufacturing process. To compare different biofuel production pathways it is essential to conduct an environmental assessment using the well-to-tank (WTT) analysis methodology. In Sweden the conditions for biomass production are favourable and we have promising second generation biofuels technologies that are currently in the demonstration phase. In this study we have chosen to focus on cellulose based ethanol, methane from gasification of solid wood as well as DME from gasification of black liquor, with the purpose of identifying research and development potentials that may result in improvements in the WTT emission values. The main objective of this study is thus to identify research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors based on literature studies as well as discussions with the the researchers themselves. We have also discussed improvement potentials for the agriculture and forestry part of the WTT chain. The aim of this study is to, in the context of WTT analyses, (i) increase knowledge about the complexity of biofuel production, (ii) identify and discuss improvement potentials, regarding energy efficiency and GHG emissions, for three biofuel production cases, as well as (iii) identify and discuss improvement potentials regarding biomass supply, including agriculture/forestry. The scope of the study is limited to discussing the technologies, system aspects and climate impacts associated with the production stage. Aspects such as the influence on biodiversity and other environmental and social parameters fall beyond the scope of this study. We find that improvement potentials for emissions reductions within the agriculture/forestry part of the WTT chain include changing the use of diesel to low-CO2-emitting fuels, changing to more fuel-efficient tractors, more efficient cultivation and manufacture of fertilizers (commercial nitrogen fertilizer can be produced in plants which have nitrous oxide gas cleaning) as well as improved fertilization strategies (more precise nitrogen application during the cropping season). Furthermore, the cultivation of annual feedstock crops could be avoided on land rich in carbon, such as peat soils and new agriculture systems could be introduced that lower the demand for ploughing and harrowing. Other options for improving the WTT emission values includes introducing new types of crops, such as wheat with higher content of starch or willow with a higher content of cellulose. From the case study on lignocellulosic ethanol we find that 2G ethanol, with co-production of biogas, electricity, heat and/or wood pellet, has a promising role to play in the development of sustainable biofuel production systems. Depending on available raw materials, heat sinks, demand for biogas as vehicle fuel and existing 1G ethanol plants suitable for integration, 2G ethanol production systems may be designed differently to optimize the economic conditions and maximize profitability. However, the complexity connected to the development of the most optimal production systems require improved knowledge and involvement of several actors from different competence areas, such as chemical and biochemical engineering, process design and integration and energy and environmental systems analysis, which may be a potential barrier. Three important results from the lignocellulosic ethanol study are: (i) the production systems could be far more complex and intelligently designed than previous studies show, (ii) the potential improvements consist of a large number of combinations of process integration options wich partly depends on specific local conditions, (iii) the environmental performance of individual systems may vary significantly due to systems design and local conditons.From the case study on gasification of solid biomass for the production of biomethane we find that one of the main advantages of this technology is its high efficiency in respect to converting biomass into fuels for transport. For future research we see a need for improvements within the gas up-grading section, including gas cleaning and gas conditioning, to obtain a more efficient process. A major challenge is to remove the tar before the methanation reaction. Three important results from the biomethane study are: (i) it is important not to crack the methane already produced in the syngas, which indicates a need for improved catalysts for selective tar cracking, (ii) there is a need for new gas separation techniques to facilitate the use of air oxidation agent instead of oxygen in the gasifier, and (iii) there is a need for testing the integrated process under realistic conditions, both at atmospheric and pressurized conditions. From the case study on black liquor gasification for the production of DME we find that the process has many advantages compared to other biofuel production options, such as the fact that black liquor is already partially processed and exists in a pumpable, liquid form, and that the process is pressurised and tightly integrated with the pulp mill, which enhances fuel production efficiency. However, to achieve commercial status, some challenges still remain, such as demonstrating that materials and plant equipment meet the high availability required when scaling up to industrial size in the pulp mill, and also proving that the plant can operate according to calculated heat and material balances. Three important results from the DME study are: (i) that modern chemical pulp mills, having a potential surplus of energy, could become important suppliers of renewable fuels for transport, (ii) there is a need to demonstrate that renewable DME/methanol will be proven to function in large scale, and (iii) there is still potential for technology improvements and enhanced energy integration. Although quantitative improvement potentials are given in the three biofuel production cases, it is not obvious how these potentials would affect WTT values, since the biofuel production processes are complex and changing one parameter impacts other parameters. The improvement potentials are therefore discussed qualitatively. From the entire study we have come to agree on the following common conclusions: (i) research and development in Sweden within the three studied 2G biofuel production technologies is extensive, (ii) in general, the processes, within the three cases, work well at pilot and demonstration scale and are now in a phase to be proven in large scale, (iii) there is still room for improvement although some processes have been known for decades, (iv) the biofuel production processes are complex and site specific and process improvements need to be seen and judged from a broad systems perspective (both within the production plant as well as in the entire well-to-tank perspective), and (v) the three studied biofuel production systems are complementary technologies. Futher, the process of conducting this study is worth mentioning as a result itself, i.e. that many different actors within the field have proven their ability and willingness to contribute to a common report, and that the cooperation climate was very positive and bodes well for possible future collaboration within the framework of the f3 center. Finally, judging from the political ambitions it is clear that the demand for renewable fuels will significantly increase during the coming decade. This will most likely result in opportunities for a range of biofuel options. The studied biofuel options all represent 2G biofuels and they can all be part of the solution to meet the increased renewable fuel demand.
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6. |
- Alvors, Per, et al.
(author)
-
Research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors – three illustrative examples : Improvement potential discussed in the context of Well-to-Tank analyses
- 2010
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Currently biofuels have strong political support, both in the EU and Sweden. The EU has, for example, set a target for the use of renewable fuels in the transportation sector stating that all EU member states should use 10% renewable fuels for transport by 2020. Fulfilling this ambition will lead to an enormous market for biofuels during the coming decade. To avoid increasing production of biofuels based on agriculture crops that require considerable use of arable area, focus is now to move towards more advanced second generation (2G) biofuels that can be produced from biomass feedstocks associated with a more efficient land use.Climate benefits and greenhouse gas (GHG) balances are aspects often discussed in conjunction with sustainability and biofuels. The total GHG emissions associated with production and usage of biofuels depend on the entire fuel production chain, mainly the agriculture or forestry feedstock systems and the manufacturing process. To compare different biofuel production pathways it is essential to conduct an environmental assessment using the well-to-tank (WTT) analysis methodology.In Sweden the conditions for biomass production are favourable and we have promising second generation biofuels technologies that are currently in the demonstration phase. In this study we have chosen to focus on cellulose based ethanol, methane from gasification of solid wood as well as DME from gasification of black liquor, with the purpose of identifying research and development potentials that may result in improvements in the WTT emission values. The main objective of this study is thus to identify research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors based on literature studies as well as discussions with the the researchers themselves. We have also discussed improvement potentials for the agriculture and forestry part of the WTT chain. The aim of this study is to, in the context of WTT analyses, (i) increase knowledge about the complexity of biofuel production, (ii) identify and discuss improvement potentials, regarding energy efficiency and GHG emissions, for three biofuel production cases, as well as (iii) identify and discuss improvement potentials regarding biomass supply, including agriculture/forestry. The scope of the study is limited to discussing the technologies, system aspects and climate impacts associated with the production stage. Aspects such as the influence on biodiversity and other environmental and social parameters fall beyond the scope of this study.We find that improvement potentials for emissions reductions within the agriculture/forestry part of the WTT chain include changing the use of diesel to low-CO2-emitting fuels, changing to more fuel-efficient tractors, more efficient cultivation and manufacture of fertilizers (commercial nitrogen fertilizer can be produced in plants which have nitrous oxide gas cleaning) as well as improved fertilization strategies (more precise nitrogen application during the cropping season). Furthermore, the cultivation of annual feedstock crops could be avoided on land rich in carbon, such as peat soils and new agriculture systems could be introduced that lower the demand for ploughing and harrowing. Other options for improving the WTT emission values includes introducing new types of crops, such as wheat with higher content of starch or willow with a higher content of cellulose.From the case study on lignocellulosic ethanol we find that 2G ethanol, with co-production of biogas, electricity, heat and/or wood pellet, has a promising role to play in the development of sustainable biofuel production systems. Depending on available raw materials, heat sinks, demand for biogas as vehicle fuel and existing 1G ethanol plants suitable for integration, 2G ethanol production systems may be designed differently to optimize the economic conditions and maximize profitability. However, the complexity connected to the development of the most optimal production systems require improved knowledge and involvement of several actors from different competence areas, such as chemical and biochemical engineering, process design and integration and energy and environmental systems analysis, which may be a potential barrier.Three important results from the lignocellulosic ethanol study are: (i) the production systems could be far more complex and intelligently designed than previous studies show, (ii) the potential improvements consist of a large number of combinations of process integration options wich partly depends on specific local conditions, (iii) the environmental performance of individual systems may vary significantly due to systems design and local conditons.From the case study on gasification of solid biomass for the production of biomethane we find that one of the main advantages of this technology is its high efficiency in respect to converting biomass into fuels for transport. For future research we see a need for improvements within the gas up-grading section, including gas cleaning and gas conditioning, to obtain a more efficient process. A major challenge is to remove the tar before the methanation reaction.Three important results from the biomethane study are: (i) it is important not to crack the methane already produced in the syngas, which indicates a need for improved catalysts for selective tar cracking, (ii) there is a need for new gas separation techniques to facilitate the use of air oxidation agent instead of oxygen in the gasifier, and (iii) there is a need for testing the integrated process under realistic conditions, both at atmospheric and pressurized conditions.From the case study on black liquor gasification for the production of DME we find that the process has many advantages compared to other biofuel production options, such as the fact that black liquor is already partially processed and exists in a pumpable, liquid form, and that the process is pressurised and tightly integrated with the pulp mill, which enhances fuel production efficiency. However, to achieve commercial status, some challenges still remain, such as demonstrating that materials and plant equipment meet the high availability required when scaling up to industrial size in the pulp mill, and also proving that the plant can operate according to calculated heat and material balances. Three important results from the DME study are: (i) that modern chemical pulp mills, having a potential surplus of energy, could become important suppliers of renewable fuels for transport, (ii) there is a need to demonstrate that renewable DME/methanol will be proven to function in large scale, and (iii) there is still potential for technology improvements and enhanced energy integration.Although quantitative improvement potentials are given in the three biofuel production cases, it is not obvious how these potentials would affect WTT values, since the biofuel production processes are complex and changing one parameter impacts other parameters. The improvement potentials are therefore discussed qualitatively. From the entire study we have come to agree on the following common conclusions: (i) research and development in Sweden within the three studied 2G biofuel production technologies is extensive, (ii) in general, the processes, within the three cases, work well at pilot and demonstration scale and are now in a phase to be proven in large scale, (iii) there is still room for improvement although some processes have been known for decades, (iv) the biofuel production processes are complex and site specific and process improvements need to be seen and judged from a broad systems perspective (both within the production plant as well as in the entire well-to-tank perspective), and (v) the three studied biofuel production systems are complementary technologies. Futher, the process of conducting this study is worth mentioning as a result itself, i.e. that many different actors within the field have proven their ability and willingness to contribute to a common report, and that the cooperation climate was very positive and bodes well for possible future collaboration within the framework of the f3 center.Finally, judging from the political ambitions it is clear that the demand for renewable fuels will significantly increase during the coming decade. This will most likely result in opportunities for a range of biofuel options. The studied biofuel options all represent 2G biofuels and they can all be part of the solution to meet the increased renewable fuel demand.
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7. |
- Askelöf, U., et al.
(author)
-
Wait a minute? : An observational cohort study comparing iron stores in healthy Swedish infants at 4 months of age after 10-, 60- and 180-second umbilical cord clamping
- 2017
-
In: BMJ Open. - : BMJ Publishing Group. - 2044-6055. ; 7:12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and objective: Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a valuable stem cell source used for transplantation. Immediate umbilical cord (UC) clamping is widely practised, but delayed UC clamping is increasingly advocated to reduce possible infant anaemia. The aim of this study was to investigate an intermediate UC clamping time point and to evaluate iron status at the age of 4 months in infants who had the UC clamped after 60 s and compare the results with immediate and late UC clamping. Design: Prospective observational study with two historical controls. Setting: A university hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, and a county hospital in Halland, Sweden. Methods: Iron status was assessed at 4 months in 200 prospectively recruited term infants whose UC was clamped 60 s after birth. The newborn baby was held below the uterine level for the first 30 s before placing the infant on the mother's abdomen for additional 30 s. The results were compared with data from a previously conducted randomised controlled trial including infants subjected to UC clamping at ≤10 s (n=200) or ≥180 s (n=200) after delivery. Results: After adjustment for age differences at the time of follow-up, serum ferritin concentrations were 77, 103 and 114 μg/L in the 10, 60 and 180 s groups, respectively. The adjusted ferritin concentration was significantly higher in the 60 s group compared with the 10 s group (P=0.002), while the difference between the 60 and 180 s groups was not significant (P=0.29). Conclusion: In this study of healthy term infants, 60 s UC clamping with 30 s lowering of the baby below the uterine level resulted in higher serum ferritin concentrations at 4 months compared with 10 s UC clamping. The results suggest that delaying the UC clamping for 60 s reduces the risk for iron deficiency. © 2017 Article author(s).
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8. |
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9. |
- Biel, Lena, et al.
(author)
-
ECG analysis : a new approach in human identification
- 2001
-
Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In this paper a new approach in human identification is investigated, For this purpose, a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) recorded during rest is used. Selected features extracted from the ECG are used to identify a person in a predetermined group. Multivariate analysis is used for the identification task. Experiments show that it is possible to identify a person by features extracted from one lead only. Hence, only three electrodes have to be attached on the person to be identified. This makes the method applicable without too much effort.
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10. |
- Billmayer, Jakob, 1983-, et al.
(author)
-
Remote teaching to ensure equal access to education in rural schools
- 2020
-
In: Education in the North. - Aberdeen : School of Education at the University of Aberdeen. - 0424-5512 .- 2398-0184. ; 27:2, s. 1-6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An impending challenge in today’s school is to ensure that all students have access to an equal education, which should in turn improve social and economic conditions for both individual and society (Lundahl, 2016). The equality aspect is especially accentuated in rural areas which, unlike metropolitan regions, often have significant difficulties related to long distances between schools, lack of qualified teachers and problems filling the classroom due to diminishing birthrates. This in turn restricts students' right to an equal education in rural areas (cf. Pettersson, 2017).At the same time, digitalization of society is one of the fundamental challenges for the future. The development and broad availability of digital technologies has created new unique opportunities, and pitfalls, for rethinking and reinventing students’ equal access to learning, education and collaboration in the digital age (Collins and Halverson, 2009). Distance and remote teaching are such examples used to ensure equal access to education, not least in rural areas (cf. Hilli, 2020; Pettersson and Olofsson, 2019). Using digital technologies for remote teaching have thereby also, to some extent, changed the way that schools operate and the ways that teaching is being conducted (cf. From, Pettersson and Pettersson, 2020). However, research, networks and collaborations within this area can be said to be scarce not only at a Nordic, but also at an international level (Barbour, 2013; Toppin and Toppin, 2016).Based on the lack of research, networks and collaboration for developing remote teaching as a practice, the significance of a symposium was identified. In May 2020, the international research symposium Remote teaching to ensure equal access to education in rural schools was held at Umeå University in Sweden. At the symposium different strategies to systematically and proactively increase access to education at upper secondary school level using digital technologies were discussed. One basic assumption that emerged during the discussions was that the existence of, and access to, new information technologies is necessary but not sufficient. In the discussions it became obvious that it will be of complementary importance who is empowered to design, create, invent and choose to use the technologies that enhance their personal and professional lives.The symposium resulted in an open call for a special issue of Education in the North, which resulted in a huge interest not only from the Nordic countries but from researchers all over the world. As can be seen in this special issue, research from Australia, Azerbaijan, Finland, Iceland, Scotland, and Sweden with different focuses on aspects of equal access to education in schools are represented. The great promise of this special issue lies in its potential to provide research of interest to a wide audience, including researchers, practitioners and policymakers in both Nordic and international contexts.
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11. |
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12. |
- Bondesson, Susanne, et al.
(author)
-
Effects on blood pressure in patients with refractory angina pectoris after enhanced external counterpulsation
- 2010
-
In: Blood Pressure. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0803-7051 .- 1651-1999. ; 19:5, s. 287-294
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective. Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is a non-invasive technique that has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of angina pectoris. Little is known how EECP affects the blood pressure. Methods. 153 patients with refractory angina were treated with either EECP or retained on their pharmacological treatment (reference group). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate were measured pre- and post-treatment and at 12 months follow-up. Results. EECP treatment altered the blood pressure in patients with refractory angina pectoris. A decrease in the blood pressure was more common in the EECP group compared with the reference group. In the reference group, an increase in the blood pressure was more common. A correlation between a decrease in blood pressure after EECP treatment and a higher baseline MAP, SBP and DBP was seen. No such correlation was seen in the reference group. The blood pressure response did not persist at 12 months follow-up. Conclusion. EECP treatment affects the blood pressure in patients with refractory angina pectoris. The decreased blood pressure may be a result of an improved exercise capacity, an improved endothelial function and vasoreactivity in general.
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13. |
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14. |
- Brynildsrud, Ola B., et al.
(author)
-
Global expansion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage 4 shaped by colonial migration and local adaptation
- 2018
-
In: Science Advances. - : AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE. - 2375-2548. ; 4:10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- On the basis of population genomic and phylogeographic analyses of 1669 Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage 4 (L4) genomes, we find that dispersal of L4 has been completely dominated by historical migrations out of Europe. We demonstrate an intimate temporal relationship between European colonial expansion into Africa and the Americas and the spread of L4 tuberculosis (TB). Markedly, in the age of antibiotics, mutations conferring antimicrobial resistance overwhelmingly emerged locally (at the level of nations), with minimal cross-border transmission of resistance. The latter finding was found to reflect the relatively recent emergence of these mutations, as a similar degree of local restriction was observed for susceptible variants emerging on comparable time scales. The restricted international transmission of drug-resistant TB suggests that containment efforts at the level of individual countries could be successful.
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15. |
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16. |
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17. |
- Chen, Junfeng, et al.
(author)
-
Functional differences between TSHR alleles associate with variation in spawning season in Atlantic herring
- 2021
-
In: Communications Biology. - : Springer Nature. - 2399-3642. ; 4:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The underlying molecular mechanisms that determine long day versus short day breeders remain unknown in any organism. Atlantic herring provides a unique opportunity to examine the molecular mechanisms involved in reproduction timing, because both spring and autumn spawners exist within the same species. Although our previous whole genome comparisons revealed a strong association of TSHR alleles with spawning seasons, the functional consequences of these variants remain unknown. Here we examined the functional significance of six candidate TSHR mutations strongly associated with herring reproductive seasonality. We show that the L471M missense mutation in the spring-allele causes enhanced cAMP signaling. The best candidate non-coding mutation is a 5.2kb retrotransposon insertion upstream of the TSHR transcription start site, near an open chromatin region, which is likely to affect TSHR expression. The insertion occurred prior to the split between Pacific and Atlantic herring and was lost in the autumn-allele. Our study shows that strongly associated coding and non-coding variants at the TSHR locus may both contribute to the regulation of seasonal reproduction in herring. Junfeng Chen et al. examine potential functional consequences of reproduction timing-associated TSHR alleles segregating in Atlantic herring. By comparing fish that spawn during the spring to those that spawn in the autumn, they find that the spring-allele is correlated with enhanced cAMP signaling and that both coding and non-coding variants in the TSHR locus contribute to seasonal reproduction.
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18. |
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19. |
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20. |
-
En båge genom tiden - ritualer kring en göteborgshistoria. Om Flickläroverket i Artisten
- 2024
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Editorial collection (other academic/artistic)abstract
- 1929 bildades Göteborgs första Högre allmänna läroverk för Flickor – Flickläroverket som fick en byggnad 1935 i det kulturella centrumet, Götaplatsen. Efter några år som Kjellbergska gymnasiet, sedan Komvux, blev byggnaden del av Artisten, Högskolan för scen och musik, HSM 1992. Byggnaden har burit kvinnors utbildning, konst och kultur över många generationer, en minneskedja som nu är bruten. Boken - En båge genom tiden – ritualer kring en göteborgshistoria – en konst- och forskningsantologi – är resultatet av de offentliga minnesdagar där de deltagande drygt 200 kvinnorna (70– 97 år) som varit elever på Flickläroverket, studenter vid Artisten, konstnärer och forskare – bidrog till och deltog i gestaltande ritualer, minnesrum, dans, utställningar och samtal som gav liv åt en utbildningskultur och konst som berört samhället i generationer. I boken bidrar ett 20-tal Göteborgsbaserade konstnärer och forskare med olika perspektiv på byggnadens poetiska, sociala och konstnärliga dimensioner. Bland annat beskrivs återskapandet av Bågdansen, som dansades varje år vid Lucia mellan 1934-1972. Här beskrivs även den medie-debatt som ledde till räddningen av målningen Dansen av Nils Nilsson från 1935 och hur nedtagningen gick till. Tillsammans med ett rikt foto- och bildmaterial, filmdokumentationer och ett ljudarkiv utgör boken ett tidsdokument där konst fungerar som minnesbärare över tid och rum.
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21. |
- Engström, Jonas, et al.
(author)
-
Modulärt batteribytessystem för arbetsmaskiner – slutrapport
- 2024
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Modular battery swap system for work machinesThe project has developed and demonstrated how a modular battery swap system can be used in electric work machines in various industries. The purpose of the project was to demonstrate innovative technology where battery swap technology enables battery-powered machines in agriculture and forestry. The project has completed the following:1. Designed and built a modular battery pack for work machines2. Designed and built an automatic battery swap station3. Completed a prototype for an autonomous electric agricultural machine4. Electrically converted a machine for forestryWe have succeeded in creating a working battery swap concept. The concept has been shown at several different demo events. The project has received a lot of positive publicity in the media. The project creates opportunities to run work machines in agriculture and forestry without the batteries needing to be unnecessarily large, heavy and expensive to carry with the machine in the field.Building electrified work machines is not a big deal. What is new in this project is that we demonstrate a battery replacement system for work machines - that works in real life!The project group has worked hard together for two years and achieved brilliant results that we are very pleased with. As expected, it took some time to agree on a concept for the common component battery pack, but once it was set, work took off.In the project, we have built seven battery packs, two electric work machines and a battery swap station including electrical system, control system and other adaptations. This would not have been possible without a dedicated and very talented project group!
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22. |
- Gustafsson, Johanna, et al.
(author)
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Predictors of the first cardiovascular event in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus : a prospective cohort study
- 2009
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In: Arthritis Research & Therapy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1478-6362 .- 1478-6354. ; 11:6, s. R186-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- INTRODUCTION :Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of premature mortality among Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Many studies have measured and evaluated risk factors for premature subclinical atherosclerosis, but few studies are prospective and few have evaluated risk factors for hard endpoints, i.e. clinically important cardiovascular events (CVE). We investigated the impact of traditional and lupus associated risk factors for the first ever CVE in a longitudinal cohort of SLE patients.METHODS : A total of 182 SLE patients (mean age 43.9 years) selected to be free of CVE were included. Cardiovascular and autoimmune biomarkers were measured on samples collected after overnight fasting at baseline. Clinical information was collected at baseline and at follow up. End point was the first ever CVE (ischemic heart, cerebrovascular or peripheral vascular disease or death due to CVD). Impact of baseline characteristics/biomarkers on the risk of having a first CVE was evaluated with Cox regression.RESULTS :Follow up was 99.5% after a mean time of 8.3 years. Twenty-four patients (13%) had a first CVE. In age-adjusted Cox regression, any positive antiphospholipid antibody (aPL), elevated markers of endothelial activation (von Willebrand factor (vWf), soluble vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1)) and fibrinogen predicted CVEs. Of SLE manifestations, arthritis, pleuritis and previous venous occlusion were positively associated with future CVEs while thrombocytopenia was negatively associated. Among traditional risk factors only age and smoking were significant predictors. In a multivariable Cox regression model age, any positive aPL, vWf and absence of thrombocytopenia were all predictors of the first CVE.CONCLUSIONS : In addition to age, positive aPL, biomarkers indicating increased endothelial cell activity/damage, and absence of thrombocytopenia were independent predictors of CVEs in this prospective study. Our results indicate that activation of the endothelium and the coagulation system are important features in SLE related CVD. Furthermore, we observed that the risk of CVEs seems to differ between subgroups of SLE patients.
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23. |
- Göransson, Ola, et al.
(author)
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Personals attitudes towards robot assisted health care - a pilot study in 111 respondents.
- 2008
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In: Studies in health technology and informatics. - 0926-9630. ; 137, s. 56-60
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The aim of this survey was to examine health care professional's attitudes towards technology involving support from artificial intelligence (AI), robots and humanoids. Within 10-15 years, every third student has to choose occupation within the health care sector to obtain the current personal level, due to the aging population and retirement within the health service sector. MATERIAL & METHODS: The preliminary investigation interviews presented a wide range of activities. These were nursing tasks, service tasks, monitoring/alarms, telemedicine and social communication. First, a five minutes presentation movie was presented. The movie demonstrated expected personal needs in the future and what robots and AI can do today and tomorrow. After this presentation, the 111 respondents, from different representative care institutions, replied on a questionnaire that dealt with selected areas identified above. The questions included different views of robots as supported aids in healthcare. RESULTS & DISCUSSION: The respondents were overall negative using AI and robot technology related to caring activities. However, all groups were positive in using robots in service tasks, monitoring/alarms, telemedicine communication. Of 29 assertions, 18 were mostly positive and 13 of them were over 70 % positive. The frequency of positive and negative attitudes, were similar in the central areas. Within the caring area, a positive robot assisted task requires an interaction (collaboration): caregiver-robot-individual and subsequently, within the nursing area; robot assisted tasks must involve a certain degree of human caring.
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25. |
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26. |
- HOFFSTEN, PER-OLA, et al.
(author)
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Vedlevande skalbaggar vid övre Tälningsån i Hälsingland
- 2001
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Här redovisas 403 skalbaggsarter påträffade i Övre Tälningsområdet i Hälsingland under sommare 2000, varav 208 är vedlevande och 17 arter rödlistade i Sverige.En jämförelsevis hög artrikedom som torde ha flera olika förklaringsgrunder.Det drygt 1000 hektar stora området har en stor habitatheterogenitet i form av tall-,gran- och löv-dominerande skogsbestånd,samt ett varierat landskap med både större vattendrag (Tälningsån),sjöar,myrar och olika former av sump- samt fastmarksskogar.Dessutom uppvisar övre Tälningsåområdet värdekärnor som exempelvis gammal tallskog och brandfält.Tillsammans med resultat från inventeringar av gaddsteklar och akvatiska insekter,påvisar artrikedomen av vedlevande insekter att övre Tälningsåområdet hyser höga naturvärden.
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27. |
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28. |
- Jönsen, Andreas, et al.
(author)
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Direct and indirect costs for systemic lupus erythematosus in Sweden. A nationwide health economic study based on five defined cohorts
- 2016
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In: Seminars in Arthritis & Rheumatism. - : Elsevier BV. - 0049-0172 .- 1532-866X. ; 45:6, s. 684-690
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: The main objectives of this study were to calculate total costs of illness and cost -driving disease features among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Sweden. Methods: Five cohorts of well-defined SLE patients, located in different parts of the country were merged. Incident and prevalent cases from 2003 through 2010 were included. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria was used. From the local cohorts, data on demographics, disease activity (SLEDAI 2K), and organ damage (SDI) were collected. Costs for inpatient care, specialist outpatient care and drugs were retrieved from national registries at the National Board of Health and Welfare. Indirect costs were calculated based on sickness leave and disability pensions from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. Results: In total, 1029 SLE patients, 88% females, were included, and approximately 75% were below 65 years at the end of follow-up, and thus in working age. The mean number of annual specialist physician visits varied from six to seven; mean annual inpatient days were 3.1-3.6, and mean annual sick leave was 123-148 days, all per patient. The total annual cost was 208,555 SEK ($33,369 = 22,941(sic)), of which direct cost was 63,672kr ($10,188 = 7004(sic)) and the indirect cost was 144,883 SEK ($23,181 = 15,937(sic)), all per patient. The costs for patients with short disease duration were higher. Higher disease activity as measured by a SLEDAI 2K score > 3 was associated with approximately 50% increase in both indirect and direct costs. Damage in the neuropsychiatric and musculoskeletal domains were also linked to higher direct and indirect costs, while organ damage in the renal and ocular systems increased direct costs. Conclusion: Based on this study and an estimate of slightly more than 6000 SLE patients in Sweden, the total annual cost for SLE in the country is estimated at $188 million (= 129.5 million (sic)). Both direct (30%) and indirect costs (70%) are substantial. Medication accounts for less than 10% of the total cost. The tax paid national systems for health care and social security in Sweden ensure equal access to health care, sick leave reimbursements, and disability pensions nationwide. Our extrapolated annual costs for SLE in Sweden are therefore the best supported estimations thus far, and they clearly underline the importance of improved management, especially to reduce the indirect costs. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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29. |
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30. |
- Lai, Enyin, et al.
(author)
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Blood lipids affect rat islet blood flow regulation through beta(3)-adrenoceptors
- 2014
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In: American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism. - : American Physiological Society. - 0193-1849 .- 1522-1555. ; 307:8, s. E653-E663
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Pancreatic islet blood perfusion varies according to the needs for insulin secretion. We examined the effects of blood lipids on pancreatic islet blood flow in anesthetized rats. Acute administration of Intralipid to anesthetized rats increased both triglycerides and free fatty acids, associated with a simultaneous increase in total pancreatic and islet blood flow. A preceding abdominal vagotomy markedly potentiated this and led acutely to a 10-fold increase in islet blood flow associated with a similar increase in serum insulin concentrations. The islet blood flow and serum insulin response could be largely prevented by pretreatment with propranolol and the selective beta(3)-adrenergic inhibitor SR-59230A. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester prevented the blood flow increase but was less effective in reducing serum insulin. Increased islet blood flow after Intralipid administration was also seen in islet and whole pancreas transplanted rats, i.e., models with different degrees of chronic islet denervation, but the effect was not as pronounced. In isolated vascularly perfused single islets Intralipid dilated islet arterioles, but this was not affected by SR-59230A. Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system are important for the coordination of islet blood flow and insulin release during hyperlipidemia, with a previously unknown role for beta(3)-adrenoceptors.
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31. |
- Larsson, Mats-Ola, et al.
(author)
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Miljömål i transportplaneringen : Hur miljömål hanteras på nationell, regional och lokal nivå vid planering av infrastruktur
- 2020
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Projektet Stafetten har studerat miljömål på nationell, regional och lokal nivå, deras roll för transportplaneringen, och vad som kan göras för att målen ska få större genomslag. De senaste två omgångarna av nationell transportplan studerades med hjälp av litteraturstudier och intervjuer. Fallstudier gjordes av regional transportplanering och kommunal samhällsplanering på motsvarande sätt. Detta material har också bearbetats med diskursanalyser. Miljömålen som studerades på nationell nivå är hänsynsmålet miljö i de transportpolitiska målen med klimat- och miljökvalitetsmål. På regional och lokal nivå var utgångspunkten de mål som beslutats regionalt och lokalt, samt i viss mån hur dessa mål förhåller sig till nationella miljömål.Studiens resultat kan användas som underlag av tjänstepersoner som arbetar med transportplanering och miljömålsarbete och av politiker som sätter upp mål för miljöarbete och transportplanering på olika nivåer. Studien visar att miljömålen lyfts fram mer idag jämfört med tidigare planeringsomgång, och att de har större påverkan på transportplaneringen. Men fortfarande har miljömålen ett begränsat genomslag. Det beror bland annat på att miljömålen anses otydliga eller stå i konflikt med andra mål, som till exempel regional utveckling eller kommunal bostadsförsörjning. Under transportplaneringens gång ses miljömål som ett bland många andra intressen som ska vägas samman, och får därmed en mer begränsad betydelse. En annan anledning till miljömålens begränsade inverkan på transportplaneringen är att gamla objekt som beslutats i tidigare planer tillåts ligga kvar även om de försvårar möjligheterna att nå de nuvarande miljömålen. Ett vanligt synsätt är också att enskilda investeringar i infrastruktur inte anses spela någon större roll för möjligheten att nå miljömålen.I projektet har vi utgått ifrån analogin med en stafett. Stafettpinnen, som representerar miljömålen, lämnas över från den nationella nivån till regional nivå och kommunal nivå. Projektresultaten visar dock att man kan ifrågasätta den utgångspunkten, då stafett-analogin förutsätter att pinnen som överlämnas är tydlig, greppbar och ser likadan ut för alla involverade. Detta har visat sig inte vara fallet. Resultatet pekar snarare på att en orienteringstävling utan karta skulle kunna vara en bättre analogi för målöverföringen. Vi känner till kompassriktningen, men vet inte riktigt var målet finns, eller vilken väg vi ska ta oss till målet och vilka kontroller vi måste passera. Trots detta måste vi klara av att ta oss i mål inom en begränsad tid. Det är helt klart en lagtävling som kräver samverkan, men det är inte tydligt uttalat vem som ansvarar för de olika delsträckorna.I denna rapport presenteras resultatet från projektet. I rapporten rekommenderas också ett antal åtgärder som skulle kunna bidra till att transportplaneringen tydligare bidrar till att nå miljömålen. För att bidra till en bättre målöverföring behöver regeringen förtydliga uppdraget till Trafikverket om vad som krävs för att ta fram beslutsunderlag och planförslag som tydligt bidrar till att nå målen om klimatomställning och miljöanpassning. Regeringen behöver förtydliga för Trafikverket hur olika miljömål ska tolkas och prioriteras. På motsvarande sätt behöver politiska församlingar på lokal och regional nivå förtydliga hur deras miljömål ska tolkas, uppfyllas och följas upp.Regeringen bör utfärda direktiv om att Trafikverket i större utsträckning än idag ska tillåtas finansiera och aktivt hantera även åtgärder som påverkar efterfrågan på transporter, så kallade steg 1- och steg 2-åtgärder inom sin ordinarie verksamhet. Regeringen bör också överväga om det vore lämpligt att avsätta en del av infrastrukturbudgeten specifikt till sådana åtgärder, samt förstärka budgeten till stadsmiljöavtal.Trafikverket bör i sin planering tydligare ta utgångspunkt i klimatmålet för transportsektorn och aktivt styra investeringar mot åtgärder som bidrar till en omställning av transportsystemet på både kort och lång sikt. Regeringen bör ge Trafikverket i uppdrag att som komplement till dagens basprognoser utveckla målorienterade prognoser, där man utgår från att transportplaneringen styrs mot ett mer transporteffektivt samhälle. Det behövs också en gemensam målbild för vad omställningen av transportsystemet innebär rent konkret i förändrade prioriteringar, så det blir tydligt för relevanta aktörer som är involverade i planeringen av transportsystemet vad som förväntas av dem.
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32. |
- Larsson, Mats-Ola, et al.
(author)
-
Miljömål i transportplaneringen - Hur miljömål hanteras på nationell, regional och lokal nivå vid planering av infrastruktur
- 2020
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Rapporten presenterar resultaten av forskningsprojektet ”Stafetten – från nationella klimat- och miljömål till lokal infrastrukturplanering”. Syftet har varit att undersöka miljömålens roll för transportplaneringen på nationell, regional och lokal nivå, samt att föreslå hur miljömålen kan få större genomslag. Projektets resultat kan användas som underlag av tjänstepersoner som arbetar med transportplanering och miljömålsarbete samt av politiker som sätter upp mål för miljöarbete och transportplanering på olika nivåer.
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33. |
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34. |
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35. |
- Lidenmark, Cecilia, 1976-, et al.
(author)
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The adhesive behavior of extracted latex polymers towards silicon oxide and cellulose
- 2013
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In: International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives. - : Elsevier. - 0143-7496 .- 1879-0127. ; 44, s. 250-258
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The objective with this work is to compare the adhesive behavior for latex polymers of different glass transition temperatures (T-g) at different length scales and with different contact times. This is accomplished by two techniques: AFM colloidal probe force measurements and JKR-measurements. The aim is to compare the results from these two techniques and relate them to the interaction of the latex polymers towards oxidized silicon wafers and silica/cellulose probes. Theory suggests that altering the short timeframes used in the colloidal probe technique does not affect the ranking of the adhesion for the different polymers, but for the macroscopic JKR-technique it influences the measured work of adhesion. It is therefore important to let the system reach a steady state before assuming complete spreading and adhesion. AFM and JKR measurements showed the same trends where the polymer with lowest content of styrene has the lowest T-g and the highest adhesion, due to the larger polymer chain mobility.
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36. |
- Lindbäck, Katrin, et al.
(author)
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Subglacial topography, ice thickness, and bathymetry of Kongsfjorden, northwestern Svalbard
- 2018
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In: Earth System Science Data. - : COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH. - 1866-3508 .- 1866-3516. ; 10:4, s. 1769-1781
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Svalbard tidewater glaciers are retreating, which will affect fjord circulation and ecosystems when glacier fronts become land-terminating. Knowledge of the subglacial topography and bathymetry under retreating glaciers is important to modelling future scenarios of fjord circulation and glacier dynamics. We present high-resolution (150m gridded) digital elevation models of subglacial topography, ice thickness, and ice surface elevation of five tidewater glaciers in Kongsfjorden (1100 km(2)), northwestern Spitsbergen, based on similar to 1700 km airborne and ground-based ice-penetrating radar profiles. The digital elevation models (DEMs) cover the tidewater glaciers Blomstrandbreen, Conwaybreen, Kongsbreen, Kronebreen, and Kongsvegen and are merged with bathymetric and land DEMs for the non-glaciated areas. The large-scale subglacial topography of the study area is characterized by a series of troughs and highs. The minimum subglacial elevation is 180m above sea level (a.s.l.), the maximum subglacial elevation is 1400m a.s.l., and the maximum ice thickness is 740m. Three of the glaciers, Kongsbreen, Kronebreen, and Kongsvegen, have the potential to retreat by similar to 10 km before they become land-terminating. The compiled data set covers one of the most studied regions in Svalbard and is valuable for future studies of glacier dynamics, geology, hydrology, and fjord circulation.
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37. |
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38. |
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39. |
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40. |
- Molinder, Jakob, 1989-, et al.
(author)
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Arbetskostnadsandelens utveckling i Sverige
- 2013
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In: Ekonomisk Debatt. - 0345-2646. ; :7, s. 18-28
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- I artikeln diskuteras arbetskostnadsandelens utveckling i det privata näringslivet i Sverige under perioden 1950 till 2007. Vi drar tre huvudsakliga slutsatser: i) arbetskostnadsandelen har sjunkit markant sedan 1970-talet, ii) huruvida andelen kan anses ha fortsatt att falla sedan 1980-talet beror på om avskrivningar beaktas eller inte och iii) industrin förklarar huvuddelen av den lägre arbetskostnadsandelen. Det är svårt att säga något bestämt om vilka faktorer som har varit avgörande, men några faktorer framstår som mer troliga. Kapitalintensitetens utveckling förefaller vara den enskilt viktigaste förklaringen. Globaliseringen och lönebildningen kan också ha spelat en roll, men det tidsmässiga förloppet skapar frågetecken på den punkten.
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42. |
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43. |
- Norberg, Malin, 1975-
(author)
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Från design till meningsskapande : En multimodal studie om elevers arbete med matematikläroböcker i årskurs 1
- 2020
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis examines students’ work with mathematics textbooks in Year 1 (students aged 7–8 years) of Swedish elementary school. The aim of this thesis was to contribute knowledge about and an understanding of how students make meaning in their work with mathematics textbooks. Central to the thesis was the textbook’s designed meaning potentials, or the meaning potential needed to solve the exercise as designed, as well as the students’ meaning-making when working with the textbooks. With regard to the students’ meaning-making, interest is directed first, to the students’ specific meaning-making in the work with the textbook and second, to the students’ opportunities to take agency in the work with the textbook. This thesis was delimited to the area of subtraction in both printed and digital mathematics textbooks. The theoretical point of departure for this thesis was a design-oriented multimodal perspective (Selander & Kress, 2010). Interest was directed to the various resources for communication, or modes (e.g. Kress, 2010), in the mathematics textbook, such as images, mathematical symbols, moving images, writing and speech. Two studies were conducted: Study 1, Multimodal textbook analysis and Study 2, Students’ meaning-making. Two analyses were made in Study 1. The first was a descriptive textbook analysis mapping out the modes and subtraction in all Swedish Year 1 textbooks, totaling 17 textbook series, both digital and printed, and approximately 1,700 pages. That analysis was followed by a multimodal qualitative textbook analysis of 2–4 exercises from each textbook series according to its designed meaning potential. Study 2 examined the students’ work with mathematics textbooks. The data that formed the basis for the analysis were textbook pages, the teacher’s guides to the used mathematics textbook series, video material of 18 Year 1students’ work with these pages and representations in the form of studentresponses. The analysis involved a multimodal approach focusing on what mathematical content the exercises were designed to offer and what the stu-dents discovered when working with the mathematics textbook.Two articles were written based on Study 1 (Articles I and II), and two were written based on Study 2 (Articles III and IV). In addition to this, the data from Study 1 and the results from Study 2 were also analyzed using the concept of agency to further deepen the understanding of students’ meaning-making when working with mathematics textbooks. The results showed large differences between mathematics textbooks for Year1 in Sweden, regarding both how different modes are used and how subtraction is presented. The results also showed that the students’ work with mathematics textbooks differed. The students’ meaning-making was sometimes based on the designed meaning potential but sometimes not. Regarding images, the results showed that images could be particularly challenging for the students to interpret and that several students expressed that it was desirable to solve the exercises without using the images. The analysis using the concept of agency showed that exercises in which students could choose their working methods made it possible to take agency and that the students’ possibility for agency is affected by the prevailing notion that successful mathematics students do not use images but base their meaning-making on mathematical symbols. All in all, three conclusions were drawn. First, the mathematics textbook as a teaching resource could be developed, both printed and digital mathematics textbooks. Complexities can be detected more easily through greater awareness of modes as various forms of expression for the textbooks’ mathematics content. Second, the complexity of the students’ individual work with the mathematics textbook was highlighted. The students’ individual work should start from the basis of the exercise’s design, so that the students’ meaning-making can be directed to the designed meaning potentials. Third, for younger students to discover themselves as mathematical individuals, one must question the notions that mathematical symbols are the most important mode for young learners and that images are for those who find mathematics difficult. Based on these conclusions, questions can be raised concerning students’ potential for discovering themselves as mathematical individuals and whether the students’ self-discovery as mathematical individuals would differ if the mathematics textbooks more fully recognized students’ meaning-making using various modes. One question raised in relation to the students’ possibilities to take agency when working with mathematics textbooks concerned what knowledge is recognized in Year 1 mathematics textbooks. The results indicated that mathematical symbols already occupy a special position in Year 1. If modes other than mathematical symbols are more widely recognized as knowledge, then more young students will discover themselves as mathematical individuals.
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44. |
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45. |
- Olsson, Richard, et al.
(author)
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Increased Numbers of Low-Oxygenated Pancreatic Islets After Intraportal Islet Transplantation
- 2011
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In: Diabetes. - : American Diabetes Association. - 0012-1797 .- 1939-327X. ; 60:9, s. 2350-2353
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE-No previous study has measured the oxygenation of intraportally transplanted islets, although recent data suggest that insufficient engraftment may result in hypoxia and loss of islet cells. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-After intraportal infusion into syngeneic mice, islet oxygenation was investigated in 1-day-old, 1-month-old, or 3-month-old grafts and compared with renal subcapsular grafts and native islets. Animals received an intravenous injection of pimonidazole for immunohistochemical detection of low-oxygenated islet cells (pO(2) <10 mmHg), and caspase-3 immunostaining was performed to assess apoptosis rates in adjacent tissue sections. RESULTS-In the native pancreas of nontransplanted animals, similar to 30% of the islets stained positive for pimonidazole. In 1-day-old and 1-month-old grafts, the percentage of pimonidazole-positive islets in the liver was twice that of native islets, whereas this increase was abolished in 3-month-old grafts. Beneath the renal capsule, pimonidazole accumulation was, however, similar to native islets at all time points. Apoptosis rates were markedly increased in 1-day-old intrahepatic grafts compared with corresponding renal islet grafts, which were slightly increased compared with native islets. One month posttransplantation renal subcapsular grafts had similar frequencies of apoptosis as native islets, whereas apoptosis in intraportally implanted islets was still high. In the liver, islet graft vascular density increased between 1 and 3 months posttransplantation, and apoptosis rates simultaneously dropped to values similar to those observed in native islets. CONCLUSIONS-The vascular engraflment of intraportally transplanted islets is markedly delayed compared with renal islet grafts. The prolonged ischemia of intraportally transplanted islets may favor an alternative implantation site.
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46. |
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47. |
- Parsons, Simon, et al.
(author)
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Intention reconsideration in theory and practice
- 2000
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In: Proceedings of the 14th European conference on artificial intelligence. ; , s. 378-382
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Autonomous agents operating in complex dynamic environments need the ability to integrate robust plan execution with higher level reasoning. This paper describes work to combine low level navigation techniques drawn from mobile robotics with deliberation techniques drawn from intelligent agents. In particular, we discuss the combination of a navigation system based on fuzzy logic with a deliberator based on the belief/desire/intention (BDI) model. We discuss some of the subtleties involved in this integration, and illustrate it with an example.
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48. |
- Parsons, Simon, et al.
(author)
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Robots with the best of intentions
- 1999
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In: Artificial intelligence today. - Berlin : Springer. - 3540664289 ; , s. 329-338
-
Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Intelligent mobile robots need the ability to integrate robust navigation facilities with higher level reasoning. This paper is an attempt at combining results and techniques from the areas of robot navigation and of intelligent agency. We propose to integrate an existing navigation system based on fuzzy logic with a deliberator based on the so-called BDI model. We discuss some of the subtleties involved in this integration, and illustrate it on a simulated example. Experiments on a real mobile robot are under way
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49. |
- Persson, G. Rutger, et al.
(author)
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Chronic periodontitis, a significant relationship with acute myocardial infarction.
- 2003
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In: European Heart Journal. - 0195-668X .- 1522-9645. ; 24:23, s. 2108-15
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Chronic periodontitis (CP) has been associated with cardiovascular diseases. The study purposes were to identify the odds of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and CP defined at different thresholds.METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 80 subjects with clinically confirmed AMI and 80 matched control subjects with no evidence of cardiovascular disease all receiving a comprehensive periodontal examination. Statistical analysis demonstrated a difference in the proportion of sites with a periodontal probing depth >/=6.0mm (2.7% for non-AMI and 12.1% for AMI group, 95% CI: -2.8 to 0.01, P<0.05) but no difference in the extent of gingival bleeding was found between groups. The odds ratio of having AMI and periodontitis varied between 9.2:1 to 14.1:1 with the greatest odds ratio if bone loss exceeded 4mm at >/=50% of the teeth (OR: 14.1:1, 95% CI: 5.5 to 28.2, P<0.0001). The odds ratio remained significant also when only non-smokers were considered (51 subjects) (OR: 7.0:1, 95% CI: 2.0 to 24.3, P<0.01).CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that patients who at routine dental visits demonstrate evidence of bone loss around several teeth can predictably be identified as being at risk for future AMI. Such subjects should be referred for medical and periodontal examinations and treatments.
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50. |
- Persson, G. Rutger, et al.
(author)
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Chronic periodontitis, a significant relationship with acute myocardial infarction.
- 2003
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In: European Heart Journal. - : Oxford University Press. - 0195-668X .- 1522-9645. ; 24:23, s. 2108-15
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Chronic periodontitis (CP) has been associated with cardiovascular diseases. The study purposes were to identify the odds of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and CP defined at different thresholds. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 80 subjects with clinically confirmed AMI and 80 matched control subjects with no evidence of cardiovascular disease all receiving a comprehensive periodontal examination. Statistical analysis demonstrated a difference in the proportion of sites with a periodontal probing depth >/=6.0mm (2.7% for non-AMI and 12.1% for AMI group, 95% CI: -2.8 to 0.01, P<0.05) but no difference in the extent of gingival bleeding was found between groups. The odds ratio of having AMI and periodontitis varied between 9.2:1 to 14.1:1 with the greatest odds ratio if bone loss exceeded 4mm at >/=50% of the teeth (OR: 14.1:1, 95% CI: 5.5 to 28.2, P<0.0001). The odds ratio remained significant also when only non-smokers were considered (51 subjects) (OR: 7.0:1, 95% CI: 2.0 to 24.3, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that patients who at routine dental visits demonstrate evidence of bone loss around several teeth can predictably be identified as being at risk for future AMI. Such subjects should be referred for medical and periodontal examinations and treatments.
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