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- Jerlström, Tomas, 1969-, et al.
(author)
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Urinary bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy : Perioperative parameters and early complications prospectively registered in a national population-based database
- 2014
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In: Scandinavian journal of urology. - London : Informa Healthcare. - 2168-1805 .- 2168-1813. ; 48:4, s. 334-340
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Cystectomy combined with pelvic lymph-node dissection and urinary diversion entails high morbidity and mortality. Improvements are needed, and a first step is to collect information on the current situation. In 2011, this group took the initiative to start a population-based database in Sweden (population 9.5 million in 2011) with prospective registration of patients and complications until 90 days after cystectomy. This article reports findings from the first year of registration.Material and methods: Participation was voluntary, and data were reported by local urologists or research nurses. Perioperative parameters and early complications classified according to the modified Clavien system were registered, and selected variables of possible importance for complications were analysed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression.Results: During 2011, 285 (65%) of 435 cystectomies performed in Sweden were registered in the database, the majority reported by the seven academic centres. Median blood loss was 1000 ml, operating time 318 min, and length of hospital stay 15 days. Any complications were registered for 103 patients (36%). Clavien grades 1-2 and 3-5 were noted in 19% and 15%, respectively. Thirty-seven patients (13%) were reoperated on at least once. In logistic regression analysis elevated risk of complications was significantly associated with operating time exceeding 318 min in both univariate and multivariate analysis, and with age 76-89 years only in multivariate analysis.Conclusions: It was feasible to start a national population-based registry of radical cystectomies for bladder cancer. The evaluation of the first year shows an increased risk of complications in patients with longer operating time and higher age. The results agree with some previously published series but should be interpreted with caution considering the relatively low coverage, which is expected to be higher in the future.
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| 2. |
- Krut, Jan Jessen, et al.
(author)
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Biomarker Evidence of Axonal Injury in Neuroasymptomatic HIV-1 Patients
- 2014
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In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Prevalence of neurocognitive impairment in HIV-1 infected patients is reported to be high. Whether this is a result of active HIV-related neurodegeneration is unclear. We examined axonal injury in HIV-1 patients by measuring the light subunit of neurofilament protein (NFL) in CSF with a novel, sensitive method.With a cross-sectional design, CSF concentrations of neurofilament protein light (NFL) (marker of neuronal injury), neopterin (intrathecal immunoactivation) and CSF/Plasma albumin ratio (blood-brain barrier integrity) were analyzed on CSF from 252 HIV-infected patients, subdivided into untreated neuroasymptomatics (n = 200), HIV-associated dementia (HAD) (n = 14) and on combinations antiretroviral treatment (cART) (n = 85), and healthy controls (n = 204). 46 HIV-infected patients were included in both treated and untreated groups, but sampled at different timepoints. Furthermore, 78 neuroasymptomatic patients were analyzed before and after treatment initiation. While HAD patients had the highest NFL concentrations, elevated CSF NFL was also found in 33% of untreated neuroasymptomatic patients, mainly in those with blood CD4+ cell counts below 250 cells/μL. CSF NFL concentrations in the untreated neuroasymptomatics and treated groups were equivalent to controls 18.5 and 3.9 years older, respectively. Neopterin correlated with NFL levels in untreated groups while the albumin ratio correlated with NFL in both untreated and treated groups. Increased CSF NFL indicates ongoing axonal injury in many neuroasymptomatic patients. Treatment decreases NFL, but treated patients retain higher levels than controls, indicating either continued virus-related injury or an aging-like effect of HIV infection. NFL correlates with neopterin and albumin ratio, suggesting an association between axonal injury, neuroinflammation and blood-brain barrier permeability. NFL appears to be a sensitive biomarker of subclinical and clinical brain injury in HIV and warrants further assessment for broader clinical use.
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| 3. |
- Löfgren, Åsa, 1972, et al.
(author)
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The Effect of EU-ETS on Swedish Industry's Investment in Carbon Mitigating Technologies
- 2013
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) is so far the largest emissions trading system in the world. It covers about 12000 installations, representing approximately 45% of EU emissions of CO2, with the objective to establish a carbon price creating incentives for cost efficient reductions of emitted green house gases. In this article we perform an expost analysis where we use detailed firm level data to analyse the effect of the EU ETS on firms’ investment decisions in carbon reducing technologies. In addition we draw on the existing literature and control for firm specific characteristics that has previously been shown to be determinants of firms’ investment in clean technology.
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| 4. |
- Löfgren, Åsa, 1972, et al.
(author)
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Why the EU ETS needs reforming: an empirical analysis of the impact on company investments
- 2014
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In: Climate Policy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1469-3062 .- 1752-7457. ; 14:5, s. 537-558
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is so far the largest emissions trading system in the world. A rigorous ex post empirical analysis of the scheme is presented. The effect of the scheme on firms' investment decisions in carbon-reducing technologies is analysed by using detailed firm-level data from Swedish industry. Based on difference-in-difference estimation as well as a before–after difference estimation, the results reveal that the EU ETS has not had a significant effect on firms’ decisions to invest in carbon-mitigating technologies. However, although the EU ETS appears to have no direct effect on investments, it is too early to dismiss the system. Consideration is given to how the EU ETS can realize its potential to become an effective tool in the EU climate and energy policy portfolio.Policy relevanceA thorough analysis and discussion considers the ability of the EU ETS to create strong incentives for investment in carbon-reducing measures. The empirical results (using detailed firm-level data from Swedish industry) add to earlier findings in the literature showing the limitations of the EU ETS to influence investments and innovation. This is a critical and pressing issue for policy makers. With even modest reforms such as the back-loading of allowances meeting strong resistance from some Member States, the future of the EU ETS is rightly put in question. A key question is whether the EU ETS can and should be reformed in a way so that it can have a real impact on investments, or whether other policy instruments should take an increasing role for long-term transformation of the energy system.
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| 5. |
- Rydberg, Tomas, et al.
(author)
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Biobaserade drivmedel: analys av potential, förutsättningar marknad, styrmedel och risker. möjligheter och risker - projektet BIODRIV. Slutrapport
- 2010
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Projektet BIODRIV är en studie kring förutsättningar, möjligheter, begränsningar och risker på kort och lång sikt för svensk produktion av biodrivmedel med visst fokus på de produktionsförutsättningar som erbjuds genom svenska raffinaderier. Totalt har sex teknikspår för biodrivmedelsframställning identifierats som på sikt, helt eller delvis, kan ersätta dagens fossilt baserade bränslen inom transportsektorn. De sex teknikspåren är: 1) metan via gasnät, 2) decentraliserad pyrolys/förgasning, 3) olika resursbaser till fett, 4) vätgas, 5) metanol/DME, 6) elektricitet. För varje teknikspår har ett antal viktiga aspekter belysts: a) råvarutillgång, b) produktion, användning och distribution, c) aktörer, marknad och styrmedel, d) klimatvärdering och miljökonsekvenser, e) forskning och utveckling. Inledningsvis har vart och ett av teknikspåren studerats utifrån målbilden att leverera 25 TWh drivenergi år 2030. För flertalet av teknikspåren är detta möjligt med inhemsk råvaruförsörjning. Undantaget är fett och olja som råvarubas, där den inhemska försörjningsbasen är i storleksordningen 3-4 TWh. För övriga teknikspår kan 25 TWh helt eller delvis uppnås genom omvandling av skogsråvara till energibärare för fordonsdrift, via biomassaförgasning eller, i el-fallet, förbränning i elproducerande kraft(värme)verk
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