Dengue Fever in Travelers to the Tropics, 1998 and 1999

Dengue fever (DF) has become common in western travelers to the tropics. To improve the basis for travel advice, risk factors and dengue manifestations were assessed in 107 Swedish patients for whom DF was diagnosed after return from travel in 1998 and 1999. Patient data were compared with data on a sample of all Swedish travelers to dengue-endemic countries in the same years. Only three of the patients had received pretravel advice concerning DF from their physicians. Hemorrhagic manifestations were common (21 of 74 patients) but caused no deaths. Risk factors for a DF diagnosis were travel to the Malay Peninsula (odds ratio [OR] 4.95; confidence interval [CI] 2.92 to 8.46), age 15–29 years (OR 3.03; CI 1.87 to 4.92), and travel duration >25 days (OR 8.75; CI 4.79 to 16.06). Pretravel advice should be given to all travelers to DF-endemic areas, but young persons traveling to southern and Southeast Asia for >3 weeks (who constituted 31% of the patients in our study) may be more likely to benefit by adhering to it

The 2000 Tularemia Outbreak: A Case-Control Study of Risk Factors in Disease-Endemic and Emergent Areas, Sweden

A widespread outbreak of tularemia in Sweden in 2000 was investigated in a case-control study in which 270 reported cases of tularemia were compared with 438 controls. The outbreak affected parts of Sweden where tularemia had hitherto been rare, and these “emergent” areas were compared with the disease-endemic areas. Multivariate regression analysis showed mosquito bites to be the main risk factor, with an odds ratio (OR) of 8.8. Other risk factors were owning a cat (OR 2.5) and farm work (OR 3.2). Farming was a risk factor only in the disease-endemic area. Swollen lymph nodes and wound infections were more common in the emergent area, while pneumonia was more common in the disease-endemic area. Mosquito bites appear to be important in transmission of tularemia. The association between cat ownership and disease merits further investigation

Biomarkers and heart failure events in patients with atrial fibrillation in the ARISTOTLE trial evaluated by a multistate model

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) often coexist. We investigated the prognostic impact of biomarkers on the development of HF and death in patients with AF and different left ventricular systolic function considering the influence of competing events. Methods: The study included 11,818 patients with AF from the ARISTOTLE trial who at entry had information on history of HF, an estimate of left ventricular function and plasma samples for determination of biomarkers representing cardiorenal dysfunction (NT-proBNP, troponin T, cystatin C) and inflammation (GDF-15, IL-6, CRP). Patients were categorized into: (I) HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF, n=2,048), (II) HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, n=2,520), and (III) No HF (n=7,250). Biomarker associations with HF hospitalization and death were analyzed using a multi-state model accounting also for repeated events. Results: Baseline levels of NT-proBNP, troponin T, cystatin C, GDF-15, IL-6, and CRP were highest in HFrEF and lowest in No HF. During median 1.9 years follow-up, 546 patients were hospitalized at least once for HF and 819 died. Higher levels of all investigated biomarkers were associated with both outcomes (all p<0.0001), with highest event rates in HFrEF and lowest in No HF. The associations remained after adjustments and were more pronounced for first than for recurrent events. Conclusions: In anticoagulated patients with AF, biomarkers indicating cardiorenal dysfunction and inflammation improve the identification of patients at risk of developing HF or worsening of already existing HF. These biomarkers might be useful for targeting novel HF therapies in patients with AF

Ett omöjligt beslut? : en studie av det svenska beslutet om slutförvar av utbränt kärnbränsle

Validerat; 20101217 (root

Politisk egoism? : en studie av förbudet mot fildelning av upphovsrättsskyddat material

Validerat; 20101217 (root

Professionell mastering : Ett bra alternativ för oetablerade musiker?

Pre-mastering, populärt men något missvisande kallat mastering, är en process där slutmixen av en låt optimeras för att erbjuda en så pass njutbar lyssning som möjligt för de allra flesta som lyssnar på den aktuella musiken. I denna uppsats har jag föresatt mig att ta reda på om det är meningsfullt för oetablerade artister (demoartister) att anlita någon av de professionella masteringfirmor som finns för att utföra detta, eller om det går att göra med likvärdigt resultat på egen hand. Resultatet visar att de flesta lyssnare tycker att en professionellt mastrad slutmix låter bättre än en hemmagjord mastering. Även om de flesta skivbolagen enligt min undersökning tycker att det är en onödig investering för musiker som söker skivkontrakt så bör professionell mastering ändå anses som ett bra alternativ för oetablerade musiker

Smarta elnät i Sverige : Energibranschens förutsättningar och förväntningar

The need for a more efficient electrical grid has made the smart grid concept popular in recent years. The aims of this study are to identify the conditions in Sweden for implementing a smart grid and to analyse the opinions of stakeholders. One finding is that the large capacity of Sweden’s existing electrical grid decreases the immediate need for smart grid solutions. However, the rapid increase in wind power might push the development of a smart grid in the coming years. By employing case study methodology, five different smart grid projects in Sweden are discussed, using different theoretical frameworks, including actor network theory, discourse analysis, technological trajectories, diffusion of innovation and timing of entry. Norra Djurgardsstaden, a large construction project in Stockholm in which smart grid technology is used, is then analysed. The differing views of the parties involved in the project raise the question of whether more coordination is needed. Another project at Falbygdens Energi focuses on energy storage in batteries. This project poses the question of whether the regulation of the Swedish power market needs to be reformed to support the smart grid and to encourage new ways of collaborating and doing business. The final discussion concludes by suggesting new research questions

Smarta elnät i Sverige : Energibranschens förutsättningar och förväntningar

The need for a more efficient electrical grid has made the smart grid concept popular in recent years. The aims of this study are to identify the conditions in Sweden for implementing a smart grid and to analyse the opinions of stakeholders. One finding is that the large capacity of Sweden’s existing electrical grid decreases the immediate need for smart grid solutions. However, the rapid increase in wind power might push the development of a smart grid in the coming years. By employing case study methodology, five different smart grid projects in Sweden are discussed, using different theoretical frameworks, including actor network theory, discourse analysis, technological trajectories, diffusion of innovation and timing of entry. Norra Djurgardsstaden, a large construction project in Stockholm in which smart grid technology is used, is then analysed. The differing views of the parties involved in the project raise the question of whether more coordination is needed. Another project at Falbygdens Energi focuses on energy storage in batteries. This project poses the question of whether the regulation of the Swedish power market needs to be reformed to support the smart grid and to encourage new ways of collaborating and doing business. The final discussion concludes by suggesting new research questions

Smarta elnät i Sverige : Energibranschens förutsättningar och förväntningar

The need for a more efficient electrical grid has made the smart grid concept popular in recent years. The aims of this study are to identify the conditions in Sweden for implementing a smart grid and to analyse the opinions of stakeholders. One finding is that the large capacity of Sweden’s existing electrical grid decreases the immediate need for smart grid solutions. However, the rapid increase in wind power might push the development of a smart grid in the coming years. By employing case study methodology, five different smart grid projects in Sweden are discussed, using different theoretical frameworks, including actor network theory, discourse analysis, technological trajectories, diffusion of innovation and timing of entry. Norra Djurgardsstaden, a large construction project in Stockholm in which smart grid technology is used, is then analysed. The differing views of the parties involved in the project raise the question of whether more coordination is needed. Another project at Falbygdens Energi focuses on energy storage in batteries. This project poses the question of whether the regulation of the Swedish power market needs to be reformed to support the smart grid and to encourage new ways of collaborating and doing business. The final discussion concludes by suggesting new research questions