“Just Carbon”: Ideas About Graphene Risks by Graphene Researchers and Innovation Advisors

Graphene is a nanomaterial with many promising and innovative applications, yet early studies indicate that graphene may pose risks to humans and the environment. According to ideas of responsible research and innovation, all relevant actors should strive to reduce risks related to technological innovations. Through semi-structured interviews, we investigated the idea of graphene as a risk (or not) held by two types of key actors: graphene researchers and innovation advisors at universities, where the latter are facilitating the movement of graphene from the laboratory to the marketplace. The most common idea found is that graphene is not a risk due to, e.g., low toxicity, low amounts produced/used, and its similarity to harmless materials (being “just carbon”). However, some researchers and advisors also say that graphene is a risk, e.g., under certain conditions or due to a lack of risk-related information. We explain the co-existence of these seemingly contradictory ideas through (1) the semantic ambiguity of the word risk and (2) a risk/no-risk rhetoric, where risks are mentioned rhetorically only to be disregarded as manageable or negligible. We suggest that some of the ideas held by the researchers and innovation advisors constitute a challenge to responsible research and innovation regarding graphene. At the same time, we acknowledge the dilemma that the discourse of responsible innovation creates for the actors: denying graphene risks makes them irresponsible due to a lack of risk awareness, while affirming graphene risks makes them irresponsible due to their everyday engagement in graphene development. We therefore recommend more research into what researchers and innovation advisors should do in practice in order to qualify as responsible

Western diet enhances intestinal tumorigenesis in Min/ plus mice, associating with mucosal metabolic and inflammatory stress and loss of Apc heterozygosity

Western-type diet (WD) is a risk factor for colorectal cancer, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We investigated the interaction of WD and heterozygous mutation in the Apc gene on adenoma formation and metabolic and immunological changes in the histologically normal intestinal mucosa of Apc(Min/+) (Min/ +) mice. The diet used was high in saturated fat and low in calcium, vitamin D, fiber and folate. The number of adenomas was twofold higher in the WD mice compared to controls, but adenoma size, proliferation or apoptosis did not differ. The ratio of the MM to wild-type allele was higher in the WD mice, indicating accelerated loss of Apc heterozygosity (LOH). Densities of intraepithelial CD3 epsilon(+) T lymphocytes and of mucosal FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells were higher in the WD mice, implying inflammatory changes. Western blot analyses from the mucosa of the WD mice showed suppressed activation of the ERK and AKT pathways and a tendency for reduced activation of the mTOR pathway as measured in phosphoS6/S6 levels. The expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 was up-regulated in both mRNA and protein levels. Gene expression analyses showed changes in oxidation/reduction, fatty acid and monosaccharide metabolic pathways, tissue organization, cell fate and regulation of apoptosis. Together, our results suggest that the high-risk Western diet primes the intestine to tumorigenesis through synergistic effects in energy metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress, which culminate in the acceleration of LOH of the Apc gene. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Epstein–Barr virus in bone marrow of rheumatoid arthritis patients predicts response to rituximab treatment

Objectives. Viruses may contribute to RA. This prompted us to monitor viral load and response to anti-CD20 therapy in RA patients

Fortetting som strategi av kommunens periferi

Dagens byplanlegging er en krevende praksis. Befolkningsvekst, som en følge av fødselsoverskudd og innvandring, samtidig med en kontinuerlig urbaniseringsprosess, fører til et stort befolkningspress i de største byene. Samtidig som byene vokser i innbyggertall ønsker offentlige myndigheter å begrense veksten av byggesonen, og heller konsentrere de nye innbyggerne innenfor dagens tettstedsgrenser, for å minske de negative konsekvensene av et utflytende utbyggingsmønster. Fortetting har derfor blitt et sentralt politisk virkemiddel for å oppnå en mer effektiv og bærekraftig arealbruk. I denne oppgaven har jeg brukt Tønsberg som case for å se på hvordan byen kan benytte fortetting som strategi også utenfor dens mest sentrale områder, for å oppnå at den ønskede andelen av nye boliger skjer som fortetting, der kommunens målsetning om andelen av fortetting/transformasjon som skal skje innenfor byområdet kan synes vanskelig å oppnå, grunnet blant annet planlagte infrastrukturprosjekter. Oppgaven tar til orde for at desentraliserte konsentrasjoner i kommunens forsteder kan supplere fortetting i sentrum for å oppnå det ønskede målet for fortetting, bygget på den eksisterende senterstrukturen, og utnytte det potensialet som ligger i disse sentrene. Utfordringen med en slik strategi ligger i behovet for en tetthet som kan fremme gang, sykkel og miljøvennlige transportformer samtidig som behovet for økt tettheter må forenes med folks boligpreferanser for at folk skal ønske å bosette seg i slike tett utbygde lokalsentre. Strategien bruker Vear som et eksempel på hvordan lokalsentrene kan utvikles til bærekraftige timinuttersbyer, som sammen med solide kollektivforbindelser til sentrum kan utvikle Tønsberg til en bærekraftig «timinuttersstjerne».The city planning of today is a demanding practice. A rise in population, as a result of higher birth rates and immigration, along with a continuous urbanization process, leads to a high population pressure in the largest cities. At the same time as the cities grow in population numbers, the public authorities wish to limit the growth within the building zone, and rather concentrate new residents within today’s urban city limits, to limit the negative consequences caused by a scattered development pattern. This has caused densification to become a key political instrument to achieve a more efficient and sustainable land use. In this assignment I have used Tønsberg as a case study to look at how the city could also utilize densification as a strategy outside the city’s most central areas, to make sure the desired amount of new housing is achieved through densification, where the municipality’s set goal of the amount of densification/transformation that is desired within the metropolitan area might seem difficult to achieve, partly because of planned infrastructure projects. The assignment advocates that the decentralized concentrations in the municipality’s suburbs might supply densification at the city center to achieve the wanted densification goal, built on the existing center structure, and hence utilize the potential that exist at these centers. The challenge of such a strategy lays in the need for a density that can promote walking, cycling and environmentally friendly forms of transportation at the same time as the need for increased densities has to be united with peoples housing preferences to make sure people will want to settle down in these kinds of densely developed local city centers. The strategy uses Vear as an example of how the local city centers can be developed into sustainable ten minute-cities, which along with solid public transportation connections to the city center could transform Tønsberg into a sustainable «ten minutes-star».submittedVersionM-BYRE

Finansiell ställning och rapporters informationsmängd - med avseende på handelsvolym och bid-ask spread

Syfte: Vi hade som syfte med denna uppsats att kartlägga sambandet mellan ett företags finansiella ställning och hur rapporter påverkar aktier med avseende på handelsvolym och spread. Metod: Undersökningen utgick från den svenska marknaden under åren 1998-2001. Genom att vi beräknade företagens soliditetsavvikelse från sitt respektive branschgenomsnitt, fick vi ett urval av finansiellt starka och finansiellt svaga företag. Därefter tog vi fram rapportdagar för dessa utvalda företag. Vidare undersökte vi om spread- och handelsvolymförändringarna kring dessa rapportdagar såg annorlunda ut för de finansiellt svaga företagen jämfört med de finansiellt starka. Slutsats: De slutsatser vi kan dra från de tester vi gjort är att för finansiellt svaga företag blir handelsvolymförändringen kraftigare över rapporten än för finansiellt starka företag. Detta låg i linje med de förväntningar vi hade inför undersökningen. Däremot gav inte våra test av förändringen för bid-ask spreaden över rapportdagen helt och hållet de resultat som vi förutspått. Spreaden minskar något över rapportdagen. Det är dock främst de finansiellt starka företagen som uppvisar denna trend, tvärtemot vad vi förväntat oss. En klar negativ korrelation existerar överlag mellan handelsvolym och bid-ask spread

Persisting post-infection symptoms 2 years after a large waterborne outbreak of Cryptosporidium hominis in northern Sweden

Objectives: In 2010–2011, a large waterborne outbreak of Cryptosporidium hominis affected the city of Östersund in Sweden. Previous findings had suggested that gastrointestinal symptoms can persist for up to 11 months after the initial infection. Here we investigated whether the parasite could cause sequelae in infected individuals up to 28 months after the outbreak. We compared cases linked to the outbreak and the previous follow-up study with non-cases regarding symptoms present up to 28 months after the initial infection. We investigated whether cases were more likely to report a list of symptoms at follow-up compared to non-cases, calculating odds ratio and 95% confidence interval obtained through logistic regression. Results: A total of 559 individuals (215 cases) were included in the study. Forty-eight percent of the outbreak cases reported symptoms at follow-up. Compared to non-cases, cases were more likely to report watery diarrhea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea, headache, or joint stiffness/pain/discomfort at follow-up after adjusting for age and sex. Our findings suggest that gastrointestinal symptoms and joint pain can persist several years after the initial Cryptosporidium infection and should be regarded as a potential cause of unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms or joint pain in people who have had this infection

Nya ytbeläggningar ska minska snöförluster på solcellsanläggningar

För att slippa vänta på plusgrader håller en samling forskare på RISE på attutveckla och testa nya ytbeläggningar för solceller som ska göra att snö och isinte fäster på dem. Snö och is kan leda till stopp i elproduktionen - en solcellsmodulsom är täckt av snö och is generar i praktiken ingen elektricitet eftersomsolljuset inte tränger igenom i tillräcklig omfattning. Dessutom kan rejälasnömängder leda till stora belastningar på underliggande konstruktioner.Utveckling och testning av snö- och isavvisande ytbeläggningar för solcelle

Symptoms and risk factors of Cryptosporidium hominis infection in children : data from a large waterborne outbreak in Sweden

Cryptosporidium is a major cause of diarrheal disease worldwide. In developing countries, this infection is endemic and in children, associated with growth faltering and cognitive function deficits, with the most severe impact on those aged <2 years. Little has been reported about symptoms and risk factors for children in industrialized countries, although the disease incidence is increasing in such regions. In November 2010, a large waterborne outbreak of C. hominis occurred in the city of Östersund in Sweden. Approximately 27,000 of the 60,000 inhabitants were symptomatic. We aimed to describe duration of symptoms and the risk factors for infection with C. hominis in children aged <15 years in a Western setting. Within 2 months after a boil water advisory, a questionnaire was sent to randomly selected inhabitants of all ages, including 753 children aged <15 years. Those with ≥3 loose stools/day were defined as cases of diarrhoea. The response rate was 70.3%, and 211 children (39.9%) fulfilled the case definition. Mean duration of diarrhoea was 7.5 days (median 6, range 1-80 days). Recurrence, defined as a new episode of diarrhoea after ≥2 days of normal stools, occurred in 52.5% of the cases. Significant risk factors for infection, besides living within the distribution area of the contaminated water plant, included a high level of water consumption, male sex, and a previous history of loose stools. The outbreak was characterized by high attack and recurrence rates, emphasizing the necessity of water surveillance to prevent future outbreaks

Reliability of Assessments of Apical Root Resorption during Treatment with Removable Orthodontic Appliance in Children

Apical Root Resorption (ARR) of the maxillary incisors is an adverse effect in patients during treatment with orthodontic appliance.Limited number of prospective investigations on ARR in patientswith Removable Orthodontic Appliance (ROA) is available and thereliability of assessments of ARR in periapical radiographs has notbeen evaluated. The aims were to investigate 1) Observer agreement regarding assessment of ARR in radiographs obtained duringtreatment with ROA in children and 2) The extent and severity ofARR in children during treatment with ROA.Material and MethodsOne hundred ten children, with Angle class II malocclusion or anterior cross bite suitable for treatment with ROA were consecutivelyrecruited. Periapical radiographs of maxillary incisors were obtainedbefore (T0) and after six month of treatment (T1). The contour of theroots was scored as 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 according to a modified Levanderand Malmgren index, by five observers. Score 0 represent normalroot contour, score 4 severe root resorption. Inter- and intra-observeragreement was calculated as overall agreement and kappa values.ResultsIn the 110 patients, 49 females, 61 males, the mean age was 10.6years. Totally 439 roots were available for assessment. Kappa values for pair wise inter-observer agreement during treatment rangedbetween -0.01 and 0.27. Kappa values for intra-observer agreementranged between -0.09 and 0.45 before treatment and -0.22 and 0.48after treatment.ConclusionReliability in assessing root morphology/resorption in periapicalradiographs obtained in children during treatment with removableappliance is low. ARR seems to be of minor extent, however, the lowreliability indicates difficulties in evaluating the severity and therebythe clinical importance in this young patient group