Linking HIV/AIDS, Confict and National Security A Colombian Case Study

AbstractAn estimated 33 million people are today infected with HIV. The majority of these people live in developing countries, and many in countries experiencing armed conflict or instability. This paper examines the linkages between HIV/AIDS, conflict and national security applying existing theories to the Colombian context and asking whether HIV/AIDS should be securitized in order to reduce the negative cause and effect relationship. It finds that the linkages are definitely present in Colombia and concludes that HIV/AIDS should be politicised at the national level and securitized at internationallevel.****ResumenAproximadamente 33 millones personas están hoy en día infectadas con el VIH. La mayoría de ellos viven en países en vía de desarrollo y muchos de estos países están sufriendo conflictos armados o inestabilidades políticas. En el presente documento se examina los vínculos entre VIH/SIDA, conflicto y seguridad nacional, aplicando las teorías existentes al contexto colombiano y haciendo la pregunta si se debería tratar el VIH/SIDA como una cuestión de seguridad nacional para reducir la relación causa y efecto negativa. En el documento se descubre que estos vínculos están presentes en Colombia y concluye que a nivel nacional se debería buscar un reconocimiento político del tema VIH/SIDA, mientras a nivel internacional sería pertinente tratarlo como una cuestión de seguridad.

Earth tubes for preheating and precooling of ventilation air

Markkanaler utnyttjar att jordens temperatur är relativt jämn under året. Genom att ta in luften via en markkanal vinter- eller sommartid förvärms respektive förkyls luften innan den når tilluftsaggregatet och energi kan på så sätt sparas. Det finns få studier om hur stor energibesparingen blir med införande av markkanaler. De studier och tidigare utvecklade modeller som finns är de flesta anpassade efter varma klimat som i Indien och södra Europa. Få undersökningar har gjorts i ett nordiskt klimat. Denna rapport är resultatet av ett examensarbete initierat av installationskonsultföretaget Incoord och utreder markkanalers energibesparande potential i ett svensk klimat. Vid användning av markkanaler för att kyla och värma luft finns det flera problem. Det största problemet är att kondens kan samlas inne i rören vilket kan bilda mögel och bakterier. Det kan åtgärdas genom att bl.a. installera rören i lutning för att vattnet ska kunna avledas samt att kontinuerligt rengöra markkanalen. Ett annat problem är att under vissa perioder om året kan en markkanal ge motsatt effekt mot den önskade d.v.s. den kyler luften istället för att värma den och vice versa. Detta kan åtgärdas med ett bypass-system. För att kunna utnyttja markkanalerna effektivt måste olika parametrar optimeras. Parametrar som har visat sig ha störst inverkan på effektiviteten är längd, djup, lufthastighet och diameter. En modell har skapats i simuleringsprogrammet Comsol Multiphysics 4.0a för att utreda dessa parametrars påverkan. Klimatdata som användes i modellen avser Stockholms klimat. Jordarten antogs vara lera och materialet i markkanalen polyetylen. Parametrarna varierades en i taget och jämfördes med ett basfall. Basfallet bestod av ett 10 m långt rör på ett djup av 2 m och med en diameter på 20 cm. Lufthastigheten i röret var 2 m/s och volymflödet 60 l/s. Resultatet visar att energibesparingen blir större med fler rör med mindre diameter, lägre lufthastighet, djupare placerad samt längre markkanal. Energibesparingsökningen vid större djup planar ut vid djup över 3,5 m. Energibesparingsminskningen vid större diameter planar ut vid diametrar över 60 cm. Den totala energibesparingen under ett år ökar med 70 % vid en 20 m lång markkanal jämfört med om markkanalen är 10 m. När två rör simulerades ökade medeltemperaturdifferensen mellan intag och uttagsluften med ca 0,06 °C när avståndet mellan rören ökade med en halv meter för både uppvärmning och kylning. För basfallet är energibesparingen 525 kWh/år för uppvärmningsperioden och 300 kWh/år för kylningsperioden. Detta motsvarar en energibesparing på 8 % för uppvärmning och 50 % för kylning jämfört med om ingen markkanal skulle förbehandlat luften innan luftbehandligsaggregatet. Kondensationsberäkningarna visar att i en 20 m lång markkanal kommer kondensation att ske under största delen av sommaren. Luftfuktigheten ligger då på mellan 80 – 100 % vid uttaget.Earth tubes utilize the fact that the temperature in the ground is relatively constant during the year. By letting the air travel through an earth tube before reaching the house’s air intake the air gets preheated by acquire the heat of the soil in the winter. In the summer the air releases its heat to the ground and gets precooled. There are few studies showing how large the energy saving would be by using earth tubes. The existing studies and models are adapted to a warm climate like India and Southern Europe. Few studies are made for a Nordic climate. This report is a Master of Science thesis given by the company Incoord and it investigate the potential of earth tubes in a Swedish climate. There are a few problems linked to the usage of earth tubes. The biggest problem is that condensate can accumulate inside the pipes which can encourage the growth of mold and bacteria. The pipes should therefore be placed in a slope to allow drainage of the water. It is also important to clean the earth tube regularly. Another problem that occurs is that during certain periods of the year the earth tube will cool the air instead of heating it and vice versa. This can be avoided by using a bypass-system during these periods. To be able to use the earth tube efficient different parameters need to be optimized. The parameters that have the largest effect are length, depth, air velocity and diameter of the pipe. To analyze the influence that these parameters have over the efficiency of the earth tube a model has been created in the simulation program Comsol Multiphysics 4.0a. Weather data was adapted for Stockholm. The soil type was chosen to be clay and the material of the pipe was polyethylene. The parameters were varied one at a time and compared to a base case. The base case consists of a 10 m long pipe placed at a depth of 2 m and with a diameter of 20 cm. The air velocity in the pipe is 2 m/s and the volume flow is 60 l/s. The result showed that longer pipes with a smaller diameter, lower air velocity and buried at a deeper depth gives a higher energy saving. The increase in efficiency that comes from a deeper placed earth tube levels out at depth over 3.5 m. The decrease in efficiency that comes from an increase of the diameter of the pipe levels out at diameters of 60 cm. The total energy saving for one year increased by 70 % for a 20 m long earth tube compared to a 10 m long earth tube. When two pipes were simulated the average temperature difference between the inlet and outlet increase by 0.06 °C when the distance between the pipes increased by 0.5 m for both cooling and heating. The energy saving for the base case is 525 kWh/year for the heating season and 300 kWh/year for the cooling season. This corresponds to an energy saving of 5 % for heating and 50 % for cooling compared to if no earth tube is used. The condensation calculations showed that there will be condensation in a 20 m long earth tube during most of the summer. The relative humidity at the outlet is then between 80 – 100 %

Living with fibromyalgia : a litterature review

Bakgrund: Fibromyalgi är en muskelsjukdom med oklar etiologi som definieras av smärta med hög intensitet och lång duration. Symtom vid fibromyalgi karaktäriseras av smärta och fatigue.  Många individer upplever att sjukvården och samhället inte har tillräcklig kunskap och förståelse kring sjukdomen leder det till negativa upplevelser för den drabbade. Syfte: Att beskriva hur upplevelsen av fibromyalgi påverkar individens liv och dennes familj. Metod: En systematisk litteraturstudie innehållande 10 artiklar med kvalitativ ansats som valdes ut och analyserades. Resultat: I resultatet framkom två huvudkategorier: Det dagliga livet och Mötet med vården. Åtta subkategorier presenterades; familjeliv, påverkan på det sociala livet, påverkan på arbetslivet, behov av planering, fatigue, upplevelsen av smärta och att inte bli trodd, positiva erfarenheter av vården samt negativa erfarenheter av vården. Kategorierna beskriver olika aspekter av att leva med fibromyalgi. Slutsats: Fibromyalgi har till stor del en negativ inverkan på det dagliga livet för individen och dennes familj. Familjelivet, det sociala livet och arbetet var aspekter som påverkades negativt av sjukdomen både utifrån individens och familjens upplevelser. Studien belyser även patienternas positiva och negativa upplevelser av sjukvården. Klinisk betydelse: Kategorierna som presenteras i resultatet kan leda till ökad kunskap och förståelse dock behövs mer forskning baserat på omvårdnadsbehov kring patienter med fibromyalgi för att kunna förbättra omvårdnaden. Background: Fibromyalgia is a muscle disease with an unclear etiology which is defined as pain with high intensity and long duration. The symptoms that characterize fibromyalgia are pain and fatigue. The knowledge and the understanding about the disease is perceived as low within health care and society according to the individual´s, this leads to negative effects on the patient’s life. Aim: To describe the experiences that fibromyalgia has on the individual life and the family. Method: A systematic literature review based on 10 articles was chosen and analyzed with a qualitative approach. Result: In the result two main categories emerged, effects on the daily life and health care experiences. Eight subcategories were presented; family life, effects on the social life, effects on working life, need to plan ahead, fatigue, experience of pain and not being trusted,  positive experiences and negative experiences. The categories described different aspects of living with fibromyalgia. Conclusion: Fibromyalgia has a negative impact on the daily life of the individual and the family. The family life, the social life and work life were aspects that were negative influenced by the disease based on experiences from both the individuals and the families. The study also described the patient’s experiences from the health care. Clinical significance: The result that were presented can hopefully lead to further research on fibromyalgia as well as increase knowledge among health care personal and improve the nursing care

Samverkan - Hinder eller resurs för individer med psykosociala problem? : En kvalitativ studie

Att samverka vid socialt arbete är ett aktuellt tema eftersom två nya lagrum har tillkommit under de senaste åren. Dessa tydliggör att samverkan skall ske mellan kommuner och landsting vid arbete med individer med psykosociala problem. Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur samverkansarbetet mellan kommunen och landsting uppfyller individens rätt till social trygghet, jämlika levnadsvillkor och självbestämmande. I studien deltog fyra professionella utförare och sex individer med psykosociala problem, där respondenternas svar har jämförts beträffande om man upplever att samverkan uppfyller lagens intention. Resultatet har analyserats via en induktiv tematisk metod och via systemteorin samt empowerment. Det som framkom överensstämde med befintlig forskning, att samverkan har stor betydelse för att uppnå positiva effekter som leder till en ökad livskvalitet för individen. Vidare förtydligar både vår studie samt övrig forskning att individen bör inkluderas som en resurs i samverkansprocessen, för att uppnå effekter av självbestämmande vilket kan ge en social trygghet.To cooperate in social work is a current theme as two new sections of the law has arisen in the recent years. These make clear that collaboration should take place between local governments when working with individuals with psychosocial problems. The purpose of the study was to examine how collaboration work between the municipality and county meets the individual's right to social security, equal living conditions and self-determination. In this study, where four professional performers and six individuals with psychosocial problems participated, the respondents' answers to how they experience that the interaction meets the intention of the law where compared. The results were analyzed using an inductive thematic approach and using systems theory and empowerment. The findings were consistent with existing research, that interaction is very important for achieving positive effects that lead to a better quality of life for the individual. Further clarifies both our study and other research that the individual should be included as a resource in the collaborative process, to achieve the effects of self-determination, which can provide a social security

Samverkan - Hinder eller resurs för individer med psykosociala problem? : En kvalitativ studie

Att samverka vid socialt arbete är ett aktuellt tema eftersom två nya lagrum har tillkommit under de senaste åren. Dessa tydliggör att samverkan skall ske mellan kommuner och landsting vid arbete med individer med psykosociala problem. Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur samverkansarbetet mellan kommunen och landsting uppfyller individens rätt till social trygghet, jämlika levnadsvillkor och självbestämmande. I studien deltog fyra professionella utförare och sex individer med psykosociala problem, där respondenternas svar har jämförts beträffande om man upplever att samverkan uppfyller lagens intention. Resultatet har analyserats via en induktiv tematisk metod och via systemteorin samt empowerment. Det som framkom överensstämde med befintlig forskning, att samverkan har stor betydelse för att uppnå positiva effekter som leder till en ökad livskvalitet för individen. Vidare förtydligar både vår studie samt övrig forskning att individen bör inkluderas som en resurs i samverkansprocessen, för att uppnå effekter av självbestämmande vilket kan ge en social trygghet.To cooperate in social work is a current theme as two new sections of the law has arisen in the recent years. These make clear that collaboration should take place between local governments when working with individuals with psychosocial problems. The purpose of the study was to examine how collaboration work between the municipality and county meets the individual's right to social security, equal living conditions and self-determination. In this study, where four professional performers and six individuals with psychosocial problems participated, the respondents' answers to how they experience that the interaction meets the intention of the law where compared. The results were analyzed using an inductive thematic approach and using systems theory and empowerment. The findings were consistent with existing research, that interaction is very important for achieving positive effects that lead to a better quality of life for the individual. Further clarifies both our study and other research that the individual should be included as a resource in the collaborative process, to achieve the effects of self-determination, which can provide a social security

"Statistiskt sett har ju NE också fel" : en kvalitativ studie rörande gymnasiebibliotekariers uppfattningar och undervisning kring Wikipedia

The main purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to examine how Swedish upper secondary school librarians and related staff relate to the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia. The research is placed in the all-embracing context of information literacy and source criticism on the Internet. The study was carried out in the form of qualitative interviews and based on two theoretical bases: firstly, the concept of cognitive authority stipulated by Patrick Wilson, and secondly the idea that Wikipedia has a draw towards late modern epistemological assumptions. The latter theory was also associated with the perceptions of knowledge among the library staff interviewed. According to the results, there seems to be a connection between a) the library staff’s perceptions of knowledge, b) the library staff’s actual knowing about Wikipedia, c) the library staff’s attitudes toward Wikipedia and d) the teaching performed by the library staff about Wikipedia. The results also suggest the cognitive authority of the traditional encyclopaedia to be strong, especially among those within the library staff not very familiar with Wikipedia. Those positive to Wikipedia possibly represent perceptions of knowledge with a draw towards the late modern. Finally, possible solutions regarding the improvement of information literacy and of Wikipedia usage among the upper secondary school pupils are discussed

An Evaluation of the Pea Pod System for Assessing Body Composition of Moderately Premature Infants

(1) Background: Assessing the quality of growth in premature infants is important in order to be able to provide them with optimal nutrition. The Pea Pod device, based on air displacement plethysmography, is able to assess body composition of infants. However, this method has not been sufficiently evaluated in premature infants; (2) Methods: In 14 infants in an age range of 3–7 days, born after 32–35 completed weeks of gestation, body weight, body volume, fat-free mass density (predicted by the Pea Pod software), and total body water (isotope dilution) were assessed. Reference estimates of fat-free mass density and body composition were obtained using a three-component model; (3) Results: Fat-free mass density values, predicted using Pea Pod, were biased but not significantly (p > 0.05) different from reference estimates. Body fat (%), assessed using Pea Pod, was not significantly different from reference estimates. The biological variability of fat-free mass density was 0.55% of the average value (1.0627 g/mL); (4) Conclusion: The results indicate that the Pea Pod system is accurate for groups of newborn, moderately premature infants. However, more studies where this system is used for premature infants are needed, and we provide suggestions regarding how to develop this area

Body composition and growth in full-term small for gestational age and large for gestational age Swedish infants assessed with air displacement plethysmography at birth and at 3-4 months of age

Background Being born small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA) has short and long term metabolic consequences. There is a growing interest in the extent to which body composition, both in the short and the long term, differs in infants born at the extremes of these birth weights. Methods Body composition in 25 SGA and 25 LGA infants were assessed during the first days of life and at 3–4 months of age using air displacement plethysmography. Results SGA infants had significantly lower body fat (%) at birth compared to LGA infants. SGA infants increased their body weight and length at a significantly higher rate between birth and 3–4 months than LGA infants. Fat mass (g) in SGA infants increased 23 times between birth and 3–4 months of age compared to 2.8 times for LGA infants. At 3–4 months of age LGA infants reached a threshold in body fat (%) while SGA infants were still gaining body fat (%). Conclusion Several significant differences have been identified between SGA and LGA infants, indicating that the effects of intrauterine life continues to play an important role in body composition and growth during the first 3–4 months of life

Different feeding regimens were not associated with variation in body composition in preterm infants

Aim: The aim was to determine body composition and growth in preterm infants based on two different feeding regimens and to assess how standard and individual fortification (IF) affect energy and protein intake. Body composition was assessed at full term and at four months corrected age. Methods: Sixty preterm infants born before gestational week 32 were randomized either to IF of mother’s breast milk after it had been analyzed or to standard fortification (SF) of mother’s breast milk based on the average protein and energy content of breast milk. Body composition was measured at full term and at four months corrected age, using air displacement plethysmography. Growth rate and nutritional intake analyses were also conducted. Results: At 40 weeks gestational age, there was no difference between weight (g) (IF 3056 ± 472 vs. SF 3119 ± 564), body fat (%) (IF 19 ± 3.3 vs. SF 21 ± 5.6), fat mass, or fat-free mass between the two groups. Furthermore, there was no difference between the groups in weight, length, head circumference, or body composition at four months corrected age. Conclusions: Fortification based on breast milk analysis may not improve growth in preterm infants compared to SF. However, both groups were smaller and had a different body composition at term corrected age compared to infants born at term