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Moving from a fossil dependent to a fossil free economy requires increased energy production from renewable resources. This thesis discusses the utilization of agricultural waste streams, such as straw and manure, for biogas production. The first part of the research presented focuses on pretreatment of straw with the aim to reduce the handling issues concerning straw and improve the degradation o
In the course of 2000s, the region of Campania in southern Italy and its capital city Naples became global icons of waste mismanagement after the images of piles of rubbish occluding their urban areas hit the headlines. Conventional explanations, in Italy and elsewhere, pointed to administrative failure, cultural backwardness and mafia infiltration as the main causes of waste mishandling. In the s
The work presented in this thesis has aimed to improve the knowledge about the groundwater occurrence in different geological conditions in Mozambique. The main focus in this study has been on the understanding of hydrogeological conditions in area with little background information by use of geophysical investigation. The lack of background information is a problem in many countries because the e
The research area of climate field reconstructions has developed strongly during the past 20 years, motivated by the need to understand the complex dynamics of the earth system in a changing climate. Climate field reconstructions aim to build a consistent gridded climate reconstruction of different variables, often from a range of climate proxies, using either statistical tools or a climate model
In order to better assess the role of agriculture within the global climate-vegetation system, we present a model of the managed planetary land surface, Lund-Potsdam-Jena managed Land (LPJmL), which simulates biophysical and biogeochemical processes as well as productivity and yield of the most important crops worldwide, using a concept of crop functional types (CFTs). Based on the LPJ-Dynamic Glo
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and often causes pain and functional impairment. Despite its high burden on society, knowledge about the occurrence of OA and its associated mortality is sparse. The epidemiology of OA is difficult to determine due to the patients’ fluctuating symptoms and challenges in detecting and defining the radiographic disease. The specific aims of th
The Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell has been investigated for a long time, and is regarded as a new energy source for various applications, such as portable, stationary and automotive ones. However, due to the shortage of the infrastructure in the society, the high cost, the difficulty of the water/thermal management, etc., practical systems have not reached the general public, yet. Of t
The main objective of this thesis was to quantitatively estimate the gaseous exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) between a subarctic wetland ecosystem and the atmosphere. Additionally some initial estimates of the carbon input to the atmosphere of nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) were also obtained by combining different techniques in a joint setting. The data presented were collecte
The aim of this study is to develop better understanding on organized self-help housing as an enabling shelter and development strategy to overcome poverty and build more resilient communities. The study addresses organized self-help housing from three different perspectives: a) current practice in developing countries; b) institutional approaches; and, c) the organized self-help housing process.
Background Endometrial adenocarcinoma (womb cancer) is a malignant growth of the lining (endometrium) of the womb (uterus). It is distinct from sarcomas (tumours of the uterine muscle). Survival depends the risk of microscopic metastases after surgery. Adjuvant (postoperative) chemotherapy improves survival from some other adenocarcinomas, and there is evidence that endometrial cancer is sensitive
Popular Abstract in Swedish Mer än hälften av alla kvinnor har haft en urinvägsinfektion. Infektionen uppkommer när bakterier når urinblåsan och börjar växa. Immunförsvaret känner igen bakterierna, reagerar med en inflammation och symptom som sveda, trängningar och smärtor i nedre magtrakten uppstår. Om bakterierna klättrar upp till njurarna sprider sig inflammationen dit och orsakar ryggsmärtor o
This thesis focuses on cognitive impairment in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) survivors with the main aim to evaluate possible effects by targeted temperature management. Secondary aims are to describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment in a large group of OHCA-survivors, the related symptoms of psychological distress and the actual effect of cognitive impairment for the patient’s abili
Popular Abstract in Swedish Hjärt-kärlsjukdom är en av västvärldens stora folksjukdomar. I Sverige drabbas årligen cirka 10 000 personer av plötsligt hjärtstopp. Den vanligaste orsaken är att en akut hjärtinfarkt orsakar ett ”elektriskt kaos” i hjärtat. Vid ett hjärtstopp upphör blodförsörjningen till hjärnan, vilket leder till medvetslöshet inom några sekunder och inom några få minuter börjar hjäThis thesis focuses on the prognostic value of electroencephalography(EEG) in comatose patients resuscitated after cardiac arrest (CA), using both simplified continuous EEG monitoring (cEEG) and routine EEG. Background: Comatose survivors are admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) to support vital functions. Postresuscitation care includes target temperature management (TTM) for 24 hours. The d
Popular Abstract in Swedish Förekomsten av hudcancer ökar i ljushyade befolkningsgrupper och hudcancer tillhör de cancergrupper som ökar mest i Sverige. De tre vanligaste formerna av hudcancer är basalcellscancer, skivepitelcancer och malignt melanom. Under 2013 utgjorde skivepitelcancer och malignt melanom ca 16 % av alla cancerfall som rapporterades in till Svenska Cancerregistret; över 6 000 faSkin cancer incidence is increasing in fair-skinned populations. The three most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and malignant melanoma (MM). A correct diagnosis is crucial for an efficient and tailored treatment for the skin cancer patient. The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate different aspects of the preoperative diagnosis of skin cancer. Th
Popular Abstract in Swedish Denna avhandling består av tre olika uppsatser. Den första uppsatsen, Technical Efficiency and Ownership: The Case of Booking Centres on the Swedish Taxi Market” behandlar problemet med konkurrens på lika villkor. Upprinnelsen till uppsatsen var diskussioner mellan privata och offentliga aktörer på den svenska taximarknaden. De privata aktörerna hävdade att de offentligThis thesis consists of three different essays, all of which have arisen from a practical problem. In the first essay, “Technical efficiency and ownership: The case of booking centers in the Swedish Taxi Market” the purpose is to examine the question of competition on an equal basis between privately and publicly owned booking centers in the Swedish taxi market. One way to answer this question is
Vehicle design is characterized by a high number of compromises. The special role of human factors in the process is to ensure that the compromises do not occur at the expense of the driver and passengers. Within the automotive industry there is a need for the development of inexpensive and efficient ergonomic tools, facilitating a fast and cost effective car development process as well as discuss
Recent investigations of the DNA interactions with cationic surfactants and catanionic Mixtures are reviewed. Several techniques have been used such as fluorescence microscopy, dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, and Monte Carlo simulations. The conformational behaviour of large DNA molecules in the presence of cationic surfactant was followed by fluorescence microscopy and also by dyna
Glucose-evoked insulin secretion exhibits two phases: The first phase represents exocytosis of insulin granules situated at the plasma membrane, whereas the second phase reflects insulin release from granules continuously recruited to the plasma membrane. This thesis investigates different aspects of phasic insulin secretion, with the specific aims to elucidate the possible contribution of insulin
