Compressed air is a low efficiency media, and is thus very expensive to produce. This thesis work began by mind mapping how to create savings on the compressed air system at Billerud Skärblacka AB. Certain issues have been chosen for further studies.In order to identify the consumption of compressed air at PM 8 and 9, several measurements were made. At PM 8 there were not found any pressure drop, only large pressure variations for short periods of time. The causes of these pressure variations were not established.

Native spider silk is an attractive lightweight natural polymeric material with a unique combination of strength, extendibility and flexibility. Synthetic, recombinant spider silk is an attractive biomaterial with several possible fields of application. When a foreign material is introduced to blood, this can for example cause unwanted coagulation and complement activation. The aim of this study was to investigate if coatings of heparin or albumin could improve the blood compatibility of films of recombinant spider silk and to develop an initial method to do so. Hypothetically, objects like pacemakers, stents and dental implants could be covered with spider silk films of high blood compatibility to reduce potentially harmful foreign body reactions caused by the immune defense. Increased blood compatibility would likely lead to improvements for both the individual patients and the society thanks to reduced load on healthcare institutions. Our objective was to assess the blood compatibility of both functionalized and non-functionalized recombinant spider silk by evaluating coagulation and activation of the complement system of the immune defense. Coagulation was evaluated visually on glass slides and complement activation was analyzed by measuring the concentration of the complement system mediator C3a in blood samples that had been exposed to the different materials. This study introduces a non-toxic and easy performed method of improving the blood compatibility of recombinant spider silk films by adding a heparin coating. Heparin coated surfaces had statistically significantly higher blood compatibility than uncoated surfaces. The effects of albumin coating of films were less clear compared to the results of heparin coated films. Complement activation could not be evaluated because of high activation in all samples prior contact with the materials that were included in the study..

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease, induced by an immune mediated reaction in the small intestine after ingestion of gluten and related prolamines. There is a strong genetic linkage and most important are the genes that encodes for HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8. The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) has developed new guidelines for investigation of CD in children and adolescents, which include genotyping for HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8. Therefore, the clinical microbiological laboratory in Västmanland wants to introduce a method for analysis of these genes. Microarray is a newly developed method for determination of the alleles HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1 that encodes for the ?- and ?-subunits of the HLA-molecules.

Erythropoiesis is a complex and carefully controlled process which is mainly regulated by erythropoietin. Using flow cytometry cells in a blood sample can be analyzed one by one. ADVIA 2120 using flow cytometry for analysis of red blood cells (RBC) and reticulocytes. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a component of the RBC method. RDW indicates size variation on erythrocytes and is measured as a percentage of the mean cell volume (MCV). By measuring the RDW anemia can be divided into makrocytic, microcytic or normocytic. Reticulocytes refract light more strongly than red blood cells because they contain some cellular debris. The number of reticulocytes in the peripheral blood reflects erythropoiesis in the bone marrow. The purpose of this project was that by approved methods to establish reference ranges for the parameters, RDW and reticulocyte counts.The individuals who participated in the study, n=124, were considered healthy and had varying ethnicity. Reference subjects had not donated blood the last six months and participation in the study was voluntary.The statistic evaluation includes examination of distribution, and reference ranges for both men and women were established using the 2.5:t and 97.5:t percentiles. The calculated reference interval for RDW was between 12.0 ? 14.3% and the calculated reference interval for reticulocytes was between 38.0 ? 112.8 x109 cells/L. The results showed a significant difference between males and females for the parameter reticulocytes was seen. The difference indicates that different reference ranges should be established for men and women (p<0,0001). No significant difference between males and females were seen for RDW (p=0,74) indicating that the same reference ranges can be used for both men and women. .

Platelet aggregation is a major and common problem in blood samples from cats. This greatly affects the accuracy of counting of the platelets. Because of the difficulties in counting feline platelets, results for patients and reliable reference values for cat platelets are currently so inaccurate as to be almost useless in diagnosis of thrombocytopenia. In this study we used an effective method to prevent platelet aggregation. Blood was collected in CTAD test tubes and prostaglandin E1 was added to the blood sample.

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease, induced by an immune mediated reaction in the small intestine after ingestion of gluten and related prolamines. There is a strong genetic linkage and most important are the genes that encodes for HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8. The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) has developed new guidelines for investigation of CD in children and adolescents, which include genotyping for HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8. Therefore, the clinical microbiological laboratory in Västmanland wants to introduce a method for analysis of these genes. Microarray is a newly developed method for determination of the alleles HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1 that encodes for the ?- and ?-subunits of the HLA-molecules.

Background: Pressure ulcer is a complication that arises often due to a lowered general condition. Pressure ulcer arise because of long term compressive load application. That?s why it?s of utmost importance as a nurse to work in preventive ways, as the pressure ulcer lead to physical, psychological and social consequences for the patient. Purpose: The purpose was to describe the patients experiences of living with pressure ulcer.

Background: Earlier research describes patients with blood-bourne pathogens experiences from the healthcare system. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe how registered nurses experience taking care of patients with blood-bourne pathogens. Method: This study had a descriptive design with a qualitative method. Eight interviews where performed and analyzed with manifest content analyze. Three categories ?Comfort in their profession?, ?Support from the organization?and ?Fear of being contaminated?, and five subcategories ?Support from hygiene guidelines?, ? Thoughtfulness?, ?The own responsibility?, ?Feelings of fear and concern?and ?To meet preconceptions?, emerged.

Mammary gland neoplasia is one of the most common diseases in the bitch and the most common neoplastic disease. More than 13 % of the female dog population in Sweden suffers from mammary tumors during their lifetime. The disease can affect bitches in all ages but most often middle aged and older dogs. Some breeds such as Poodle and English Setter are predisposed for the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate if it is possible to improve the post surgical healing process by using a pressure pad.

The aim of the study was to illustrate how care managers reflect and act in regards to self-determination and integrity when caring for residents over 65 years old who have a dementia diagnosis. Our main questions dealt with how care managers handle the right to self-determination and integrity when a person has dementia, to which extent the care managers listen to the person with dementia and how the care managers look upon the residents with dementia?s ability of self-determination. To find the answers to our questions, we interviewed ten care managers within the elderly care in Gothenburg, Sweden. We used qualitative interviews based on a semi-structured interview guide.

Background: Pressure ulcers have during a long time ages caused great suffering for the patients. The factors affecting the occurrence of pressure ulcers can be both internal and external, such as immobility and malnutrition. Nurses´ role is to assess risks and thus pay attention to prevent and treat pressure ulcers. The nurse may use various assessment tools to highlight and document patients at risk for developing pressure ulcers. Aim: This study was to describe health professionals´ thoughts and actions about the pressure ulcers.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between self-determination theory and its three basic needs: competence, autonomy and relatedness, and commitment to change in an organizational change. Another purpose was to examine if the quality of the communication and the effects on the organization and way to work can predict commitment to change. Considering that organizational changes is very common today there is an interest to ease and improve the change process. The survey contained the scales Commitment to change scale and Basic need satisfaction at work scale and the participants were 39 office-workers who recently had gone through an organizational change. The result indicated that it?s possible to predict commitment to change from self-determination theory, communication and effects on organization and way to work.

This thesis is seeking to explain why policy change come about. This is done by applying a part of Karin Lindgrens dissertation Vad styr ledaren?. The research evolves around the term pressure and the hypothesis are that policy change come about when there is middle range pressure on the decision-maker. Low and high pressure results in no or small policy change.The thesis is done as a case study where the economic crisis in Thailand 1996-1999 makes my case.

The purpose of this report is to collect, compile and complement the scientific and experience based knowledge concerning high pressure fire fighting today. The goal is to produce a decision data for the Rescue Service concerning the use of high pressure systems for fire fighting. Focus is on hose reel high pressure systems but other systems are discussed too. The report begins by describing the technical properties of the different systems. Then the fire fighting properties are evaluated, including manoeuvrability and safety for users.

BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers are unpleasant and painful and causes anxiety not only patient but also for the relatives. It also results in longer hospital stay and increased costs for health care sector and because of this it?s important to identify and survery the origin and what preventive measures there are to prevent pressure ulcer. AIM: To illustrate the nurses´ work to prevent the origin of pressure ulcers. METHOD: A general literary study where scientific articles were searched and found in electronic databases and through manual searches.