Sahlgrenska AcademyAt University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: The obesity paradox, myth or truth in adults with cardiovascular disease.Author: Louise Svensson och Amanda NilssonSupervisor: Fredrik BertzExaminer: Ingrid LarssonProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: May 30, 2013Background: It has long been generally accepted that obesity is a risk factor for many diseases. Despite this, new research indicates that a higher BMI could be a protective factor for those with a chronic cardiovascular disease. This discovery is called the obesity paradox and could change the perception of patients' BMI in both public health and clinical work.Objective: The objective of this systematic review article is to examine the scientific evidence for the existence of the obesity paradox in chronic cardiovascular disease, i.e. if a BMI >25 kg/m2 is associated with lower mortality among adults with chronic cardiovascular disease.Search strategy: The databases used in the literature study were PubMed, Summon, Scopus and Cochrane. The keywords were: obesity paradox, cardiovascular, heart, male, BMI, intentional weight loss, cardiovascular mortality and mortality heart failure.Selection criteria: Studies, which had an adult population classified after BMI that suffered from chronic cardiovascular disease and had all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality as endpoints, were included.Data collection and analysis: Ten studies were included.

Purpose/Aim: The purpose of this thesis is to study the interaction between seller and buyer in a mobile phone store. The specific research questions under investigation are:Are there any underlying factors behind mobile purchase, and if so, what are they? Are mobile purchases driven by lifestyle factors and do customers try and create identities when purchasing new mobile phones?Material/Method: The study employs an ethnographic method when trying to answer the posed research questions. I have under a period of two weeks studied the seller-buyer interaction in a mobile phone store. In order to further increase the accuracy of my findings, I have complemented my observations with a sample of buyer and seller interviews.Main results: The observations and interviews were initially studied in isolation, resulting in different themes.

The amount of electricity is limited in Namibia and the large distance between towns andvillages complicates the energy supply in the country. Therefore an alternative way to provideaccess to appropriate energy technologies is needed. The Government of the Republic ofNamibia (GRN) has adopted an approach of helping off-grid households by establishing EnergyShops in each region in Namibia and these shops are going to sell basic renewable energy andenergy efficient products. The Renewable Energy Efficiency Institute in Namibia (REEEI), theinitiator of this thesis, is coordinating the establishment of these Energy Shops.The main purpose of this thesis was to examine the needs of energy products for the Namibianpopulation and develop an assessment method for the Energy Shop in how to select appropriateenergy products already on the world market. The purpose was also to develop a method forchoosing an Energy Shop.

AbstractThe phonics is traditionally firmly established within reading acquisition in Swedish schools. The curriculum, Lpo 94 gives spacious independence regarding the question of method and we have to be aware of our own point of view when we are making the decision regarding the method of reading acquisition. Is it tradition or is it our linguistic point of view that is the determining factor? Through this study of literature, different publications from different times are being studied and the ideas and the linguistic point of view are being discussed. Through comparing between the curriculums that have been replaced of one another, and attending to linguistic discussion and research, we will be able to see a change in the linguistic point of view.

Purpose: My purpose of this study was to examine the factors that motivate Swedes to travel to Egypt and Thailand. To answer the question, I have used two questions.What are the factors that motivate Swedes to travel to Egypt and Thailand?What is the motive for Swedes choose to travel to destinations such as Egypt and Thailand?Method: The method I am using  is the qualitative method. The qualitative method has been processed through interviews of Swedish travelers, the Swedish travel agencies as well as Egypt and Thailand tourist agencies specializing in trips to Egypt and Thailand via phone and e-mail.Theory: The theory I am using are motivators and push-pull factors in achieving an understanding of the factors that influence choice for Swedes to travel to destinations such as Egypt and Thailand.Empiricism: The goal was to get a much more qualitative data from the response from the Swedish travel agencies, Egypt and Thailand tourist agency and Swedish travelers who have traveled to both of these destinations.Result: What I have come up with in my study is that the factors that motivate Swedish travelers to travel to Egypt and Thailand, is the warm climate, sun and sea, culture, variety, the cheap price situation and that there are activities for different age groups. This has led to the heat in both Egypt and Thailand has attracted Swedish travelers to travel to both destinations.

Identification of fungi is based on macroscopic observations of morphology and microscopic characteristics. These conventional methods are time-consuming and requires expert knowledge. For the past years Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry has been used for routine bacterial identification in clinical laboratories but not yet in the same extension for fungi. In this study three preanalytic preparation methods for fungi were evaluated in order to shorten the processing time in routine laboratory performance.Clinically relevant strains (n=18) of molds and dermatophytes were cultivated on agar plates and prepared according to the different preparation methods for protein extraction. Each strain was analyzed in quadruplicate by the MALDI Biotyper and the database Filamentous Fungi Library 1.0.The results showed that the genus and species identification rates of the least time-consuming direct extraction method were 33% and 11% respectively.

The study was performed based on a qualitative method using a hermeneutical approach used to interpret the semi-structured interviews. The study aimed to investigate the Multisystemic therapy (MST) team in Halmstad municipality perceptions on the treatment method multisystemic therapy for youths from the ages of 12-18 years old.The questions were: Does the MST therapists experience that the MST is a method that leads to an improved situation for young people who receive the method? What do the MST therapists describe as opportunities and obstacles in the work with the method?The study builds on previous research on MST and empowerment based on MST. The study shows three therapists and an MST leader's experiences of the treatment and how it is aimed at influencing the parents and the youth for a change. From therapists statements it highlights how the MST method is designed for the young people?s motivation to change by means of the internal and external networks.

Background: Testosterone is the most important androgenic hormone in the male. Aging is closely associated with reduction of serum testosterone which can lead to reduced muscle mass, muscle strength, bone density, and depression. These symptoms may be counteracted by administration of testosterone. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hormone replacement in men with age-related testosterone deficiency. Method: We performed a systematic review using Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT).

The aim of the study is to examine a book used as level-based teaching material, Denmagiska kulan (Wänblad, 2011), to analyse the progression within and between thedifferent levels, A, B and C, intended for use in grade 1. The material is designed so thatpupils at different levels in their reading development can share the same literature.Another aim is to study the connection between illustrations and text. This literaturestudy is based on both a qualitative and a quantitative method of analysis. Thequalitative method applies a readability analysis with the focus on the graphic form andthe language of the text. The quantitative method measures the LIX (readability index)of the texts.

Today you can pay in many different ways. You can for instance use cash, credit cards, internet and now even with your mobile phone. Today we can also see new types of technical payment solutions being developed, such as Near Field Communication (NFC), mobile banking or through the use of QR-codes. We have today many different payment methods; therefore it?s interesting to see which payment method people prefer the most.

Background: Mental health problems among children and adolescents have increased. The school is an important arena for prevention of mental health problems. There is a huge demand for successful interventions. SEL is a method that aims to increase the social and emotional competence among children and adolescents. The program SET applies this method.

The urbanization of the world is increasing. How it affects bird populations have been well studied during the last decade, and comparisons between urban and non-urban habitats have been carried out. A common method for measuring habitat quality is to calculate the population density. This method is easy to use, but have been criticized during the last couple of years. In this study, data of population densities was compared with data on reproduction success.

During cold winter days it is likely that people in buildings with older windows or high glass facades experience thermal discomfort due to cold air down draughts. Earlier work has been aimed at finding analytical methods to predict the speed of the airflow in a room and in practice heating appliances are often placed beneath the windows to reduce the draught along the floor. In a study from 2012 Mohammad Parchami developed a method for estimating the required heating power to counteract the downdraught with such heating appliances. In this study, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used to evaluate the usefulness of Parchami?s method and also to examine the potential of adapting the depth of the inward window sill as a means of decreasing the down draught.

Efficiency has become an important objective for many providers of welfare services. Among Swedish schools, both private and public, increased administrative demands seemingly influence operations, and affect teachers negatively through perceived stress. Simultaneously, Swedish students scored an all-time low in the latest PISA survey, and are now performing below the OECD-average in science, mathematics and reading. A central administrative task in the Swedish elementary school is the parent-teacher conference, which is an important activity in supporting the development of the student's knowledge and social skills. Lean is a well-established operations framework, which has proven successful in order to improve process efficiency.

Background: In the martial art of Muay Thai, techniques are used with hands, elbows, knees and kicks. The contestants are divided into different weight classes and experience levels. The Swedish martial arts association has decided that techniques with elbow are not allowed in B-class. Why is it so?Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the martial arts delegation decision to restrict techniques with elbows to the head in the B-class is justified.