Press releases

“There is great potential for Mid Sweden University to be one of the world’s leading departments of ecotechnology,” writes Arto Usenius, professor at VTT­-Technical Research Center of Finland, in his external assessment of the first phase of Mid Sweden University’s project “More Efficient Use of Forests.”

A new system that not only warns drivers of collision risks, but also independently jams on the brakes to minimize an inevitable crash has been developed in a research project at Linköping University. Calculations show that the system reduces the risk of severe and fatal traffic injuries by five percent.

Absenteeism for sickness is exceptionally high in Sweden, in both historical and international comparisons. Several studies have already been carried out in the field, but many pieces of the puzzle are still missing. In a new dissertation from Växjö University, the economist Maria Nilsson examines some fundamental mechanisms behind this absenteeism.

Many chemicals in the occupational and non-occupational environment may be hazardous to skin and health. This will be the topic for an international scientific conference “Occupational and Environmental Exposures of Skin to Chemicals-2005” in Stockholm, Sweden 12-15 June 2005.

After studies appeared showing that treating menopausal complaints with estrogen entailed not wholly positive health effects, the prescription of such preparations declined. A dissertation from the Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University in Sweden now shows that the drop was far from the same among female gynecologists and partners of male gynecologists. They still use estrogen to a greater extent.

Europe’s vegetation is likely to become species poorer over the coming years. This is the suggestion from an EU financed study into what could happen to 1350 plant species in Europe from now until 2080. This is a unique study as it is includes more species, more climate scenarios and is over a greater region than is normal for research of this type.

Experts from around the world will be gathering at the AlbaNova University Center in Stockholm from 4 – 10 June for the 14th IEEE-NPSS Real Time Conference. With roots in basic research, real time computing systems now have applications in many areas of society from the automotive industry to medical applications. This year’s conference organizers have arranged the programme to capitalise on the interdisciplinary angle.

The Stockholm School of Economics MBA class of 2005 has completed a three-month project with the Länsförsäkringar Alliance, Swedish market leader in non-life insurance and number one in customer satisfaction for banking and life insurance services.

“Carbon dioxide is a major factor in the corrosion of aluminium and magnesium alloys,” states Daniel Bengtsson Blücher at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, in his PhD thesis.

The Swedish government yesterday commissioned the Swedish Research Council to set up a delegation with the assignment of coordinating the Linnaeus Anniversary in Sweden and to appropriate and allocate funds for efforts
within this framework. For 2005 the government is reserving SEK 7 million to coordinate the Linnaeus Anniversary.