Is there any space for compact housing in sustainable development? – Insights from Sweden

The Earth’s population is steadily increasing and there is a fast growing urbanization as people move from rural areas to cities. Lack of housing is a big issue in many cities. At the same time, dwellings are growing in size demanding more land and natural resources, a development which is not sustainable in the long run. That is problematic as it occupies land and requires natural resources, which is not necessarily sustainable. The aim of this study was to examine the prerequisites for compact housing in Sweden and whether it is a widespread phenomenon or not. Case studies were carried out in three ‘sustainable’ housing and city planning projects (BoKompakt, Hållbarheten and Brunnshög) and in-depth interviews conducted with responsible actors. The impact of the building regulations was also identified as an important issue and therefore Boverket, the Swedish Housing Authority, was included in the investigation. The case studies show that it is more common to implement aspects like sustainable materials and energy efficiency rather than downsizing the dwellings in sustainable housing projects. When compact housing is considered it is mainly due to economical rather than ecological reasons. One obstacle for compact housing are the strict building regulations, BBR, and the requirements of accessibility. So far, the regulations have only been questioned for student housing. The conclusion is that compact housing is not especially widespread in Sweden but as the prerequisites are getting more supportive, it could hopefully spread more.Finns det utrymme för kompakta bostäder i en hållbar stadsutveckling? Allt fler människor flyttar till städer. Det påverkar användningen av olika naturresurser men ökar också konkurrensen om mark – en resurs som inte är oändlig – då fler bosätter sig inom städernas begränsade områden. Trots att den genomsnittliga familjen minskat i storlek har bostäder å andra sidan blivit allt större. För att kunna uppnå en hållbar utveckling måste alla dra sitt strå till stacken. Hur vi bor är inget undantag eftersom det är svårt att bortse från att våra bostäder på olika sätt är resurskrävande. I den här studien har tre olika projekt som profilerat sig ”hållbara” undersökts. Hållbarheten, ett experimentellt flerbostadshus i Malmö där hyresgästerna kan mäta och kontrollera sin energiförbrukning; Brunnshög, en planerad stadsdel i Lund som ska fungera som en europeisk modell för hållbar stadsutveckling samt BoKompakt, studentbostäder med väldigt kompakta boytor i Lund. Syftet har varit att ur ett svenskt perspektiv undersöka hur förutsättningarna för kompakta bostäder ser ut och att försöka få en bild av hur vanliga de är inom hållbart bostadsbyggande. Studien visar att det ofta är annat än mindre bostadsytor som huvudsaklingen prioriteras vid den här typen av byggprojekt, t ex miljövänliga byggmaterial och energieffektivisering. Den visar också att kompaktbostaden inte är en särskilt spridd företeelse. Boverket, den myndighet som tillhandahåller de svenska byggreglerna, har också inkluderats i studien eftersom det har varit av intresse att undersöka hur regler inverkar på möjligheterna att bygga mer kompakt. Det har länge varit svårt att utmana byggreglerna men det allt större behovet av bostäder har gjort att Boverket börjat se över regelverket och infört lättnader som möjliggör mindre studentbostäder. Detta motiveras med att studentbostaden är en tillfällig bostadslösning. Andra grupper än studenter berörs därför än så länge inte av lättnaderna i reglerna. Vidare har studien visat att ekonomisk hållbarhet går före den ekologiska hållbarheten men det händer att båda går att kombinera, t ex i form av experiment som BoKompakt, där lägre hyra (ekonomisk hållbarhet) har kombinerats med kompakta ytor (ekologisk hållbarhet). Förutsättningarna för kompakta bostäder kommer med största sannolikhet att förbättras i takt med att reglerna ändras och det kan också betyda att denna typ av bostäder blir vanligare

Utilizing Ultrasound Elastography to Examine the Material Properties of the Interosseous Membrane

The involvement of the distal radio-ulnar joint (DRUJ) in a combination of high and low impact activities can lead to a variety of injuries. Previous studies done on cadavers have revealed that the distal interosseous membrane (DIOM) plays a role in stability of the DRUJ. Evidence from previous studies shows that thickness, stiffness, and length of the DIOM vary substantially on an individual basis. The "central band region," is the most universally similar region and of particular interest in regards to wrist stability in extension. Chronic extension of the wrist has been shown to affect this membrane and lead to injury and instability of the DRUJ. Without proper healing, changes in the wrist to elbow load and forearm rotation mechanisms are compromised.
 Recently, ultrasound is being used to explore the ligament anatomy of the wrist because it is a comparatively safe and inexpensive alternative to radiography. Developing a reliable methodology for examining this membrane with the specialized technique called shear-wave elastography will provide medical professionals and researchers alike with a cheaper, safer, and less invasive way to diagnose DRUJ instability and examine its healing potential.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether ultrasound elastography is a reliable way to measure the material properties of the interosseous membrane in a live population and to identify any trends that may affect the elastic properties of the membrane. Nineteen subjects were brought into the lab on two occasions no more than a week apart. During both sessions, an ultrasound exam was performed on the participant’s right wrist and the images were used to obtain stiffness, thickness, and length values along the central band of the DIOM. 

The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient for each variable indicated that the proposed methodology is a consistent and reliable way to examine the material properties of the DIOM in a live population. Additionally, gender appeared to have little to no effect on any of the variables. Whether or not an individual participates in regular weight training appears to have some effect on stiffness across the membrane. 

Further research is needed to explain why the material properties vary for each individual, as well as the consequences of these differences

Barnes Hospital Record

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/bjc_barnes_record/1182/thumbnail.jp

Intergenerational Programs’ Effect on the Mental Health of the Elderly

Background: Mental health disorders, such as late-life depression and dementia, are a growing problem the aging population faces. Common treatment medications carry with them many negative aspects. Intergenerational programs are being sought out as an alternative or additional therapy to medication. These programs are focused on strengthening intergenerational relationships, improving health and quality of life, and restoring generational roles. This review looks at the effect intergenerational programs have on the mental health of the aged population. Methods: An exhaustive search of available medical literature was performed using MEDLINE-Ovid, Web of Knowledge, and CINAHL. Keywords included: intergenerational relations, aged or elderly, and mental health. The quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE. Results: Two observational qualitative studies remained after duplicates were eliminated and eligibility criteria were applied. Both studies evaluated elderly exposed to intergenerational programs watching for trends as exposure rates increased. One study showed a decrease in depressive symptoms in a depressed subgroup of older adults and an increase in self-rated mental health. The other study showed a decrease in vitality of the elderly. Both studies showed positive attitudes towards the program via participant interviews. Overall quality of the studies was very low and additional research is needed. Conclusion: Intergenerational programs may be beneficial to the mental health of the aged population and provide an alternative resource for families and clinicians. These programs carry virtually no harm, are low cost, and may possess the capability to improve mental health of the elderly. Until more research is completed this therapy should be used as alternative or adjunctive to common medications and practices

Finland

Publisher PD

Assessing the innervation of the dorsal wrist capsule using modified Sihler’s staining

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the innervation of the dorsal articular capsule of the wrist using modified Sihler’s staining. Materials and methods: Thirty dorsal wrist capsules were collected from 15 donors (both sides) within 12 hours of death. All the capsules were collected in the same manner — using the dorsal incision. The specimens were stained according to the protocol of the modified Sihler’s staining technique. The preserved capsules were analysed under 8–16× magnification of an optical microscope for the presence of major nerve trunks, their major and minor branches, and nerve connections. Results: The range of innervation visualised was that the posterior interosseous nerve innervated approximately 60% of the central part; the remaining area was innervated by the dorsal sensory branch of the radial nerve and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve. The constant findings were the branches departing from the ulnar side of the posterior interosseous nerve and from the radial side, with an exception seen in 2 cases. A communicans branch between the posterior interosseous nerve and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve was seen in all the specimens. The posterior interosseous nerve innervation extended beyond the level of the carpometacarpal joints II–V. Conclusions: The modified Sihler’s staining technique allows for transparent visibility of the nerves that innervate the dorsal wrist capsule. However, it does not allow as accurate assessment as does histological examination, especially regarding the evaluation of nerve endings. Nevertheless, this method provides a significantly larger area of nerve observation than is provided by histological examination

Attorneys Beware: Increased Liability For Providing Advice to Corporate Clients Issuing Securites

Although the law in this area is rapidly evolving, a general overview of recent case law seems to indicate that attorneys may be liable even though their participation in the issuance of securities only involved rendering routine services to a corporate client. If an attorney were to have an active part in activities such as business planning or the promotion of securities, their exposure to potential liability would increase dramatically. As a result of this rapid change in the law, there is a degree of uncertainty concerning the potential liabilities attorneys may face when assisting their corporate clients in issuing securities. In an attempt to address some of this uncertainty, this article will analyze the potential liability for attorneys under three provisions of the federal securities laws. Although there are other sections of the 1933 and 1934 Acts under which an attorney may be subjected to liability, because the bulk of the litigation involving the issuance of securities has been brought primarily under three sections, those sections will be the primary focus of this article. These provisions are Sections 11 and 12 of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934