Pursuing More Sustainable Consumption by Analyzing Household Metabolism in European Countries and Cities

Bringing about more sustainable consumption patterns is an important challenge for society and science. In this article the concept of household metabolism is applied to analyzing consumption patterns and to identifying possibilities for the development of sustainable household consumption patterns. Household metabolism is determined in terms of total energy requirements, including both direct and indirect energy requirements, using a hybrid method. This method enables us to evaluate various determinants of the environmental load of consumption consistently at several levels—the national level, the local level, and the household level. The average annual energy requirement of households varies considerably between the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Sweden, as well as within these countries. The average expenditure level per household explains a large part of the observed variations. Differences between these countries are also related to the efficiency of the production sectors and to the energy supply system. The consumption categories of food, transport, and recreation show the largest contributions to the environmental load. A comparison of consumer groups with different household characteristics shows remarkable differences in the division of spending over the consumption categories. Thus, analyses of different types of households are important for providing a basis for options to induce decreases of the environmental load of household consumption. At the city level, options for change are provided by an analysis of the city infrastructure, which determines a large part of the direct energy use by households (for transport and heating). At the national level, energy efficiency in production and in electricity generation is an important trigger for decreasing household energy requirements.

Associations between systolic interarm differences in blood pressure and cardiovascular disease outcomes and mortality

Systolic interarm differences in blood pressure have been associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. We undertook individual participant data meta-analyses to (1) quantify independent associations of systolic interarm difference with mortality and cardiovascular events; (2) develop and validate prognostic models incorporating interarm difference, and (3) determine whether interarm difference remains associated with risk after adjustment for common cardiovascular risk scores. We searched for studies recording bilateral blood pressure and outcomes, established agreements with collaborating authors, and created a single international dataset: the Inter-arm Blood Pressure Difference - Individual Participant Data (INTERPRESS-IPD) Collaboration. Data were merged from 24 studies (53 827 participants). Systolic interarm difference was associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: continuous hazard ratios 1.05 (95% CI, 1.02–1.08) and 1.06 (95% CI, 1.02–1.11), respectively, per 5 mm Hg systolic interarm difference. Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality increased with interarm difference magnitude from a ≥5 mm Hg threshold (hazard ratio, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.01–1.14]). Systolic interarm differences per 5 mm Hg were associated with cardiovascular events in people without preexisting disease, after adjustment for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (hazard ratio, 1.04 [95% CI, 1.00–1.08]), Framingham (hazard ratio, 1.04 [95% CI, 1.01–1.08]), or QRISK cardiovascular disease risk algorithm version 2 (QRISK2) (hazard ratio, 1.12 [95% CI, 1.06–1.18]) cardiovascular risk scores. Our findings confirm that systolic interarm difference is associated with increased all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular events. Blood pressure should be measured in both arms during cardiovascular assessment. A systolic interarm difference of 10 mm Hg is proposed as the upper limit of normal

Nuoren hyvinvoinnin tukeminen avohuollon tukitoimilla

Tämän opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena on taustoittaa, miten avohuollon tukitoimilla pystytään tukemaan nuorten hyvinvointia. Tässä työssä pyritään selvittämään avohuollon työntekijöi-den näkemyksiä siitä, miten avohuollon tukitoimet tukevat nuorten hyvinvointia ja mitkä ovat mahdollisia kehityskohteita. Avohuollon palvelut voivat parhaimmillaan olla voimaannuttava toimi nuorille, joilla on omassa elämässään haasteita ja tarvitsevat siinä tukea. Valitettavasti THL:n lastensuojelutilastojen mukaan lastensuojeluilmoitukset ovat olleet kasvussa jo vuo-desta 2016 lähtien, joten lastensuojelun eri toimien kehittäminen on ajankohtaista. Tässä työssä aiheeseen perehdytään lastensuojelulain ja aiempien tutkimusten avulla sekä tarkas-tellaan aihetta avohuollon työntekijöiden näkökulmasta. Opinnäytetyö toteutettiin analysoimalla olemassa olevaa kirjallisuutta ja siten ymmärtämällä lastensuojelun monitasoisuutta, sekä monimutkaisuutta. Teorian pohjalta luotiin kyselytutki-mus, joka toteutettiin Webropol -kyselynä joulukuun 2020 ja tammikuun 2021 välillä. Kysely-tutkimuksen vastaajat ovat avohuollon tukihenkilötoiminnan parissa työskenteleviä toimeksi-antajayritys Familar Oy:n työntekijöitä. Familar Oy on yksi Suomen johtavista yksityisistä lastensuojelupalveluiden tarjoajista. Lastensuojelussa määritetään lapsen etu ja toiveet tulee huomioida yksilöllisellä tasolla. Vaikka lastensuojelun palveluita tarjotaan jo monipuolisesti, tähän työhön toteutettu kysely-tutkimus tuo ilmi, että kehitettävää vielä on. Tukihenkilötoiminnan kehittämisellä, tässä ta-pauksessa työntekijöiden näkökulmasta, voitaisiin entisestään edesauttaa nuorten hyvin-vointia. Parhaimmillaan tuloksista hyötyvät julkinen sektori, yksityiset palveluntarjoajat, alan opiskelijat sekä muut aiheesta kiinnostuneet.The objective of the thesis was examining how non-institutional social care’s support measures can support the well-being of young people. The intention was to explore the views of the workers in the field, and especially how non-institutional social care supports youths’ well-being and how it can be improved. At its best, these services can be very em-powering for the adolescents facing difficulties in life and are in need of support. Unfortu-nately, according to the Finnish institute for health and welfare, child protection notifications have been increasing since 2016, therefore it is very relevant to develop childcare services. In this paper, the topic was examined by studying existing research papers and the Finnish social care laws, as well as conducting a survey to better understand the perspective of the employees in the field. The study was conducted by analysing existing literature and to gain an understanding of the diversity and complexity of child protection (in Finland). Based on the theory, a Webro-pol survey was designed, and it was distributed to the employees of Familiar, who work with these supporting measures. Familiar Oy is one of the leading private organizations in the field of social care and child protection in Finland. Responses were collected during Decem-ber 2020 and January 2021. In child community care, the child’s benefit is determined, and their individual wishes should be catered to. Although there are multiple services existing, it was found that there is still room for improvement. By developing the community care services, the wellbeing of chil-dren and adolescents could also improve. These results may benefit the public sector, the private sector, social care students, and everyone who is interested in this theme

Effects of Great Cormorant Predation on Fish Populations and Fishery

The strong increase in number of Great cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo in Sweden in recent years has led to conflicts - particularly with fishery. This thesis focuses on the possible effects of cormorant predation on fish populations. In total, data from 15 lakes in South Sweden were included in this study while most studies were carried out in Lake Ymsen. The results suggest that the impact of cormorant predation on natural fish populations was small, and I observed no decline in fish mass after cormorants established. Cormorant predation on eel was difficult to evaluate because of several confounding factors. Ruffe, roach and perch were the most important prey species to the cormorants and most fish taken were small. Cormorants do not seem to catch species and sizes in proportion to their occurrence in the fish community. Total fish removal by cormorants varied considerably among lakes (0.2-15.0 kg/ha) and cormorant population sizes at the different lakes were significantly positively correlated with fishery catches, which in turn was significantly positively correlated with total phosphorous levels. Thus, cormorant densities in lakes, and perhaps elsewhere, seem to be governed chiefly by fish densities. The fact that cormorant predation appears not to reduce fish densities suggest cormorants to be regulated by other means than prey depletion. The mechanism behind population regulation could be a behavioural response of fish, making fish more difficult to catch for the cormorants. In recent years, cormorant populations have been subjected to intensive legal and illegal actions with the aim to reduce cormorant numbers. However, the actions currently carried are well below the efforts needed to limit population sizes. To conclude, cormorants appear to compete little with fishery, with regards to free-living fish. The main problem is that cormorants sometimes damage and take away fish in fishing gears

Inventering av myrfåglar i Norrbotten : Pilotstudie inom Biogeografisk uppföljning

Denna rapport utgör en pilotstudie inom arbetet Biogeografisk uppföljning, delsystem fåglar. I studien har ingått att i Norrbottens inland inventera 25 slumpade punktrutter förlagda till öppna och särskilt blöta myrmarker större än 200 ha representerande naturtyperna Myrsjöar (3160), Öppna mossar och kärr (7140), och Aapamyrar (7310). Syftet var att undersöka om dataunderlagen inom Svensk fågeltaxering kan väsentligt förbättras för ett antal mindre vanliga fågelarter förslagna som typiska arter för dessa naturtyper. Särskild fokus var att undersöka förekomster av dvärgbeckasin, myrsnäppa, salskrake, stjärtand, sädgås och svartsnäppa. Resultat från studien visar att observationer av endast svartsnäppa och i viss mån sädgås var så pass många att de nämnvärt bidrog till att förbättra datakvaliteten för dessa båda arter. Inte desto mindre var antalet observerade individer av dvärgbeckasin, myrsnäppa och salskrake relativt många ställt till de fåtaliga årliga observationer som gjorts av dessa arter vid standardrutter senaste åren. Överraskande många videsparvar observerades vilket bidrar till förstärkta underlag i Svensk fågeltaxering. Som underlag för Biogeografiskt uppföljning tillför nu aktuella dataunderlag sannolikt endast begränsade data men en närmare analys krävs av behoven

Postweaning behaviour in pups of the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) on South Georgia

After weaning, southern elephant seal pups (Mirounga leonina) fast for 3 – 8 weeks, for largely unknown reasons. During the postweaning fast we observed daytime behaviour and movements of pups on South Georgia in relation to mass, sex, and tooth eruption. There was variation in behaviour, with the lowest levels of activity from about 09:00 to 15:00. When ashore, weaned pups spent 97% of the time resting. There was no difference in activity between the sexes, except that only male pups were observed fighting. There was a significant difference in tooth eruption between the sexes. In female pups, 87.9% had teeth at weaning, while only 28.7% of male pups had. There was no correlation between mass at weaning and activity in either sex. Weaned pups tended to gather in groups (median group size 3, range 2 – 67). Several factors may affect the behaviour of pups during the postweaning fast: the resting behaviour required to save energy favours spending time ashore during the day (which also enhances vitamin D synthesis), and foraging is more effectively practiced at night because their prey is more active at night

The effect of wind power on birds and bats : – A synthesis

There is a great need for knowledge concerning the impact of wind power on humans and landscapes, the marine environment, birds, bats and other mammals. Previous studies regarding the environmental impacts from wind farms have lacked an overall view of the effects. This has led to deficiencies in the processes of establishing new wind farms. Vindval is a program of knowledge and a cooperation between Energimyndigheten (Swedish Energy Agency) and Naturvårdsverket (Environmental Protection Agency). The purpose of the program is to collect and provide scientific knowledge of wind power impacts on humans and nature. The commission of Vindval extends to 2013.The program comprises about 30 individual projects and also four so called works of synthesis. Syntheses are prepared by experts which compile and assess the collected results of research and experience regarding the effects of wind power within four different areas – humans, birds/bats, marine life and terrestrial mammals. The results of research and synthesis work will provide a basis for environmental impact assessments and in the processes of planning and permits associated with wind power establishments.Vindval requires high standards in the work of reviewing and decision making regarding research applications in order to guarantee high quality reports. These high standard works are also carried out during the reporting approval and publication of research results in the projects.This report was written by Jens Rydell, Biology Department, Lund University. Henri Engström, The Swedish Ornithological Society and the Center of Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University. Anders Hedenström, Biology Department, Lund University. Jesper Kyed Larsen, Vattenfall Wind Power, Fredericia, Denmark. Jan Pettersson, JP Fågelvind, Färjestaden and Martin Green, Biology Department, Lund University.This report is a translation of the previous report in Swedish ”Vindkraftens effekter på fåglar och fladdermöss” (Naturvårdsverket report no 6467). The authors are responsible for the content

The effect of wind power on birds and bats : – A synthesis

There is a great need for knowledge concerning the impact of wind power on humans and landscapes, the marine environment, birds, bats and other mammals. Previous studies regarding the environmental impacts from wind farms have lacked an overall view of the effects. This has led to deficiencies in the processes of establishing new wind farms. Vindval is a program of knowledge and a cooperation between Energimyndigheten (Swedish Energy Agency) and Naturvårdsverket (Environmental Protection Agency). The purpose of the program is to collect and provide scientific knowledge of wind power impacts on humans and nature. The commission of Vindval extends to 2013.The program comprises about 30 individual projects and also four so called works of synthesis. Syntheses are prepared by experts which compile and assess the collected results of research and experience regarding the effects of wind power within four different areas – humans, birds/bats, marine life and terrestrial mammals. The results of research and synthesis work will provide a basis for environmental impact assessments and in the processes of planning and permits associated with wind power establishments.Vindval requires high standards in the work of reviewing and decision making regarding research applications in order to guarantee high quality reports. These high standard works are also carried out during the reporting approval and publication of research results in the projects.This report was written by Jens Rydell, Biology Department, Lund University. Henri Engström, The Swedish Ornithological Society and the Center of Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University. Anders Hedenström, Biology Department, Lund University. Jesper Kyed Larsen, Vattenfall Wind Power, Fredericia, Denmark. Jan Pettersson, JP Fågelvind, Färjestaden and Martin Green, Biology Department, Lund University.This report is a translation of the previous report in Swedish ”Vindkraftens effekter på fåglar och fladdermöss” (Naturvårdsverket report no 6467). The authors are responsible for the content