Snowshoe hare densities in post-fire vegetation

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2006The objective of this study was to investigate if patterns of snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) densities in interior Alaska are influenced by post-fire successional stage. Stages of succession were classified using the proxy Time Since Last Fire (TSLF). I estimated snowshoe hare densities during the summers of 2003 and 2004 in 5 young (10-20 yrs) and 5 old (44-46 yrs) burns, each with an adjacent unburned control, using indirect distance sampling methods. Because indirect distance sampling has not previously been applied for snowshoe hares, I compared these results with a traditional mark-recapture analysis. Hare density estimates from both methods were not statistically different. I observed that hare densities were not higher in older stands relative to unburned habitat and that hare densities were highly variable in young stands. Therefore, my research suggests that TSLF was not suitable as a stand-alone indicator of quality of habitat for snowshoe hares. Other processes and factors such as fire severity can influence successional pathways and post-fire species composition, creating both temporal and spatial variability in the development of successional stages. I recommend that other covariates, such as fire severity, be researched to address the influence of vegetation succession on hare densities

Sexmänsäljersex.se/x : nöje blir funktion

Rapporten sexmänsäljer.se/x utgår från intervjuer med män som säljer sex till andra män via internet. Den belyser ett fenomen som tidigare inte lyfts fram i svensk forskning och tillför ny kunskap. Rapporten fokuserar dels på att ge några av dessa män en röst och möjlighet att formulera hur de ser på sin verksamhet, dels på att försöka utveckla en teoretisk ram och begrepp för att bättre förstå ett viktigt samtida fenomen. Undersökningen utmanar och kompletterar de befintliga berättelserna om män som säljer sex till män genom att avtäcka ett nytt segment. Internet medför ett paradigmskifte i kommunikationen och möten mellan människor och det är nödvändigt att som samhälle förstå mer av detta specifika fenomen i en samtida kulturhistorisk kontext. Rapporten utgör dessutom ett viktigt exempel på hur insikter och kunskaper kan formuleras genom ett unikt insiderperspektiv från en organisation, RFSL Rådgivningen Skåne, som arbetar nära och inifrån sin egen målgrupp homo- och bisexuella, samt transpersoner

Clinical decision support system (CDSS) – effects on care quality

Purpose – Despite their efficacy, some recommended therapies are underused. The purpose of this paper is to describe clinical decision support system (CDSS) development and its impact on clinical guideline adherence. Design/methodology/approach - A new CDSS was developed and introduced in a cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) in 2003, which provided physicians with patient-tailored reminders and permitted data export from electronic patient records into a national quality registry. To evaluate CDSS effects in the CICU, process indicators were compared to a control group using registry data. All CICUs were in the same region and only patients with acute coronary syndrome were included. Findings – CDSS introduction was associated with increases in guideline adherence, which ranged from 16 to 35 per cent, depending on the therapy. Statistically significant associations between guideline adherence and CDSS use remained over the five-year period after its introduction. During the same period, no relapses occurred in the intervention CICU. Practical implications – Guideline adherence and healthcare quality can be enhanced using CDSS. This study suggests that practitioners should turn to CDSS to improve healthcare quality. Originality/value – This paper describes and evaluates an intervention that successfully increased guideline adherence, which improved healthcare quality when the intervention CICU was compared to the control group