Järnhantering i Tvååkersområdet i Halland: En avslutande diskussion kring Järnmöllan

Iron production at Tvååker in Halland. A concluding discussion about Järnmöllan Gert Magnusson A water powered iron production, Järnmöllan, an iron mill near Tvååker village in Halland was mentioned 1197 in a deed of gift from the archbishop Absalon to the Sorö monastery in Sealand. The original document has been lost, but several copies from the 13th and 15th centuries are still existant. The main issues of the project were to discuss where Järnmöllan was situated, when its was working, what technique that was used and by whom it was run. In order to discuss the technique used at Järnmöllan in early medieval times, the dating of the remains of the iron production at Södra Järnvirke, another locality mentioned in the medieval document, as well as the nearby site at the stream of Sanda on the border between Ugglehult and Dövared were important. The work in the project has followed several steps. The first was a close reading of the Latin text of the medieval documents, which led to the realisation that the iron production at Järnmöllan never seemed to have been a part of Absalons property. The water powered technique was most certainly developed within the farming community. An inmportant question was if the modern locality named Järnmölle not far from Tvååker could be the medieval production site. However, no slags were found at Järnmölle or its vicinity and the rapids, no more than about a meter height, seemed too small for such a site. Neither did the test excavations that were undertaken reveal any remains of iron production. Through the slag finds at Järnvirke and Ugglehult/Dövared, it was concluded that at least two different techniques had been in use, namely a water powered forge combined with a water power bloomery production. At Järnvirke two bloomery furnaces were found by a large slag heap, along with another unusually large slag heap, which also was excavated. No bloomery furnaces were found at this second site, but the slag showed that the bloomery technique had been used there too. Neither site was situated by any stream or rapids, which implied that man power has been used for the bellows, which ruled them out as the location of the medieval iron mill - Järnmöllan. The site at Ugglehult/Dövared was a altogether different matter. By seven meter high rapids, a pond, the remains of a building with three hearths for iron production as well as slag remains of production, calotte slag from smithing and a lot of hammer scale were found. The hearths appeared very similar to those of the specialised central European bloomery iron production as presented by Agricola in the 16th century. The dating of iron production in the vicinity of Tvååker is of great importance. According to some 20 radiocarbon dating the activity seems to have been undertaken in the 11th and 12th century and was probably closed down shortly after the donation of Absalon. Some scholars in history of technology have argued that the donation should be seen as a demonstration of the Cistercians as innovators of iron production techniques. However, at Tvååker, the results suggest that the monks closed it down and use their forests for other purposes, such as building timber. The conclusion that has been drawn is that the iron production at Järnmöllan was founded and developed within the farming community. When the monks took over the forest, timber and charcoal became conflicting interests, with the result that the iron production disappeared after approximately 200 years as an outlaying production for the farmers at Tvååker

Järnmöllan i Tvååker: Inledning och projektets bakgrund

Järnmöllan in Tvååker. Introduction and background of the project By Gert Magnussen For almost a century the iron mill, Järnmöllan at Tvååker in Halland on the west coast in SW Sweden has been known and discussed. One of the oldest documents about water powered iron production in Europe from 1197, reveals that Järnmöllan was a donation from Absalon, the archbishop of Lund, to the friars of Sorö in Sealand. The discussions have focussed on two main hypotheses: one being that Järnmöllan was a forge, the other that it was a reduction furnace, where the smiths had produced wrought iron out of limonite ore. The interest of the site is due to the fact that the introduction of water power is consideret one of the most important steps towards an increase in iron production and industrialised society. Though the few written documents known from the 13th century was thoroughly analysed, the question of the nature of Järnmöllan remained unsolved. In the 1980s, however, surveys for ancient monuments in the area of Tvååker, revealed some ten sites with ancient slags. From the medieval documents the area of Absalon’s donation could be reconstructed. Within the suggested location one larger site with large slag heaps was found. Could this site be the one mentioned in the medieval documents? If so. would it be possible to shed some new light on the old question about Järnmöllan, the, in written sources, oldest known water powered iron production? In the 1990s a iterdisciplinary research group was set up lead by Hans Andersson, professor in archaeology. The other members were the archaeologists Gert Magnusson, Bo Strömberg and Jens Vellev, the human geographers Per Connelid och Catarina Masher, the historian Rikke Agnete Olsen and the metallurgist Vagn Buchwald. The fieldwork was carried out 1993-95. The source material consisted of four different types: the written document, the remains of furnaces and other constructions in the river valley, the reconstruction of the landscape and the metallurgical analyses. Our intention was that these materials cooperately would lead to a new understanding of the Järnmöllan at Tvååker

Evolutionary Relationships of Ljungan Virus Variants Circulating in Multi-Host Systems across Europe

The picornavirus named ‘Ljungan virus’ (LV, species Parechovirus B) has been detected in a dozen small mammal species from across Europe, but detailed information on its genetic diversity and host specificity is lacking. Here, we analyze the evolutionary relationships of LV variants circulating in free-living mammal populations by comparing the phylogenetics of the VP1 region (encoding the capsid protein and associated with LV serotype) and the 3Dpol region (encoding the RNA polymerase) from 24 LV RNA-positive animals and a fragment of the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) sequence (used for defining strains) in sympatric small mammals. We define three new VP1 genotypes: two in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) (genotype 8 from Finland, Sweden, France, and Italy, and genotype 9 from France and Italy) and one in field voles (Microtus arvalis) (genotype 7 from Finland). There are several other indications that LV variants are host-specific, at least in parts of their range. Our results suggest that LV evolution is rapid, ongoing and affected by genetic drift, purifying selection, spillover and host evolutionary history. Although recent studies suggest that LV does not have zoonotic potential, its widespread geographical and host distribution in natural populations of well-characterized small mammals could make it useful as a model for studying RNA virus evolution and transmission

Evolutionary Relationships of Ljungan Virus Variants Circulating in Multi-Host Systems across Europe

The picornavirus named ‘Ljungan virus’ (LV, species Parechovirus B) has been detected in a dozen small mammal species from across Europe, but detailed information on its genetic diversity and host specificity is lacking. Here, we analyze the evolutionary relationships of LV variants circulating in free-living mammal populations by comparing the phylogenetics of the VP1 region (encoding the capsid protein and associated with LV serotype) and the 3Dpol region (encoding the RNA polymerase) from 24 LV RNA-positive animals and a fragment of the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) sequence (used for defining strains) in sympatric small mammals. We define three new VP1 genotypes: two in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) (genotype 8 from Finland, Sweden, France, and Italy, and genotype 9 from France and Italy) and one in field voles (Microtus arvalis) (genotype 7 from Finland). There are several other indications that LV variants are host-specific, at least in parts of their range. Our results suggest that LV evolution is rapid, ongoing and affected by genetic drift, purifying selection, spillover and host evolutionary history. Although recent studies suggest that LV does not have zoonotic potential, its widespread geographical and host distribution in natural populations of well-characterized small mammals could make it useful as a model for studying RNA virus evolution and transmission

Geographical Distribution and Genetic Diversity of Bank Vole Hepaciviruses in Europe

The development of new diagnostic methods resulted in the discovery of novel hepaciviruses in wild populations of the bank vole (Myodes glareolus, syn. Clethrionomys glareolus). The naturally infected voles demonstrate signs of hepatitis similar to those induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV) in humans. The aim of the present research was to investigate the geographical distribution of bank vole-associated hepaciviruses (BvHVs) and their genetic diversity in Europe. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) screening revealed BvHV RNA in 442 out of 1838 (24.0%) bank voles from nine European countries and in one of seven northern red-backed voles (Myodes rutilus, syn. Clethrionomys rutilus). BvHV RNA was not found in any other small mammal species (n = 23) tested here. Phylogenetic and isolation-by-distance analyses confirmed the occurrence of both BvHV species (Hepacivirus F and Hepacivirus J) and their sympatric occurrence at several trapping sites in two countries. The broad geographical distribution of BvHVs across Europe was associated with their presence in bank voles of different evolutionary lineages. The extensive geographical distribution and high levels of genetic diversity of BvHVs, as well as the high population fluctuations of bank voles and occasional commensalism in some parts of Europe warrant future studies on the zoonotic potential of BvHVs.Peer reviewe

Long working hours and depressive symptoms : systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data

Objectives This systematic review and meta-analysis combined published study-level data and unpublished individual-participant data with the aim of quantifying the relation between long working hours and the onset of depressive symptoms. Methods We searched PubMed and Embase for published prospective cohort studies and included available cohorts with unpublished individual-participant data. We used a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate summary estimates across studies. Results We identified ten published cohort studies and included unpublished individual-participant data from 18 studies. In the majority of cohorts, long working hours was defined as working >= 55 hours per week. In multivariable-adjusted meta-analyses of 189 729 participants from 35 countries [96 275 men, 93 454 women, follow-up ranging from 1-5 years, 21 747 new-onset cases), there was an overall association of 1.14 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.25] between long working hours and the onset of depressive symptoms, with significant evidence of heterogeneity (I-2 = 45.1%, P=0.004). A strong association between working hours and depressive symptoms was found in Asian countries (1.50, 95% CI 1.13-2.01), a weaker association in Europe (1.11, 95% CI 1.00-1.22), and no association in North America (0.97, 95% CI 0.70-1.34) or Australia (0.95, 95% CI 0.70-1.29). Differences by other characteristics were small. Conclusions This observational evidence suggests a moderate association between long working hours and onset of depressive symptoms in Asia and a small association in Europe.Peer reviewe

Genetic variants associated with subjective well-being, depressive symptoms, and neuroticism identified through genome-wide analyses

Very few genetic variants have been associated with depression and neuroticism, likely because of limitations on sample size in previous studies. Subjective well-being, a phenotype that is genetically correlated with both of these traits, has not yet been studied with genome-wide data. We conducted genome-wide association studies of three phenotypes: subjective well-being (n = 298,420), depressive symptoms (n = 161,460), and neuroticism (n = 170,911). We identify 3 variants associated with subjective well-being, 2 variants associated with depressive symptoms, and 11 variants associated with neuroticism, including 2 inversion polymorphisms. The two loci associated with depressive symptoms replicate in an independent depression sample. Joint analyses that exploit the high genetic correlations between the phenotypes (|ρ^| ≈ 0.8) strengthen the overall credibility of the findings and allow us to identify additional variants. Across our phenotypes, loci regulating expression in central nervous system and adrenal or pancreas tissues are strongly enriched for association.</p

Genome-wide analysis identifies 12 loci influencing human reproductive behavior.

The genetic architecture of human reproductive behavior-age at first birth (AFB) and number of children ever born (NEB)-has a strong relationship with fitness, human development, infertility and risk of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, very few genetic loci have been identified, and the underlying mechanisms of AFB and NEB are poorly understood. We report a large genome-wide association study of both sexes including 251,151 individuals for AFB and 343,072 individuals for NEB. We identified 12 independent loci that are significantly associated with AFB and/or NEB in a SNP-based genome-wide association study and 4 additional loci associated in a gene-based effort. These loci harbor genes that are likely to have a role, either directly or by affecting non-local gene expression, in human reproduction and infertility, thereby increasing understanding of these complex traits

Implicating genes, pleiotropy, and sexual dimorphism at blood lipid loci through multi-ancestry meta-analysis

Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).Background: Genetic variants within nearly 1000 loci are known to contribute to modulation of blood lipid levels. However, the biological pathways underlying these associations are frequently unknown, limiting understanding of these findings and hindering downstream translational efforts such as drug target discovery. Results: To expand our understanding of the underlying biological pathways and mechanisms controlling blood lipid levels, we leverage a large multi-ancestry meta-analysis (N = 1,654,960) of blood lipids to prioritize putative causal genes for 2286 lipid associations using six gene prediction approaches. Using phenome-wide association (PheWAS) scans, we identify relationships of genetically predicted lipid levels to other diseases and conditions. We confirm known pleiotropic associations with cardiovascular phenotypes and determine novel associations, notably with cholelithiasis risk. We perform sex-stratified GWAS meta-analysis of lipid levels and show that 3–5% of autosomal lipid-associated loci demonstrate sex-biased effects. Finally, we report 21 novel lipid loci identified on the X chromosome. Many of the sex-biased autosomal and X chromosome lipid loci show pleiotropic associations with sex hormones, emphasizing the role of hormone regulation in lipid metabolism. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings provide insights into the biological mechanisms through which associated variants lead to altered lipid levels and potentially cardiovascular disease risk.Peer reviewe

Implicating genes, pleiotropy, and sexual dimorphism at blood lipid loci through multi-ancestry meta-analysis

Funding GMP, PN, and CW are supported by NHLBI R01HL127564. GMP and PN are supported by R01HL142711. AG acknowledge support from the Wellcome Trust (201543/B/16/Z), European Union Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007–2013 under grant agreement no. HEALTH-F2-2013–601456 (CVGenes@Target) & the TriPartite Immunometabolism Consortium [TrIC]-Novo Nordisk Foundation’s Grant number NNF15CC0018486. JMM is supported by American Diabetes Association Innovative and Clinical Translational Award 1–19-ICTS-068. SR was supported by the Academy of Finland Center of Excellence in Complex Disease Genetics (Grant No 312062), the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, the Sigrid Juselius Foundation, and University of Helsinki HiLIFE Fellow and Grand Challenge grants. EW was supported by the Finnish innovation fund Sitra (EW) and Finska Läkaresällskapet. CNS was supported by American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowships 15POST24470131 and 17POST33650016. Charles N Rotimi is supported by Z01HG200362. Zhe Wang, Michael H Preuss, and Ruth JF Loos are supported by R01HL142302. NJT is a Wellcome Trust Investigator (202802/Z/16/Z), is the PI of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (MRC & WT 217065/Z/19/Z), is supported by the University of Bristol NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC-1215–2001) and the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MC_UU_00011), and works within the CRUK Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Programme (C18281/A19169). Ruth E Mitchell is a member of the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol funded by the MRC (MC_UU_00011/1). Simon Haworth is supported by the UK National Institute for Health Research Academic Clinical Fellowship. Paul S. de Vries was supported by American Heart Association grant number 18CDA34110116. Julia Ramierz acknowledges support by the People Programme of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme grant n° 608765 and Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant n° 786833. Maria Sabater-Lleal is supported by a Miguel Servet contract from the ISCIII Spanish Health Institute (CP17/00142) and co-financed by the European Social Fund. Jian Yang is funded by the Westlake Education Foundation. Olga Giannakopoulou has received funding from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) (FS/14/66/3129). CHARGE Consortium cohorts were supported by R01HL105756. Study-specific acknowledgements are available in the Additional file 32: Supplementary Note. The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the National Institutes of Health; or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Peer reviewedPublisher PD