Handbok för växtinsamlare

What makes a Swede betake himself into the Chinese wilderness? How does the Rio Convention influence a plant collector? And who will crack the nut positioned 12 meters up in the crown of a tree? There are many secrets behind the act of collecting plants. In many regards, the documentation of the collection of plants for a Swedish purpose has been unsatisfactory. The focus of the publications is on what plant species that have been found rather than information on how these plants have been collected. Only few results of experimental cultivation are available. There is no doubt that there exists knowledge that has not been publicised yet. Sten Ridderlöf, Henrik Zetterlund, Elisabeth Öberg, Magnus Lidén, Björn Aldén and Erland Ejder are all experienced plant collectors who have brought home seed- and plant material for cultivation in Sweden. By using in-depth interviews with these persons, a kind of collection of experience concerning the modern collecting of plants has developed. In the result of the interviews, a manual for plant collectors is presented. Here, a summary of the experiences that emerged from the interviews is given. The manual gives practical advice to anyone who wants to see and collect plants in their natural habitat. In the opening section, the conditions in general for the plant collectors are described. Here, a historical retrospect, role models, interest organisations and other networks is presented. Moreover, a basic description of the legal framework as well as the distribution channels for the collected plant material is given. With our degree project, we would like to contribute in conveying knowledge on the act of collecting plants that up until now only existed in the minds of Sweden's plant pundits.Vad får en svensk att bege sig ut i den kinesiska vildmarken? Hur påverkar Riokonventionen en växtinsamlare? Och vem knäcker nöten som sitter tolv meter upp i trädkronan? Det finns många hemligheter bakom växtinsamlingar Dokumentationen av växtinsamlingar för svensk publik har varit otillfredsställande i många särskilt avseenden. Publikationer fokuserar hellre på vilka arter som har hittats än hur växterna har samlats in. Få försöksodlingsresultat finns tillgängliga. Att det finns kunskap som ännu inte har förmedlas i skrift råder det inga tvivel om. Sten Ridderlöf, Henrik Zetterlund, Elisabeth Öberg, Magnus Lidén, Björn Aldén och Erland Ejder är alla erfarna växtinsamlare som tagit hem frö- och plantmaterial för odling i Sverige. Genom djupintervjuer med dessa personer har en slags erfarenhetsbank kring moderna växtinsamlingar vuxit fram. I resultatet presenteras en manual för växtinsamlare. Här ges en sammanfattning av de erfarenheter som framkommit under intervjuerna. Manualen ger praktiska råd för den som vill se och samla växter i naturen. I ett inledande avsnitt beskrivs växtsamlarnas förutsättningar mer allmänt. Här presenteras en historisk tillbakablick, förebilder, intresseorganisationer och andra nätverk. Vidare ges en enklare beskrivning av regelverk och distributionskanaler för det insamlade växtmaterialet. Vi vill med vårt examensarbete ge ett bidrag till att förmedla kunskapen om växtinsamlingar som till dags dato endast funnits i huvudet på Sveriges växttokiga expertis

Bacterial Phenotype Variants in Group B Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome1

Variants with markedly different expression of virulence factors can arise in invasive infection in humans

Common susceptibility variants are shared between schizophrenia and psoriasis in the Han Chinese population

Previous studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia have a greater risk for psoriasis than a typical person. This suggests that there might be a shared genetic etiology between the 2 conditions. We aimed to characterize the potential shared genetic susceptibility between schizophrenia and psoriasis using genome-wide marker genotype data

A possible role for miRNA silencing in disease phenotype variation in Swedish transthyretin V30M carriers

Our results are the first to show the presence of a 3'UTR polymorphism on the V30M haplotype in Swedish carriers, which can serve as a miRNA binding site potentially leading to down-regulated expression from the mutated TTR allele. This finding may be related to the low penetrance and high age at onset of the disease observed in the Swedish patient population

Common susceptibility variants are shared between schizophrenia and psoriasis in the Han Chinese population

Background Previous studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia have a greater risk for psoriasis than a typical person. This suggests that there might be a shared genetic etiology between the 2 conditions. We aimed to characterize the potential shared genetic susceptibility between schizophrenia and psoriasis using genome-wide marker genotype data. Methods We obtained genetic data on individuals with psoriasis, schizophrenia and control individuals. We applied a marker-based coheritability estimation procedure, polygenic score analysis, a gene set enrichment test and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model to estimate the potential shared genetic etiology between the 2 diseases. We validated the results in independent schizophrenia and psoriasis cohorts from Singapore. Results We included 1139 individuals with psoriasis, 744 with schizophrenia and 1678 controls in our analysis, and we validated the results in independent cohorts, including 441 individuals with psoriasis (and 2420 controls) and 1630 with schizophrenia (and 1860 controls). We estimated that a large fraction of schizophrenia and psoriasis risk could be attributed to common variants (h(SNP)(2) = 29% 5.0%, p = 2.00 x 10(-8)), with a coheritability estimate between the traits of 21%. We identified 5 variants within the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene region, which were most likely to be associated with both diseases and collectively conferred a significant risk effect (odds ratio of highest risk quartile = 6.03, p < 2.00 x 10(-16)). We discovered that variants contributing most to the shared heritable component between psoriasis and schizophrenia were enriched in antigen processing and cell endoplasmic reticulum. Limitations Our sample size was relatively small. The findings of 5 HLA gene variants were complicated by the complex structure in the HLA region. Conclusion We found evidence for a shared genetic etiology between schizophrenia and psoriasis. The mechanism for this shared genetic basis likely involves immune and calcium signalling pathways.National Natural Science Foundation of China [81370044, 81000692, 81273301, 81072461, 81130031, 81222022, 81222017]; China Council of Scholarship [201208340003]; Youth Project of the Outstanding Talents of Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee Program [31200939]; Pre-National Basic Research Program of China (973 Plan) [2012CB722404]; Anhui Province Natural Science Foundation [1208085QH145]; Anhui High Education Young Talent; Anhui Medical University [XJ201429]; NIH [1UL1TR001114, U19 AG023122-09, R01 DA030976-05, R01 MH094483-03, R01 AG035020-05, R01 MH100351-02, R21 AG045789-01A1]; Human Longevity, Inc.; Johnson and Johnson; Tanner Foundation; Stand-Up-to-Cancer organization; National Research Foundation Singapore under the National Medical Research Council Translational and Clinical Research Flagship Program [NMRC/TCR/003/2008]SCI(E)[email protected]; [email protected]

Ärftlig transtyretinamyloidos (Skelleftesjukan) : från arvsanlag till släktträd

Background: Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis is an autosomal dominant disease with a reduced penetrance. The most common mutation in Sweden is the V30M mutation in the transthyretin gene. Clustering areas of the disease can be found in Northern Sweden, Portugal, Brazil and Japan, although sporadic cases exist worldwide. Despite being caused by the same mutation, there are large differences in onset, penetrance and symptoms of the disease. Swedish V30M patients typically have a later onset with a lower penetrance compared to those from the clustering Portuguese V30M areas. The reasons for these differences have not been fully understood. The aim of this thesis is to study mechanisms that may influence onset and symptoms and investigate why patients carrying the same mutation have different phenotypes. Methods: Genealogy studies were performed on all known V30M carriers in Sweden using standard genealogy methods. DNA samples from patients, asymptomatic carriers and controls from different countries were collected and the transthyretin gene was sequenced. Liver biopsies from patients were used for allele specific expression analysis and a cell assay was used for miRNA analysis with the mutated allele. Gene expression analysis was performed on biopsies from liver and fat from patients and controls. Results and conclusions: Genealogic analysis of all known Swedish V30M carriers managed to link together 73% of the Swedish ATTR V30M population to six different ancestors from the 17th and 18th century, thus dating the Swedish V30M mutation to be more than 400 years old. A founder effect was also visible in descendants to one of the ancestors, producing a later age at onset. Sequencing of the transthyretin gene revealed a SNP in the 3’ UTR of all Swedish V30M carriers that was not found in any of the Japanese or French V30M carriers. The SNP was present on the Swedish transthyretin haplotype and defined the Swedish V30M population as separate from others. However, the SNP itself had no effect upon phenotype or onset of disease. Gene expression analysis of liver and fat tissue revealed a change in genetic profile of the patients’ livers, in contrast to the unchanged profile of the fat tissue. A changed genetic profile of the liver could explain why domino liver recipients develop the disease much earlier than expected

Ärftlig transtyretinamyloidos (Skelleftesjukan) : från arvsanlag till släktträd

Background: Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis is an autosomal dominant disease with a reduced penetrance. The most common mutation in Sweden is the V30M mutation in the transthyretin gene. Clustering areas of the disease can be found in Northern Sweden, Portugal, Brazil and Japan, although sporadic cases exist worldwide. Despite being caused by the same mutation, there are large differences in onset, penetrance and symptoms of the disease. Swedish V30M patients typically have a later onset with a lower penetrance compared to those from the clustering Portuguese V30M areas. The reasons for these differences have not been fully understood. The aim of this thesis is to study mechanisms that may influence onset and symptoms and investigate why patients carrying the same mutation have different phenotypes. Methods: Genealogy studies were performed on all known V30M carriers in Sweden using standard genealogy methods. DNA samples from patients, asymptomatic carriers and controls from different countries were collected and the transthyretin gene was sequenced. Liver biopsies from patients were used for allele specific expression analysis and a cell assay was used for miRNA analysis with the mutated allele. Gene expression analysis was performed on biopsies from liver and fat from patients and controls. Results and conclusions: Genealogic analysis of all known Swedish V30M carriers managed to link together 73% of the Swedish ATTR V30M population to six different ancestors from the 17th and 18th century, thus dating the Swedish V30M mutation to be more than 400 years old. A founder effect was also visible in descendants to one of the ancestors, producing a later age at onset. Sequencing of the transthyretin gene revealed a SNP in the 3’ UTR of all Swedish V30M carriers that was not found in any of the Japanese or French V30M carriers. The SNP was present on the Swedish transthyretin haplotype and defined the Swedish V30M population as separate from others. However, the SNP itself had no effect upon phenotype or onset of disease. Gene expression analysis of liver and fat tissue revealed a change in genetic profile of the patients’ livers, in contrast to the unchanged profile of the fat tissue. A changed genetic profile of the liver could explain why domino liver recipients develop the disease much earlier than expected

Python in a week : Conceptual tests for learning and course development

Programming has gradually become an essential skill for engineers and scientists across disciplines and is an important part of the CDIO Syllabus covering fundamental knowledge and reasoning. Recently, there has been a shift away from introductory programming languages like C and Java towards Python, especially in programs where the focus lies on handling and analysing large quantities of data, such as energy technology, biotechnology, and bioinformatics. This paper illustrates the successful setup of a one-week-long introductory Python programming course with a hands-on approach. Given the limited time, a challenge is how to effectively teach students a meaningful set of skills that enables them to self-guide their future learning. Moreover, since the course does not include any summative assessment, we need other means of measuring students’ learning and guiding course development. We address these challenges by coupling short lectures with short quizzes for formative assessment, adding another learning activity to the course. We find that, in the absence of summative assessment, short, frequent quizzes with immediate feedback are an excellent tool to track the learning of a class as a whole. Students report that the quizzes, albeit challenging, improved their understanding of programming concepts, made them aware of potential mistakes, and were a fun learning experience. Furthermore, the results from this paper illustrate how a new programming language can be taught to students without prior programming skills in a short period of time. We summarise our lessons learnt for designing and integrating quizzes in short-format programming courses

Individens upplevelser av att leva med kronisk sjukdom

Kronisk sjukdom betraktas som det största växande hälsoproblemet i den industrialiserade världen. Erfarenheter av att leva med en kronisk sjukdom innebar stora förändringar i livet. Förändringar som framkallar känslor av lidande, rädsla, nedsatt kontroll och förnekande. Syftet var att belysa individers upplevelser av att leva med en kronisk sjukdom. Studien genomfördes som en litteraturstudie, där 16 vetenskapliga artiklar granskades. I resultatet framkom flera faktorer som påverkade individen och dess liv med en kronisk sjukdom, dessa var psykiska, fysiska, sociala, andliga samt relationen mellan sjuksköterska och patient. De svårigheter individerna påträffade i livet krävde praktiskt, socialt och emotionellt stöd, vilket inte alltid upplevdes tillräckligt. Samtidigt ansågs det viktigt att inte ge upp kampen för en tillfredsställande tillvaro. För att möjliggöra en god omvårdnad behövs ökade kunskaper om människors upplevelser av att leva med en kronisk sjukdom. Studien kan ge kunskap för utveckling av omvårdnadsvetenskap vad gäller kroniskt sjuka människor och deras upplevelser