Root rot in the Swedish spruce stands 1983 to 2013

Varje år orsakar rotrötan stora ekonomiska förluster för skogsbruket i Sverige dels genom att grantimmer nedklassas till massaved eller brännved, men även genom de tillväxtförluster som rotrötan orsakar. Att våra skogar drabbas av rotröta är inte något nytt, man kände till detta redan under tidigt 1800-tal. Men hur har dess förekomst i granbestånd förändrats i Norrland respektive Svealand och Götaland förändrats de senaste decennierna? Att undersöka det var syftet med denna studie. Analyserna i studien gjordes med hjälp av riksskogstaxeringens data. Detta datamaterial samlades in under åren 1983-2013 från deras tillfälliga provytor. På dessa provytor togs borrprov i brösthöjd där man noterade om det förekom röta eller ej. Det datamaterial som användes i analyserna var av bestånd med minst 70 % granvolym och uppdelat i två grupper (områden); Svealand och Götaland respektive Norrland. Analyserna av datamaterialet som erhölls utfördes i Excel. De analyser som utfördes var trendanalyser med glidande fem-års medelvärdet. Trendanalyser gjordes för att se om det kunde finnas något linjärt samband mellan rötad granvolym och år. Resultatet av studien påvisade ingen tydlig signifikans på en ökad trend när det kommer till procentuell andel rötad volym. Dock kunde man se att det fanns skillnader i volymen rötad gran, att det har blivit en större volym i Svealand och Götaland, medan det hade blivit lägre i Norrland.Every year the root rot is causing major economic losses for the forest industry in Sweden, partially because saw logs become downgraded to pulpwood or firewood, but also due to the growth losses that the root rot causes. The fact that our forest is affected by root rot isn’t something new; they knew that already during the early 1800s. But how has its presence in spruce stand changed in Norrland in the recent decades? The aim of this study was to investigate that. The analyzes in this study were made with the help of the National Forest Inventory data. The data were collected during 1983-2013 from their temporary sample plots. On these plots, the stems were drilled at breast height and it was noted if root rot was present or not. The dataset that were used in the analysis were stands with at least 70 % spruce of the total volume and the dataset were divided into two groups (areas). The first of the two areas were Svealand and Götaland and the other one was Norrland. The analyzes of the data obtained was performed in Excel. The analyzes that were performed was a trend analysis with moving a five-year average. The trend analysis was done to see if there could be a linear relationship between root rot infected spruce volume and year. The results of the study showed no clear significance of an increased trend when it comes to the percentage of root rot infected volume. However, you could see that there were a difference in the volume of root rot infected spruce, it has become a larger volume in Svealand and Götaland, whereas it had become lower in the north

En kartläggning av aktiviteter i vardagen samt upplevelser av dessa hos ungdomar med en reumatologisk sjukdom

Syftet med studien var att få en inblick i hur vardagen såg ut för ungdomar med en reumatologisk sjukdom. Kartläggningen bestod av att ta reda på vilka aktiviteter ungdomarna ägnade sig åt, hur mycket tid de spenderade på aktiviteterna, var aktiviteterna utfördes samt tillsammans med vem. Syftet var även att ta reda på hur de upplevde sina utförda aktiviteter samt om de varit tvungna att välja bort någon aktivitet på grund av sin sjukdom. I studien ingick sju flickor i åldern 14-16 år. Datainsamlingen gjordes med hjälp av en återberättad tidsdagbok, veckoöversikt samt en fördjupande intervju kring de aktiviteter som nämndes i den återberättande dagboken. Resultatet visade att ungdomarna spenderade sin tid olika beroende på vilka roller och vanor de hade och hur familjeförhållandena såg ut. Sjukdomen påverkade valet av deras fritidsaktiviteter, då vissa valde aktiva aktiviteter såsom fotboll och andra mer lugna aktiviteter såsom datoranvändande. Som följd av sjukdomen visade det sig att vissa ungdomar kände sig mindre delaktiga i fritidsaktiviteter. I skolidrotten upplevdes mindre delaktighet då vissa aktiviteter inte gick att anpassa eller då idrottslektionen även uteslöts helt från schemat

Decreased inducibility of TNF expression in lipid-loaded macrophages

BACKGROUND: Inflammation and immune responses are considered to be very important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Lipid accumulation in macrophages of the arterial intima is a characteristic feature of atherosclerosis which can influence the inflammatory potential of macrophages. We studied the effects of lipid loading on the regulation of TNF expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages. RESULTS: In macrophages incubated with acetylated low density lipoprotein (ac-LDL) for 2 days, mRNA expression of TNF in cells stimulated with TNF decreased by 75%. In cell cultures stimulated over night with IL-1β, lipid loading decreased secretion of TNF into culture medium by 48%. These results suggest that lipid accumulation in macrophages makes them less responsive to inflammatory stimuli. Decreased basal activity and inducibility of transcription factor AP-1 was observed in lipid-loaded cells, suggesting a mechanism for the suppression of cytokine expression. NF-κB binding activity and inducibility were only marginally affected by ac-LDL. LDL and ac-LDL did not activate PPARγ. In contrast, oxidized LDL stimulated AP-1 and PPARγ but inhibited NF-κB, indicating that the effects of lipid loading with ac-LDL were not due to oxidation of lipids. CONCLUSIONS: Accumulation of lipid, mainly cholesterol, results in down-regulation of TNF expression in macrophages. Since monocytes are known to be activated by cell adhesion, these results suggest that foam cells in atherosclerotic plaques may contribute less potently to an inflammatory reaction than newly arrived monocytes/macrophages

Effect of skin-to-skin contact on parents\u27 sleep quality, mood, parent-infant interaction and cortisol concentrations in neonatal care units: Study protocol of a randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION: Separation after preterm birth is a major stressor for infants and parents. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) is a method of care suitable to use in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to minimise separation between parents and infants. Less separation leads to increased possibilities for parent-infant interaction, provided that the parents\u27 sleep quality is satisfactory. We aimed to evaluate the effect of continuous SSC on sleep quality and mood in parents of preterm infants borndischarge. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A randomised intervention study with two arms-intervention versus standard care. Data will be collected from 50 families. Eligible families will be randomly allocated to intervention or standard care when transferred from the intensive care room to the family-room in the NICU. The intervention consists of continuous SSC for four consecutive days and nights in the family-room. Data will be collected every day during the intervention and again at the time of discharge from the hospital. Outcome measures comprise activity tracker (Actigraph); validated self-rated questionnaires concerning sleep, mood and bonding; observed scorings of parental sensitivity and emotional availability and salivary cortisol. Data will be analysed with pairwise, repeated measures, Mann Whitney U-test will be used to compare groups and analysis of variance will be used to adjust for different hospitals and parents\u27 gender. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study is approved by the Regional Research Ethics Board at an appropriate university (2016/89-31). The results will be published in scientific journals. We will also use conferences and social media to disseminate our findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03004677

Perceptions of health and wellbeing among employees in a work integration social enterprise in Sweden

Background: Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) constitute an important vehiclefor providing employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups.Objective: The goal of this qualitative case study is to explore perceptions of health andwellbeing among employees working in a WISE located in the Gävleborg region, in eastcentral Sweden.Methods: Data were gathered using 16 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with thesocial enterprise employees.Results: Findings were categorized into three main categories: the importance of financialindependence and societal benefits; team spirit and a sense of belonging; and improvedquality of life and wellbeing.Conclusion: The participants perceived that working in the WISE gave them a feeling offreedom and increased their self-esteem because of the possibility to earn an income.Also, they were satisfied with their job (e.g., with regard to work quality and flexibility)and believed that their work contributed to society. Moreover, through working in a WISE,the participants felt a sense of belonging and togetherness through interaction with coworkersand managers, and an improved quality of life for themselves and their families

Pathways from research to sustainable development: insights from ten research projects in sustainability and resilience

Drawing on collective experience from ten collaborative research projects focused on the Global South, we identify three major challenges that impede the translation of research on sustainability and resilience into better-informed choices by individuals and policy-makers that in turn can support transformation to a sustainable future. The three challenges comprise: (i) converting knowledge produced during research projects into successful knowledge application; (ii) scaling up knowledge in time when research projects are short-term and potential impacts are long-term; and (iii) scaling up knowledge across space, from local research sites to larger-scale or even global impact. Some potential pathways for funding agencies to overcome these challenges include providing targeted prolonged funding for dissemination and outreach, and facilitating collaboration and coordination across different sites, research teams, and partner organizations. By systematically documenting these challenges, we hope to pave the way for further innovations in the research cycle

Palaeoclimate inferred from δ18O and palaeobotanical indicators in freshwater tufa of Lake Äntu Sinijärv, Estonia

We investigated a 3.75-m-long lacustrine sediment record from Lake Äntu Sinijärv, northern Estonia, which has a modeled basal age >12,800 cal yr BP. Our multi-proxy approach focused on the stable oxygen isotope composition (δ18O) of freshwater tufa. Our new palaeoclimate information for the Eastern Baltic region, based on high-resolution δ18O data (219 samples), is supported by pollen and plant macrofossil data. Radiocarbon dates were used to develop a core chronology and estimate sedimentation rates. Freshwater tufa precipitation started ca. 10,700 cal yr BP, ca. 2,000 years later than suggested by previous studies on the same lake. Younger Dryas cooling is documented clearly in Lake Äntu Sinijärv sediments by abrupt appearance of diagnostic pollen (Betula nana, Dryas octopetala), highest mineral matter content in sediments (up to 90 %) and low values of δ18O (less than −12 ‰). Globally recognized 9.3- and 8.2-ka cold events are weakly defined by negative shifts in δ18O values, to −11.3 and −11.7 ‰, respectively, and low concentrations of herb pollen and charcoal particles. The Holocene thermal maximum (HTM) is palaeobotanically well documented by the first appearance and establishment of nemoral thermophilous taxa and presence of water lilies requiring warm conditions. Isotope values show an increasing trend during the HTM, from −11.5 to −10.5 ‰. Relatively stable environmental conditions, represented by only a small-scale increase in δ18O (up to 1 ‰) and high pollen concentrations between 5,000 and 3,000 cal yr BP, were followed by a decrease in δ18O, reaching the most negative value (−12.7 ‰) recorded in the freshwater tufa ca. 900 cal yr BP