Refining patterns of joint hypermobility, habitus, and orthopedic traits in joint hypermobility syndrome and Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type

Joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS) and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type (EDS-HT) are two overlapping heritable disorders (JHS/EDS-HT) recognized by separated sets of diagnostic criteria and still lack a confirmatory test. This descriptive research was aimed at better characterizing the clinical phenotype of JHS/EDS-HT with focus on available diagnostic criteria, and in order to propose novel features and assessment strategies. One hundred and eighty-nine (163 females, 26 males; age: 2-73 years) patients from two Italian reference centers were investigated for Beighton score, range of motion in 21 additional joints, rate and sites of dislocations and sprains, recurrent soft-tissue injuries, tendon and muscle ruptures, body mass index, arm span/height ratio, wrist and thumb signs, and 12 additional orthopedic features. Rough rates were compared by age, sex, and handedness with a series of parametric and non-parametric tools. Multiple correspondence analysis was carried out for possible co-segregations of features. Beighton score and hypermobility at other joints were influenced by age at diagnosis. Rate and sites of joint instability complications did not vary according to age at diagnosis except for soft-tissue injuries. No major difference was registered by sex and dominant versus non-dominant body side. At multiple correspondence analysis, selected features tend to co-segregate in a dichotomous distribution. Dolichostenomelia and arachnodactyly segregated independently. This study pointed out a more protean musculoskeletal phenotype than previously considered according to available diagnostic criteria for JHS/EDS-HT. Our findings corroborated the need for a re-thinking of JHS/EDS-HT on clinical grounds in order to find better therapeutic and research strategie

The effect of generalised joint hypermobility on rate, risk and frequency of injury in male university-level rugby league players: a prospective cohort study

Background/Aim: Rugby league is a collision sport where musculoskeletal injuries are common. There has been little research on generalised joint hypermobility (GJH) as a risk factor for injury in rugby league. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of GJH on the incidence of injuries in first and second team rugby league players from one British university. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 45 student players from one British university first and second team rugby league squads (Mean age20.93 ± 1.57). At the beginning of the season, generalised joint hypermobility was determined using a 9 point Beighton scale, injury and exposure data was collected on a weekly basis throughout the 2013-2014 season. Results: The prevalence of GJH was 20%. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of injuries between GJH and non-GJH participants (P=0.938, Mann-Whitney U test). There was no tendency to experience injury for participants categorised as having GJH (P = 0.722, Fisher exact test) and no tendency to demonstrate a higher risk of injury for participants categorised as GJH (odds ratio = 0.64, 95% CI, 0.15-2.78; relative risk = 1.188, 95% CI, 0.537-2.625). The most common site of injury was the ankle but this was not statistically significant (odds ratio= 0.152, 95% CI, 0.008-2.876; relative risk= 0.195, 0.012-3.066). Conclusion: British university rugby league players with GJH did not demonstrate a greater risk of injury than those without GJH

För hästens felsteg bär ryttaren ansvar

The crisis faced by organizations in today´s society is seen more obvious than as an exception. Even though there’s a lot of effort put on research in the area, additional research is requested because handling and communicating about a crisis has become an increasingly common part of the daily work. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to research in the field by examining the image repair theory strategies that have made themselves visible in an organization, Findus Sverige AB in this case, crisis communication and how the rhetorical appeal forms takes shape in order to convince its stakeholders. The study is based on a qualitative case study in which the empirical material is gathered through a document study, in form of press releases and a news article. The abductive approach is adopted to along with the rhetorical analysis, to create a better understanding of the crisis communication. The theoretical framework is based on crisis communication, image repair theory and rhetoric. The result shows that three of the image repair theory strategies made itself viable, denial, reducing offensiveness of event and corrective action. All appeal forms can be distinguished, where the communication is mainly dominated by logos, through rationality and neutral vocabulary, pathos, by evoking emotion, and ethos, by acting wisely inspire confidence with good character to inspire confidence

Synergy in the pig and biogas production system : an examination of heat value

Using manure to produce biogas has multiple environmental benefits. However, today Swedish agricultural biogas is generally considered unprofitable meaning it’s use is not widespread. This study examines how to properly value heat produced in a combined heat and power unit, an area that has not been studied extensively before. It focuses on how heat can produce synergy effects in pig production by using heat to maintain temperature while increasing ventilation and air quality, a common problem in pig production. A dual case study was preformed where a simulation model described heat use and increased pig performance. Two farms where chosen based on their relative latitude in Sweden to provide maximal temperature differences. Results show that pig performance is improved between 0,82 and 0,95 SEK/kWh used from biogas. This is above the market price of heat and contributed to biogas profitability much more than previous research has suggested. A sensitivity analysis also show that pig performance increase could decrease a ot before heat value is below the break even for biogas profitability. Altering heat use between summer and winter remain a problem in heat utilization from biogas also in this study.Att röta gödsel för att producera biogas har flera miljöfördelar. Trots det är inte teknologin vitt sprid inom svenskt jodbruk, främst på grund av bristande lönsamhet i biogasproduktionen. Denna studie undersöker det verkliga värdet av värme från en kraftvärme generator, ett fält som inte tidigare getts mycket uppmärksamhet av forskningen. Den fokuserar på hur värme kan bidra till synergieffekter i grisproduktion genom att bibehålla temperaturer medan ventilation och luftkvalitet ökas. Bristande luftkvalitet på vintern är ett vanligt problem inom grisproduktion. Två fallstudier genomfördes där en simuleringsmodell beskrev värmeanvändning och förbättrad grisproduktion. Två gårdar valdes utifrån deras geografiska läge för att maximera temperaturskillnader. Resultaten visar att värme som användes för att förbättra grishälsa var värd mellan 0,82 och 0,95 kronor per kilowattimme vilket är högre än marknadsvärdet för värme. För biogasanläggningens lönsamhet betydde detta mycket mer än vad tidigare forskning visat. En känslighetsanalys genomfördes också och visar att grishälsa inte behöver förbättras mycket för att bidra till biogasanläggningars kritiska punkt förlönsamhet. Skillnader i värmeanvändning mellan sommar och vinter är även i den här studien ett problem för biogasanläggningens värmeanvändning

Prisökningar på lantbrukets insatsvaror

Snabba prisuppgångar på insatsvaror skapar stora utmaningar för lantbrukssektorn. Här föreslås åtgärder för att skapa ett lantbruk som är lönsamt och hållbart även i kristider