Lung function in relation to preterm birth and asthma in early childhood

The prevalence of preterm birth (ie., before 37 weeks of gestation) is increasing and estimated to be around 11 % worldwide. In high-income countries, survival is the most probable outcome even after extreme preterm deliveries. Children born preterm exhibit different stages of lung immaturity at birth and follow-up studies have shown lung function impairment and respiratory morbidity, including asthma-like disease, during infancy and into adulthood. Asthma or asthma-like disease is common in the general pediatric population. Differentiation of early childhood asthma phenotypes demonstrates different underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms and trajectories with age. The general aims of the present thesis were: - To investigate lung function from infancy to adolescence in relation to preterm birth and asthma in early childhood. - To investigate if similarities and differences in measured lung function after preterm birth and among childhood asthma phenotypes may give information on mechanisms for the obstructive patterns seen in these different conditions. Longitudinal follow-up during the first 18 months of life of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) showed significant reductions of lung function in the cohort. Maximal expiratory flows were on average below the 2.5th percentile for both mild and moderate/severe BPD at both 6 and 18 months, with the exception VmaxFRC at 6 months and no improvement was seen between the two time-points. Compliance of the respiratory system (COso) was the only lung function variable that differed statistically between mild and moderate/severe BPD, with lower values for the more severe disease. Significant lower values were consistently seen for Cso and all maximal expiratory variables in infants with respiratory symptoms compared to infants without. In a follow-up of children born extremely preterm (before gestational week 27), a subset of the population based cohort EXPRESS, performed lung function at age 61⁄2 years. The extreme preterm children had lower forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1, z-score: -1.1, 95% CI: -1.4; -0.8) than the control group born at term. Impulse oscillometry (IOS) measurements showed significantly higher peripheral airway resistance and reactance in children born extremely preterm than in controls. In children born at 22-24 weeks of gestation, 44% had FEV1 below the <5th percentile. Using the BAMSE cohort study, lung function after moderate-to-late preterm birth was investigated at 8 and 16 years of age. At age 16 years, both genders in the preterm group demonstrated lower FEV1 (female subjects: –116 mL [95 % CI: –212 to –20]; male subjects: –177 mL [95 % CI: –329 to –25]) compared with the term group. IOS demonstrated higher frequency dependence of resistance (R5-20) for male subjects (20.9 Pa・L–1・s−1 [95 % CI: 9.8 to 31.9]) compared with the term group. No catch up of lung function between ages 8 and 16 years was observed in either gender. In the last study, children taking part in the BAMSE cohort study were categorized into ̳never asthma‘, ̳early transient asthma‘, ̳early persistent asthma‘, and ̳late onset asthma‘ and lung function data from the 8 and 16 year follow-ups was used to compare groups. Compared with the never asthma group, all asthma groups were associated with lower FEV1 at 16 years of age (early transient—119 ml, 95% confidence interval 204 to 34; early persistent—410 ml, 95 %CI 533; 287; and late onset—148 ml, 95%CI 237; 58). R5-20 was significantly associated with active asthma at 16 years, but not transient asthma. In conclusion: - A significant proportion of children born very and extreme preterm have lung function values below the normal range in infancy and at at early scool-age. Lung function in adololescense is lower after moderate-to-late preterm birth than after term. - Staging BPD severity did not predict lung function. - Early measured lung function is associated with respiratory morbidity in children with BPD. - IOS identifies children with low lung function after preterm birth and those with active pediatric asthma. Clinical remark: Measurements of lung function may identify children at risk for respiratory morbidity and provide insights into long-term sequel of preterm birth. Regular assessments of lung function from infancy, during childhood and possibly throughout life, are therefore suggested to be an important tool when monitoring individuals born preterm

The role of VET in a green transition of industry: a literature review

Purpose: This article examines the role of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in a green transition of industry. In the world of industry, battling climate change is often treated as a technical issue, but recent research on VET has tried to balance the technological paradigm with more human-centric approaches. The literature review addresses emergent VET research that presents various and partially competing perspectives on the purpose of VET in relation to climate change. Methods: We use an integrative literature review to investigate this complex topic. This technique is particularly useful for making sense of emergent research concepts, as well as various, and partially competing, theoretical and methodological approaches. It also allows us to incorporate literature from different countries and VET systems. The main search was performed in Scopus during March 2023, and included studies published within a timespan of eight years (2016–2023). Findings: Through a qualitative content analysis, we have identified five cross-cutting themes in the literature: Conceptualising ill-defined concepts of green jobs and skills; high-tech solutions in the movement towards a fourth industrial revolution versus inclusive growth for VET greening; towards sustainable work-based learning for green skills in VET; radical transformative approaches to a just green transition; and the co-creation of skill-formation ecosystems. The analysis has highlighted the ways in which VET can take on different roles in the green transition, and that these roles can be developed successively in parallel with a green transition in industry. In the development of the role of VET, it is also relevant to consider the contrast between transitional approaches and transformative approaches in VET research. While transitional approaches are recurrently marked by empirical research in specialised areas and subsystems within society, transformative approaches are characterised by a stronger focus on societal transformation (large-scale changes), power dynamics, and social justice. Conclusion: In conclusion, we suggest an analytical model that synthesises research on what role VET can play in a green transition of industry. The development model highlights that VET can take on different roles in a green transition and can gradually develop in parallel with a green transition in industry. (DIPF/Orig.

The Role of VET in a Green Transition of Industry: A Literature Review

Purpose: This article examines the role of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in a green transition of industry. In the world of industry, battling climate change is often treated as a technical issue, but recent research on VET has tried to balance the technological paradigm with more human-centric approaches. The literature review addresses emergent VET research that presents various and partially competing perspectives on the purpose of VET in relation to climate change. Methods: We use an integrative literature review to investigate this complex topic. This technique is particularly useful for making sense of emergent research concepts, as well as various, and partially competing, theoretical and methodological approaches. It also allows us to incorporate literature from different countries and VET systems. The main search was performed in Scopus during March 2023, and included studies published within a timespan of eight years (2016–2023). Findings: Through a qualitative content analysis, we have identified five cross-cutting themes in the literature: Conceptualising ill-defined concepts of green jobs and skills; high-tech solutions in the movement towards a fourth industrial revolution versus inclusive growth for VET greening; towards sustainable work-based learning for green skills in VET; radical transformative approaches to a just green transition; and the co-creation of skill-formation ecosystems. The analysis has highlighted the ways in which VET can take on different roles in the green transition, and that these roles can be developed successively in parallel with a green transition in industry. In the development of the role of VET, it is also relevant to consider the contrast between transitional approaches and transformative approaches in VET research. While transitional approaches are recurrently marked by empirical research in specialised areas and subsystems within society, transformative approaches are characterised by a stronger focus on societal transformation (large-scale changes), power dynamics, and social justice. Conclusion: In conclusion, we suggest an analytical model that synthesises research on what role VET can play in a green transition of industry. The development model highlights that VET can take on different roles in a green transition and can gradually develop in parallel with a green transition in industry.

The pension reform of 1948 and its potential effect on health for older adults in Sweden during the middle of the 20th century : A description of the pension reforms in the eldercare between the years of 1913 and 1948 in Sweden, and the potential effect of the reform in 1948 on death rates for those 67 years and older during the middle of the 20th century.

Background: In 1946, a proposal was made for a law on national pensions with the aim of reforming the pension system and giving pensioners better finances, which later was implemented at 1948. The theory of the social determinants of health suggests that income is an important factor that has an impact on health. The study aim was therefore to investigate whether the general pension reform implemented in 1948 could account for any differences in death rates for those aged 67 and older, and the research question was to examine if there was change in death rates for those aged 67 and older after 1948 that could be explained by an increase in income from the pension reform  Method: The study design was a quantitative inductive method. Data used in the study was death rates for those aged 67-90 years in Sweden between 1933-1962, as well as statistics from the Statistical Yearbook for Sweden to obtain data on income from the pension system. To investigate whether the pension reform has had any significant effects on the health of people of old ages, an interrupted time series analysis was used to measure changes in death rates for those aged 67-90 years between 1933 and 1962 in Sweden.  Results and conclusion: The results showed that there was an increase in the average pension by 461% for men and 442% for women between the years of 1947 and 1948. The study suggests that for women there was a significant change in death rates since the reform started, but that the reform of 1948 might not have had a significant effect on men’s death rates. Overall my study indicates that the changes in death rates for women in the pension age in 1948 and after could be explained by an increase in income from the pension reform, and that the pension reform seems to be a sustained policy effect that have accumulated over time.

Hur upplever flygresenären säkerheten idag? : en studie utförd vid Luleå Airport

Validerat; 20101217 (root

The pension reform of 1948 and its potential effect on health for older adults in Sweden during the middle of the 20th century : A description of the pension reforms in the eldercare between the years of 1913 and 1948 in Sweden, and the potential effect of the reform in 1948 on death rates for those 67 years and older during the middle of the 20th century.

Background: In 1946, a proposal was made for a law on national pensions with the aim of reforming the pension system and giving pensioners better finances, which later was implemented at 1948. The theory of the social determinants of health suggests that income is an important factor that has an impact on health. The study aim was therefore to investigate whether the general pension reform implemented in 1948 could account for any differences in death rates for those aged 67 and older, and the research question was to examine if there was change in death rates for those aged 67 and older after 1948 that could be explained by an increase in income from the pension reform  Method: The study design was a quantitative inductive method. Data used in the study was death rates for those aged 67-90 years in Sweden between 1933-1962, as well as statistics from the Statistical Yearbook for Sweden to obtain data on income from the pension system. To investigate whether the pension reform has had any significant effects on the health of people of old ages, an interrupted time series analysis was used to measure changes in death rates for those aged 67-90 years between 1933 and 1962 in Sweden.  Results and conclusion: The results showed that there was an increase in the average pension by 461% for men and 442% for women between the years of 1947 and 1948. The study suggests that for women there was a significant change in death rates since the reform started, but that the reform of 1948 might not have had a significant effect on men’s death rates. Overall my study indicates that the changes in death rates for women in the pension age in 1948 and after could be explained by an increase in income from the pension reform, and that the pension reform seems to be a sustained policy effect that have accumulated over time.