Examples of Weichselian environments: local versus regional developments

In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden einige Unsicherheitsfaktoren bei der Rekonstruktion von Paläo-Umweltbedingungen diskutiert. In der Diskussion werden zwei Beispiele aus dem terrestrischen Bereich angeführt, nämlich Frosthügel und Brände; wobei der Schwerpunkt der Untersuchungen auf dem Gegensatz von lokalen zu regionalen Umweltveränderungen liegt, Es wird demonstriert, daß lokale Veränderungen, die keine klimatischen Ursachen haben, Ablagerungen entstehen lassen können, die den Eindruck erwecken, als seien sie das Ergebnis klimatischer Veränderungen. Es wird festgestellt, daß künftige Untersuchungen eine Fülle zusätzlicher Informationen über Paläo-Umweltentwicklungen und ihre komplexen Beziehungen hinsichtlich Ursache und Wirkung liefern können. Um aber schlüssige Rekonstruktionen machen zu können, ist es notwendig, mögliche Effekte sowohl klimatisch als auch nicht klimatisch induzierter Entwicklungen zu untersuchenresearc

Good health and a safe work environment

A pilot study was conducted among Ugandan farmers in May 2014. Six male and female farmers were interviewed about their experiences and attitudes towards health, safety and risk factors in agriculture, and how these affected their livelihood. In general, the level of knowledge and awareness of agricultural health and safety risks as well as disease and injury prevention was low. The farmers found milking, spraying of animals and plantation work demanding work tasks. The main findings concerned the farmers reporting symptoms of poisoning when they sprayed the animals with insecticide and lack of safety information. The farmers expressed the need for information and practical training in agricultural health and safety, and disease and injury prevention

Samfundsøkonomisk analyse af en HH-forbindelse

Forbindelsen mellem Helsingborg og Helsingør er en vigtig rejserute for mange rejsende hver dag. På samme måde som Øresundsforbindelsen markant forkortede rejsetiden og bragte den sydlige del af Øresundsregionen tættere sammen, vil en HH-forbindelse bringe den nordlige del af Øresundsregionen tættere sammen

Syngenetic sand veins and anti-syngenetic sand wedges, Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands, western Arctic Canada

Sand-sheet deposits of full-glacial age in the Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands, western Arctic Canada, contain syngenetic sand veins 1-21 cm wide and sometimes exceeding 9 m in height. Their tall and narrow, chimney-like morphology differs from that of known syngenetic ice wedges and indicates an unusually close balance between the rate of sand-sheet aggradation and the frequency of thermal-contraction cracking. The sand sheets also contain rejuvenated (syngenetic) sand wedges that have grown upward from an erosion surface. By contrast, sand sheets of postglacial age contain few or sometimes no intraformational sand veins and wedges, suggesting that the climatic conditions were unfavourable for thermal-contraction cracking. Beneath a postglacial sand sheet near Johnson Bay, sand wedges with unusually wide tops (3.9 m) extend down from a prominent erosion surface. The wedges grew vertically downward during deflation of the ground surface, and represent anti-syngenetic wedges. The distribution of sand veins and wedges within the sand sheets indicates that the existence of continuous permafrost during sand-sheet aggradation can be inferred confidently only during full-glacial conditions

Awareness and Need for Knowledge of Health and Safety among Dairy Farmers Interviewed in Uganda

Introduction: Safe working conditions are essential for healthy living and for ensuring food security among farmers and farm communities in developing countries. There is limited research on this topic, and documentation is essential to understand and change patterns of human health and safety. Methods: In May 2014, six male and female farmers on four dairy farms in Uganda and a female veterinarian were interviewed about their awareness and attitudes to agricultural risk factors, health, and safety. In addition, transect walks were conducted on the four dairy farms. Results: The dairy farmers reported health and safety concerns, e.g., diarrhea, coughs, fever, cuts while using machetes in plantations, bruises when handling animals, and dizziness and poisoning symptoms from using different agrochemicals, and considered these an occupational hazard. The most important topic mentioned was the use of agrochemicals and drugs on livestock. The farmers spray their animals with insecticides to prevent ticks, lice, tsetse flies, and other biting nuisance flies, using a backpack or hand sprayer. Spraying is conducted without personal protection equipment, which is considered too expensive and difficult to obtain. The farmers reported that they usually feel dizzy, vomit, and have pain and a burning feeling in their face and eyes after spraying. The symptoms are sometimes so severe that they require treatment. In such cases, the farmers buy medication without a prescription at the local drugstore, where the storekeeper often has limited or no knowledge of agrochemicals or drugs except for dosage. Agricultural health and safety training in the region is non-existent, and the farmers expressed a need and desire for improvements in this area. Conclusion: The level of knowledge and awareness of agricultural health and safety risks, disease, and injury prevention among the Ugandan dairy farmers interviewed was low. The farmers mentioned few agriculture-related complaints, injuries, or diseases except poisoning from using agrochemicals. Training on health and safety in Ugandan agriculture is urgently needed

Det ideelle selv og motivation i andetsprogslæringen

Da 32-årige Mulenga flytter fra Zambia til Danmark for at gifte sigmed sin danske kæreste John, har hun bestemte [...

Sluttrapport fra Troms-Ofoten-prosjektet

The present report is the final report from the Troms-Ofoten-project. The background for this report is a decision of the Superior Cooperation Organ (OSO) OSO decision 13.13. The Troms-Ofoten-project started in 2008. The ideas were presented to the OSO in Case 15.10. The project was visionary and ahead of its time. Work on the project has meant that health services in the area have developed innovative health care models. Some of these models have been developed as separate policy documents or projects with an ideological foundation based on the ideas of the Troms-Ofoten-project. The report contains a brief summary of the history of the Troms-Ofoten-project and strategy documents that serve as the framework the present service in the region. After this follows a chapter on the projects that can serve as a natural continuation of the TromsOfoten-project and also other projects that can serve as inspiration for the future health care in the area. The next chapter report on the results of work in patient-centred healthcare and patient care, interaction statistics as well as health promotion and prevention, followed by visions for future research. The final chapter contains recommendations for follow-up. The most important message from the report is to unconditionally put the patient and his or her ability to be autonomous at the core of all care. Clinical practice and organizational measures should be adapted to this objective so that it is easy and motivating for patients and health professionals to work together to achieve this goal

Occupational health and safety of Finnish dairy farmers using automatic milking system

Introduction: Conventional pipeline and parlor milking expose dairy farmers and workers to adverse health outcomes. In recent years, automatic milking system (AMS) has gained much popularity in Finland, but the changes in working conditions when changing to AMS are not well-known. The aim of this study was to investigate the occupational health and safety risks in using AMS, compared to conventional milking systems (CMS). Methods: An anonymous online survey was sent to each Finnish dairy farm with an AMS in 2014. Only those dairy farmers with prior work experience in CMS were included in the final analysis consisting of descriptive statistics and frequency distributions. Results: We received 228 usable responses (131 male and 97 female; 25.2% response rate). The majority of the participants found that AMS had brought flexibility to the organization of farm work, and it had increased leisure time, quality of life, productivity of dairy work, and the attractiveness of dairy farming among the younger generation. In addition, AMS reduced the perceived physical strain on the musculoskeletal system as well as the risk of occupational injuries and diseases, compared to CMS. However, working in close proximity to the cattle, particularly training of heifers to use the AMS, was regarded as a high-risk work task. In addition, the daily cleaning of the AMS and manual handling of rejected milk were regarded as physically demanding. The majority of the participants stated that mental stress caused by the monotonous, repetitive, paced, and hurried work had declined after changing to AMS. However, some indicated increased mental stress because of the demanding management of the AMS. In addition, nightly alarms caused by the AMS, lack of adequately skilled hired labor or farm relief workers, and taking care of the 24/7 standby for the AMS caused mental stress. Conclusions: Based on this study, AMS may have significant potential in the prevention of adverse health outcomes in milking of dairy cows. In addition, AMS may improve the productivity of dairy work and sustainability of dairy production. However, certain characteristics of the AMS require further attention with regard to occupational health and safety risks