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Objectives: This study aims to 1) identify the relation between walking ability and participation after stroke and 2) explore whether change in walking ability is associated with change in participation over time in community living-people after stroke.Materials and Methods: Fifty-two people after stroke were assessed at baseline and after a 6-week gait training intervention. People were included between two weeks and six months after stroke. The Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation was used to measure participation. Assessment of walking ability included the six-minute walking test for walking endurance, Timed-up & Go test for functional mobility, Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test for dynamic balance, and total duration of walking activity per day to measure walking activity.Results: At baseline, six-minute walking test, Timed-up & Go test, and Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test were univariately associated with participation (P < 0.001). Backward multiple regression analysis showed that the Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test independently explained 55.7% of the variance in participation at baseline. Over time, only change in the six-minute walking test was positively associated with change in participation (R2 = 0.087, P = 0.040).Conclusions: Cross-sectional associations showed that walking ability, and especially dynamic balance, contributes to participation after stroke. Dynamic balance, as underlying variable for walking, was an important independently related factor to participation after stroke which needs attention during rehabilitation. Longitudinally, improvement in walking endurance was significantly associated with improvement in participation, which indicates the relevance of training walking endurance to improve participation after stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reflects upon the experiences of testing the Resilience-Increasing Strategies for Coasts – toolKIT (RISC-KIT), an integrated approach composed of five different methodologies, in the municipality of Kristianstad, Sweden. The aim of this article is to highlight both the importance and complexities of integrated approaches in coastal management. The experiences documented through the case of Kristianstad highlight the benefits of combining hazard estimations and participatory approaches to understand risk, impacts of coastal hazards, and potential solutions; and the challenges of mainstreaming risk assessment approaches across contexts. We argue that integrated approaches can be effective for triggering local dialogue, disseminating information, and achieve greater ownership and local acceptance of Disaster Risk Reduction measures, but that involvement of local actors requires careful design and planning. The experiences documented when pilot-testing RISC-KITs integrated approach argue for increased co-production of knowledge in coastal management projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Composition and quantity per person of municipal solid waste (MSW) have been analyzed in six municipalities in southern Sweden with similar socio-economic conditions but with different collection systems. Samples of residual waste have been sorted, classified and weighed in 21 categories during 26 analyses that took place from 1998–2004. Collection data of the total waste flow, including source sorted recycling materials, in the same area have been compiled and compared. Multivariate data analyses have been applied. Weight-based billing reduced delivered amounts of residual household waste by 50%, but it is unknown to what extent improper material paths had developed. With curbside collection more metal, plastic and paper packaging was separated and left to recycling. When separate collection of biodegradables was included in the curbside system, the overall sorting of dry recyclables increased. The large uncertainty associated with waste composition analyses makes it difficult to draw strong conclusions regarding the effects on specific recyclables or the changes in the composition of the residual waste. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Growing high-purity diamond containing dense negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV−) centre ensembles is desirable for the development of sensitive quantum sensors that explore the coherent manipulation of the spin states of this atomic-scale defect. By using N 2 O as a dopant, we demonstrate that millimetre-thick single crystals can be grown by Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) with substitutional nitrogen concentrations as high as 26 ppm. With a high-energy electron irradiation treatment and in-situ annealing, up to 20% of this nitrogen can be successfully converted into NV− centres leading to densities of almost 5 ppm and to a crystal displaying pink colouration and appealing optical properties. The longitudinal relaxation T 1 time in such a highly doped diamond is measured to be around 3.5 ms at 300 K while inhomogeneous dephasing time T 2 ∗ is estimated to 600 ns. Despite the high NV density, Electron Spin Resonance lines are resolved with clear hyperfine splitting induced by the nuclear spin of nitrogen. The dependence of T 1 on the orientation of the magnetic field suggests that relaxation is dominated by NV-NV dipole interactions when no magnetic field is applied. Such engineered crystals constitute a promising platform for developing future quantum sensing applications. Image 1 • Millimetre thick diamond single crystals with addition of 500 ppm of N 2 O. • Substitutional nitrogen conversion into NV centres by electron irradiation and in situ annealing with 20% efficiency. • High total NV density of 7 ppm (NV− of 4.6 ppm) leading to pink colouration. • Long T 2 ∗ coherence time of 600 ns in irradiated samples. • High [NV−] × T 2 ∗ products of 3 μs ppm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]