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Many strains among spore-forming bacteria species are associated with food spoilage, foodborne disease, and hospital-acquired infections. Understanding the impact of environmental conditions and decontamination techniques on the metabolic activity, viability, and biomarkers of these spores is crucial for combatting them. To distinguish and track spores and to understand metabolic mechanisms, spores must be labeled. Staining or genetic modification are current methods for this, however, these methods can be time-consuming, and affect the viability and function of spore samples. In this work, we investigate the use of heavy water for permanent isotope labeling of spores and Raman spectroscopy for tracking sporulation/germination mechanisms. We also discuss the potential of this method in observing decontamination. We find that steady-state deuterium levels in the spore are achieved after only ∼48 h of incubation with 30% D2O-infused broth and sporulation, generating Raman peaks at cell silent region of 2200 and 2300 cm−1. These deuterium levels then decrease rapidly upon spore germination in non-deuterated media. We further find that unlike live spores, spores inactivated using various methods do not lose these Raman peaks upon incubation in growth media, suggesting these peaks may be used to indicate the viability of a spore sample. We further observe several Raman peaks exclusive to deuterated DPA, a spore-specific chemical biomarker, at e.g. 988 and 2300 cm−1, which can be used to track underlying changes in spores involving DPA. In conclusion, permanent spore labeling using deuterium offers a robust and non-invasive way of labeling bacterial spores for marking, viability determination, and characterising spore activity.

Astrobiocentrism is a vision that places us in a scenario of confirmation of life in the universe, either as a second genesis or as an expansion of humanity in space. It manages to raise consistent arguments in relation to questions such as what would happen to knowledge if life were confirmed in the universe, how would this change the way we understand our place in the cosmos? Astrobiocentrism raises a series of reflections in the context of confirmed discovery, and it develops concepts that work directly with what would happen after irrefutable evidence has been obtained that we are not alone in space. Unlike biocentrism or ecocentrism, the astrobiocentric view is not limited to the Earth-centric perspective, and for it incorporates a multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary understanding. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to make a reflection on the astrobiocentric issues related to the challenges and problems of the discovery of life in the universe and the expansion of mankind into space. Here we explore some aspects of the transition from biogeocentrism to astrobiocentrism, astrobiosemiotics, homo mensura, moral community, planetary sustainability and astrotheology.

Illavarslande rubriker om klimatet och klimatångest har blivit allt vanligare i dagens samhälle. Debatter och diskussioner om global uppvärmning, klimatförändringar och konsekvenser av dessa verkar endast stiga i intresse. Engagemanget sprider sig bland samhällsmedborgare och likaså verkar, enligt många alarmerade rubriker, även negativa känslor kopplat till klimatet spridas. Klimatångest har blivit ett begrepp som florerar i forskning och vardagliga situationer allt mer. Forskning visar att klimatångest kan drabba alla, men kanske värst barn och unga. Samma ungdomar som de alarmerande rubrikerna syftar till befinner sig också i skolan där detta är ett viktigt och nödvändigt inslag. Frågeställningarna i examensarbetet syftar till att undersöka vilken medvetenhet och inställning gymnasieungdomar, som läser naturkunskap, har till frågor om miljö, klimat och hållbar utveckling. Frågeställningarna undersöker också i vilken utsträckning dessa gymnasieungdomar känner klimatångest, hur de upplever skolans undervisning och hur detta påverkar deras lust att lära sig mer om miljö, klimat och hållbar utveckling. Undersökningen genomfördes med en digital enkät som totalt besvarades av 123 naturkunskapselever i olika årskurser på gymnasiet. Resultatet visar att många elever anser sig ha en klimatpåverkan och kunna reflektera över denna. Vissa skillnader i medvetenhet och kunskap framkommer mellan de olika årskurserna där de äldre eleverna bedöms ha en mer nyanserad bild av klimatläget. Det framkommer även att många elever känner en oro och ångest kopplat till klimatet, men att ordet ”ångest” är ett starkt känsloladdat ord och att många skolungdomar hellre använder ordet ”oro”. Trots, eller kanske tack vare, elevernas i många fall negativa känslor kopplat till området anser de undervisningen som viktig, meningsfull och nödvändig för att öka förståelsen och lösa klimatkrisen. Många elever vill att skolan ska undervisa ännu mer om klimatet och ha ett större fokus på lösningar av kl

The most prominent threats to epiphytic lichen funga are modern industrial forestry and air pollution. Macrolichens with cyanobacteria, cyanolichens, are particularly vulnerable. One of these is the lungwort lichen, Lobaria pulmonaria. The lungwort lichen is not among the most threatened species in Sweden, but the populations have nevertheless decreased significantly during the last 100 years. One area where the lungwort lichen still can be found is around lake Möckeln, in the south of Sweden. In earlier inventories 94 trees with Lobaria pulmonaria were identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the population changes of L. pulmonaria in this area as well as the ecology and management options for this species. My questions were: 1. Does the population of L. pulmonaria around the lake Möckeln decrease? 2. Is there a positive correlation between the circumference of the trees and the coverage of lichens? 3: Is there a positive correlation between the number of individuals and coverage? 4: Is there a positive correlation between the circumference of the trees and the number of thalli? 5: Is there a negative correlation between the size of the populations and the proximity to the lake? Between 2001 and 2024 the total population decrease was 23%. There was no correlation between circumference and coverage or number of individuals. No effect of nearby water bodies on population size could be detected. There was, however, a strong correlation between coverage and the number of thalli. This result is not obvious since thalli can vary substantially in size. The results which suggest a decline are consistent with earlier studies in southern Sweden which also show a decrease of the L. pulmonaria populations in the south of Sweden. Since L. pulmonaria forests have high conservation values I propose that all the sites investigated in this study should receive protection as nature preserves.

Sammanfattning Dammutrivningar blir alltmer vanligt på grund av att många är föråldrade och kostar mer att driva och underhålla än vinsten de ger i energi. Effekten av utrivningar på halten miljögifter i fiskar är relativt okänd, men det finns observationer som indikerar att det dammutrivningar kan minska kvicksilverhalten i fiskar. Syftet med min studie var att undersöka skillnaderna i kvicksilverhalten hos gädda (Esox lucius), mellan sjöar som har fått dammen i sjöutloppet utriven respektive dammen intakt. Jag undersökte 66 provtagningar från 18 oligotrofa svenska skogssjöar. I sjöar där dammutrivning skett innehöll en medelstor gädda 500 ng/g kvicksilver, medan motsvarande värde i sjöar med dammen intakt var 740 ng/g kvicksilver. Det fanns ingen signifikant effekt av vare sig antal år efter utrivning eller provtagningsår. Kvicksilverhalten var nära förknippad med gäddans längd och varierade mellan sjöar, och i fyra av sjöarna, översteg mätningarna 1000n ng/g (gränsvärdet för konsumtion inom EU) medan gäddor från de andra sjöarna hade värden som mestadels under detta gränsvärde., Dam removals are becoming increasingly common because many are outdated and cost more to operate and maintain than the value of that they provide in energy. The effect of dam removal on the level of environmental toxins in fish is relatively unknown, but there are observations that indicate that dam removal can reduce mercury concentrations in fish. The aim of my study was to investigate differences in the mercury concentration of pike (Esox lucius) between lakes that have had their outlet dams removed and those that have their dams intact. I examined 66 samples from 18 oligotrophic Swedish forest lakes.n lakes where the dam had been removed, a pike of average length contained 500 ng/g mercury, whereas the corresponding value for lakes with the dam intact was 740 ng/g of mercury. There was no significant effect of the number of years after removal or sampling year. The mercury concentration was closely associated to pike length and varied between the lakes, and in four of the lakes, all measurements exceeded 1000 ng/g (the limit value for consumption in EU), whereas most pike from the other lakes had values below this limit value.

Klimatet förändras och detta beror främst på oss människor, vilket gör det till ett av det mest omdebatterade ämnena i dagens samhälle. Klimatet ingår i miljödimensionen som är en av de tre dimensionerna av hållbar utveckling tillsammans med den ekonomiska och sociala dimensionen. Hållbar utveckling tar därmed stor plats i Skolverkets läroplan och kursplaner. Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilka uppfattningar elever har om utbildningen om hållbar utveckling i skolan samt undersöka om det finns könskillnader i engagemanget för klimatfrågor. Enkät användes som undersökningsmetod och 51 elever i årskurs 9 från två olika skolor i södra Sverige svarade. Resultatet visar att eleverna inte tycker det är intresseväckande att läsa om klimatet och hållbar utveckling i skolan, samtidigt som det råder delade meningar om undervisningen i området är bra eller inte. Undersökningens resultat tyder även på att det finns skillnader mellan flickor och pojkar och deras engagemang och intresse för klimatet. Flickor i större utsträckning än pojkar anser att klimatförändringarna är ett hot, tar till åtgärder för att minska sin klimatpåverkan och engagerar sig i klimatet.

The most common eelgrass along the Swedish coast is Zostera marina. It is an ecosystem engineer which provides both nature and humans with important ecosystem services and various ecosystem functions. Eutrophication is one of the main reasons why the Swedish coast has lost a lot of Z. marina meadows. When there is more nitrogen in the ocean, it is an advantage for epiphytic algae so that they can grow faster. The epiphytic algae grow on Z. marina and reduce Z. marina from receiving light. And therefore, the aim of my thesis is to investigate the effect of eutrophication on the growth of epiphytic algae on Z. marina. I took water samples at 8 different locations (spanning 7.21 km) along the coast of Halmstad, from the mouth of river Nissan, which I hypothesize to be a main source of nitrogen, to the open sea. From the water samples nitrogen, absorbance and TOC was measured to see if there was any difference in the water composition from Nissan's outlet and seawards. Z. marina leaves were taken from two different sites on one occasion to investigate the degree of epiphytic algae on the leaves. I found that the nitrogen concentration was decreasing from the outlet of Nissan River along coast towards the open sea. Also, the growth of epiphytic algae on Z. marina was decreasing from the outlet of Nissan River along the coast towards the open sea. The growth of epiphytic algae on Z. marina was not solely dependent of the concentration of nitrogen. In Scandinavia, Z. marina meadows are one of the most diverse coastal ecosystems. On otherwise sandy and species-poor substrates, Z. marina is an important habitat for a rich epiflora and fauna so a more integrated understanding in both management and science of Z. marina's stress responses is needed.

Through a systematic review and a series of meta-analyses, we evaluated the general responsiveness of putative transcriptional biomarkers of general toxicity and chemical stress. We targeted metal exposures performed on bivalves under controlled laboratory conditions, and selected six transcripts associated with general toxicity for evaluation: catalase (cat), glutathione-S-transferase (gst), heat shock proteins 70 and 90 (hsp70, hsp90), metallothionein (mt) and superoxide dismutase (sod). Transcriptional responses (n = 396) were extracted from published scientific articles (k = 22) and converted to log response ratios (lnRRs). By estimating toxic units (TUs), we normalized different metal exposures to a common scale, as a proxy of concentration. Using Bayesian hierarchical random effect models, we then tested the effects of metal exposure on lnRR, both for metal exposure in general and in meta-regressions using TU and exposure time as independent variables. Corresponding analyses were also repeated with transcript and tissue as additional moderators. Observed patterns were similar for general as for transcript- and tissue-specific responses. The expected overall response to arbitrary metal exposure was a lnRR of 0.50, corresponding to a 65 % increase relative a non-exposed control. However, when accounting for publication bias, the estimated ‘true’ response showed no such effect. Furthermore, expected response magnitude increased slightly with exposure time, but there was little support for general monotonic concentration-dependence with regards to TU. Altogether, this work reveals potential limitations that need consideration prior to applying the selected transcripts as biomarkers in environmental risk assessment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;00:0–0., CC BY 4.0© 2022 SETAC. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.First published: 06 October 2022Correspondence gustaf.ekelund_ugge@biol.lu.se

The manufacturing and the development of biotherapeutic drugs involves the expression of biotherapeutic proteins in a host cell expression system followed by a purification process. Bioanalytical methods to measure impurities such as host cell proteins (HCPs) are needed to obtain a robust process and a safe drug according to regulatory requirements. The aim of this project was to develop three specific HCP assays for detection and quantification of specific HCPsusing the Gyrolab® platform. The HCPs (Annexin A5, Clusterin and Nidogen-1) chosen for this project are generated from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Each assay was evaluated on four different Gyrolab® BioaffyTM CDs with a comparison of column profiles, accuracy, precision and sensitivity. For each assay the best suited CD type was suggested together with possible upper limit of quantification (ULOQ) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) within the estimated detection range. The results indicate that the CHO Annexin A5 assay has a detection range extending from 1500 ng/ml to 2.1 ng/ml, with possible ULOQ at 1000 ng/ml and LLOQ at 3.2ng/ml using the BioaffyTM 4000 HC CD. The CHO Clusterin assay has a detection range extending from 1500 ng/ml to 0.4 ng/ml, with possible ULOQ at 1000 ng/ml and LLOQ at 0.7 ng/ml using the BioaffyTM 4000 HC CD. The CHO Nidogen-1 assay has a detection range extending from 1500 ng/ml to 0.1 ng/ml, with ULOQ at 1000 ng/ml and LLOQ at 0.2 ng/ml using the BioaffyTM1000 CD.

Även om bevarandebiologi finner sina rötter inom ekocentrismen, är bevarande idag oförnekligt centrerat runt människan och hennes behov. En del forskare menar dock att detta synsätt kan komma att underminera syftet med bevarande. I en snabbt förändrande värld med klimatförändringar och förlust av biologisk mångfald har biologers roll aldrig varit viktigare, inte minst blivande biologer. Men vad anser biologer att syftet med bevarande är? Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om biologers och biologistunders anledningar till bevarande är grundade i mer ekocentriska eller antropocentriska värderingar, samt om det finns några generationella skillnader mellan dessa grupper. Vidare undersöks även om det finns några skillnader i hur biologigemenskapen känner på det personliga planet och hur de anser man bör agera i praktiken. För att svara på dessa frågor framställdes en webbaserad enkät som över 300 arbetande biologer samt biologistudenter på universitetsnivå svarade på. Varje deltagare fick en poäng för ekocentrism utifrån deras svar på enkätfrågorna för att underlätta kvantitativa statistiska analyser. Majoriteten av deltagarna visade över lag på en stark benägenhet mot ekocentriska värderingar när det kommer till syftet med bevarande. Den statistiska analysen visade inte någon signifikant skillnad i poäng för ekocentrism mellan arbetande biologer och biologistudenter eller mellan generationer. Deltagarna uttryckte även en skillnad i deras personliga värderingar, som lutade mer mot ekocentriska värdegrunder, jämtemot hur man bör utföra naturvårdsåtgärder i praktiken, där ett mer antropocentrisk och monetärt perspektiv ansågs användbara och i vissa fall nödvändiga. Bevarandeetik är långt ifrån en simpel dikotomi mellan ekocentrism och antropocentrism, och de kan lätt bli komplext med tanke på alla olika involverade intressenter. Biologers idéer om att en antropocentrisk utgångspunkt är det bästa eller enda sättet att förmedla naturens värde till allmänheten, organisa, Even though conservation finds its roots in ecocentrism, the main reasons for protecting nature today are undeniably centered around humans and their needs. Some scientists argue that this way of regarding nature might undermine the purpose of conservation. In a rapidly changing world with climate change and an ongoing loss of biodiversity the biologist’s role has never been more important, particularly future biologists. But what are biologist’s reasons for preserving nature? This study aims to better understand if professional biologists’ and biology students’ reasons for conservation are based on more ecocentric or anthropocentric values, and if there are any generational differences among these groups. Furthermore, it aims to find out if there are any differences in how biologists personally feel and how they think one should act when implementing conservation measures. To answer these questions an online questionnaire was created and answered by over 300 university-level biology students and professional biologists. Each participant was then given a score for ecocentrism based on their answers to the questionnaire, to facilitate quantitative statistical analyses. Most participants showed a strong overall inclination towards ecocentric values regarding the purpose of conservation. The analysis showed no significant difference in the score for ecocentrism between either students and working biologists nor among generations. The participants also expressed a difference in their personal values, which leaned more towards ecocentric values, versus how one should act, where they saw the usefulness of an anthropocentric and economic way of valuing nature. Conservation values are anything but a simple dichotomy between ecocentrism and anthropocentrism, and they can easily become complex with the many different stakeholders involved. Biologists’ beliefs that an anthropocentric approach might be a good way, sometimes the only way, to make the general public, organization

I den svenska skolan ges undervisningen i sexualitet, samtycke och relationer (SSR) under både högstadiet och i gymnasiet. På skolan där undersökningen genomfördes har eleverna haft SSR-undervisning i årskurs 8 på högstadiet och på skolan ges SSR-undervisningen först i årskurs 3. Denna undervisning kan verka tillräcklig för många men på en gymnasieskola i södra Sverige finns det några ungdomar som tycker annorlunda. I och med att kunskapsområdet innefattar aspekter som många tycker är jobbiga att prata om kan det vara tabu för vissa, men det är också centralt i människans liv. Detta gör att det är ett område som borde tas upp mer under skolgången. Detta arbete undersöker vilka uppfattningar några ungdomar på en gymnasieskola har om undervisningen i sexualitet, samtycke och relationer som ges under skolgången. Denna undersökning genomfördes med hjälp av intervjuer tillsammans med 8 elever. Eleverna som genomförde intervjuerna var uppdelade i fyra olika grupper där det var två elever i varje grupp. Resultatet i denna undersökning visade att elevgruppen på gymnasieskolan tyckte att undervisningen i sexualitet, samtycke och relationer inte är fullt tillräcklig. Eleverna hade alltså velat ha en mer omfattande undervisning i SSR. Eleverna vill generellt ha mer undervisning i SSR eftersom de inte tycker att undervisningen är tillräcklig. Exempelvis vill eleverna ha mer undervisning i pornografi och normer eftersom de inte tycker att detta har varit prioriterat i undervisningen som de blivit tilldelade. Dock stämde inte alla elevernas uppfattningar om undervisningen överens, en elev tyckte att undervisningen var bra som den var. Efter detta genomfördes en tematisk analys på resultaten i förhållande till en del av styrdokumenten, det centrala innehållet. Elevernas uppfattningar om undervisningen jämfördes med det egentliga centrala innehållet och förslag på förbättringar framfördes. Skolverket har nyligen uppdaterat sina styrdokument, men denna uppsats kommer inte lägga en s

The mosses Ptychostomum pseudotriquetrum and P. bimum (syn: Bryum, Bryophyta) are difficult to distinguish from each other, as they appear morphologically identical besides their difference in sexual condition. Because of their similarities, some researchers treat both as P. pseudotriquetrum, while others treat them as two distinct species. Previous studies have described differences in characters besides sexual condition. However, there are few such studies, and none has been conducted in northern Sweden. The purpose of this study was to investigate if P. pseudotriquetrum and P. bimum could be distinguished by characters other than the sexual condition and study the environmental preferences and distributions of the species in northern Sweden. Thirty-three specimens were used in the study. Ten different characters were examined, and morphological data were collected and analyzed for differences. Information regarding habitat and distribution were gathered and analyzed. The statistical analyses showed a significant difference in the leaf decurrency between the species, and an almost significant difference regarding stem length and shape of median leaf lamina cells. No other differences were found. The results correspond with previous research claiming P. pseudotriquetrum and P. bimum should be considered two distinct taxa. The difference in leaf decurrency suggests that this character might be useful in future research to distinguish the two species, especially when the study samples are sterile, or when there is a lack of molecular data to confirm the species identification. At present the two species are best regarded as semi-cryptic, pending further detailed investigations of potentially distinguishing characters.

Lipopolysaccharides such as the enterobacterial common antigen are important components of the enterobacterial cell envelope that act as a protective barrier against the environment and are often polymerized by the inner membrane bound Wzy-dependent pathway. By employing cryo-electron microscopy we show that WzzE, the co-polymerase component of this pathway that is responsible for the length modulation of the enterobacterial common antigen, is octameric with alternating up-down conformations of its L4 loops. The alternating up-down nature of these essential loops, located at the top of the periplasmic bell, are modulated by clashing helical faces between adjacent protomers that flank the L4 loops around the octameric periplasmic bell. This alternating arrangement and a highly negatively charged binding face create a dynamic environment in which the polysaccharide chain is extended, and suggest a ratchet-type mechanism for polysaccharide elongation. Cryo-EM structure of bacterial polysaccharide co-polymerase WzzE provides insight into possible mechanisms of lipopolysaccharide elongation and length regulation.

Genetic diversity (GD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) respectively represent species' evolutionary potential and history, and support most of the biodiversity benefits to humanity. Yet, these two biodiversity facets have been overlooked in previous biodiversity policies. As the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in December 2022, we analyze how GD and PD are considered in this new framework and discuss how their incorporation in the GBF could strengthen their conservation. Although the inclusion of certain indicators could be elevated, both GD and PD are an integral part of the recently adopted GBF. This represents a significant improvement compared to the CBD strategic plan 2011–2020 and an unprecedented opportunity to bring species' evolutionary potential and history to the core of public biodiversity policies. We urge the scientific community to leverage this opportunity to actually improve the conservation of species' evolutionary potential and history.

In mammals, glucose transporters (GLUT) control organism-wide blood-glucose homeostasis. In human, this is accomplished by 14 different GLUT isoforms, that transport glucose and other monosaccharides with varying substrate preferences and kinetics. Nevertheless, there is little difference between the sugar-coordinating residues in the GLUT proteins and even the malarial Plasmodium falciparum transporter PfHT1, which is uniquely able to transport a wide range of different sugars. PfHT1 was captured in an intermediate 'occluded' state, revealing how the extracellular gating helix TM7b has moved to break and occlude the sugar-binding site. Sequence difference and kinetics indicated that the TM7b gating helix dynamics and interactions likely evolved to enable substrate promiscuity in PfHT1, rather than the sugar-binding site itself. It was unclear, however, if the TM7b structural transitions observed in PfHT1 would be similar in the other GLUT proteins. Here, using enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the fructose transporter GLUT5 spontaneously transitions through an occluded state that closely resembles PfHT1. The coordination of D-fructose lowers the energetic barriers between the outward- and inward-facing states, and the observed binding mode for D-fructose is consistent with biochemical analysis. Rather than a substrate-binding site that achieves strict specificity by having a high affinity for the substrate, we conclude GLUT proteins have allosterically coupled sugar binding with an extracellular gate that forms the high-affinity transition-state instead. This substrate-coupling pathway presumably enables the catalysis of fast sugar flux at physiological relevant blood-glucose concentrations.

Premise of research. Geothermal areas create living conditions strikingly different from their surroundings, providing opportunities for studying organisms' thermal adaptations and responses to climate warming. However, the origins of geothermal organisms are poorly known, limiting our ability to design and interpret experimental studies. To address this, we tested whether geothermal populations of Agrostis (Poaceae) in Iceland represent a single lineage (clade) and, if so, whether that lineage originated in adjacent, nonthermal areas or elsewhere.Methodology. We studied the phylogeography of A. stolonifera and A. vinealis from geothermally heated and nonheated areas in Iceland, using whole plastome data and Bayesian and likelihood phylogenetic analyses. Having identified an exclusively geothermal clade for A. stolonifera, we performed a common-garden experiment to test for heritable phenotypic differences between geothermal and nonthermal plants.Pivotal results. At least two lineages of A. stolonifera have colonized Iceland independently, one being exclusively geothermal and the other exclusively nonthermal. The geothermal lineage is phylogenetically isolated, and its geographical origin could not be determined. Grown in a common garden, geothermal A. stolonifera produced significantly shorter stolons than nonthermal plants. In contrast, geothermal A. vinealis did not form a clade. Instead, all Icelandic A. vinealis formed a clade with nonthermal A. vinealis from outside of Iceland, plus geothermal A. rossiae and A. scabra.Conclusions. We demonstrate the existence of an exclusively geothermal lineage of A. stolonifera, which also shows heritable phenotypic differences, but not of A. vinealis. These contrasting findings possibly reflect different growth forms and life histories. Our results provide a phylogenetic hypothesis to be tested with nuclear data and a framework for future experimental studies, highlighting the importance of a historical perspective for unde

Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has become in the past 10 years one of the major tools for the structure determination of proteins. Nowadays, the structure prediction field is experiencing the same revolution and, using AlphaFold2, it is possible to have high-confidence atomic models for virtually any polypeptide chain, smaller than 4000 amino acids, in a simple click. Even in a scenario where all polypeptide chain folding were to be known, cryo-EM retains specific characteristics that make it a unique tool for the structure determination of macromolecular complexes. Using cryo-EM, it is possible to obtain near-atomic structures of large and flexible megacomplexes, describe conformational panoramas, and potentially develop a structural proteomic approach from fully ex vivo specimens.

Peripubertal models to determine effects of anti-androgenic endocrine disrupting chemicals are needed. Using the toxicological model species Xenopus tropicalis, the aims of the study were to 1) provide data on sexual maturation and 2) characterise effects of short-term exposure to an anti-androgenic model substance. Juvenile (2.5 weeks post metamorphosis old) X. tropicalis were exposed to 0, 250, 500 or 1000 & mu;g flutamide/L (nominal) for 2.5 weeks. Upon exposure termination, histology of gonads and Mullerian ducts was characterised in detail. New sperm stages were identified: pale and dark spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). The testes of control males contained spermatozoa, indicating pubertal onset. The ovaries were immature, and composed of non-follicular and pre-vitellogenic follicular oocytes. The Mullerian ducts were more mature in females than males indicating development/regression in the females and males, respectively. In the 500 & mu;g/L group, the number of dark SSCs per testis area was decreased and the number of secondary spermatogonia was increased. No treatment effects on ovaries or Mullerian ducts were detected. To conclude, our present data provide new knowledge on spermatogenesis, and pubertal onset in X. tropicalis. New endpoints for evaluating spermatogenesis are suggested to be added to existing assays used in endocrine and reproductive toxicology.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) control critical cellular signaling pathways. Therapeutic agents including anti-GPCR antibodies (Abs) are being developed to modulate GPCR function. However, validating the selectivity of anti-GPCR Abs is challenging because of sequence similarities among individual receptors within GPCR sub-families. To address this challenge, we developed a multiplexed immunoassay to test >400 anti-GPCR Abs from the Human Protein Atlas targeting a customized library of 215 expressed and solubilized GPCRs representing all GPCR subfamilies. We found that-61% of Abs tested were selective for their intended target,-11% bound off -target, and-28% did not bind to any GPCR. Antigens of on-target Abs were, on average, significantly longer, more disordered, and less likely to be buried in the interior of the GPCR protein than the other Abs. These results provide important insights into the immunogenicity of GPCR epitopes and form a basis for designing therapeu-tic Abs and for detecting pathological auto-Abs against GPCRs.

The COVID-19 pandemic had an immense impact on communities around the world. We know that new epidemic-prone diseases will emerge in the future. Consequently, it is important to investigate what impact the current pandemic had on school children’s understanding of infectious diseases in order to develop biology education based on that novel understanding. The aim of this study was to explore Swedish middle school (10-12-year-old) pupils’ understanding of infectious diseases and their perceived sources of knowledge. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews with fifteen pupils and analysed by thematic coding. Results revealed a great impact of the pandemic on the respondents’ conceptions. Firstly, their notion of infectious diseases based on their idea of COVID-19 was elusive because COVID-19 can manifest very differently. Secondly, the need to care about oneself and others was recognized. Thirdly, the importance of vaccines was recognized, but vaccines were given different roles. Finally, their understanding of infection seems to originate from informal domains such as the news and the Internet, rather than from biology education. One proposal for biology teaching could be to introduce scientific concepts earlier, to pay more attention to differences and similarities between infectious diseases, and to cooperate with other school subjects., This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided theoriginal work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.

Gifter och föroreningar förekommer sällan ensamma och studier om olika toxiska substanser genomförs ofta med endast en substans i taget. Det finns studier som har undersökt exempel på olika cocktails av substanser, men ibland är det svårt att identifiera alla källor som påverkar en organism. Vi har undersökt hur en kombination av ogräsmedlet Roundup och livsmedelsklassad polypropylenplast påverkar det sötvattenlevande kräftdjuret Daphnia magna. Vi fann att i högre doser orsakar Roundup 100% dödlighet innan könsmognad, men att det i små doser inte resulterar i lägre fitness än kontrollgruppen, utan till och med ökade den initiala överlevnaden när den tillsattes i plastbrukar. En cocktail av Roundup och plast orsakade en fördubblad utvecklingstid för äggen. Ägg från individer i plastburkar hade också en längre utvecklingstid men dessa individer hade även ett mycket högre antal ägg. Framtida studier bör undersöka avkommans fitness. Tidigt i studien upptäckte vi att det med stor sannolikhet fanns en tredje faktor som påverkade daphnierna negativt, som inte kunde förklaras av Roundup eller plastburkar, men som vi inte kunde identifiera. Därför vill vi också framhäva att experiment lätt kan påverkas av okända faktorer., Toxins and pollutants rarely come alone and studies about various toxic substances are often performed with only one substance at a time. There are studies that have examined different cocktails of substances, but sometimes it can be difficult to identify all sources that affect an organism. We have investigated how a combination of the herbicide Roundup and Food Safe polypropylene plastic affect the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna. We found that Roundup causes 100% mortality before reaching fertility in higher doses, but that in small doses does not result in lower fitness compared to the control group, but even increases the initial survival rate when Roundup is added to plastic jars. A cocktail of Roundup and plastic resulted in a doubled development time for the eggs. Eggs from individuals in plastic jars also had a longer development time but there was also a much higher number of eggs from these individuals. Futiure studies ought to investigate the fitness of the offspring. Early in the study we discovered that there was most likely a third factor influencing the daphnia negatively, that could not be explained by plastic jars or Roundup, but one that we could not identify. Therefore, we also wish to urge that experiments can easily be influenced by unknown factors.

Teaching can be perceived as a complex concept, as can sustainable development and what these concepts mean for preschool activities. Therefore, support materials for teaching sustainable development are likely to be used by preschool staff. There is evidence that teachers need to know how to teach in order to promote children’s action competence in sustainable development. Against this background, this study aims to analyse such support materials through a qualitative content analysis. The study’s theory is based on the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) framework and qualifications that characterise teaching that promotes children’s action competence in sustainable development. Collected data consists of parts from three Swedish-language support materials aimed at preschool. The study shows that the support materials generally fulfil the study’s analysis criteria for promoting children’s action competence. These support materials can contribute to the development of knowledge about sustainable development, promote the belief in one’s own competence to change, strengthen courage and commitment and the will to change, and promote responsibility. Furthermore, the support materials are open to different end products and, through their use, enable children to reflect on different ways of acting and reasoning. Differences between the three support materials are that two of them direct opinions towards normalised actions, which according to the study’s theory should not be included in teaching to promote children’s action competence. The support materials vary in the description of the conditions required to use the content in practice, with one of them requiring more subject knowledge from the pedagogue than the others. And one of them contains leading questions rather than open questions. The results show that the three support materials could be used in preschool to promote children’s action competence in sustainable development. The range of available suppor, Undervisning kan uppfattas som ett komplext begrepp, likaså hållbar utveckling och vad dessa begrepp innebär för förskolans verksamhet. Därför kan stödmaterial avsett för undervisning om hållbar utveckling troligen vara något som används av förskolepersonal. Det finns grund för att lärare behöver veta hur de kan undervisa för att främja barns handlingskompetens inom hållbar utveckling. Med detta som bakgrund syftar studien till att analysera sådana stödmaterial genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Studiens teori är utifrån ramverket Utbildning för Hållbar Utveckling (UHU) och kvalifikationer som utmärker undervisning som främjar barns handlingskompetens inom hållbar utveckling. Insamlade data består av delar från tre svenskspråkiga stödmaterial riktade till förskolan. Studien visar att stödmaterialen över lag uppfyller studiens analyskriterier för att främja barns handlingskompetens. Stödmaterialen kan bidra till att utveckla kunskaper om hållbar utveckling, främja tron på egen kompetens att förändra, styrka mod och engagemang för samt viljan att förändra och främja ansvarstagande. Vidare är stödmaterialen öppna för olika slutprodukter och ger genom användandet barn möjlighet att reflektera kring olika sätt att agera och resonera. Skillnader mellan de tre stödmaterialen är att två av dem riktar åsikter mot normerade handlingar, vilket enligt teorin inte ska finnas med i undervisning för att främja barns handlingskompetens. Stödmaterialen varierar i beskrivandet av vilka förutsättningar som krävs för att använda innehållet i praktiken, där bland annat ett av dem kräver mer ämneskunskaper hos pedagogen än de övriga. Och ett av dem innehåller ledande frågor snarare än öppna. Resultatet visar att de tre stödmaterialen skulle kunna användas i förskolan för att främja barns handlingskompetens inom hållbar utveckling. Utbudet av tillgängliga stödmaterial till undervisning om hållbar utveckling som tydligt syftar till att främja handlingskompetens är begränsat och därför ka

The cardiovascular systems in ectothermic reptiles have long been studied and its development represent a transition state between a single- and a double circulation. This literature review focus on the typical-reptilian heart and therefore distinguishes between orders within the class of Reptilia. The typical-reptilian heart is found in the non-crocodilian reptiles referring to the orders Chelonia and Squamata. The heart is composed of two atria and one common ventricle, compartmentalized into three interconnected ventricular cava. However, there is some species-specific variation in gross anatomy where the monitor lizard Varanus and Python pose a striking exception to the typical-reptilian heart. The cardiac building plan exhibits variation in size and relative dimensions, in particular the relationship between cava and the degree of ventricular septation. Varanus and Python have a larger and more muscular systemic side of the ventricle, a highly developed vertical septum and muscular ridge. Today, it is known that a ventricle with a less developed muscular ridge acts as a single pressure source, subsequently allowing admixture of oxygenated- and deoxygenated blood within the ventricle. In contrast, a ventricle with a more developed muscular ridge and vertical septum may function as a dual pressure source during parts of systole, temporarily separating the ventricle in a high-pressure systemic side and a low-pressure pulmonary side. Septal development provides different haemodynamic conditions and yield diverse functions. This literature review is a combination of practical laboratory work and a literature study. Dissections of the typical-reptilian hearts provide information about exterior and interior morphology, and findings are then compared to existing literature.

Denna studie genomfördes längs med Nissans vattensystem i Jönköpings län mellan januari och april år 2023. Fältabetet utfördes i 19 lokaler på Sveaskogs mark som omfattas av Jönköpings Länsstyrelses nya vattenvårdsavtal. Ett av avtalets huvudmål är att utveckla och bevara ekologiskt funktionella kantzoner, det område av vattendragsfåran mellan lägsta och högsta vattenstånd samt övrig mark med direkt påverkan på vattendragets ekologi. Syftet i detta arbete har varit att följa upp ett delmål som syftar till att främja återväxten av lövträd i de skyddade kantzonerna. I denna studie har uppkommande trädplantor mellan 30-100 centimeter noterats i cirkelprovytor i de 19 lokalerna. Statistiska analyser utfördes sedan på den insamlade datan för att bedöma eventuella skillnader mellan de 11 lokaler som åtgärdats enligt avtalet jämfört med 8 som inte åtgärdats ännu. Även virkesvolymen för de olika områdena mättes som ett sätt att bedöma skillnaderna i ljusförhållanden.Resultaten av de statistiska analyserna visar att det kommer upp ett större antal lövträd i de åtgärdade lokalerna än i de oåtgärdade. Tidigare forskning tyder på att detta beror på den ökade ljustillgången.

Bateman's principles, originally a test of Darwin's theoretical ideas, have since become fundamental to sexual selection theory and vital to contextualizing the role of anisogamy in sex differences of precopulatory sexual selection. Despite this, Bateman's principles have received substantial criticism, and researchers have highlighted both statistical and methodological errors, suggesting that Bateman's original experiment contains too much sampling bias for there to be any evidence of sexual selection. This study uses Bateman's original method as a template, accounting for two fundamental flaws in his original experiments, (a) viability effects and (b) a lack of mating behavior observation. Experimental populations of Drosophila melanogaster consisted of wild-type focal individuals and nonfocal individuals established by backcrossing the brown eye (bw-) eye-color marker-thereby avoiding viability effects. Mating assays included direct observation of mating behavior and total number of offspring, to obtain measures of mating success, reproductive success, and standardized variance measures based on Bateman's principles. The results provide observational support for Bateman's principles, particularly that (a) males had significantly more variation in number of mates compared with females and (b) males had significantly more individual variation in total number of offspring. We also find a significantly steeper Bateman gradient for males compared to females, suggesting that sexual selection is operating more intensely in males. However, female remating was limited, providing the opportunity for future study to further explore female reproductive success in correlation with higher levels of remating.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are ubiquitous and their adverse impact on nature, wildlife and humans is extensively researched. We are constantly exposed to EDCs, such as the widespread and extensively researched Bisphenol A, as well as its substitute Bisphenol F, which is coming into wider use, even though it is much less is researched and limited information is available about its endocrine effects. Realistically, we are exposed to mixtures rather than single substances. In the Swedish Environmental Longitudinal, Mother and Child, Asthma and allergy (SELMA) study, the co-exposure of EDCs was assessed. Based on the SELMA cohort data, a study identified a mixture of EDCs, Mixture N1, which is associated with delayed language development. In recent years, it has been hypothesized that epigenetic alterations are one of the underlying mechanisms for the effect of EDC exposures. For example, EDC induced changes in DNA Methylation of the promoter region of a gene might lead to altered gene expression, which can result in adverse health effects. Several studies already indicate an impact of the formerly introduced chemicals/mixtures on the DNA methylation on genes such as NR3C1 and GRIN2B in animals. However, limited research is available on the impact on NR3C1 and GRIN2B in the early human brain, which is of interest since both genes are crucial for the development of the brain and altered gene expression often leads to adverse effects. This study aimed to investigate the impact of BPA, BPF and Mixture N1 on NR3C1 and GRIN2B in the developing human brain as well as establish a protocol for differentiation of human stem cells into neuroprogenitor cells that express GRIN2B and NR3C1. In the end stem cells were differentiated in vitro into neural progenitor cells (NPCs) using the protocol of Hosseini et al. (2020). During the differentiation, the cells were exposed to different concentrations of the former mentioned chemicals. Afterwards, RNA and DNA were extracted

Norway spruce (Picea abies) is a vital tree species in Sweden's extensive forested landscape. However, the planting of spruce beyond its natural range has made it vulnerable to pests like the spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus), which has caused substantial damage to Swedish forests. With the effects of global warming and climate change becoming increasingly apparent, understanding the factors influencing spruce mortality is crucial for effective forest management. This study aimed to investigate the impact of soil moisture and tree size on the susceptibility of Norway spruce to spruce bark beetle attacks. Using a combination of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) program detecting dead spruce trees and soil moisture data from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), areas in Stockholm County with dead spruce trees were identified. Spatial analysis using Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and a field survey were conducted to evaluate the hypotheses: H1: Spruce mortality will be higher in areas occurring within mesic soil moisture class (1) than within mesic-moist soil moisture class (2) and moist-wet soil moisture class (3). H2: Large diameter spruce trees will have a higher mortality rate from spruce bark beetle than smaller diameter trees. H3: Spruce mortality will be higher in areas located inside nature reserves. The results confirmed that spruce mortality was higher in areas with dryer soil, Additionally, larger diameter spruce trees exhibited higher mortality rates from spruce bark beetle attacks than smaller trees. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, the study did not find a higher spruce mortality rate in areas located outside nature reserves. The conclusion of this study is that both tree size and soil moisture affect the Norway spruce’s ability to defend itself from spruce bark beetle attacks, but it does not confirm that spruce trees inside nature reserves have a greater mortality rate due to bark beetle attacks than the surrounding area, Gran (Picea abies) är en viktig trädart i Sveriges omfattande skogslandskap. Dock har plantering av gran utanför dess naturliga utbredningsområde gjort den sårbar för skadedjur så som Granbarkborre (Ips typographus), vilket har orsakat betydande skador på svenska skogar. Med effekterna av klimatförändringar är det alltmer viktigt att förstå vilka faktorer som påverkar granens sårbarhet mot granbarkborren för en effektiv skogsförvaltning. Denna studie syftade till att undersöka påverkan av markfuktighet och trädstorlek. Genom att använda en kombination av ett artificiellt intelligensprogram (AI) som identifierar döda granar och markfuktighetsdata från Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU), identifierades områden i Stockholms län där det fanns döda granar. En spatial analys med hjälp av geografiska informationssystem (GIS) och en fältundersökning genomfördes för att utvärdera hypoteserna: H1: Granens dödlighet kommer att vara högre i områden med torr-frisk mark (1) jämfört med områden med frisk-fuktig markfuktighet (2) och fuktig-våt markfuktighet (3). H2: Granar med större diameter kommer att ha en högre dödlighetsgrad från granbarkborrsangrepp än granar med mindre diameter. H3: Granens dödlighet kommer att vara högre i områden i naturreservat än utanför. Resultaten bekräftade att granens dödlighet var högre i torrare områden. Dessutom uppvisade granar med större diameter högre dödlighetsgrad från garnbarkborreangrepp än mindre träd. Resultatet kunde inte bekräfta hypotes H3, man fann inte en högre dödlighetsgrad hos gran i områden inom naturreservat. Slutsatsen av denna studie är att både trädstorlek och markfuktighet påverkar granens förmåga att försvara sig mot granbarkborreangrepp, men den bekräftar inte att naturreservat har en påverkan på granens dödlighet till följd av granbarkborreangrepp än omgivande områden. Studien har bidragit till en bättre förståelse för hur granbarkborren väljer granar. Den har också tillfört mer kunskap och bekräftat att Skogsstyrelsens

Current environmental risk assessment of polluted sites primarily relies on single compound evaluation. However, in the environment, organisms are often exposed to complex mixtures of pollutants. To further develop risk assessment of polluted sites and evaluate the risks that mixtures pose to humans and wildlife, a mechanistic understanding of mixture toxicity is needed. The overall aim of this thesis was to increase our knowledge of the toxic effects caused by chemical mixtures and to develop new approaches to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying such effects. To reach this aim, a comprehensive set of methods was applied, considering molecular and phenotypical alterations as well as chemical analyses. The investigations revealed that the acute toxicity caused by mixtures of the pollutants B[a]P, PFOS, PCB126, and Arsenate is mainly predictable by concentration addition. The results also showed some specific sublethal effects of the various mixtures that were not observed for the single components. In addition, each mixture caused very specific patterns of behavioral alterations, gene expression changes, altered lipid content, and altered organ growth. A complex environmental mixture from soil contaminated with PACs caused for instance behavioral alterations in zebrafish, in addition to dysfunction of genes that are critical for eye development. In summary, this thesis contributes to an increased understanding of the mechanistic pathways underlying the mixture toxicity of selected pollutants and environmental samples. In addition, it provides insights for the development of new approaches that may be included in risk assessment, such as image analysis and effect-directed analysis.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is currently used as a green fertilizer for agriculture in northern Sweden. However, due to its low resistance against diseases and a minimal benefit to local pollinators, there is a need to find alternative native species that maximize the benefits for pollinators and agriculture. Garden lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus), another legume, is an invasive alien species in Sweden that may affect the behavior of pollinators and therefore the pollination success of local plant species. The main aim of this study was to increase the knowledge of the legumes cow vetch (Vicia cracca), garden lupin, marsh pea (Lathyrus palustris) and red clover by observing their insect visitors and potential pollinators. The work was divided into subproject 1 (delprojekt 1) and subproject 2 (delprojekt 2). Delprojekt 1 studied insect visitation frequencies in one plot where garden lupin, cow vetch and red clover grew together in Burträsk, while delprojekt 2 studied insect pollination effectivity in two plots where one plot (Fäbodsanden) contained only marsh pea and the other plot (Skäret) contained both garden lupin and marsh pea. Data were collected via field observations. In ‘delprojekt 1', both bumblebees and solitary bees showed a significantly higher visit frequency to garden lupin than to cow vetch and red clover. In ‘delprojekt 2’, flies showed a significantly higher pollination effectivity on garden lupin than on marsh pea in Skäret. Both flies and bumblebees showed a significantly higher pollination effectivity on marsh pea in Fäbodsanden than in Skäret. This indicate that visitation frequencies to cow vetch and red clover as well as pollination effectivity on marsh pea may be affected by the presence/absence of garden lupin. For future studies, examples on how to extend the knowledge even further on plant-pollinator interactions are suggested.

Vattenkraftens påverkan på rinnande vatten är välbeskriven i litteraturen. Med ökat intresse för vindkraft och andra energislag med begränsad klimatpåverkan, ökar även behovet av reglerkraft. Effekten av korttidsreglerad vattenkraft på ekosystem är ett aktuellt ämne med kunskapsluckor i stort behov av fler studier. Indalsälven passerar Järkvissle kraftverk några mil norr om Sundsvall. Den lokala harrpopulationen har minskat kraftigt och misstankar finns om kopplingar till korttidsregleringen i Järkvissle kraftverk. Vid förvaltning av ekosystem och djuren i dem är kunskapen om interaktioner och beteenden bland det viktigaste att etablera. Detta för att kunna avgöra om artens beteende påverkas av korttidsreglering. Bristande kunskap om lokala lekbeteenden innebar således att harren nedan Järkvissle kraftverk studerades inför förväntad lekperiod. Studien baserades på två antaganden 1) harr förflyttar sig uppströms mot grundområden, lämpade för lek, när vattentemperaturen ökar. 2) harr är mer aktiv när flödesvariationen är hög, eftersom lekplatsernas beskaffenhet påverkas av flödesförhållanden. Harr (n = 20) från sträckan nedan Järkvissle kraftverk märktes med radiosändare, för att studera rörelsemönster och beteenden i anslutning till lek under perioden 28 april till 29 maj 2022. Vid 24 handpejlingstillfällen registrerades de märkta individernas position och djup. En Multipel linjär regression med bakåtvänd eliminering gav tre signifikanta resultat. Det observerades en ökad aktivitet i form av euklidisk förflyttning vid höga flöden motsvarande en förflyttning om 1,0 m (± 1 m) för varje 1,0 m3 s-1 ökat flöde. Det observerades även ett temperaturberoende val av ståndplats där en ökning om 1,0 ºC resulterade i en förflyttning till en ståndplats som var 0,21 ± 0,03 m grundare, på ett avstånd som var 65,2 ± 12,5 m längre bort från dammen. Studien bör kompletteras med kartläggning av optimala värden för flödesförändring som gynnar harr, samt om det finns andra variabler som, The effect of hydroelectric powerplants (HEP) on waterways is extensive and has been well documented in the literature. But with an increased interest in wind power and other green alternatives, a higher demand for regulated hydroelectric power has emerged, so as not to put stress on the electric grid. Hydropeaking and its effect on ecosystems are a hot topic with gaps in knowledge calling for more research. Indalsälven runs through Järkvissle HEP a few miles north of Sundsvall. The local grayling population has seen a large decline and there are suspicions of a connection to the hydropeaking at Järkvissle HEP. When managing ecosystems and the animals within them it is vital to establish a firm understanding of interactions and behaviour. This can be used to determine the effect of hydropeaking on the behaviours of grayling. A lack in knowledge of local spawning behaviour thus led to a study of the grayling2population below Järkvissle HEP leading up to the expected spawning period. The study was based around two assumptions: 1) grayling move upstream towards shallower areas suitable for spawning as the temperature in the water rises, and 2) grayling are more active when the variation in flow is high, because the number of suitable spawning grounds are limited by flow. Graylings (n = 20) in the area below the Järkvissle HEP were tagged with radio transmitters, to study the movement and behaviour exhibited before the expected spawning period between April 28th and May 29th, 2022. On 24 occasions hand tracking was performed and position and depth of the marked individuals were recorded. Through a multiple linear regression with backwards stepwise elimination three significant results were found. There was an observed increase in activity in the form of Euclidean movement represented by a 1,0 m (± 1 m) movement for every 1,0 m3 s-1 of increased flow. We also observed a temperature dependency when it came to habitat choice, where an increase of 1,0 ºC in water temperatur

Sammanfattning Nattfjärilar är en utsatt grupp när det kommer till nattbelysning, eftersom nattbelysning påverkar processer som födosök och reproduktion samt ökar deras mortalitet genom stress och ökad risk för predation. Mörka och belysta lokaler i Halmstads urbana grönområden undersöktes för att studera nattbelysningens påverkan på nattfjärilars individantal och artdiversitet. I studien visade vi på signifikanta skillnader hos både nattfjärilars individantal samt artdiversitet mellan de mörka och belysta lokalerna, där tillhörande analyser visade signifikant färre antal individer och likaså negativ trend för artdiversiteten. Analyserna visade att minskad artdiversitet och individantal i belysta lokaler inte var signifikant korrelerat med belysningsstyrkan i lokalerna. Dock finns det indikationer på att belysningsstyrkan eventuellt haft en negativ påverkan på individantalet och artdiversiteten av nattfjärilar i denna studie. Det fanns en belyst lokal som utmärkte sig med ovanligt hög diversitet där artdiversiteten var det tredje högsta uppmätta värdet i hela studien. Detta kan eventuellt bero på förekomsten av blommande buskage vilket återfanns i direkt anslutning till inventeringsområdet. Vi föreslår därför att blommande växter och buskage kan implementeras som åtgärd för att förebygga nattbelysningens påverkan på nattfjärilspopulationer. Kompletterande samt uppföljande studier av ämnet kring vilka växter som passar specifikt för nattfjärilar behövs, då det i dagsläget är ett ämne som i Sverige behöver utvecklas innan implementering av passande växter kan bli en lämplig åtgärd., Moths are a vulnerable group when exposed to night lighting, it affects their basic drives such as foraging and reproduction and increases their mortality through stress and increased risk of predation. Dark and illuminated localities in Halmstads’ urban green areas were inventoried to study the impact of night illumination on the number of individuals and species diversity of moths. In the study, significant differences were found in the individual number of moths and species diversity between the dark and illuminated localities, which could not be significantly correlated to illuminance present in the localities. However, there were indications that illuminance may still have negatively affected the number of individuals and species diversity of moths in this study. There was one illuminated locality that stood out from the rest where species diversity was the third highest measurement from the entire study, which can possibly be attributed to the presence of flowering shrubs. Therefore we suggest that flowering shrubbery can be implemented as a measure to prevent the impact of night illumination on moth populations and becomes the basis for supplementary and follow-up studies of the subject.

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is the most cultivated pulse in the temperate zone, economically important with high nutritional value (high protein content of 20-30%) and relatively low cost. Root rot is its predominant disease, it is referred to as root rot complex because it involves many pathogens. The most important pathogens of pea root rot are fungi and oomycetes. The aim of this project is to assess the possibility of using root samples with known disease severity index (DSI) to identify pea root rot causing pathogens using a MinION device from Oxford Nanopore technologies. DNA barcoding is the use of a standardized segment or region of the DNA to identify the organism to species level by comparison with a reference library. The ITS region is the barcode sequence marker of fungi. In this study, extracted DNA from pea plant roots of six naturally infected pea fields were sequenced. Two different primer pairs; ITS1Catta & ITS4ngsUni (fungi targeted) and ITS1OO & ITS4ngs (oomycota targeted) were used for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Taxonomic identification was done using Kraken2 bioinformatics tool and UNITE reference database. Organisms from fungal phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Oomycota were recovered from all the samples, but none of the pea rot root specific pathogens (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Pythium ultimum, Thielaviopsis basicola, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Ascochyta pinodella, Aphanomyces euteiches and Rhizoctonia solani) were identified. This project could not validate the use of nanopore sequencing using a MinIon device for the identification of specific pathogens causing pea root rots.

Användningen av sökhundar som hjälpmedel och verktyg inom naturvården är i Sverige hittills ett litet område med några få verksamma aktörer. Men precis som hos tull, polis och försvarsmakt kan hundarna implementeras i naturvårdsverksamheten som ett standardverktyg. Hunden har en unik förmåga att selektera dofter och vilja att samarbeta med människan. Dessa egenskaper kan utnyttjas för att effektivisera arbetet inom naturvården. Vi har gjort en sammanställning av aktörer i Sverige samt en litteraturstudie över forskningsområdet och jämfört dessa för att ge förslag till vidare användning av naturvårdssökhundar i Sverige. För flera av användningsområdena finns forskning som stödjer hundarnas effektivitet. Inom några användningsområden finns däremot ingen forskning, därför hade dessa behövt studeras närmare för att bekräfta hudarnas effektivitet. Flera potentiella nationella användningsområden för naturvårdssökhundar har identifierats, som spillningsinventering av fladdermöss, skadegörare som almsjuka, hotade arter, invasiva växter och däggdjur, läckor på avloppsledningar, nedlagda deponier och laboratorieanalyser. Vårt förslag för att underlätta framtida arbete både för kunder och aktörer, är en samlad databas där alla operativa aktörer inom naturvårdssökhund är inkluderade., In Sweden the use of detection dogs as a tool in nature conservation has until now been a small field, with few practitioners. In the daily operations of customs, police and the armed forces, detection dogs are a natural part of the organization and the same could be possible in conservation work. The dog’s ability to select between scents and their willingness to work with humans make them unique, utilizing these traits can make conservation work more efficient. The Swedish practitioners are compiled, and the available research is reviewed, the practitioners are then compared to the international research, to suggest further implication in Sweden. There are some practitioners working with conservation detection dogs today, research supports the dog’s efficiency in some areas, but in some areas research is absent. These areas would need studies to confirm the dog’s efficiency. We suggest potential areas for implantation in Sweden, such as scat detection of bats, pests like elm decease, threatened species, invasive species, sewage leaks, disused landfills, and laboratory analyses. Our suggestion is a national database for all conservation detection dogs, to aid future work for both practitioners and customers.

Risk assessment plays a crucial role in evaluating and managing the potential hazards and health effects associated with exposure to substances. In recent decades, the field of risk assessment has undergone significant expansion, embracing innovative approaches and methodologies. Despite these advancements, it's noteworthy that the standards governing experimental setups have remained largely unchanged. This thesis focuses on enhancing environmental risk assessment methodologies, particularly in the context of exposure protocols, by incorporating toxicogenomics and machine learning approaches as well as suggestions for improved toxicity testing setup. The main objectives of the Paper I was to assess the sensitivity differences and shared responses of different animal models to exposure settings. Seven different organisms were tested with varying metal concentrations. Paper II investigated the effects of altering exposure media parameters, particularly water hardness. Paper III utilized computational advancements in toxicogenomics for gene ranking and exposure prediction. Paper IV investigated a larger number of genes by utilizing transcriptomics to discover novel biomarkers and molecular functions affected by metal exposures at the boundaries of Zn and Cu homeostasis. The research findings revealed that traditional toxicity assessment setups may not fully provide a base to capture the complexity of occurring toxicity. Therefore, the study proposes deviations from standard test protocols and emphasizes the need for holistic models that consider multiple factors to accurately assess toxicity risks in aquatic environments.

Exposure to environmental toxins presents a hazard to humans. Inorganic metalloid- arsenic (As), organic chemicals- per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are frequently detected in the environment. Exposure to As and PFAS is associated with multiple adverse effects in humans and animals. However, little attention has been given to the interaction between host microbiota and pollutants. Gut microbiota interactions with the host and xenobiotics, is hy-pothesized to decrease xenobiotic toxicity. However, the role of microbiota on host responses during these exposure scenarios is poorly understood. Therefore, the aim was to study the influence of gut microbes on Caenorhabditis elegans responses using As and PFAS as environmental toxins. Specific objectives were to study the role of single microbes, and simple three microbe combinations with tractable diversity in nematode responses to As and PFAS. The study examined C. elegans physiological responses to As in the presence of single As resistant microbe Lysinibacillus sphaericus (Paper I) and simple 3-bacteria combinations (Paper IV). These studies showed that gut microbes decrease As toxicity and increase nematode survival through mediating host stress responses and fat metabolism. Combinations of microbes with toxins in microbiota also affect lifespan (Paper III). Furthermore, effects of PFAS mixtures were also analyzed on C. elegans and pathogen Staphylococcus aureus (Paper II); and role of gut microbe combinations during exposures to PFOS (Paper V). Exposure to PFAS/ PFOS increased virulence of pathogens and decreased host immunity, stress response and survival with opportunists; with non-pathogens C. elegans showed increased stress response and lived longer. These results emphasized that gut microbes contribute to alter xenobiotic toxicity in the host. Finally, this thesis presents novel insights into the role of gut microbes in modulating host physiological responses during As and PFAS exposures.

Boreal forest is the largest biome in the world and therefore holds much of the global carbon and has a great root system size which makes it relevant to analyze how common grazing animals affect this environment. Roots have many different roles in the ground and for the plants, where fine roots take up nutrients and circulate biomaterials among other things and coarser roots make up most of the biomass and sequestrate most carbon. Herbivores have been shown to affect plant productivity and remove aboveground biomass through their grazing, and this could have both positive, negative, and neutral effects. The purpose of this study was to examine how the root biomass varies depending on reindeer grazing in boreal forests, and this was done by studying how tree distance, ground depth and grazing reindeer affect root biomass. Fine, coarse, and very coarse roots were sampled in ungrazed and grazed areas in northern Finland. This was done with a distance of 1-3 meters from trees and depths in increments of 0-25 cm. No factors were significant for coarse roots and treatment not affecting them could be explained by some plants being able to survive defoliation or simply not being reduced by reindeer. Distance hardly affected root biomass which other studies also found, and also similar to other studies depth affected fine roots. Grazing was shown to reduce fine and very coarse root biomass. Loss of fine roots can affect microbial activity in the soil and loss of coarser roots can possibly affect the area long-term in different ways.

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a key structure for motor, limbic and associative function. Parkinson's disease (PD) and Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been connected to abnormal firing activity of STN neurons. Subthalamotomy and deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the STN have been shown to be effective treatment methods for previous suggested diagnosis, however, the mechanism behind the treatment and the reason for adverse side-effects remains unsolved. The aim of this study was to establish if it is possible to distinguish specific gene expressions in structures of transgenic mouse brains as well as gaining more knowledge about the medial part of STN, which is hypothesized to be the limbic part of the structure. Here, immunofluorescence and PCR was performed on Cre-driven transgenic mice followed by histological analysis in order to identify the distribution of tachykinin 1 (Tac1) and paired-like homeodomain 2 (Pitx2) in these transgenic mice brains. The results demonstrate that STN and pSTN were positive structures in Pitx2-CreSunGFP and Tac1-CreSunGFP mice. Tac1-CreSunGFP mice further contained GFP positive cells in striatum, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus, submedial nucleus of thalamus and the septal area, proposing the gene expression of Tac1 to be present in several limbic structures. Today, we lack knowledge of the internal organization of the STN, and solving the structural-functional organization of the STN would be helpful to distinguish distinct roles of STN neurons and develop effective STN-DBS-targeting treatment without side-effects.

Root nodule symbiosis evolved ca. 100 Mya between a nitrogen-fixing bacterium and the common ancestor to the Fabales, Fagales, Rosales, and Cucurbitales plant orders. Over time the majority of the lineages derived from this ancestor lost their symbiotic capability. While extant symbiotic members found in the Fabales order (legumes) all engage in symbiosis with rhizobia, extant symbiotic members of the latter three plant orders are referred to as actinorhizal plants. These engage in symbiosis with Frankia. Frankia is a genus of soil actinobacteria, which can be split into four phylogenetically distinct clades. The earliest divergent symbiotic clade, Frankia cluster-2, encompasses strains that have a broad host range and could not be cultured in vitro thus far with two exceptions. Based on Frankia enriched meta-genomes from whole nodules collected at different locations across the globe, it is clear there is very little diversity of Frankia cluster-2 in continental Eurasia, spanning from France to Japan. These strains are also closely related to strains found in North America. However, very little is known about strains occurring in the islands in the Pacific Ocean and the southern hemisphere. In short, this thesis aimed to investigate the biodiversity of the earliest divergent symbiotic Frankia clade and to understand how Frankia spread across the globe (Study 1 and Study 2). From nodules collected in study 1, a novel Streptomyces species was identified and declared (Study 3). The thesis also aimed to study genetic changes within Frankia cluster-2 which might be associated with their endosymbiotic lifestyle and low saprotrophic potential (Study 4 and Study 5).

Studies of the evolutionary relationships among gorilla populations using autosomal and mitochondrial sequences suggest that male-mediated gene flow may have been important in the past, but data on the Y-chromosomal relationships among the gorilla subspecies are limited. Here, we genotyped blood and noninvasively collected fecal samples from 12 captives and 257 wild male gorillas of known origin representing all four subspecies (Gorilla gorilla gorilla, G. g. diehli, G. beringei beringei, and G. b. graueri) at 10 Y-linked microsatellite loci resulting in 102 unique Y-haplotypes for 224 individuals. We found that western lowland gorilla (G. g. gorilla) haplotypes were consistently more diverse than any other subspecies for all measures of diversity and comprised several genetically distinct groups. However, these did not correspond to geographical proximity and some closely related haplotypes were found several hundred kilometers apart. Similarly, our broad sampling of eastern gorillas revealed that mountain (G. b. beringei) and Grauer's (G. b. graueri) gorilla Y-chromosomal haplotypes did not form distinct clusters. These observations suggest structure in the ancestral population with subsequent mixing of differentiated haplotypes by male dispersal for western lowland gorillas, and postisolation migration or incomplete lineage sorting due to short divergence times for eastern gorillas.

Fungal communities are major players in globally important nutrient cycling processes, and form symbioses with most terrestrial plants. In the nitrogen (N) limited Swedish boreal forest, ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi colonize most roots of the economically important and stand dominating conifer species, Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), with significant implications for tree nutrition and decomposition processes. Long-term sustainable forestry practices require a deeper understanding of biotic and abiotic factors influencing forest health and tree growth. While high-throughput sequencing technologies such as DNA amplicon sequencing or RNA-based metatranscriptomics have furthered our understanding of fungal communities, there are still many details of EcM symbiosis and decomposition processes that we do not understand. In this thesis, I have used these sequencing methods to further our understanding of fungal communities in the boreal forest, and how they are influenced by forest management and N addition. In the first part of this thesis, I investigated how early fertilization of seeded or planted seedlings affects seedling growth and survival, and the fungal communities associated with the growing seedlings, assessed by amplicon sequencing. In two manuscripts I show that seeds or seedlings planted into scarified clearcut soil are rapidly colonized by site indigenous fungi, including many EcM species. I show that small doses of added N increase survival of sown seeds and that organic N (in the form of arginine) can increase early root growth of planted seedlings. This light fertilization did not perturb early fungal community succession. In the second part, I co-developed a workflow for de novo assembly as well as functional and taxonomic annotation of complex fungal community RNA sequencing data, in order to advance our ability to utilize metatranscriptomics (not only) as an alternative to DNA amplicon approaches. I assessed the outcome, Svampsamhällen har global betydelse som drivande krafter i viktiga näringskretslopp, och ingår symbioser med de flesta landväxter. I de kvävefattiga svenska boreala skogarna koloniserar ektomykorrhizasvampar majoriteten av rötter på de ekonomiskt viktiga och dominerande trädarterna gran (Picea abies) och tall (Pinus sylvestris). Detta har signifikanta implikationer för både trädnäring och nedbrytningsprocesser i marken. För att säkerställa hållbart skogsbruk på lång sikt är det nödvändigt att vi får en djupare förståelse för biotiska och abiotiska faktorer som kan påverka skogens hälsa och tillväxt. Moderna sekvenseringsmetoder som DNA amplikon-sekvensering och RNA-baserad metatranskriptomik har hittills lett till en förbättrad förståelse för svampsamhällen, men det finns fortfarande oklarheter i många av processerna de är viktiga för. I denna doktorsavhandling har jag använt dessa sekvenseringsmetoder för att fördjupa vår förståelse av svampsamhällen i boreal skog, och hur de påverkas av skogsbruk och kvävetillförsel. I avhandlingens första del har jag undersökt hur gödsling vid plantering och sådd påverkar plantornas överlevnad och tillväxt, och dessutom de associerade svampsamhällen som undersöktes med hjälp av amplikon sekvensering. I två manuskript visar jag, hur efter plantering på markberedda kalhyggen, plantorna fort blir koloniserade av olika svampar från marken, bland annat mykorrhizasvampar. Jag visar att små doser av kvävegödsel höjer överlevnad av sådda frön, och att organiskt kväve (i form av arginin) kan förbättra tidig rottillväxt vid plantering. Svampsamhällen blev inte påtagligt förändrade av denna lätta gödsling. I andra delen av denna avhandling har jag varit involverad i utvecklingen av en bioinformatisk pipeline för de novo-assemblering, såsom taxonomisk och funktionell annotering av komplex RNA sekvenseringsdata, för att göra framsteg i vår förmåga att använda metatranskriptomik (inte bara, men också) som ett alternativ till DNA amplikon sekve

Food webs map feeding interactions among species, providing a valuable tool for understanding and predicting community dynamics. Using species' body sizes is a promising avenue for parameterizing food-web models, but such approaches have not yet been able to fully recover observed community dynamics. Such discrepancies suggest that traits other than body size also play important roles. For example, differences in species' use of microhabitat or non-consumptive effects of intraguild predators may affect dynamics in ways not captured by body size. In Laubmeier et al. (2018), we developed a dynamic food-web model incorporating microhabitat and non-consumptive predator effects in addition to body size, and used simulations to suggest an optimal sampling design of a mesocosm experiment to test the model. Here, we perform the mesocosm experiment to generate empirical timeseries of insect herbivore and predator abundance dynamics. We minimize least squares error between the model and time-series to determine parameter values of four alternative models, which differ in terms of including vs excluding microhabitat use and non-consumptive predator-predator effects. We use both statistical and expert-knowledge criteria to compare the models and find including both microhabitat use and non-consumptive predatorpredator effects best explains observed aphid and predator population dynamics, followed by the model including microhabitat alone. This ranking suggests that microhabitat plays a larger role in driving population dynamics than non-consumptive predator-predator effects, although both are clearly important. Our results illustrate the importance of additional traits alongside body size in driving trophic interactions. They also point to the need to consider trophic interactions and population dynamics in a wider community context, where non-trophic impacts can dramatically modify the interplay between multiple predators and prey. Overall, we demonstrate the potential for uti, CC BY 4.0Correspondence Address: Wootton, K.L.; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden; email: kate.l.wootton@gmail.comData Availability Statement: All data are available from the Swedish national data service https://snd.gu.se/en. Title: Population dynamics in greenhouse experiments of aphids and their predators, based on body size and habitat use.Funding: This research was supported by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences (KLW, RB, TR) and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, August T. Larsson guest researchers programme (awarded to RB) URL:https://www.slu.se/en/faculties/nj

Background Transposable elements (TEs) widely contribute to the evolution of genomes allowing genomic innovations, generating germinal and somatic heterogeneity, and giving birth to long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). These features have been associated to the evolution, functioning, and complexity of the nervous system at such a level that somatic retrotransposition of long interspersed element (LINE) L1 has been proposed to be associated to human cognition. Among invertebrates, octopuses are fascinating animals whose nervous system reaches a high level of complexity achieving sophisticated cognitive abilities. The sequencing of the genome of the Octopus bimaculoides revealed a striking expansion of TEs which were proposed to have contributed to the evolution of its complex nervous system. We recently found a similar expansion also in the genome of Octopus vulgaris. However, a specific search for the existence and the transcription of full-length transpositionally competent TEs has not been performed in this genus. Results Here, we report the identification of LINE elements competent for retrotransposition in Octopus vulgaris and Octopus bimaculoides and show evidence suggesting that they might be transcribed and determine germline and somatic polymorphisms especially in the brain. Transcription and translation measured for one of these elements resulted in specific signals in neurons belonging to areas associated with behavioral plasticity. We also report the transcription of thousands of lncRNAs and the pervasive inclusion of TE fragments in the transcriptomes of both Octopus species, further testifying the crucial activity of TEs in the evolution of the octopus genomes. Conclusions The neural transcriptome of the octopus shows the transcription of thousands of putative lncRNAs and of a full-length LINE element belonging to the RTE class. We speculate that a convergent evolutionary process involving retrotransposons activity in the brain has been important for the ev, Funding Agencies|Progetto Premiale MolEcOC (Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, MIUR); Flagship project RITMARE (MIUR and Stazione Zoologica); BIOforIU PON Project (MIUR); BIOforIU PON Project (European Regional Development Fund, FESR); SZN PhD fellowship

Carbon storage and cycling in boreal forests-the largest terrestrial carbon store-is moderated by complex interactions between trees and soil microorganisms. However, existing methods limit our ability to predict how changes in environmental conditions will alter these associations and the essential ecosystem services they provide. To address this, we developed a metatranscriptomic approach to analyze the impact of nutrient enrichment on Norway spruce fine roots and the community structure, function, and tree-microbe coordination of over 350 root-associated fungal species. In response to altered nutrient status, host trees redefined their relationship with the fungal community by reducing sugar efflux carriers and enhancing defense processes. This resulted in a profound restructuring of the fungal community and a collapse in functional coordination between the tree and the dominant Basidiomycete species, and an increase in functional coordination with versatile Ascomycete species. As such, there was a functional shift in community dominance from Basidiomycetes species, with important roles in enzymatically cycling recalcitrant carbon, to Ascomycete species that have melanized cell walls that are highly resistant to degradation. These changes were accompanied by prominent shifts in transcriptional coordination between over 60 predicted fungal effectors, with more than 5,000 Norway spruce transcripts, providing mechanistic insight into the complex molecular dialogue coordinating host trees and their fungal partners. The host-microbe dynamics captured by this study functionally inform how these complex and sensitive biological relationships may mediate the carbon storage potential of boreal soils under changing nutrient conditions.

Stable isotopes at natural abundance are key tools to study physiological processes occurring outside the temporal scope of manipulation and monitoring experiments. Whole-molecule carbon isotope ratios (13C/12C) enable assessments of plant carbon uptake yet conceal information about carbon allocation. Here, we identify an intramolecular 13C/12C signal at tree-ring glucose C-5 and C-6 and develop experimentally testable theories on its origin. More specifically, we assess the potential of processes within C3 metabolism for signal introduction based (inter alia) on constraints on signal propagation posed by metabolic networks. We propose that the intramolecular signal reports carbon allocation into major metabolic pathways in actively photosynthesizing leaf cells including the anaplerotic, shikimate, and non-mevalonate pathway. We support our theoretical framework by linking it to previously reported whole-molecule 13C/12C increases in cellulose of ozone-treated Betula pendula and a highly significant relationship between the intramolecular signal and tropospheric ozone concentration. Our theory postulates a pronounced preference for leaf cytosolic triose-phosphate isomerase to catalyse the forward reaction in vivo (dihydroxyacetone phosphate to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate). In conclusion, intramolecular 13C/12C analysis resolves information about carbon uptake and allocation enabling more comprehensive assessments of carbon metabolism than whole-molecule 13C/12C analysis., Originally included in thesis in manuscript form with title "Intramolecular 13C/12C signals reflect carbon allocation in plant leaves".

Mindre hackspett (Dryobates minor) är en vanligen icke-migrerande fågel som är väldigt trogen till sitt hemrevir. Reviret bör vara minst 40 hektar och bestå av en dominerande andel lövträd samt innehålla död ved och grova träd. Studiens syfte var att undersöka den mindre hackspettens habitatanvändning i Karlstads kommun genom att bedöma antalet individer i förhållande till fyra ekologiska faktorer: mängd stående död ved och grova träd, trädskikt samt habitatstorlek. Data togs från en rapport från 2017 där en inventering hade utförts i 77 områden i Karlstads kommun. Rapporten registrerade antal mindre hackspettsindivider och flera ekologiska faktorer i varje område. Hypoteserna var att antalet individer skulle skilja sig i förhållande till: 1) mängden stående död ved, 2) mängden grova träd, 3) antal trädskikt, och 4) habitatstorlek. Resultaten visade att det fanns fler individer av mindre hackspett i områden med en riklig mängd stående död ved och grova träd jämfört med enstaka-och måttlig mängd. Områden med flera trädskikt resulterade även i ett högre antal individer jämfört med en-och två trädskikt. En positiv korrelation mellan habitatstorlek och frekvensen av individer noterades även. Den mindre hackspettens population minskar i Sverige och börjar närma sig att listas som sårbar på IUCN:s rödlista. Det innebär att förvaltare behöver ha ekologiska faktorer i åtanke vid bevaringsåtgärder. Utöver de välkända ekologiska faktorerna döda och stora träd i förhållande till mindre hackspett visade studien även att trädskikt är en viktig faktor att ha i åtanke. Dessutom var endast fem av de 77 habitatområdena i Karlstads kommun större än 40 hektar; vilket innebär att ett landskapsperspektiv är nödvändigt för att bevara konnektivitet mellan habitat, vilket är nödvändigt för en framgångsrik hackspettspopulation., The lesser spotted woodpecker (Dryobates minor) is usually a nonmigratory bird with a high fidelity towards their home territory. The territory should be at least 40 hectares in size, consisting mostly of deciduous trees and containing dead wood and large-diameter trees. The purpose of this study was to explore the habitat use of the lesser spotted woodpecker in the municipality of Karlstad by assessing the number of individuals in relation to four ecological factors: the amount of standing dead wood and large trees, forest canopy layering and habitat patch size. Data was extracted from a 2017 report, where a field study was conducted in 77 areas in the municipality of Karlstad, Sweden. The report recorded the number of lesser spotted woodpecker individuals and several ecological factors in each area. The hypotheses were that the numbers of individuals would differ in relation to: 1) the amount of standing dead wood, 2) the amount of large trees, 3) forest canopy layering, and 4) habitat patch size. The results showed that there was a greater number of lesser spotted woodpecker individuals in areas with a rich amount of standing dead wood and large trees, versus low-or moderate amounts. Areas with a multiple forest canopy cover also resulted in greater numbers of individuals versus in single-or two-layer canopies. A positive correlation between habitat size and frequency of individuals was also noted. The lesser spotted woodpecker population in Sweden is declining and they are nearing vulnerable on the IUCN red list. This means that managers need to have ecological factors in mind when conducting conservation efforts for the species. In addition to the well-known factors of dead and large trees in relation to the lesser spotted woodpecker, this study also showed that forest canopy layering is an important factor to consider. Furthermore only five of 77 habitat patches in the municipality of Karlstad were larger than 40 hectares; thus, a landscape-level-perspective i

Aurora Kinase A is a kinase involved in multiple signaling pathways and interactions during mitosis, making it an essential kinase that deregulated causes cancer diseases in affected patients. Structural research shows mainly static snapshots of possible conformations of the partly disordered protein. This is due to challenges in generating a monodisperse pure sample with high stability enough for dynamic biophysical measurements. Optimizing the production of Aurora A and validating constructs with different sequential lengths using light scattering techniques, thermal stability screening, mass characterization, mass spectrometry, and immunoassay techniques is important for future structural insights useful for drug discoveries. In this project, validation of constructs concluded that no significant difference in cleavage of His-tag, purification possibilities, monodispersity nor stability is shown by variate start residue from 118-122 to end residue 403. Expression of an Aurora Kinase A constructs with sequential length 118-403 is preferred to be executed at 18 degrees, otherwise, temperature differences during expression show no impact on produced Aurora A. Magnesium chloride has been shown to have an impact on stability where a higher concentration stabilizes Aurora Kinase A. Moreover, concentration differences of NaCl were shown to not affect the stability of Aurora A. During this project a polydisperse sample was generated and has given insights into Aurora A´s behavior in solution.