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A preventive herd health approach will most likely reduce incidences of clinical and subclinical disease. Swedish veterinary organizations offer specific veterinary herd health management (HHM) programs, but these services are not used to a large extent. The aim of this study was to investigate dairy farmers’ experience of HHM and the conditions for collaboration with veterinarians in HHM. Six focus group discussions were conducted in March 2015 in West Sweden. In total, 33 dairy farmers participated. The recordings were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis, and the transcripts were reviewed to identify potential factors indicating barriers for farmers to engage a veterinarian in HHM. The participants reported HHM to be important, but they had difficulty defining the actions included in the concept. They described a wide range of their work duties as preventive. The farmers’ list of potential contributions by the veterinarians in HHM was strikingly short compared to the considerable number of preventive measures they performed themselves. Four main obstacles for farmers and farm managers to engage a veterinarian in HHM on their farm were identified in the analysis: “costs”, “veterinary knowledge, skills, and organization”, “farmer attitudes”, and “veterinarian-farmer relationships”. Costs were proposed as the main reason against engaging a veterinarian in HHM and included a high veterinary bill, low cost-benefit of veterinary services, and high costs to implement advice. Poor veterinary competence in HHM and poor knowledge about effective measures, practical farming, and farm economics were other important obstacles. Veterinarians were perceived to insufficiently describe their services and their benefits, and several participants felt they had never been offered veterinary HHM. Although veterinary HHM may be initiated by the farmer, the participants expected the veterinarian to have special responsibility for the initiation. A firm trust between farmer, staff, and veterinarian was considered crucial for veterinary HHM, but such trust takes a long time to build and can easily be disrupted by, for example, a veterinarian’s poor communication skills or lack of time. Our findings suggest that Swedish dairy farmers and herd managers find disease prevention important and that they perform a wide range of tasks to prevent disease in their animals. However, they do not see what role the veterinarian can play, and veterinarians were mainly associated with treating unhealthy cows. In order to increase the use of veterinary HHM programs the services and potential benefits of such programs need to be communicated more proactively.

Medically prescribed physical activity (PaP) is a relatively unknown term, howeverit is nothing new. Being used as an alternative to traditional treatment it aimsto reduce the use of chemical medication where possible. This method has provensuccessful on diseases such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, diabetes, depressionetc. Issues with this treatment stems from the fact that as it is today, it is moreinconvenient and harder to follow up with than the alternatives.In this study we have examined an alternative method to treat people with PaP bydeveloping an AI coach for a PaP-focused smartphone application which’s goal it is tomotivate the patients to fulfill their PaP-schedule. We perform both an experimentwith the usage of the developed AI, as well as a literature study in order to evaluatethe efficiency of an AI coach in comparison with today’s method of real life meetingsand little to no contact between patients and prescribers. With this paper we showthat having an AI-made coaching messages can increase the motivation of the usersof a PaP-focused application.

Intresset för social hållbarhet har vuxit globalt det senaste decenniet och är idag ett fokus i såvälden privata som offentliga sektorn. Det finns en kunskapslucka i hur det strategiska arbetet medsocial hållbarhet utförs i svenska kommuner, vilket uppsatsen önskar bidra till. Länsstyrelsen iHalland gav oss i uppdrag att öka förståelsen för det kommunala arbetet med social hållbarheti Halland. Strävan är att skapa en förståelse för motivet bakom de strategier som uppdagats ochanalysera utvecklingsmöjligheter. Med utgångspunkt i begreppen välfärd, jämlikhet, tillit ochrättvisa har fem av Hallands sex kommuners sociala hållbarhetsarbete undersökts genomintervjuer som tolkats genom teorier från Jämlikhetsanden, The Just City och Feminism sombyråkrati. Uppsatsen redogör också för hur social hållbarhet tolkas och implementeras avrespektive kommun samt hur det sociala hållbarhetsarbetet påverkar invånarnas livsvillkor.Resultatet av studien var att samtliga kommuner nyligen påbörjat arbetet med social hållbarhetoch att det som prioriteras i nuläget framför allt är integration, ungas hälsa, segregation, tillitoch ANDTS. Studiens teoretiska referensram visar att implementering och konkretisering avsocial hållbarhet är viktigt för ett fortsatt godartat arbete med social hållbarhet. The interest for social sustainability has grown global the last decade and is today a focus forthe private and the public sector. There is a knowledge gap in how the strategic work with socialsustainability is done in Swedish municipalities, which the essay wishes to contribute to.Hallands county government assigned us their wish to increase the understanding for themunicipal work done with social sustainability in Halland. The ambition is to create anunderstanding for the motives behind the discovered strategies and analyze opportunities fordevelopment. Based on terms such as welfare, equality, trust and justice the work with socialsustainability made by five of Hallands six municipalities was studied through interviews andinterpreted through the theoretical approach by The Spirit Level, The Just City and Feminismas bureaucracy. The essay also describes how social sustainability is interpreted andimplemented by each municipality and how the work with social sustainability has effect onthe living conditions of the inhabitants. The result show that all municipalities recently begantheir work with social sustainability and that the current priorities are integration, the health ofyoung people, trust and dependency issues. The theoretical reference frame which the study isbased on show that implementation and concreteization of social sustainability is essential fora continued well made work with social sustainability.

District heating plays a major part of the energy system used for heat supply in Sweden. The starting point of this parameter study have been to investigate the possibilities to provide the area Tullkammarkajen with efficient district heating supply in help of low temperature residual heat and waste heat from a nearby industry. The area is located in the city center of Halmstad and is currently in its planning phase. Facilities and apartments are planned to be built.The study is based on three different parameters: type of system, system temperatures and energy demand. The different type of systems that is analyzed is conventional districtheating, low-temperature district heating with a heat pump as a complement as well as low-temperature district heating with the primary network’s feed line as a complement. Further comparison was made between these parameters, both from an energy wise perspective as well as from an economic perspective.The underlying idea to this study has been to obtain an energy efficient solution that at the same time suits the principle of sustainable development. However, it can clearly be seen in the presented results that it is more profitable to use more conventional methods that are not adapted to sustainable development, based on today’s market. Thus, the question becomes whether the future of innovative solutions or economical funds should be prioritized.

Bakgrund Forskning visar att homosexuella, bisexuella, trans- och queerpersoner har sämre hälsa i jämförelse med den övriga befolkningen. Orsaken till ohälsan är att de i större utsträckning än andra utsätts för fördomar, diskriminering och våld. Personer som avviker från den rådande heteronormen, löper en större risk att utsättas för olika stressfaktorer som diskriminering och negativt bemötande vilka har visat sig förekomma inom hälso- och sjukvård. Hälso- och sjukvården riskerar därmed att hindra HBTQ-personer från att få rätt vård och bidrar till en försämrad hälsa hos denna grupp. Syfte Syftet var att beskriva HBTQ-personers upplevelse av mötet med hälso- och sjukvårds- personal. Metod Litteraturöversikt där 15 vetenskapliga artiklar från databaserna Cinahl Complete och Pubmed granskats och analyserats utifrån litteraturöversiktens syfte samt presenterats i en matris. Resultat Resultatet visade att mötet med hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal kan upplevas både positivt och negativt vilket representeras genom de fyra övergripande teman som identifierades: heteronormativitet, kunskap, diskriminering och fördomar, samt interaktion. Slutsats Majoriteten upplever positiva möten med hälso- och sjukvårdspersonalen. Det förekom negativa möten som kan anses bero på den rådande heteronormativiteten som resulterar i okunskap och diskriminering. Detta kan i sin tur orsaka ökad ohälsa hos denna redan utsatta grupp.

The aim of this field study was to evaluate the effect of supplemental feeding with glycerol (GLY) or propylene glycol (PG) during early lactation on the fertility of Swedish dairy cows. Within 17 commercial dairy herds, 798 cows were randomized to three groups that were daily fed supplements with 450 g GLY, 300 g PG or nothing (control, C). The supplements were given twice daily during 0-21 days in milk as a top dress on concentrates. Data on calving date, insemination dates, gynaecological examinations, as well as breed, parity and monthly milk yield were collected. From a subset of 308 cows in seven herds, milk samples for progesterone analysis were taken twice weekly and used to determine the time for onset of luteal activity. The effects of supplements on the intervals from calving to first luteal activity (FLA), first AI (FAI) and conception (CON), respectively, were analysed using semi-parametric survival models (Cox proportional hazards models) controlling for the effect of parity, breed, calving season, milk yield and the clustering effect of herd. There was no difference in time to FLA between the cows in group C and in group GLY or PG. No differences in time to FAI or in time to CON were found between cows in group PG and group C. However, cows in the GLY group tended to get their FAI later compared with cows in the control group but without at subsequent delaying of time to CON.

Here we report the hierarchical self-assembly of a cross-linkable coiled-coil peptide containing an internal cysteine. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments revealed the fractal structure of the assemblies, and molecular simulations showed that the peptides cross-linked to form clusters of coiled-coils, which further assembled to form globules of tens of nanometers in diameter. Such hierarchical organization was modulated by pH or thiol-reducing agent. Exploitation of the fractal structures through chemical methods may be valuable for the fabrication of materials spanning multiple length scales.

Biofilms of a wild type Escherichia coli were grown on 316 stainless steel slides in a nutrient starved medium. The stainless steel surfaces were either polished to a smooth finish or scribed. The scribes consisted of lines and crosses. Biofilm samples were taken after 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h of growth. After sampling, the slides were soaked in deionized water or 50 or 200 ppm free chlorine prior to vital staining. Images were captured and the areas of viable and total biofilm were estimated. The individual biofilm patches, circularities, total percentage coverage, and viability percentage coverage were analyzed. The biofilms tended to increase in size between 6 and 24 h. A 3-6 h old biofilm on a polished stainless steel surface detached when 200 ppm sodium hypochlorite was applied. When grown in scribes, the circularity decreased up to 24 h, but thereafter increased. As the film grew older, it detached with or without a sodium hypochlorite treatment from the part of the surface that was polished, but remained in the neighborhood of the scribe. Based on the results, we recommend sanitizing at intervals of less than 12 h for this and similar strains of bacteria and protection of stainless steel surfaces to minimize scratching.

This study creates both virtual and physical, closed, aquatic mesocosms. Each mesocosm consisted of a 10 galaquarium with an unspecified proportion of water and air. The contents of the aquarium included several crayfish, dechlorinatedwater, gravel, and submerged aquatic and terrestrial plants. The mesocosm was self-sustaining, airtight, watertight,and food tight. By reaching equilibrium between primary production, waste production and degradation, food consumption,and respiration (consumed oxygen and produced carbon dioxide), it was possible to keep the physical system self-sustainedfor up to a month. Parameters obtained from the physical mesocosms describe how changes in some parameters affected others.The ecological considerations that were important for the modeling procedure dealt with the trophic levels (producer,consumer, or decomposer) of the individual organism communities and their relationships. We defined the equations and parametersthat describe the transfers of mass and energy between the organisms and their physical environment. The virtualmesocosm was based on a series of models for growth, oxygen consumption, biodegradation, nitrogenous component degradation,photosynthesis, and respiration. Development of the Stella model was an iterative process; the results of successivesimulations were compared with results from physical crayfish aquaria to calibrate the model for improved accuracy.

Spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) needle litter was placedin litterbags and incubated (≥6 yr) at five spruce standsin southern Sweden. The litterbags were collected twice a yearduring year 1–2 and thereafter once a year, for total analyses(conc. HNO3) of Cd, Zn, Mn, Cu and Pb. The main objectiveswere to document changes in concentrations and amounts of theseelements during litter decomposition and to investigate factorscontrolling the changes.Concentrations of Cd, Zn, Cu and Pb increased to at least 0.5, 1.5, 3 and 13 times the initial concentration. During the latterpart of the incubations, concentrations became more stable ordecreased. Concentrations at which the metals are considered to be toxic to micro-organisms in the mor layer were not reached during the experiment. Generally, concentrations of Mn decreased.Total amounts of Cd, Zn and Mn had decreased by at least15, 24 and 43%, from the initial amount at the end of theexperiment. The total amount of Cu increased (>40%) before itstarted to decrease. The total amount of Pb increased by over230%. Thereafter it became more constant or decreased.According to a PCA, the dynamics of total amounts of Cd,Zn and Mn in the litter were similar, as were those of Pb and Cu.Furthermore, in most cases the heavy metal amounts on anysampling occasion differed more between than within sites. Thedynamics of total amounts of elements were more similar betweenadjacent sites than between more distant sites.

Topsoil (0–25 cm) and subsoil (30–55 cm) samples were taken from clay soil which had been cropped with reed canarygrass ( Phalaris arundinacea ). After crumbling the soil into fragments 2 evolution was measured in the laboratory at four moisture contents (17, 26, 36 and 50% H 2 O for the topsoil and 16, 23, 31 and 41% for the subsoil) and at constant temperatures of −4, 0.3, 5, 15, 25, and temperatures fluctuating (weekly) between −4 and +5°C. Evolution of CO 2 after the addition of roots or stubble of P. arundinacea to the topsoil (25°C, 36% H 2 O) was also studied. The CO 2 evolution increased significantly with temperature and moisture. The CO 2 evolution rate per unit of soil carbon was about two times higher for topsoil than for subsoil. Temperature fluctuation between −4 and +5°C did not enhance CO 2 evolution significantly compared with incubation at a constant 5°C and was even lower than or not significantly different from samples at 0.3°C.

A novel approach, at least for laboratory conditions, for analysis of the dependence of soil C evolution on temperature is presented. A two-component (labile and refractory organic C) parallel first-order model was fitted to CO2 evolution rates from top- and subsoil, incubated at different combinations of temperature (constant −4, 0.3, 5, 15, 25, weekly fluctuating between −4 and +5°C) and moisture (17, 26, 36 and 50% H2O for the topsoil and 16, 23, 31 and 41% for the subsoil) and to the evolution of CO2 after the addition of roots or stubble of Phalaris arundinacea in the topsoil, measured at 25°C and 36% H2O ( Lomander et al., 1998 ). The size of the pools and their respective first-order rate constants were optimized simultaneously by a least-squares method. The optimization was carried out separately for top- and subsoil. Quadratic functions were fitted to the temperature and moisture responses. For topsoil samples in which roots or stubble were added, a three-component model (labile, refractory and stubble or roots) was used. The initial partitioning of the soil C, the decomposition rate constants for each partition and the temperature and moisture responses were all assumed to be identical to those of pure topsoil, while the initial pool sizes of added roots and straw were measured. The calculated temperature at which CO2 evolution ceased (Tmin) was −0.83°C, and a recalculation to Q10-values resulted in increasing temperature response with decreasing temperature (Q10=2.2 at 25°C and 12.7 at 0.3°C). Simulated CO2 evolution rates agreed well with the measurements (Radj2=0.96 and 0.81) for top- and subsoil, respectively. The multi-compartment approach was superior to the single-compartment approach, which gave Radj2=0.88 and 0.76 for top- and subsoil, respectively. In general, CO2 evolution rates obtained from the laboratory experiment were higher than those measured in the field, even after differences in temperature and moisture were taken into account. After 300 d in the laboratory at 25°C and 36% H2O, 99% and 86% of the added straw and roots, respectively, had disappeared according to the described model. The CO2-evolution rate per unit of soil carbon was about two times higher for topsoil than for subsoil.

The literature was reviewed regarding laboratory incubation studies where C mineralization was measured. Experiments were selected in which the same substrate was incubated at least at two different temperatures and where time-series were available with at least four measurements for each substrate and temperature. A first-order one-component model and a parallel first-order two-component model were fitted to the CO2–C evolution data in each experiment using a least-squares procedure. After normalising for a reference temperature, the temperature coefficient (Q10) function and three other temperature response functions were fitted to the estimated rate constants. The two-component model could describe the dynamics of the 25 experiments much more adequately than the one-component model (higher R2, adjusted for the number of parameters), even when the rate constants for both were assumed to be equally affected by temperature. The goodness-of-fit did not differ between the temperature response models, but was affected by the choice of the reference temperature. For the whole data set, a Q10 of 2 was found to be adequate for describing the temperature dependence of decomposition in the intermediate temperature range (about 5–35 °C). However, for individual experiments, Q10 values deviated greatly from 2. At least at temperatures below 5 °C, functions not based on Q10 are probably more adequate. However, due to the paucity of data from low-temperature incubations, this conclusion is only tentative, and more experimental work is called for.

The aim of this retrospective single-cohort study was to investigate if a rapid change in feeding, management, or housing or an increasing incidence of claw diseases or udder health problems is associated with decreased reproductive performance. Data on individual cows and herds were retrieved from the Swedish official milk recording system and questionnaire data on feeding system was obtained from the regional dairy associations. In total, 63,561 cows in 759 herds were included in the study. The associations between the probability of pregnancy at first insemination and number of inseminations per animal submitted for artificial insemination and potential predictor variables were investigated using a logistic regression model and a Poisson regression model, respectively. The results indicated that cows with severe claw lesions or an increasing somatic cell count after calving had a lower probability of pregnancy at first insemination and had a higher number of inseminations per animal submitted for artificial insemination than healthy cows. Variables representing a change in housing, production system, or milking system within the period from 6mo before calving until establishment of a new pregnancy were significantly associated with decreased reproductive performance. No differences in fertility were observed between cows milked in an automatic milking system compared with cows milked conventionally. The results indicate that a change of system, rather than the actual type of milking or housing system negatively affects reproductive performance. Special attention should therefore be paid to the fertility of cows when the herd management is changing. It is also important to prevent claw lesions and increasing cell counts after calving to avoid a decrease in reproductive performance.

The aim of this field study was to evaluate the effect of supplemental feeding with glycerol (GLY) or propylene glycol (PG) during early lactation on the fertility of Swedish dairy cows. Within 17 commercial dairy herds, 798 cows were randomized to three groups that were daily fed supplements with 450 g GLY, 300 g PG or nothing (control, C). The supplements were given twice daily during 0-21 days in milk as a top dress on concentrates. Data on calving date, insemination dates, gynaecological examinations, as well as breed, parity and monthly milk yield were collected. From a subset of 308 cows in seven herds, milk samples for progesterone analysis were taken twice weekly and used to determine the time for onset of luteal activity. The effects of supplements on the intervals from calving to first luteal activity (FLA), first AI (FAI) and conception (CON), respectively, were analysed using semi-parametric survival models (Cox proportional hazards models) controlling for the effect of parity, breed, calving season, milk yield and the clustering effect of herd. There was no difference in time to FLA between the cows in group C and in group GLY or PG. No differences in time to FAI or in time to CON were found between cows in group PG and group C. However, cows in the GLY group tended to get their FAI later compared with cows in the control group but without at subsequent delaying of time to CON.

The aim of this field study was to evaluate the effect of supplemental feeding with glycerol (GLY) or propylene glycol (PG) during early lactation on the fertility of Swedish dairy cows. Within 17 commercial dairy herds, 798 cows were randomized to three groups that were daily fed supplements with 450 g GLY, 300 g PG or nothing (control, C). The supplements were given twice daily during 0–21 days in milk as a top dress on concentrates. Data on calving date, insemination dates, gynaecological examinations, as well as breed, parity and monthly milk yield were collected. From a subset of 308 cows in seven herds, milk samples for progesterone analysis were taken twice weekly and used to determine the time for onset of luteal activity. The effects of supplements on the intervals from calving to first luteal activity (FLA), first AI (FAI) and conception (CON), respectively, were analysed using semi-parametric survival models (Cox proportional hazards models) controlling for the effect of parity, breed, calving season, milk yield and the clustering effect of herd. There was no difference in time to FLA between the cows in group C and in group GLY or PG. No differences in time to FAI or in time to CON were found between cows in group PG and group C. However, cows in the GLY group tended to get their FAI later compared with cows in the control group but without at subsequent delaying of time to CON.

Negative energy balance is a known risk factor for decreased fertility in dairy cows. This study evaluated the accuracy of plasma concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)—factors related to negative energy balance—in predicting decreased fertility. One plasma sample per cow was collected from 480 cows in 12 herds during the period from d 4 to 21 in milk and analyzed for NEFA, BHBA, and IGF-1. For each cow, data on breed, parity, calving date, gynecological examinations, and insemination dates were obtained. Milk samples from 241 cows in 7 of the participating herds were analyzed for progesterone concentration to define the first day of luteal activity. The diagnostic sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) at different cut-off concentrations of NEFA, BHBA, or IGF-1 were calculated and related to individual cow fertility status, measured as anestrus (ANEST), delayed first artificial insemination (DFAI), or delayed conception. Positive and negative predictive values (PV+; PV−) were calculated considering different levels of (within-herd) prevalence. Strata (i.e., subgroup)-specific Se and Sp and associations between test results and fertility parameters were investigated using logistic regression. The NEFA and BHBA tests for ANEST and DFAI had the highest combined Se and Sp and were thus evaluated further. Cut-off values with Sp around 80% were used in this step to provide a reasonable number of test-positive cows, representing a practical situation. This corresponded to a cut-off value for the NEFA test of 400 µEq/L (Se 0.27–0.45) and for the BHBA test of 1.8 mM (Se 0.15–0.30) across all cows included in the study. The estimated Sp was generally higher than the original 80%, but the corresponding Se was further decreased when the test was used in heifers compared with older cows. The true prevalence of ANEST in the study population was 27%, which gave a PV+ of 0.36 to 0.45 and a PV− of 0.76 to 0.79. With 35% true prevalence of DFAI, PV+ was 0.29 to 0.38 and PV− was 0.64 to 0.66. Thus, overall test performance was low when metabolic indicators measured as single values in early lactation were used to predict fertility in dairy cows, but accuracy was influenced by cow-level factors such as parity. The prevalence of the target condition (in this case, decreased fertility) also influences test usefulness and should be considered when planning test systems and interpreting test results.

Decreased fertility in dairy cows is widespread and economically undesirable. Current management strategies to prevent decreased fertility are exploiting the close relationship between negative energy balance in transition cows and subsequent decreased fertility. However, there is a continuous need for more information regarding the effects of different strategies on fertility. This thesis evaluated the effect of supplemental feeding with glycerol or propylene glycol, the usefulness of measuring metabolic indicators in blood samples to predict decreased fertility and investigated potential risk factors. In two field studies, the metabolic status, milk yield and fertility of cows in 17 herds, fed either a glycerol or propylene glycol supplement or no supplement (control) 0-21 days after calving, were evaluated. A separate study evaluated the accuracy of metabolic indicators when used to predict decreased fertility. The results were based on a single blood sample taken in early lactation and different test cut-off values were applied. Finally, potential risk factors for decreased fertility related to housing, feeding and the cow herself, were evaluated in approximately 750 Swedish herds. Cows fed glycerol produced significantly 1 kg more milk during the first 90 days in milk and cows fed propylene glycol tended to produce more milk without a subsequent decrease in metabolic status or fertility. The test performance of the metabolic indicators was in general low and was influenced by cow parity, cow breed and the prevalence of decreased fertility in the population studied. Cows experiencing a change in system (e.g. in housing or milking system or from conventional to organic production) had lower fertility than cows not experiencing such a change. In addition, cows with severe claw lesions and cows displaying a rise in somatic cell counts had a lower probability of pregnancy at first insemination. In conclusion, supplemental feeding with glycerol or propylene glycol, as a general strategy in a herd, does not seem to influence fertility or energy status and could increase milk yield. Measures to prevent a decrease in fertility could be more effective if applied to cows in physiological imbalance, rather than all cows in a herd. However, the use of metabolic indicators in a single blood sample may not be optimal for detecting cows at risk. The identified risk factors for decreased fertility could be used when devising preventive strategies.

Negative energy balance is a known risk factor for decreased fertility in dairy cows. This study evaluates the accuracy of measuring plasma concentrations of two indicators of negative energy balance, non esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hyrdroxy buturate (BHBA), when they are used to predict decreased fertility. For 496 cows in 12 Swedish dairy herds plasma samples were taken 0–21 days in milk and data on breed, parity, calving date, gynecological examinations, and inseminations were collected. The diagnostic sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) at different cut-offs in concentrations of NEFA and BHBA were calculated and compared to each cow’s fertility status, measured as anestrous (ANEST) and delayed first AI (DFAI). Positive and negative predictive values (PV+; PV-) were calculated considering different levels of decreased fertility. Strata-specific Se and Sp and associations between test results and fertility parameters were investigated using logistic regressio n. For this analysis, cut-offs with Sp ~80% was used because a high Sp was considered of interest. This corresponded to a NEFA-cutoff at 400 µeqv./mL (Se≤0.44) and a BHBA-cut-off at 1.8 mM (Se ≤0.32). Sp was generally higher when the test was used in heifers compared to older cows. With a prevalence of ANEST of 28% PV+ were 0.25 and PV- nearly 0.90. With a DFAI prevalence of 35%, PV+ were

Mercury (Hg) levels are alarmingly high in fish from lakes across Fennoscandia and northern North America. The few published studies on the ways in which silviculture practices influence this problem indicate that forest operations increase Hg in downstream aquatic ecosystems. From these studies, we estimate that between one-tenth and one-quarter of the Hg in the fish of high-latitude, managed forest landscapes can be attributed to harvesting. Forestry, however, did not create the elevated Hg levels in the soils, and waterborne Hg/MeHg concentrations downstream from harvested areas are similar to those from wetlands. Given the current understanding of the way in which silviculture impacts Hg cycling, most of the recommendations for good forest practice in Sweden appear to be appropriate for high-latitude regions, e.g., leaving riparian buffer zones, as well as reducing disturbance at stream crossings and in moist areas. The recommendation to restore wetlands and reduce drainage, however, will likely increase Hg/MeHg loadings to aquatic ecosystems.

A designer self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold has been systematically studied with 10 commonly used scaffolds in a several week study using neural stem cells (NSC), a potential therapeutic source for cellular transplantations in nervous system injuries. These cells not only provide a good in vitro model for the development and regeneration of the nervous system, but may also be helpful in testing for cytotoxicity, cellular adhesion, and differentiation properties of biological and synthetic scaffolds used in medical practices. We tested the self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold with the most commonly used scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine including PLLA, PLGA, PCLA, collagen I, collagen IV, and Matrigel. Additionally, each scaffold was coated with laminin in order to evaluate the utility of this surface treatment. Each scaffold was evaluated by measuring cell viability, differentiation and maturation of the differentiated stem cell progeny (i.e. progenitor cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons) over 4 weeks. The optimal scaffold should show high numbers of living and differentiated cells. In addition, it was demonstrated that the laminin surface treatment is capable of improving the overall scaffold performance. The designer self-assembling peptide RADA16 nanofiber scaffold represents a new class of biologically inspired material. The well-defined molecular structure with considerable potential for further functionalization and slow drug delivery makes the designer peptide scaffolds a very attractive class of biological material for a number of applications. The peptide nanofiber scaffold is comparable with the clinically approved synthetic scaffolds. The peptide scaffolds are not only pure, but also have the potential to be further designed at the molecular level, thus they promise to be useful for cell adhesion and differentiation studies as well as for future biomedical and clinical studies.

Decomposition is crucial in the circulation of global C as well as that of other elements like heavy metals. The aims of this work were to investigate and model how temperature (-4, 0.3, 5, 15, 25 and fluctuating -4/5°C) and moisture (four levels between wilting point and 100% WHC) influence the decomposition rate in a heavy clay soil incubated in the laboratory. Concentrations of Cd, Zn, Mn, Cu and Pb in spruce needles incubated in litter-bags for 6-8 years in five spruce stands were also measured and their effects on decomposition rates discussed. Decomposition rate increased significantly with increasing temperature and moisture. The decomposition rate was twice as high in the topsoil as in the subsoil samples. Temperature fluctuations did not increase decomposition rate compared with samples at constant +5°C. A two-component first-order model was superior to a single-component model to describe decomposition. Quadratic temperature and moisture response functions were used. The calculated minimum temperature (Tmin) for decomposition was -0.83°C and Q10 increased from 2.2 at 25°C to 12.7 at 0.3°C. When analysing decomposition data compiled from the literature, the two-component model was again more accurate than the single-component. The goodness of fit did not differ between the temperature response models tested, but was affected by the reference temperature. Between 5 and 35°C, a Q10-value of 2 was found to be adequate. Concentrations of Cd, Zn, Cu and Pb increased, while concentrations of Mn generally decreased during spruce needle decomposition. Concentrations considered toxic to micro-organisms were not observed. Total amounts of Cd, Zn, and Mn decreased by at least 15, 24 and 43% while total amounts of Cu and Pb increased by over 40 and 230% respectively, before they became more constant or started to decrease. A PCA indicated that dynamics of total amounts were more similar between adjacent sites than between more distant sites. The studies indicate that there is a need for more research, especially at low temperatures where decomposition rate is low. The paucity of high-precision measurements of decomposition below 5°C makes it difficult to draw conclusions about the temperature responses below this temperature. Concerning heavy metals, after about 8 years of decomposition in the field, between 20 and 40% of the litter still remained. We therefore lack a complete picture of heavy metal dynamics during the latter parts of the decomposition period.

A tool for the rapid analysis of biofilms, using epifluorescence microscopy and image analysis was developed. The tool allows the evaluation of overall biofilm coverage and biofilm patch morphology. It will provide a quantitative method for identifying relationships between biofilms and their substrates and for identifying the morphology of patches of damaged bacteria. The coverage percentage allows evaluation of the growth of biofilms and will allow the evaluation of the effectiveness of sanitizers and mechanical cleaning methods in removing biofilms from food processing surfaces. The patch morphology is useful for investigating the relationships between surface morphology and biofilm growth and for determining the surface morphology, biofilm shape, and sanitizer effectiveness. The software was tested and validated using biofilms of E. coli K12 on glass, polished 316 stainless steel, and brushed 316 stainless steel. The biofilms were stained with both propidium iodide and SYTO–16. After performing digital image analysis of both overall coverage and biofilm patch morphometrics, it was found that the percentages of living or total biofilm were independent of the substrate material. However, the absolute area of individual biofilm patches varied depending on the substrate material. These areas also showed changes over time. The circularity of the biofilm patches was investigated. At the end of the studies, the shape of most of the biofilm patches in this group was nearly circular.