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Anthropogenic pressures, such as contaminant exposure, may affect stable isotope ratios in biota. These changes are driven by alterations in the nutrient allocation and metabolic pathways induced by specific stressors. In a controlled microcosm study with the amphipod Gammarus spp., we studied effects of the beta-blocker propranolol on stable isotope signatures (delta N-15 and delta C-13), elemental composition (%C and %N), and growth (protein content and body size) as well as biomarkers of oxidative status (antioxidant capacity, ORAC; lipid peroxidation, TBARS) and neurological activity (acetylcholinesterase, AChE). Based on the known effects of propranolol exposure on cellular functions, i.e., its mode of action (MOA), we expected to observe a lower scope for growth, accompanied by a decrease in protein deposition, oxidative processes and AChE inhibition, with a resulting increase in the isotopic signatures. The observed responses in growth, biochemical and elemental variables supported most of these predictions. In particular, an increase in %N was observed in the propranolol exposures, whereas both protein allocation and body size declined. Moreover, both ORAC and TBARS levels decreased with increasing propranolol concentration, with the decrease being more pronounced for TBARS, which indicates the prevalence of the antioxidative processes. These changes resulted in a significant increase of the delta N-15 and delta C-13 values in the propranolol-exposed animals compared to the control. These findings suggest that MOA of beta-blockers may be used to predict sublethal effects in non-target species, including inhibited AChE activity, improved oxidative balance, and elevated stable isotope ratios. The latter also indicates that metabolism-driven responses to environmental contaminants can alter stable isotope signatures, which should be taken into account when interpreting trophic interactions in the food webs.

Bakgrund: Digitaliseringen har bidragit till nya kommunikationsvägar och förbättrade produkter och tjänster. Möjligheterna som kommer med digitaliseringen leder till ökade krav på en sömlös shoppingupplevelse. Det ställer krav på företagen att uppdatera sina strategier och anpassa organisationen för att lyckas tillmötesgå kundens behov. Omnikanal är en strategi som vuxit fram i samband med digitaliseringen. Fenomenet är dock fortfarande ett oexploaterat område och avsaknad forskning på organisationens perspektiv. Därmed är det av intresse att undersöka strategin i praktiken. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att skapa en djupare förståelse för omnikanal och den organisatoriska påverkan en implementering kan innebära, samt identifiera de utmaningar inom organisationen som företag upplever. Metod: Studien är en kvalitativ flerfallstudie med ett fenomenologiskt perspektiv och abduktiv ansats. Det empiriska materialet samlades in genom åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer med sju fallföretag där intervjuguide med öppna frågor baserades på teman anpassade efter studiens syfte. Slutsats: Studien visar att teorins definition på begreppet omnikanal inte alltid har samma innebörd som praktikernas, men att det är viktigare att uppnå målet med strategin än att identifiera sig med en teoretisk definition. Implementeringen påverkar organisationen genom omorganisering till mer decentraliserade strukturer. Införandet av nya enheter eller krossfunktionella team för att säkerställa bättre kommunikation anses också som en viktig påverkan. Många av de påverkande faktorerna är dock också de främsta utmaningarna där teknik, kompetens och internkonkurrens hämmar arbetet mot omnikanal., Background: Digitalisation has contributed to new communications and improved products and services. The opportunities that comes with digitalisation leads to increased demand for a seamless shopping experience. It places demands on the companies to update their strategies and adjust the organisation in order to succeed in meeting the customer’s needs. Omnichannel is a strategy that has emerged in connection with digitalisation. The phenomenon is still an unexplored area and there is lack of research on organisations perspective which makes it of interest to study the strategy in practice. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to create deeper understanding of omnichannel and the organisational impact an implementation can entail, and also identify the challenges within the organisation that companies experience. Methodology: The study is a qualitative multiple case study with a phenomenological perspective and abductive approach. For the data collection, eight semi-structured interviews with seven case companies has been conducted. The interview guide included open questions based on themes adapted to the purpose of the study. Conclusion: The result of the study shows that the definition of the term omnichannel do not always have the same content in theory as for practitioners and that it is more important to achieve the goal of the strategy rather than to identify with a theoretical definition. The implementation affects the organisation through reorganisation into more decentralized structures. The introduction of new units or cross-functional teams to ensure better communication is also considered as an important impact. Many of the influencing factors, however, are also the main challenges where technology, competence and internal competition obstruct the work against omnichannel.

This study investigated the uptake and effects of a common human pharmaceutical, propranolol, on the structure and function of a coastal Baltic Sea model community consisting of macroalga (Ceramium tenuicorne), mussels (Mytilus edulis trossulus), amphipods (Gammarus spp.), water and sediment. The most sensitive species, the mussel, was affected to the same extent as in previous single species studies, while the effects on the amphipod and alga were smaller or even positive compared to experiments performed in less complex test systems. The observed cascade of beneficial effects was a result of inter-specific species interactions that buffered for more severe effects. The poor condition of the mussel led to a feeding shift from alga to mussel by the amphipods. The better food quality, due to the dietary shift, counteracted the effects of the exposure. Less amphipod grazing, together with increased levels of nutrients in the water was favourable for the alga, despite the negative effects of propranolol. This microcosm study showed effects on organisms on different organizational levels as well as interactions among the different components resulting in indirect exposure effects of both functional and structural nature. The combination of both direct and indirect effects would not have been detected using simpler single- or even two-species study designs. The observed structural changes would in the natural environment have a long-term influence on ecosystem function, especially in a low-biodiversity ecosystem like the Baltic Sea., AuthorCount:5

This thesis investigates the effects of pharmaceutical substances on coastal Baltic Sea organisms. Despite an increasing awareness of the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in various aquatic compartments, current knowledge of their possible effects on non-target organisms is limited. Especially scarce is the knowledge concerning possible long-term effects, mixture-effects, effects on non-standard test organisms and indirect effects from interactions among organisms. Also the environmental fate, availability and distribution of pharmaceuticals between sediment, water and biota is only rarely investigated. The aim of this thesis was therefore to investigate the biological effects of pharmaceuticals, and their distribution in organisms of a coastal Baltic Sea community. In four studies, blue mussels, amphipods and macroalgae were exposed to pharmaceuticals in laboratory experiments. The effects from exposure, as well as recovery from the same, were studied on different physiological variables. With increasing complexity of experiment designs, the tested substances were found to affect aquatic organisms from different hierarchical levels both through direct negative effects, as well as through indirect positive effects within model communities. Moreover, the studies showed that the organisms were affected by exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations, but also that exposed organisms could recover from the exposure. Effects from pharmaceutical mixtures occurred in lower concentrations than effects from single pharmaceutical substances, and high internal concentrations of two pharmaceuticals – diclofenac and propranolol – were detected in exposed organisms. The detected effects and the uptake of pharmaceuticals in biota demonstrate a possible problem for aquatic environments, but especially for the Baltic Sea, since this is a naturally sensitive ecosystem with low species diversity, low functional redundancy and a history of heavy pollution., At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.

Gammarus spp. and Fucus vesiculosus from the Baltic Sea littoral community were exposed to 3 concentrations of the pharmaceuticals ibuprofen and propranolol. Both physiological and behavioural parameters were measured to examine potential effects in the organisms. For Gammarus spp., respiration, feeding rate and activity with and without predator cues were measured, and gross production to respiration ratio (GP/R) and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured for F. vesiculosus. The results showed that propranolol decreased the activity related to movement, and Gammarus spp. could not compensate for the reduced movement when subjected to predator cues. The feeding rates of Gammarus spp. exposed to propranolol were more than 2 times higher at all concentrations compared to the control. Ibuprofen did not significantly affect any of the measured parameters of Gammarus spp. The GP/R was lower in algae exposed to propranolol. The effects of propranolol on both behaviour and physiology of Gammarus spp., in combination with the stress responses in the algae, might cause unexpected indirect and cascade effects which eventually could have implications at both community and ecosystem scales.

Foster children´s contact with the biological parents [translated titel] My intentions with this paper were to examined how social services respond to needs the children placed in foster care might have of their biological parents. Conflicts often arise in the contact between the biological parents and foster families. These could affect the children in placements in a negative way, and therefore I found it important to examine how social care satisfies the needs of support that the child have. I chose to use the qualitative method, as well as semi-structured interviews and I then analyzed these interviews using the Bowlby related theory. I have also used Gunvor Andersson and Gunilla Lindén's studies regarding about children in foster care, since they are the leading researchers in that field. The thesis resulted in showing that children's needs vary depending on the emotional need of their biological parents. This need is influenced by how the contact between parent and child has been before the placement and how it has continued after. The contact depends on the physical and psychological state of the biological parent (during the contact with the child) and whether he or she has the ability to give the child his or her full attention, or if the parent is being too self absorbed. Both former placed children and foster families wish that they had more assistance from the social services during this contact.