| 1. |
- Bergkvist, Emil, et al.
(författare)
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Nutritional status and outcome of surgery : A prospective observational cohort study of children at a tertiary surgical hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Pediatric Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-3468. ; 56:2, s. 368-373
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Undernutrition contributes to nearly 50% of all child deaths in the world, yet there is conflicting evidence regarding the association between nutritional status and postoperative complications. The aim was to describe the preoperative nutritional status among pediatric surgery patients in Zimbabwe, and to assess if nutritional status was a risk factor for adverse postoperative outcome of mortality, surgical site infection, reoperation, readmission, and longer length of stay. Methods: This prospective observational cohort study included 136 children undergoing surgery at a tertiary pediatric hospital in Zimbabwe. Nutritional status was standardized using Z-scores for BMI, length, weight, and middle upper arm circumference. Primary outcomes after 30 days included mortality, surgical site infection, reoperation, and readmission. Secondary outcome was length of stay. Univariate and multivariable analyses with logistic regression were performed. Results: Of the 136 patients, 31% were undernourished. Postoperative adverse outcome occurred in 20%; the mortality rate was 6%, the surgical site infection rate was 17%, the reoperation rate was 3.5%, and readmission rate was 2.5%. Nutritional status, higher ASA classification, major surgical procedures, and lower preoperative hemoglobin levels were associated with adverse outcome. Univariate logistic regression identified a seven-fold increased risk of postoperative complications among undernourished children (OR 7.3 [2.3–22.8], p = 0.001), and there was a four- to six-fold increased adjusted risk after adjustment for ASA, major surgery, and preoperative hemoglobin. Conclusion: A third of all pediatric surgery patients were undernourished, and undernourished children had a considerably higher risk of adverse outcome. With a positive correlation identified between undernourishment and increased postoperative complications, future aims would include assessing if preoperative nutritional treatment could be especially beneficial for undernourished children. Levels of Evidence: Level II treatment study.
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| 2. |
- Bergkvist, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Transition from a two-dimensional superfluid to a one-dimensional mott insulator
- 2007
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 99:11, s. 110401-1-110401-5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A two-dimensional system of atoms in an anisotropic optical lattice is studied theoretically. If the system is finite in one direction, it is shown to exhibit a transition between a two-dimensional superfluid and a one-dimensional Mott insulating chain of superfluid tubes. Monte Carlo simulations are consistent with the expectation that the phase transition is of Kosterlitz-Thouless type. The effect of the transition on experimental time-of-flight images is discussed.
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| 3. |
- Chongtham Iman, Raj, et al.
(författare)
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Factors influencing crop rotation strategies on organic farms with different time periods since conversion to organic production
- 2017
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Ingår i: Biological Agriculture and Horticulture. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0144-8765 .- 2165-0616. ; 33, s. 14-27
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Productive crop rotations are central to the success of organic production systems. The selection and sequence of crops are determined by a combination of agronomic and economic factors as well as the principles and standards of organic farming. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen organic farmers in Central-east Sweden to explore the factors that influence the design of crop rotations and the trade-offs between these factors, taking into account the length of time since conversion to organic production. We discerned three crop rotation strategies: strict, flexible and liberal, based on how crop(s) are repeated over time. A major trade-off for arable farmers was between perennial leys to provide nitrogen and control weeds, and the use of more inputs such as purchased nutrients and mechanical weed control to allow continuous cereal production. Critical considerations for livestock farmers were the length of ley for feed production and weed control, cost of re-seeding leys and decisions about whether to grow crops to feed animals or cereals to sell. Farmers practicing organic for a long time (more than 10years) often had flexible rotations to adapt to changing conditions, but they generally included leys and a selection of annual crops in line with the principles of crop rotation and organic farming. Recently converted organic farmers usually concentrated on controlling weeds and producing sufficient livestock feed by following strict crop rotations. We conclude that farm type and experience strongly influenced rotation strategies and that weed management and market prices were the most important influences.
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| 4. |
- Ortman, Tove, et al.
(författare)
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Farmers' motivations for landrace cereal cultivation in Sweden
- 2023
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Ingår i: Biological Agriculture and Horticulture. - 0144-8765 .- 2165-0616. ; 39, s. 247-268
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The interest in landrace cereals, i.e. genetically diverse varieties with historical origin, has increased in recent decades. While several studies exist on farmer's motivations to grow landraces in a Global South context, investigations are much less common in the Global North. Through an interview study with 32 Swedish farmers that cultivate landrace cereals on a commercial scale, farmers' motivations to grow landrace cereals were explored. The farms in the study ranged from medium sized to large. The majority were located in areas with marginal agricultural land and less fertile soil. All farms sold the landrace cereals at advantageous prices as niche products and all except one were certified organic. The farmers' motivations for growing landraces were grouped around three themes: i) sustainable farming systems; ii) suitable agronomic traits; and iii) economic incentives. The first and overarching theme was that cultivation of landrace cereals fitted well with the farmers' ideals on sustainable farming, with for example less intensive weed control and novel intercropping systems, as well as enabling production of wheat with baking quality on marginal agricultural land. Cultivation of landrace cereals was framed in contrast not only to conventional farming, but also to 'conventionalised' high input organic farming. The farmers regarded producing and marketing landrace cereals as an important foundation for more sustainable and multifunctional farming and food systems. This reflected the farmers' perception of a lack of modern varieties suited for these systems as well as the ability of landraces to buffer risks of crop failure on marginal land.
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