| 1. |
- Mannerås Holm, Louise, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Adipose tissue has aberrant morphology and function in PCOS: enlarged adipocytes and low serum adiponectin, but not circulating sex steroids, are strongly associated with insulin resistance.
- 2011
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Ingår i: The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. - : The Endocrine Society. - 1945-7197 .- 0021-972X. ; 96:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context: Comprehensive characterization of the adipose tissue in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), over a wide range of body mass indices (BMIs), is lacking. Mechanisms behind insulin resistance in PCOS are unclear. Objective: To characterize the adipose tissue of women with PCOS and controls matched pair-wise for age and BMI, and to identify factors, among adipose tissue characteristics and serum sex steroids, that are associated with insulin sensitivity in PCOS. Design/Outcome Measures: Seventy-four PCOS women and 31 controls were included. BMI was 18-47 (PCOS) and 19-41 kg/m2 (controls). Anthropometric variables, volumes of subcutaneous/visceral adipose tissue (magnetic resonance imaging; MRI), and insulin sensitivity (clamp) were investigated. Adipose tissue biopsies were obtained to determine adipocyte size, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, and macrophage density. Circulating testosterone, free testosterone, free 17β-estradiol, SHBG, glycerol, adiponectin, and serum amyloid A were measured/calculated. Results: Comparison of 31 pairs revealed lower insulin sensitivity, hyperandrogenemia, and higher free 17β-estradiol in PCOS. Abdominal adipose tissue volumes/distribution did not differ in the groups, but PCOS women had higher waist-to-hip ratio, enlarged adipocytes, reduced adiponectin, and lower LPL activity. In regression analysis, adipocyte size, adiponectin, and waist circumference were the factors most strongly associated with insulin sensitivity in PCOS (R2=0.681, P < 0.001). Conclusions: In PCOS, adipose tissue has aberrant morphology/function. Increased waist-to-hip ratio indicates abdominal/visceral fat accumulation, but this is not supported by MRI. Enlarged adipocytes and reduced serum adiponectin, together with a large waistline, rather than androgen excess, may be central factors in the pathogenesis/maintenance of insulin resistance in PCOS.
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| 2. |
- Andrén, Elinor, et al.
(författare)
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Medieval versus recent environmental conditions in the Baltic Proper, what was different a thousand years ago?
- 2020
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Ingår i: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. - : Elsevier. - 0031-0182 .- 1872-616X. ; 555
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A sediment record from the western Gotland Basin, northwestern Baltic Proper, covering the last 1200 years, was investigated for past changes in climate and the environment using diatoms as a proxy. The aim is to compare the environmental conditions reconstructed during Medieval times with settings occurring the last century under influence of environmental stressors like eutrophication and climate change. The study core records more marine conditions in the western Gotland Basin surface waters during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA; 950–1250C.E.), with a salinity of at least 8 psu compared to the present 6.5 psu. The higher salinity together with a strong summer-autumn stratification caused by warmer climate resulted in extensive long-lasting diatom blooms of Pseudosolenia calcar-avis, effectively enhancing the vertical export of organic carbon to the sediment and contributing to benthic hypoxia. Accordingly, our data support that a warm and dry climate induced the extensive hypoxic areas in the open Baltic Sea during the MCA. During the Little ice Age (LIA; 1400–1700C.E.), the study core records oxic bottom water conditions, decreasing salinity and less primary production. This was succeeded during the 20th century, about 1940, by environmental changes caused by human-induced eutrophication. Impact of climate change is visible in the diatom composition data starting about 1975C.E. and becoming more pronounced 2000C.E., visible as an increase of taxa that thrived in stratified waters during autumn blooms typically due to climate warming.
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| 3. |
- Berry, Max, 1969, et al.
(författare)
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Endovascular training with animals versus virtual reality systems: an economic analysis
- 2008
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Ingår i: J Vasc Interv Radiol. - : Elsevier BV. - 1051-0443. ; 19:2 Pt 1, s. 233-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: To assess the relative costs of a virtual reality (VR) laboratory and an animal laboratory for endovascular skills training. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cost data extracted from a previous experiment was used to perform a financial analysis according to the guidelines published by the National Institutes of Health. The analysis compared the purchase or rental of a Procedicus Vascular Interventional System Trainer to the rental of an animal laboratory. RESULTS: The VR laboratory course cost $3,434 per trainee versus $4,634 in the animal laboratory according to the purchase-versus-rental analysis. The cost ratio was 0.74 in favor of the VR laboratory. Cost ratio sensitivity analysis ranged from 0.25 in favor of the VR laboratory to 2.22 in favor of the animal laboratory. The first-year potential savings were $62,410 assuming exclusive use of the VR laboratory. The 5-year training savings totaled $390,376, excluding the $60,000 residual value of the simulator. Simulator rental reduced the course price to $1,076 per trainee and lowered the cost ratio to 0.23 in favor of the VR laboratory. Findings of sensitivity analysis ranged from 0.08 to 0.70 in favor of the VR laboratory. The first-year and 5-year potential national savings increased to $185,026 and $1,013,238, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although evidence remains sparse that the training of interventional skills in artificial environments translates to better performance in human procedures, there are good pedagogic grounds on which to believe that such training will become increasingly important. The present comparison of the direct costs of two such models suggests that VR training is less expensive than live animal training.
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| 4. |
- Mattsson, Jan-Eric, 1949-, et al.
(författare)
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Art studies as tools for understanding observations in science
- 2017
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Ingår i: Conference proceedings New perspectives in science education. - Limena : Libreriauniversitaria.it. - 9788862928472 ; , s. 513-516
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Observations are fundamental in science as they has to include cognitive activities based on the perceived sensations. These activities have to be transformed to written or spoken language. In order to practice and visualize these processes we present a method based on Roland Barthes concepts studium and punctum. About 60 students aiming at becoming primary school teachers (years 4–6) were followed during a period of the first two years of their education. The results on all course examinations during these years (n=17) were compared to the quality of two reflective texts. One from the end of the first year on the impression of art works by David Hockney or Bill Viola, another of experiences from field sites used at the beginning of their studies. They wrote reflections on their experiences including observations and their personal and professional development during their teacher training. The texts where analysed by using the 4 R’s of Doll’s. Results of VARK tests assessing the learning style of the students from the beginning of their education were used. The choice of science courses can be shown to be correlated to different factors depending of the selection of these but there was no general pattern behind the choice of science. Training of observation in different contexts and reflections on these in relation to personal development seem to promote better professional understanding.
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| 5. |
- Mattsson, Jan-Eric, 1949-, et al.
(författare)
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To communicate the theory of evolution to all from babies to adults
- 2017
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Ingår i: Conexão Ciencia. - : Formiga/MG, open access. - 1980-7058. ; 12:2, s. 408-415
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Teaching evolution is a tricky business. Less teaching seems to give better understanding of the theory. Evolutionary processes are dialectic relations between many actors, individuals, groups, abiotic and biotic factors etc., different from mechanistic descriptions of relations between singular objects in other scientific theories. This difference, in combination with religious beliefs confuses efforts to get understanding and acceptance of the theory of evolution. With the new curriculum for Swedish compulsory school, science education has to be linked to students’ own experiences in order to promote critical thinking and skills useable in daily life. Further, biology in science teaching during the first school years is focused on general observations and fundamental concepts, not on scientific methods and evolutionary processes. Thus, students often experience biology as a subject filled with facts about simple relations and teleological explanations, making the theory of evolution superfluous. The objectives here were to design teaching in evolutionary theory adapted to the professional needs of students and to assess the learning outcome. Three different courses in evolutionary theory were included. Two pre-service teacher training programs, for nursery school and for year 4–6 in the compulsory school, and one for students in environmental studies were included. Assessments of learning outcome were made by analyses of texts written by the students. The quality of the science knowledge content and the personal and professional development were assessed by using the 4 R’s of Doll. Associations between concepts and understanding were evaluated using clustering and ordination statistical techniques. The learning outcome was good showing visible progressions in the understanding. Thus, it is important to assess the understanding of concepts rather than estimating their frequency in students texts.
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| 6. |
- Mutvei, Ann, 1958-, et al.
(författare)
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Development of observation skills in science education for enhanced understanding
- 2018
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Ingår i: Electronic Proceedings of the ESERA 2017 Conference. - Dublin, Ireland : Dublin City University. - 9781873769843 ; , s. 2086-2094
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Observation is a skill necessary for the development of knowledge in science and is used,e.g., in studies to notice patterns and connections between abiotic and biotic factors, or inlaboratory experiments where detailed observations are necessary to achieve understanding.Observation does not only include viewing details but also hearing, smelling and tasting toget all available information from the senses. How students perceive the information dependson their previous personal experiences. It is therefore essential for students to practice theability to observe and to understand the contextual importance for learning. Here we presenta study where 55 pre-service preschool teacher students attended a science course for 10weeks with a variety of exercises. Late in the course they visited a Natural History Museum, agreenhouse with plants adapted to Mediterranean climate conditions and an art museum.Evaluation of written reflections after the visits were done by using the quality marker 4R’sof Doll’s (Relations, Recursion, Richness and Rigor) for the Natural History Museum and thegreenhouse and Roland Barthes concepts studium and punctum for the art museum. Ourresults showed that the students described their experiences from the visits in a personal waywith high quality. The variation of activities was important for the students’ ability to observeand to understand how to design pedagogic activities for children in preschool.
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| 7. |
- Mutvei, Ann, 1958-, et al.
(författare)
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Digestion as an example of integrated teaching of chemistry and biology
- 2017
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Ingår i: Conexão Ciencia. - : Formiga/MG, open access. - 1980-7058. ; 12:2, s. 89-95
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Most people are uncertain about how nutrients enter and are distributed in the body. They may be capable of naming the different parts of the digestive system on a torso but have vague ideas of the relation between these organs and the chemical processes they govern. Reasons for this are poor understanding of gas exchange, the role of the circulatory system, and that most processes are intracellular. In order to create a more holistic view of the biology and chemistry of digestion these subjects may be taught simultaneously and integrated. Here practical exercises and lectures about digestion and nutrients for pre-service primary school teachers are presented. The practical work included food preparation in order to investigate the change of the properties of the macromolecules of nutrients. A simple drawing of a body was used in order to visualize the routes of nutrients and the role of gas exchange in digestion. An evolutionary perspective on digestion was used in order to explain the ancient origin of most chemical processes in the digestive system and in the whole body. The material produced by the students at their final examinations was used for assessing their use and understanding of concepts, the quality based on Doll’s 4R’s and the degree of holistic understanding of the digestive system. The findings show that the pedagogic design used gives a general picture of digestion and energy transfer usable for teaching in primary school.
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| 8. |
- Mutvei, Ann, 1958-, et al.
(författare)
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Technology in preschool: from idea to product
- 2017
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Ingår i: Conference proceedings New perspectives in science education. - Limena : Libreriauniversitaria.it. - 9788862928472 ; , s. 604-609
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Teaching pre-service preschool teachers in technology is a challenge. Technology is a fairly new subject in school, students lack experiences and are not aware of the aim of the subject. In addition technology also include the consequences of technological choices for individuals, society and environment. The curriculum for pre-school in Sweden emphasize development of children´s knowledge in science, technology and their ability to identify technology in everyday life. The education of pre-service teachers involves visualization of their own tacit knowledge and experiences to be used in the teaching of technology. Here a course during a three weeks period with 55 pre-service teacher students is presented. They worked in groups with construction exercises, museum visit and outdoor technology walk. The students wrote summaries of the processes together with critical reflections. The written exams on the identification of technology in everyday life were analysed by using the quality markers 4R’s of Doll’s and compared with marks on their examination tasks. Our results show that many students could describe the processes of construction with high quality showing several perspectives of understanding, e.g., the advantage of group activity, their own development of understanding and how to teach children in preschool.
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| 9. |
- Norbäck Ivarsson, Lena, 1987-, et al.
(författare)
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Baltic Sea Coastal Eutrophication in a Thousand Year Perspective
- 2019
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Environmental Science. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-665X. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sediment cores from three sites along the east-coast of Sweden, north-western Baltic Proper, have been studied with respect to lithologies, geochemistry and diatom assemblages to trace and date early human impact with emphasis on nutrient discharge. The three sites Bråviken, Himmerfjärden and Ådfjärden, have been impacted to various degree during the last millennia by multiple stressors like excessive nutrient discharge and hazardous substances, leading to coastal hypoxia, eutrophication and pollution. These stressors are mainly caused by drivers in the drainage area as increased human population, changed land use and point sources as industries and a sewage treatment plant. Even though their detailed history differs, the results show similar general patterns for all three sites. We find no evidence in our data from the coastal zone supporting the hypothesis that the extensive areal distribution of hypoxia in the open Baltic Sea during the Medieval Climate Anomaly was caused by human impact. Timing of the onset of man-made eutrophication, as identified from d15N and changes in diatom composition, differs between the three sites, reflecting the site specific geography and local environmental histories of these areas. The onset of eutrophication dates to 1800 CE in Bråviken and Himmerfjärden areas, and to 1900 CE in the less urban area of Ådfjärden. We conclude that the recorded environmental changes during the last centuries are unique in a thousand year perspective.
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| 10. |
- Norbäck Ivarsson, Lena, 1987-
(författare)
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Tracing environmental change and human impact as recorded in sediments from coastal areas of the northwestern Baltic Proper
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The eutrophication of the Baltic Sea due to increased anthropogenic nutrient loads during the 20th century is well documented and studied. However, in the Baltic Sea drainage area, humans have affected the environment longer than the environmental monitoring can provide data for. Sediment records from lakes and seas can provide fundamental data on the environmental conditions before ecosystems were impacted by humans and give the range of natural variation.This thesis presents diatom and geochemistry stratigraphies from five sediment records along the southeast coast of Sweden, northwestern Baltic Proper. These records cover time periods of 500 years to more than 2,000 years. The diatom stratigraphies and geochemical proxies allow for reconstruction of environmental histories at these sites. Overall, the results show that the environmental changes that have occurred in the coastal zone in recent centuries are unprecedented over the last two millennia. The records from the coastal zone show only minor variations in the diatom stratigraphies and nitrogen stable isotope signals through history until recent centuries. The results show no evidence of increased runoff of nutrients from land during medieval times.Temperature anomalies since 500 CE have had little or no significant effect on the diatom assemblages from the coastal sites, while increased nutrient input from land has had a significant effect. Anthropogenic nutrient runoff has affected the diatom assemblages most markedly during the 20th century. The results show a time lag of the onset of eutrophication of approximately 100 years between the coast and open Baltic Sea, highlighting how the coastal zone acts as a buffer for the open Baltic Sea. The timing for the onset of eutrophication in these coastal areas is site-specific. For several sites, reference conditions prevailed more than 200 years ago. Water transparency at this time allowed for extensive distribution of benthic diatom habitats, such as macrophytes. The years of maximum nutrient load to the Baltic Sea during the 1970s–1980s is recorded in the diatom stratigraphies, especially with regard to the concentration of diatom valves in the sediments. There has been a recovery in diatom absolute abundance since maximum pollution years. However, there is no indication of a recovery in diatom species composition in the investigated coastal sites, and these sites are thus far from reaching a “good environmental status” according to the EU Water Framework Directive. The outcomes of this thesis highlight the importance of a longer time perspective than the environmental monitoring can provide.
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