| 1. |
- Almevall, Ariel, et al.
(författare)
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Self-rated health in old age, related factors and survival: A 20-Year longitudinal study within the Silver-MONICA cohort
- 2024
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Ingår i: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics (Print). - : Elsevier. - 0167-4943 .- 1872-6976. ; 122
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Self-rated health (SRH) offers insights into the evolving health demographics of an ageing population.Aim: To assess change in SRH from old age to very old age and their associations with health and well-being factors, and to investigate the association between SRH and survival.Methods: All participants in the MONICA 1999 re-examination born before 1940 (n = 1595) were included in the Silver-MONICA baseline cohort. The Silver-MONICA follow-up started in 2016 included participants in the Silver-MONICA baseline cohort aged 80 years or older. Data on SRH was available for 1561 participants at baseline with 446 of them also participating in the follow-up. The follow-up examination included a wide variety of measurements and tests.Findings: Most participants rated their health as "Quite good" (54.5 %) at baseline. Over the study period, 42.6 % had stable SRH, 40.6 % had declined, and 16.8 % had improved. Changes in SRH were at follow-up significantly associated with age, pain, nutrition, cognition, walking aid use, self-paced gait speed, lower extremity strength, independence in activities of daily living, weekly physical exercise, outdoor activity, participation in organized activities, visiting others, morale, and depressive symptoms. SRH at baseline was significantly associated with survival (p < 0.05).Conclusion: This study demonstrates associations between changes in SRH and a multitude of health- and wellbeing-related factors, as well as a relation between survival and SRH, accentuating their relevance within the ageing population.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Ulrika B., 1967-
(författare)
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Framåtsyftande bedömning i tidig läsundervisning : Teori och praktik
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Syfte är att bidra med kunskap om hur framåtsyftande bedömning kan användas och används av lärare som underlag för pedagogiska åtgärder i tidig läsundervisning. I avhandlingen har jag ett pragmatiskt förhållningssätt till både teorier och metoder. Avhandlingen bygger på fyra artiklar. Datainsamling gjordes genom artikelläsning (artikel I), fokusgruppsintervjuer (artikel Il) och narrativa intervjuer (artikel III) och testresultat (artikel IV). Resultaten analyserades med; Venn-diagram (I), tematisk analys (II), narrativ analys (lll) och variansanalys (IV). Resultaten visar att formativ bedömning och Response to intervention kan komplettera varandra och att kunskap om olika framåtsyftande förhållningssätt och teorier kan underlätta lärares professionella utveckling. Det framgår också att sociala bedömningsaspekter är viktiga i avkodningsundervisningen. Resultaten visar att en stor andel av eleverna i åk 1 har fortsatt behov av avkodningsträning även i slutet av åk 1. Bedömningsverktyg för läsundervisning behöver därför ge tydlig och återkommande information om elevens förmåga att avkoda. Resultaten visar att lärarnas användning av bedömningsverktyg påverkas av kontexten. Det handlar om att uppmärksamma specifika förutsättningar och att organisera bedömningspraktiken så att ett ömsesidigt och hållbart utbyte uppstår mellan läraren, eleven och bedömningsverktyget.
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| 3. |
- Eckes-Shephard, Annemarie, et al.
(författare)
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State-of-the-art capabilities in LPJ-GUESS
- 2022
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- LPJ-GUESS is an advanced DGVM including detailed forest demography and management, croplands, wetlands, specialised arctic processes, emissions of nonCO2 GHGs and a highly flexible land-use change scheme which tracks transitions between different land-uses. It is the vegetation component of the EC-Earth CMIP6 ESM, the RCA-GUESS regional ESM, and also has a European mode operating at tree species level.
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| 4. |
- Gustafson, Adrian, et al.
(författare)
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Nitrogen restricts future sub-Arctic treeline advance in an individual-based dynamic vegetation model
- 2021
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Ingår i: Biogeosciences. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1726-4170 .- 1726-4189. ; 18, s. 6329-6347
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Arctic environmental change induces shifts in high-latitude plant community composition and stature with implications for Arctic carbon cycling and energy exchange. Two major components of change in high-latitude ecosystems are the advancement of trees into tundra and the increased abundance and size of shrubs. How future changes in key climatic and environmental drivers will affect distributions of major ecosystem types is an active area of research. Dynamic vegetation models (DVMs) offer a way to investigate multiple and interacting drivers of vegetation distribution and ecosystem function. We employed the LPJ-GUESS tree-individual-based DVM over the Torneträsk area, a sub-Arctic landscape in northern Sweden. Using a highly resolved climate dataset to downscale CMIP5 climate data from three global climate models and two 21st-century future scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5), we investigated future impacts of climate change on these ecosystems. We also performed model experiments where we factorially varied drivers (climate, nitrogen deposition and [CO2]) to disentangle the effects of each on ecosystem properties and functions. Our model predicted that treelines could advance by between 45 and 195 elevational metres by 2100, depending on the scenario. Temperature was a strong driver of vegetation change, with nitrogen availability identified as an important modulator of treeline advance. While increased CO2 fertilisation drove productivity increases, it did not result in range shifts of trees. Treeline advance was realistically simulated without any temperature dependence on growth, but biomass was overestimated. Our finding that nitrogen cycling could modulate treeline advance underlines the importance of representing plant-soil interactions in models to project future Arctic vegetation change.
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| 5. |
- Gustafson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Operator influence on the loading process at LKAB's Iron ore mines
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. - : The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. - 2225-6253 .- 2411-9717. ; 120:3, s. 191-202
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The loading process in sublevel caving mines entails loading material from the drawpoint using load haul dump machines that transport the material to orepasses or trucks, depending on the mine conditions. When each bucket is drawn from the drawpoint, a decision must be made as to whether loading should continue or be stopped and the next ring blasted. The decision to abandon the drawpoint is irrevocable, as it is followed by the blasting of the next ring. Abandonment of the drawpoint too early leads to ore losses and inefficient use of ore resources. Loading beyond the optimal point increases dilution as well as mining costs.The experience of the LHD operators is an important basis for manual drawpoint control. However, it has been difficult to establish which specific factors manual drawpoint control is based on. To try to shed more light on these factors we analysed the operators' experiences at LKAB's Kiirunavaara and Malmberget iron ore mines. The operators in the two mines completed a questionnaire on the current loading practices and the process of deciding to abandon 'normal' rings, opening rings, and rings with loading issues.It was found that in both case study mines, most decisions on the abandonment of drawpoints are made by the operators. The more experienced operators tend to make more decisions themselves rather than rely on support from the existing support functions.
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| 6. |
- Gustafson, Gösta, et al.
(författare)
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Collider events on a quantum computer
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of High Energy Physics. - 1029-8479. ; 2022:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High-quality simulated data is crucial for particle physics discoveries. Therefore, parton shower algorithms are a major building block of the data synthesis in event generator programs. However, the core algorithms used to generate parton showers have barely changed since the 1980s. With quantum computers’ rapid and continuous development, dedicated algorithms are required to exploit the potential that quantum computers provide to address problems in high-energy physics. This paper presents a novel approach to synthesising parton showers using the Discrete QCD method. The algorithm benefits from an elegant quantum walk implementation which can be embedded into the classical toolchain. We use the ibm_algiers device to sample parton shower configurations and generate data that we compare against measurements taken at the ALEPH, DELPHI and OPAL experiments. This is the first time a Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) device has been used to simulate realistic high-energy particle collision events.
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| 7. |
- Svensson, Idor, 1957-, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of assistive technology for students with reading and writing disabilities
- 2021
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Ingår i: Disability and Rehabilitation. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1748-3107 .- 1748-3115. ; 16:2, s. 196-208
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Assistive technology has been used to mitigate reading disabilities for almost three decades, and tablets with text-to-speech and speech-to-text apps have been introduced in recent years to scaffold reading and writing. Few scientifically rigorous studies, however, have investigated the benefits of this technology.Purpose: The aim was to explore the effects of assistive technology for students with severe reading disabilities.Method: This study included 149 participants. The intervention group received 24 sessions of assistive technology training, and the control group received treatment as usual.Results: Both the intervention and control groups improved as much in 1 year as the normed population did. However, gains did not differ between the groups directly after the intervention or at 1 year of follow-up.Conclusions: The use of assistive technology seems to have transfer effects on reading ability and to be supportive, especially for students with the most severe difficulties. In addition, it increases motivation for overall schoolwork. Our experience also highlights the obstacles involved in measuring the ability to assimilate and communicate text.
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| 8. |
- Teipel, Stefan, et al.
(författare)
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Alzheimer Disease : Standard of Diagnosis, Treatment, Care, and Prevention
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Nuclear Medicine. - : Society of Nuclear Medicine. - 0161-5505 .- 2159-662X. ; 63:7, s. 981-985
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of dementia in people 60 y old or older. This white paper summarizes the current standards of AD diagnosis, treatment, care, and prevention. Cerebrospinal fluid and PET measures of cerebral amyloidosis and tauopathy allow the diagnosis of AD even before dementia (prodromal stage) and provide endpoints for treatments aimed at slowing the AD course. Licensed pharmacologic symptomatic drugs enhance cholinergic pathways and moderate excess of glutamatergic transmission to stabilize cognition. Disease-modifying experimental drugs moderate or remove brain amyloidosis, but so far with modest clinical effects. Nonpharmacologic interventions and a healthy lifestyle (diet, socioaffective inclusion, cognitive stimulation, physical exercise, and others) provide some beneficial effects. Prevention targets mainly modifiable dementia risk factors such as unhealthy lifestyle, cardiovascular–metabolic and sleep–wake cycle abnormalities, and mental disorders. A major challenge for the future is telemonitoring in the real world of these modifiable risk factors.
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| 9. |
- Öhlin, Jerry, et al.
(författare)
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Concurrent validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire adapted for adults aged ≥ 80 years (IPAQ-E 80 +) - tested with accelerometer data from the SilverMONICA study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Gait & Posture. - : Elsevier. - 0966-6362 .- 1879-2219. ; 92, s. 135-143
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Physical activity and sedentary behavior vary across the life span, and in very old people activity behavior can vary considerably over 24 h. A physical activity questionnaire adapted for this age group is lacking. This study was conducted to validate such a newly developed questionnaire suitable for use in very old people.Research question: Is the International Physical Activity Questionnaire adapted for adults aged ≥ 80 years (IPAQ-E 80 +) a valid measure of physical activity in very old people?Methods: Seventy-six participants (55.3% women) with a mean age of 84.4 ± 3.8 years wore accelerometers for ≥ 5 consecutive days, and completed the IPAQ-E 80 +. Spearman's rho and Bland-Altman plots were used to analyze the validity of IPAQ-E 80 + against accelerometer measures. Analyses were conducted for the separate items sitting, laying down at daytime and nighttime, walking, moderate to vigorous (MV) walking, and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and the summary measures: total inactive time, sedentary time (i.e. lying down at daytime + sitting), total active time, and total MVPA + MV walking.Results: The IPAQ-E 80 + correlated with the accelerometer measures of total inactive- (r = 0.55, p < 0.001), sedentary- (r = 0.28, p = 0.015), walking- (r = 0.54 p < 0.001) and total active- (r = 0.60, p < 0.001) times, but not with measures of intensity of walking or physical activity; MV walking (r = 0.06, p = 0.58), MVPA (r = 0.17, p = 0.13).Significance: In this study the IPAQ-E 80 + showed fair to substantial correlations with accelerometers, and it therefore seems able to rank very old people according to levels of PA (total inactive-, sedentary-, and total active time, and walking time). The IPAQ-E 80 + seems promising for use in studies investigating associations between activity behavior and health in this population. Further investigation is needed to determine whether the IPAQ-E 80 + can accurately measure PA intensity.
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| 10. |
- Öhlin, Jerry, et al.
(författare)
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Physical activity in late middle- to older-aged people and dementia, cognitive, and physical function two decades later
- 2022
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Ingår i: Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. - : S. Karger. - 1420-8008 .- 1421-9824. ; 51, s. 135-141
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Low physical activity (PA) is a potential risk factor for dementia and cognitive impairment. However, few studies have focused on very old people (aged ≥80 years), the age group with highest prevalence of dementia. The aim was to investigate if PA associated with subsequent dementia, cognitive function, and gait speed (GS), in very old people.Methods: A population-based survey was conducted in 1999 and followed-up between 2016 and 2019 in participants ≥80 years. Altogether 541 individuals (56.2% women), 64.9 ± 4.2 years of age at baseline participated. Self-rated baseline PA was categorized into low, medium, or high. Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), executive function with the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), and GS (in meters/second) was measured over 2.4 m at follow-up.Results: During a mean of 19.0 ± 1.1 years, 175 (32.3%) developed dementia. Low or medium PA compared to high PA did not associate with subsequent dementia, and PA did not associate with future cognitive function (MMSE). PA associated with executive function (FAB) (unstandardized beta [95% confidence interval]) (0.67 [0.07–1.27]), but not after adjustments. PA associated with subsequent GS in the unadjusted model and after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, and education (0.06 [0.02–0.09], and 0.04 [0.01–0.08], respectively), but not after adding adjustment for hypertension, obesity, and glucose intolerance.Conclusion: No support was found for the hypothesis that low PA is a potential risk factor for dementia in very high age. However, PA and executive function were associated in unadjusted analyses which indicate that PA may be important for at least one aspect of cognitive function. The association between PA and GS around 2 decades later seems attenuated by cardiometabolic risk factors. Future investigations regarding PA, dementia, and cognitive decline may consider cardiometabolic risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, and glucose intolerance, and include repeated measures of PA over the life course.
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