| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Håkansson, Stellan, et al.
(author)
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Real-time PCR-assay in the delivery suite for determination of group B streptococcal colonization in a setting with risk-based antibiotic prophylaxis
- 2014
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In: Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1476-7058 .- 1476-4954. ; 27:4, s. 328-332
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) reduces the incidence of neonatal early onset group B streptococcal infections. The present study investigated if an automated PCR-assay, used bedside by the labor ward personnel was manageable and could decrease the use of IAP in a setting with a risk-based IAP strategy. Methods: The study comprises two phases. Phase 1 was a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. Women with selected risk-factors were allocated either to PCR-IAP (prophylaxis given if positive or indeterminate) or IAP. A vaginal/rectal swab and superficial swabs from the neonate for conventional culture were also obtained. Phase 2 was non-randomized, assessing an improved version of the assay. Results: Phase 1 included 112 women in the PCR-IAP group and 117 in the IAP group. Excluding indeterminate results, the assay showed a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 90%. In 44 % of the PCR assays the result was indeterminate. The use of IAP was lower in the PCR group (53 versus 92%). Phase 2 included 94 women. The proportion of indeterminate results was reduced (15%). The GBS colonization rate was 31%. Conclusion: The PCR assay, in the hands of labor ward personnel, can be useful for selection of women to which IAP should be offered.
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| 3. |
- Ljotsson, Brjann, et al.
(author)
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Prediction of symptomatic improvement after exposure-based treatment for irritable bowel syndrome
- 2013
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In: BMC Gastroenterology. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-230X. ; 13:160
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Several studies show that psychological treatments relieve symptoms for patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, there are no consistent findings that show what patient characteristics make a psychological treatment more or less likely to result in improvement. We have previously conducted a study of a newly developed internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) that emphasized exposure to IBS symptoms and IBS-related situations and reduced symptom-related avoidance. The study showed that the treatment led to improvement in IBS symptoms compared to a waiting list and that treatment gains were maintained over a 15-18 month follow-up period. The aim of the present study was to investigate several possible predictors of short-and long-term treatment outcome in terms of symptom improvement, based on data collected in the previously conducted treatment trial. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMethods: Demographics, comorbid psychological distress, IBS-related fear and avoidance behaviors, and IBS-related disability were investigated as predictors of treatment outcome in the sample consisting of 79 participants diagnosed with IBS who had undergone 10 weeks of ICBT. Predictors that were significantly correlated with symptom levels at post-treatment and follow-up were entered into multiple regression analyses that controlled for pre-treatment symptom levels. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults: There were measures within each domain, i.e., comorbid psychological distress, IBS-related fear and avoidance behaviors, and IBS-related disability, with the exception of demographic data, that were correlated with the symptom levels at post-treatment and follow-up. However, when these were entered into a multiple regression analyses that controlled for pre-treatment levels, none remained a significant predictor of the post-treatment and follow-up symptomatic status. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusions: The study did not find any individual characteristics that made patients more or less likely to respond to the exposure-based ICBT. The finding that comorbid psychological distress did not predict outcome is in accordance with previous studies. Reliable predictors for response to any type of psychological treatment for IBS remain to be established.
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| 4. |
- Ahlgren, Hans, et al.
(author)
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Multiple prehistoric introductions of the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) on a remote island, as revealed by ancient DNA
- 2016
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 43:9, s. 1786-1796
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: The majority of the non-volant mammals now present on the island of Gotland, Sweden, have been introduced in modern times. One exception is the mountain hare (Lepus timidus), which was present on the island more than 9000 years ago. This paper investigates the origins of the Gotland hares and temporal changes in their genetic structure, and considers how they may have reached the island.Location: The island of Gotland, Sweden (57°30′ N, 18°20′ E).Methods: Two fragments of the mitochondrial D-loop 130 + 164 base pairs in length from skeletal remains from 40 ancient mountain hares from Gotland, 38 from the Swedish mainland and five from Lithuania were analysed and compared with 90 modern L. timidus haplotypes from different locations in Eurasia and five haplotypes of the Don-hare (Lepus tanaiticus) morphotype.Results: The Mesolithic hares from Gotland (7304 bc–5989 bc) cluster with modern hares from Russia, Scotland, the Alps and Fennoscandia whereas the Gotland hares from the Neolithic and onwards (2848 bc–1641 ad) cluster with Neolithic hares from the Swedish mainland and modern hares from Fennoscandia. The Neolithic haplotypes from Lithuania and the Don-hare haplotypes were dispersed within the network. The level of differentiation (FST) between the Mesolithic and Neolithic hares on Gotland was twice as great as that observed on the mainland.Main conclusions: The ancient hares on Gotland fall into two haplogroups separated in time, indicating that the mountain hare became extinct at one point, with subsequent re-colonization events. In view of the isolated location of Gotland, it is probable that the hares were brought there by human means of transport.
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| 5. |
- Amer-Wåhlin, Isis, et al.
(author)
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Cardiotocography only versus cardiotocography plus ST analysis of fetal electrocardiogram for intrapartum fetal monitoring: a Swedish randomised controlled trial
- 2001
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In: The Lancet. - 1474-547X. ; 358:9281, s. 534-538
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Previous studies indicate that analysis of the ST waveform of the fetal electrocardiogram provides information on the fetal response to hypoxia. We did a multicentre randomised controlled trial to test the hypothesis that intrapartum monitoring with cardiotocography combined with automatic ST-waveform analysis results in an improved perinatal outcome compared with cardiotocography alone. METHODS: At three Swedish labour wards, 4966 women with term fetuses in the cephalic presentation entered the trial during labour after a clinical decision had been made to apply a fetal scalp electrode for internal cardiotocography. They were randomly assigned monitoring with cardiotocography plus ST analysis (CTG+ST group) or cardiotocography only (CTG group). The main outcome measure was rate of umbilical-artery metabolic acidosis (pH <7.05 and base deficit >12 mmol/L). Secondary outcomes included operative delivery for fetal distress. Results were first analysed according to intention to treat, and secondly after exclusion of cases with severe malformations or with inadequate monitoring. FINDINGS: The CTG+ST group showed significantly lower rates of umbilical-artery metabolic acidosis than the cardiotocography group (15 of 2159 [0.7%] vs 31 of 2079 [2%], relative risk 0.47 [95% CI 0.25-0.86], p=0.02) and of operative delivery for fetal distress (193 of 2519 [8%] vs 227 of 2447 [9%], 0.83 [0.69-0.99], p=0.047) when all cases were included according to intention to treat. The differences were more pronounced after exclusion of 291 in the CTG+ST group and 283 in the CTG group with malformations or inadequate recording. INTERPRETATION: Intrapartum monitoring with cardiotocography combined with automatic ST-waveform analysis increases the ability of obstetricians to identify fetal hypoxia and to intervene more appropriately, resulting in an improved perinatal outcome.
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| 6. |
- Angerbjörn, Anders, et al.
(author)
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Carnivore conservation in practice : replicatedmanagement actions on a large spatial scale
- 2013
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In: Journal of Applied Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0021-8901 .- 1365-2664. ; 50:1, s. 59-67
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- More than a quarter of the world’s carnivores are threatened, often due to multiple andcomplex causes. Considerable research efforts are devoted to resolving the mechanisms behindthese threats in order to provide a basis for relevant conservation actions. However, evenwhen the underlying mechanisms are known, specific actions aimed at direct support for carnivoresare difficult to implement and evaluate at efficient spatial and temporal scales.2. We report on a 30-year inventory of the critically endangered Fennoscandian arctic foxVulpes lagopus L., including yearly surveys of 600 fox dens covering 21 000 km2. These surveysshowed that the population was close to extinction in 2000, with 40–60 adult animalsleft. However, the population subsequently showed a fourfold increase in size.3. During this time period, conservation actions through supplementary feeding and predatorremoval were implemented in several regions across Scandinavia, encompassing 79% of thearea. To evaluate these actions, we examined the effect of supplemental winter feeding andred fox control applied at different intensities in 10 regions. A path analysis indicated that47% of the explained variation in population productivity could be attributed to lemmingabundance, whereas winter feeding had a 29% effect and red fox control a 20% effect.4. This confirms that arctic foxes are highly dependent on lemming population fluctuationsbut also shows that red foxes severely impact the viability of arctic foxes. This study also highlightsthe importance of implementing conservation actions on extensive spatial and temporalscales, with geographically dispersed actions to scientifically evaluate the effects. We note thatpopulation recovery was only seen in regions with a high intensity of management actions.5. Synthesis and applications. The present study demonstrates that carnivore populationdeclines may be reversed through extensive actions that target specific threats. Fennoscandianarctic fox is still endangered, due to low population connectivity and expected climate impactson the distribution and dynamics of lemmings and red foxes. Climate warming is expected tocontribute to both more irregular lemming dynamics and red fox appearance in tundra areas;however, the effects of climate change can be mitigated through intensive managementactions such as supplemental feeding and red fox control.
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| 7. |
- Angerbjörn, Anders, et al.
(author)
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Progress report 2007 LIFE03 NAT/S/000073 Saving the Endangered Fennoscandian Alopex lagopus SEFALO+.
- 2007
-
Reports (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- In total, 36 litters were recorded in Scandinavia during the summer 2007 of which 0 in Finland, 24 inSweden and 15 in Norway. In 2001 and 2004, when the small rodent cycle was in the same increasephase as this year, we had 9 and 28 litters recorded in Scandinavia, respectively, which means thatthe population has increased strongly during the last six years. However, the population increase hasnot been similar all over Scandinavia. In the southern mountain areas, Helagsfjällen and Borgafjäll,the actions of feeding and red fox removal have been very efficient. The number of litters in theseareas has doubled between each rodent increase year. The Norwegian part of Børgefjell has acted asa control area where no actions have been implemented. There, the number of litters has remainedconstant in increase years during the project period 2001-2007. In the northern mountain areas,Vindelfjällen and areas in Norrbotten, we have not managed to keep a high intensity of actions. Thenumber of litters in these areas has been stable. The reasons for the large variation in extent ofimplemented actions between the mountain areas are mainly logistical problems due to the extent ofthe geographical areas concerned in combination with harsh winter climate. In the northern areas,due to the geographical distances, field workers would have to stay in the field for several days inorder to perform field actions which can be achieved in a single day in the southern mountain areas.
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| 8. |
- Berteaux, Dominique, et al.
(author)
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Arctic and red foxes
- 2011
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In: Arctic WOLVES. - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada : Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval. ; , s. 76-87
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)
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| 9. |
- Berteaux, Dominique, et al.
(author)
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Harmonizing circumpolar monitoring of Arctic fox : benefits, opportunities, challenges and recommendations
- 2017
-
In: Polar Research. - : Norwegian Polar Institute. - 0800-0395 .- 1751-8369. ; 36:suppl. 1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council has developed pan-Arctic biodiversity monitoring plans to improve our ability to detect, understand and report on long-term change in Arctic biodiversity. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) was identified as a target of future monitoring because of its circumpolar distribution, ecological importance and reliance on Arctic ecosystems. We provide the first exhaustive survey of contemporary Arctic fox monitoring programmes, describing 34 projects located in eight countries. Monitored populations covered equally the four climate zones of the species’ distribution, and there were large differences between populations in long-term trends, multi-annual fluctuations, diet composition, degree of competition with red fox and human interferences. Den density, number of active dens, number of breeding dens and litter size were assessed in almost all populations, while projects varied greatly with respect to monitoring of other variables indicative of population status, ecosystem state or ecosystem function. We review the benefits, opportunities and challenges to increased integration of monitoring projects. We argue that better harmonizing protocols of data collection and data management would allow new questions to be addressed while adding tremendous value to individual projects. However, despite many opportunities, challenges remain. We offer six recommendations that represent decisive progress toward a better integration of Arctic fox monitoring projects. Further, our work serves as a template that can be used to integrate monitoring efforts of other species, thereby providing a key step for future assessments of global biodiversity.
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| 10. |
- Clark, M. S., et al.
(author)
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Multi-omics for studying and understanding polar life
- 2023
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In: Nature Communications. - : NATURE PORTFOLIO. - 2041-1723. ; 14
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Polar ecosystems are experiencing amongst the most rapid rates of regional warming on Earth. Here, we discuss ‘omics’ approaches to investigate polar biodiversity, including the current state of the art, future perspectives and recommendations. We propose a community road map to generate and more fully exploit multi-omics data from polar organisms. These data are needed for the comprehensive evaluation of polar biodiversity and to reveal how life evolved and adapted to permanently cold environments with extreme seasonality. We argue that concerted action is required to mitigate the impact of warming on polar ecosystems via conservation efforts, to sustainably manage these unique habitats and their ecosystem services, and for the sustainable bioprospecting of novel genes and compounds for societal gain.
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| 11. |
- Cockerill, Christopher Alan, 1994-, et al.
(author)
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Genomic Consequences of Fragmentation in the Endangered Fennoscandian Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus)
- 2022
-
In: Genes. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4425. ; 13:11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Accelerating climate change is causing severe habitat fragmentation in the Arctic, threatening the persistence of many cold-adapted species. The Scandinavian arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is highly fragmented, with a once continuous, circumpolar distribution, it struggled to recover from a demographic bottleneck in the late 19th century. The future persistence of the entire Scandinavian population is highly dependent on the northernmost Fennoscandian subpopulations (Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula), to provide a link to the viable Siberian population. By analyzing 43 arctic fox genomes, we quantified genomic variation and inbreeding in these populations. Signatures of genome erosion increased from Siberia to northern Sweden indicating a stepping-stone model of connectivity. In northern Fennoscandia, runs of homozygosity (ROH) were on average ~1.47-fold longer than ROH found in Siberia, stretching almost entire scaffolds. Moreover, consistent with recent inbreeding, northern Fennoscandia harbored more homozygous deleterious mutations, whereas Siberia had more in heterozygous state. This study underlines the value of documenting genome erosion following population fragmentation to identify areas requiring conservation priority. With the increasing fragmentation and isolation of Arctic habitats due to global warming, understanding the genomic and demographic consequences is vital for maintaining evolutionary potential and preventing local extinctions.
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| 12. |
- Delin, Mattias, et al.
(author)
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Ascending evacuation - Walking speed in stairs as a function of height
- 2015
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In: Human Behaviour in fire : 6th International Symposium - 6th International Symposium. - 9780993393303 ; , s. 155-160
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- During ascending evacuation in long stairs, there is reason to believe that factors such as fatigue, and change in human behaviour will influence the possibility of satisfactory evacuation and affect the ascending walking speed. Based on these assumption, a 2-year research project was initiated at Lund University. This paper gives a brief description of the project and highlight some initial findings according ascending walking speed and effects of fatigue.
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| 13. |
- Dinca, Vlad, et al.
(author)
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Reproductive isolation and patterns of genetic differentiation in a cryptic butterfly species complex
- 2013
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In: Journal of Evolutionary Biology. - : Wiley. - 1010-061X .- 1420-9101. ; 26:10, s. 2095-2106
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecular studies of natural populations are often designed to detect and categorize hidden layers of cryptic diversity, and an emerging pattern suggests that cryptic species are more common and more widely distributed than previously thought. However, these studies are often decoupled from ecological and behavioural studies of species divergence. Thus, the mechanisms by which the cryptic diversity is distributed and maintained across large spatial scales are often unknown. In 1988, it was discovered that the common Eurasian Wood White butterfly consisted of two species (Leptidea sinapis and Leptidea reali), and the pair became an emerging model for the study of speciation and chromosomal evolution. In 2011, the existence of a third cryptic species (Leptidea juvernica) was proposed. This unexpected discovery raises questions about the mechanisms preventing gene flow and about the potential existence of additional species hidden in the complex. Here, we compare patterns of genetic divergence across western Eurasia in an extensive data set of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences with behavioural data on inter- and intraspecific reproductive isolation in courtship experiments. We show that three species exist in accordance with both the phylogenetic and biological species concepts and that additional hidden diversity is unlikely to occur in Europe. The Leptidea species are now the best studied cryptic complex of butterflies in Europe and a promising model system for understanding the formation of cryptic species and the roles of local processes, colonization patterns and heterospecific interactions for ecological and evolutionary divergence.
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| 14. |
- Ekström, Karin M., et al.
(author)
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Den mångkulturella livsmedels- marknaden : en marknad med möjligheter
- 2011
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Gruppen utrikesfödda är en viktig aktör för livsmedelshandeln idag och framöver. De kommer från många olika länder med varierande matkultur, men har gemensamt att mat ofta har stor betydelse. Köpkraften är stor samtidigt som många är starkt prismedvetna. Föreliggande studie handlar om hur utrikesfödda konsumenter upplever att deras behov och önskemål möts av livsmedelsmarknaden samt hur livsmedelsmarknaden upplever att de möter dessa behov och önskemål. Det är framförallt det senare som fokuseras i studien som är av explorativ karaktär på ett forskningsområde som är relativt outforskat i Sverige. Det är vår förhoppning att vår studie kan bidra till ny kunskap men även till ett större intresse för detta forskningsområde. Det finns behov av fler studier om detta framöver, både från ett konsument- såväl som producentperspektiv. Vi vill tacka Handelns Utvecklingsråd som gett oss ekonomiska möjligheter att bedriva denna forskning. Vi vill även tacka kanslichef Andreas Hedlund för hans engagemang, Meta Troell, omvärldsanalytiker på Svensk Handel för värdefulla synpunkter inledningsvis i vårt projekt, invandrarföreningar som hjälpt oss att komma i kontakt med konsumenter att intervjua och inte minst konsumenter, butikschefer, personal och representanter för Konsumentföreningen Väst som vi intervjuat. Det är vår förhoppning att rapporten kan vara intressant läsning för såväl handel som konsumenter. Borås och Göteborg,
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| 15. |
- Ekström, Karin M., 1959, et al.
(author)
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Stärk varumärket - släpp in konsumenten i fabriken
- 2008
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In: Marknadsorientering - Myter och möjligheter. - : Liber. - 9789147088928 ; , s. 205-222
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Varumärken utvecklas inte bara av producenter som äger varumärken utan konsumenter är i hög grad delaktiga. Marknadsförare behöver bli mer medvetna om hur konsumenter bidrar till att skapa innehåll och mening i ett varumärke. Det gamla synsättet att separera produktion och konsumtion, producenter och konsumenter som härrör från industrialiseringen gäller inte i dagens postmoderna globala marknad, som präglas av transparens och deltagande snarare än slutenhet och passivitet. Att bygga och utveckla varumärken är en kontinuerligt pågående process. Köpare och säljare möts på nya platser och varumärken skapas i nätverk som består av företag, konsumenter, media, reklamskapare etc. Genom att ta del av dessa aktörers olika berättelser kan man få en större förståelse för hur varumärken utvecklas. Två exempel på varumärkesbyggande tas upp i kapitlet. Det ena visar på hur konsumenter som medproducenter bidrar till att göra glas till konst. Det andra visar på hur det inom sjukvården sker en transformation från vård till hälsa, bl a genom de aktiviteter som konsumenten bidrar med. Ett framgångsrikt sätt i framtidens varumärkesbyggande kan vara att öppna upp produktionen och bjuda in konsumenten.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Elmhagen, Bodil, et al.
(author)
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From breeding pairs to fox towns : the social organisation of arctic fox populations with stable and fluctuating availability of food
- 2014
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In: Polar Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0722-4060 .- 1432-2056. ; 37:1, s. 111-122
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Food availability can impact group formation in Carnivora. Specifically, it has been suggested that temporal variation in food availability may allow a breeding pair to tolerate additional adults in their territory at times when food abundance is high. We investigate group occurrence and intraspecific tolerance during breeding in a socially flexible canid, the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus). We compare Iceland and Sweden where resource conditions differ considerably. A breeding pair was the most common social unit in both populations, but as predicted, groups were more frequent where food abundance varied substantially between years (Sweden: 6 %) than where food availability was stable (Iceland: ≤2 %). Within Sweden, supplemental feeding increased group occurrence from 6 to 21 %, but there was no effect of natural variation in lemming (Lemmus lemmus) availability since group formation was rare also at lemming highs. Thus, additional factors appeared to influence the trade-off between intraspecific territoriality and tolerance. We report two cases where related females showed enduring social relationships with good-neighbour strategies. Related females also engaged in alloparental behaviour in a ‘fox town’ with 31 foxes (4 adults, 3 litters). In contrast, when unrelated foxes bred close to each other, they moved or split their litters during summer, presumably because of territorial conflict. We suggest that fluctuating food availability is linked to group formation in this Arctic carnivore, but also when food availability increases, additional factors such as relatedness, alloparental benefits, competition and predator defence appear necessary to explain group formation.
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| 18. |
- Elmhagen, Bodil, et al.
(author)
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Homage to Hersteinsson and Macdonald : climate warming and resource subsidies cause red fox range expansion and Arctic fox decline
- 2017
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In: Polar Research. - : Norwegian Polar Institute. - 0800-0395 .- 1751-8369. ; 36:suppl. 1
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Climate change can have a marked effect on the distribution and abundance of some species, as well as their interspecific interactions. In 1992, before ecological effects of anthropogenic climate change had developed into a topical research field, Hersteinsson and Macdonald published a seminal paper hypothesizing that the northern distribution limit of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is determined by food availability and ultimately climate, while the southern distribution limit of the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is determined by interspecific competition with the larger red fox. This hypothesis has inspired extensive research in several parts of the circumpolar distribution range of the Arctic fox. Over the past 25 years, it was shown that red foxes can exclude Arctic foxes from dens, space and food resources, and that red foxes kill and sometimes consume Arctic foxes. When the red fox increases to ecologically effective densities, it can cause Arctic fox decline, extirpation and range contraction, while conservation actions involving red fox culling can lead to Arctic fox recovery. Red fox advance in productive tundra, concurrent with Arctic fox retreat from this habitat, support the original hypothesis that climate warming will alter the geographical ranges of the species. However, recent studies show that anthropogenic subsidies also drive red fox advance, allowing red fox establishment north of its climate-imposed distribution limit. We conclude that synergies between anthropogenic subsidies and climate warming will speed up Arctic ecosystem change, allowing mobile species to establish and thrive in human-provided refugia, with potential spill-over effects in surrounding ecosystems.
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| 19. |
- Elmhagen, Bodil, et al.
(author)
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Åtgärdsprogram för fjällräv, 2017–2021 : (Vulpes lagopus)
- 2017
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Fjällräven är klassificerad som starkt hotad i Sverige och akut hotad i Norge. På 1800-talet var det en vanligt förekommande art, men till följd av intensivt jakttryck reducerades populationen kraftigt i slutet av 1800-talet. Fjällräven fridlystes 1928 i Sverige och 1930 i Norge. Trots skydd har populationen inte återhämtat sig. Detta beror på ett flertal samverkande faktorer, framförallt låg populationsstorlek, ökad konkurrens från rödrävar som expanderar in i fjällvärlden, samt uteblivna eller mer oregelbundna lämmeltoppar som leder till födobrist. Dessutom har inavel och inavelsdepression med ökad dödlighet och minskad reproduktion dokumenterats i vissa delbestånd. Sjukdomar och parasiter utgör ett ytterligare hot mot de små delpopulationernas fortlevnad. Störningar från mänskliga aktiviteter kan utgöra ytterligare bidragande faktorer.År 2015 fanns omkring 240 reproducerande vuxna fjällrävar i Sverige och Norge, vilket utgör ett mått på beståndets minimala storlek. Inom EU är fjällräven en prioriterad art enligt habitatdirektivet, i Sverige är fjällräven fridlyst enligt artskyddsförordningen, och i Norge är fjällräven skyddad med ”fjällrävförskriften” enligt naturmangfoldloven.Åtgärder för att rädda fjällräven genomfördes i Sverige och Finland under 1998–2002 genom EU-Life Nature projektet SEFALO. Projektet fortsatte i en andra fas, SEFALO+ (2003–2008) som även involverade Norge. Båda projekten inkluderade åtgärder som stödutfodring, rödrävsjakt och inventeringar. I Norge startade flera åtgärder 2004 på uppdrag av Miljødirektoratet (tidigare Direktoratet for naturforvaltning). Sedan dess har en kombination av åtgärder genomförts i olika delbestånd: avel och utsättning av valpar, stödutfodring, samt kontroll av rödrävsbestånden. Avelsprojekt för fjällräv startade 2005 och de första valparna sattes ut 2006. Inom EU-Interregprojektet Felles Fjellrev (2010–2013) genomfördes utvidgade åtgärder i Jämtlands län samt Nord- och Sør-Trøndelag, med riktade åtgärder i mindre fjällområden mellan de fyra större delbestånden av fjällräv.För att fjällrävsstammen ska återuppnå en gynnsam bevarandestatus bör bevarandeåtgärderna fortsätta inom ramen för det svensk-norska åtgärdsprogrammet. Den långsiktiga visionen är att skapa en stabil och livskraftig stam med gynnsam bevarandestatus utan behov av ytterligare åtgärder. Det är emellertid långt tills denna vision uppnås och i detta program definieras konkreta målsättningar på lång (2035) och kort (2021) sikt. I detta program föreslås fortsatt genomförande av centrala åtgärder i form av stödutfodring och rödrävskontroll. Dessutom ska orsakerna till rödrävens ökade förekomst på fjället hanteras genom åtgärder mot de faktorer som gynnar expansionen. Avel och utsättning från det norska avelsprojektet, alternativt translokering av rävar mellan delpopulationerna, föreslås som åtgärd för att förstärka små populationer, etablera fjällrävar i mellanområden samt minska graden av inavel. Populationernas hälsostatus bör övervakas och vid ett utbrott ska behandling sättas in. Riktade informationskampanjer ska utformas för att minska konflikt och störning med människan.De åtgärder som förutsätts finansieras av Naturvårdsverket och Miljødirektoratet för genomförande av åtgärdsprogram för hotade arter beräknas totalt uppgå till 15, 1 miljoner kronor respektive 47,6 miljoner kronor under programmets giltighetsperiod 2017–2021.
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| 20. |
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Erlandsson, Rasmus, 1985-, et al.
(author)
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Resources and predation : drivers of sociality in a cyclic mesopredator
- 2022
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In: Oecologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939. ; 198:2, s. 381-392
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In socially flexible species, the tendency to live in groups is expected to vary through a trade-off between costs and benefits, determined by ecological conditions. The Resource Dispersion Hypothesis predicts that group size changes in response to patterns in resource availability. An additional dimension is described in Hersteinsson's model positing that sociality is further affected by a cost-benefit trade-off related to predation pressure. In the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), group-living follows a regional trade-off in resources' availability and intra-guild predation pressure. However, the effect of local fluctuations is poorly known, but offers an unusual opportunity to test predictions that differ between the two hypotheses in systems where prey availability is linked to intra-guild predation. Based on 17-year monitoring of arctic fox and cyclic rodent prey populations, we addressed the Resource Dispersion Hypothesis and discuss the results in relation to the impact of predation in Hersteinsson's model. Group-living increased with prey density, from 7.7% (low density) to 28% (high density). However, it remained high (44%) despite a rodent crash and this could be explained by increased benefits from cooperative defence against prey switching by top predators. We conclude that both resource abundance and predation pressure are factors underpinning the formation of social groups in fluctuating ecosystems.
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
- Friberg, Magne, et al.
(author)
-
Genetic differentiation and phylogeographic patterns in European populations of Leptidea sinapis and L. reali
-
Other publication (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The direction of a coevolutionary interaction can differ between local populations as in the butterflies Leptidea sinapis and L. reali. The morphologically virtually identical sister-species have partitioned their niches differently in different parts of their distribution by shifting habitat specialist and generalist roles between different sympatric areas. Hence, a species that is a generalist in some areas can be a local specialist in others, and vice versa. We have sequenced the mitochondrial COI gene from specimens collected across Europe in order to (i) describe the between-species variation over a large area, (ii) identify possible glacial refugia and re-colonisation routes to obtain a phylogeographic hypothesis for explaining the geographic mosaic of niche separation and (iii) apply a population genetic approach to determine the level of intraspecific genetic differentiation. The results show evidence for species distinctiveness throughout Europe. Only small variation was found in L. reali, whereas the haplotype network of L. sinapis showed a deep division into two haplotype families of which one was restricted to Spain and the other was widespread over the continent (including Spain). The widespread haplotype family was divided into two common variants, one eastern and one western, each being surrounded by rare haplotypes. The both deep and shallow genetic differentiation implies that L. sinapis might have been divided into different refugia during several glaciations. Both species showed significant genetic differentiation in pairwise ФST, and as habitat generalist populations could differ significantly from other habitat generalist populations but not from habitat specialist populations, we conclude that this study supports that the geographic mosaic of niche separation is caused by local processes rather than common ancestry of local habitat generalists or specialists within each species
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| 25. |
- Geffen, E., et al.
(author)
-
Kin encounter rate and inbreeding avoidance in canids
- 2011
-
In: Molecular Ecology. - 0962-1083 .- 1365-294X. ; 20:24, s. 5348-5358
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mating with close kin can lead to inbreeding depression through the expression of recessive deleterious alleles and loss of heterozygosity. Mate selection may be affected by kin encounter rate, and inbreeding avoidance may not be uniform but associated with age and social system. Specifically, selection for kin recognition and inbreeding avoidance may be more developed in species that live in family groups or breed cooperatively. To test this hypothesis, we compared kin encounter rate and the proportion of related breeding pairs in noninbred and highly inbred canid populations. The chance of randomly encountering a full sib ranged between 1–8% and 20–22% in noninbred and inbred canid populations, respectively. We show that regardless of encounter rate, outside natal groups mates were selected independent of relatedness. Within natal groups, there was a significant avoidance of mating with a relative. Lack of discrimination against mating with close relatives outside packs suggests that the rate of inbreeding in canids is related to the proximity of close relatives, which could explain the high degree of inbreeding depression observed in some populations. The idea that kin encounter rate and social organization can explain the lack of inbreeding avoidance in some species is intriguing and may have implications for the management of populations at risk
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| 26. |
- Godoy, Erika, et al.
(author)
-
Mating patterns in an inbred Arctic carnivore
- 2018
-
In: Polar Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0722-4060 .- 1432-2056. ; 41:5, s. 945-951
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mating patterns are highly context-dependent and the outcome of selection pressures formed by ecological factors, inbreeding levels and access to available partners. In small and inbred populations, matings are limited by high kin encounter rates and access to mates. In this paper, we use background pedigree data to investigate mating patterns and inbreeding avoidance in an isolated and critically endangered Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) population. Empirical data showed avoidance of matings within natal family. Based on 35 documented matings, we only recorded two full-sibling matings and these occurred between individuals from different natal families. Matings between second-order relatives, however, occurred to the same extent as between unrelated individuals. To test how this influenced the population development of inbreeding (f), we simulated scenarios of random mating, exclusion of natal family and exclusion of individuals in already existing pair bonds. The observed development of inbreeding did not correspond the expected scenario of random mating (linear regression, r2 = 0.354, P = 0.20), but showed a comparable outcome as the simulated development of discriminating natal family (linear regression, r2 = 0.980, P < 0.001). We conclude that behavioural, pre-copulatory inbreeding avoidance strategies occur in this population and that exclusion of mating with natal family causes a slower increase in inbreeding levels compared to random mating. This study demonstrates how long-term monitoring, pedigree construction and simulations can generate information valuable for an in-depth understanding of both conservation genetics and behavioural ecology in threatened populations.
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| 27. |
- Granell-Ruiz, Maria, et al.
(author)
-
Genetic variation between and within two populations of bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis Desmarest, 1822) in South Africa
- 2021
-
In: African Zoology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1562-7020 .- 2224-073X. ; 56:3, s. 165-172
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Information on genetic variation within and among populations is relevant for a broad range of topics in biology. We use a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear microsatellite markers to evaluate genetic variation within and between two populations of bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis Desmarest, 1822) in South Africa. The bat-eared fox is a small canid occurring in southern and eastern Africa. The species is currently not threatened with extinction, but a lack of information on genetic diversity has been identified as a deficit for its future conservation. We observed low to moderate genetic differentiation between the two geographically separated populations, but neither mitochondrial nor nuclear microsatellite markers suggested that there have been dispersal barriers between them. Similar genetic diversity within both populations was contrasted by interpopulational differences in relatedness variation among males and females. A high genetic relatedness within both populations, indicated by mitochondrial data, is likely caused by a common historical origin or a combination of species-specific social organization and environmental dispersal constraints. We call for further research on the genetic divergence of bat-eared fox populations as well as on the genetic consequences of interactions between environmental characteristics and social organization in this species.
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| 28. |
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
- Hansen, Karin, et al.
(author)
-
Integrating ecosystem services in Swedish environmental assessments : an empirical analysis
- 2018
-
In: Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal. - : Routledge. - 1461-5517 .- 1471-5465. ; 36:3, s. 253-264
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Given the growing number of policies and laws that encourage inclusion of ecosystem services (ES) in processes, we have investigated environmental impact assessments (EIA) and strategic environmental assessments (SEA) conducted in Sweden in order to analyse whether ES maybe integrated to enhance and improve environmental assessment of today. Representative Swedish environmental projects were reviewed. Three cases with different geographic and environmental settings were selected to allow us to study consideration of a wide range of different ES. We investigated the processes and discussions taking place using documentation from the cases. We formalized and labelled the expected impacts into an ES framework. Summarizing each case, we described conformities and divergences in explicit and implicit prioritizations between the actors. We discussed the benefits of integrating ES into current practices and possible improvements in the processes and methodologies. When ES could be integrated into EIAs and SEAs more aspects would be visualized and a larger stakeholder engagement stimulated leading to improved support for decision-making.
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| 31. |
- Hasselgren, Malin, 1990-
(author)
-
Dynamics of inbreeding and genetic rescue in a small population
- 2022
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Isolation at small population size can reduce individual fitness and impede population growth caused by inbreeding and genetic drift (i.e. inbreeding depression). Inbreeding depression can however be circumvented by gene flow from unrelated individuals through masking of recessive deleterious alleles and contribute to population persistence (i.e. genetic rescue). Studying these processes in natural populations across generations and under fluctuating environmental conditions however comes with major challenges. Several gaps in the knowledge thus remain regarding causes and consequences of inbreeding depression and genetic rescue in the wild. Using long term data on life history traits, combined with traditional population genetics and novel genomic techniques, we explored the dynamics of inbreeding and gene flow in the highly fragmented arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) population in Sweden. This thesis mainly focused on the southernmost subpopulation (Helagsfjällen), previously documented to suffer from inbreeding depression. Construction of a genetically verified pedigree (Chapter I and II) revealed that gene flow from three outbred male foxes released from a captive breeding station in Norway resulted in genetic rescue, expressed as elevated first year survival and breeding success in immigrant first generation offspring (F1; Chapter I). However, the rescue effect likely only lasted for one single generation, as we found no selective advantage in later descendants of immigrants (Chapter II and IV). Whole genome sequencing of a subset of individuals from the same subpopulation showed that some immigrant F2 and F3 individuals were highly inbred despite the recent outbreeding events (Chapter III). Identification of putative deleterious variation within coding regions suggested that the immigrants introduced a large number of strongly deleterious alleles which were absent from the native gene pool (Chapter IV and V). Expression of the deleterious variation introduced may explain the low persistence of genetic rescue. We also found a negative relationship between the amount of homozygous strongly deleterious mutations and individual fitness (Chapter IV) and may be an important cause of inbreeding depression in the Swedish arctic fox. Finally, when replicating the study of genomic consequences of inbreeding and gene flow, by including an additional Swedish subpopulation (Vindelfjällen) located further north, we found contrasting patterns between the two subpopulations. While inbreeding decreased in both Helagsfjällen and Vindelfjällen following immigration, the proportion of deleterious variation increased in Helagsfjällen but not in Vindelfjällen. A potential explanation could be more regular gene flow between northern located subpopulations compared to the more geographically isolated population in Helagsfjällen, which may instead have purged a subset of strongly deleterious variation pre immigration. The results from this thesis highlight the transient nature of genetic rescue and the importance to study fitness and genetic effects of gene flow across several generations, as immigration could have negative consequences that are not manifested initially. Finally, as the effects of gene flow can be highly context dependent, demographic histories and functional genetic variation in both source and target populations should be considered before making translocation decisions for conservation purposes.
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| 32. |
- Hasselgren, Malin, et al.
(author)
-
Genetic rescue in an inbred Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) population
- 2018
-
In: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8452 .- 1471-2954. ; 285:1875
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Isolation of small populations can reduce fitness through inbreeding depression and impede population growth. Outcrossing with only a few unrelated individuals can increase demographic and genetic viability substantially, but few studies have documented such genetic rescue in natural mammal populations. We investigate the effects of immigration in a subpopulation of the endangered Scandinavian arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), founded by six individuals and isolated for 9 years at an extremely small population size. Based on a long-term pedigree (105 litters, 543 individuals) combined with individual fitness traits, we found evidence for genetic rescue. Natural immigration and gene flow of three outbred males in 2010 resulted in a reduction in population average inbreeding coefficient (f), from 0.14 to 0.08 within 5 years. Genetic rescue was further supported by 1.9 times higher juvenile survival and 1.3 times higher breeding success in immigrant first-generation offspring compared with inbred offspring. Five years after immigration, the population had more than doubled in size and allelic richness increased by 41%. This is one of few studies that has documented genetic rescue in a natural mammal population suffering from inbreeding depression and contributes to a growing body of data demonstrating the vital connection between genetics and individual fitness.
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| 33. |
- Hasselgren, Malin, et al.
(author)
-
Genomic and fitness consequences of inbreeding in an endangered carnivore
- 2021
-
In: Molecular Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0962-1083 .- 1365-294X. ; 30:12, s. 2790-2799
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Reduced fitness through genetic drift and inbreeding is a major threat to small and isolated populations. Although previous studies have generally used genetically verified pedigrees to document effects of inbreeding and gene flow, these often fail to capture the whole inbreeding history of the species. By assembling a draft arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) genome and resequencing complete genomes of 23 additional foxes born before and after a well-documented immigration event in Scandinavia, we here look into the genomic consequences of inbreeding and genetic rescue. We found a difference in genome-wide diversity, with 18% higher heterozygosity and 81% lower F-ROH in immigrant F1 compared to native individuals. However, more distant descendants of immigrants (F2, F3) did not show the same pattern. We also found that foxes with lower inbreeding had higher probability to survive their first year of life. Our results demonstrate the important link between genetic variation and fitness as well as the transient nature of genetic rescue. Moreover, our results have implications in conservation biology as they demonstrate that inbreeding depression can effectively be detected in the wild by a genomic approach.
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| 34. |
- Hasselgren, Malin, et al.
(author)
-
Genomic consequences of inbreeding and outbreeding in an endangered carnivore
-
Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Loss of genetic variation through genetic drift and inbreeding is a major threat to small and isolated populations. Although previous studies have generally used genetically verified pedigrees to document effects of inbreeding and gene flow, these often fail to capture the whole inbreeding history. Also, empirical support for a link between genomic inbreeding and fitness is scarce. By sequencing complete genomes of 23 Scandinavian arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) born before and after an immigration event, we here look into the genomic consequences of inbreeding and genetic rescue. We found a significant difference, with 18% higher genome-wide heterozygosity and 81% lower genomic inbreeding in immigrant F1 compared to native individuals. However, more distant descendants of immigrants (F2, F3) did not show the same pattern. We also found that foxes surviving their first year generally had higher heterozygosity and lower inbreeding than non-survivors. Finally, pedigree-based inbreeding correlated with, but underestimated, genomic inbreeding levels. Our results demonstrate a fundamental link between genetic variation and fitness, the transient nature of genetic rescue, and that inbreeding is even more severe than captured from a genetically verified pedigree. Our results have important implications in conservation biology as inbreeding depression can be detected in populations lacking a pedigree.
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| 35. |
- Hasselgren, Malin, et al.
(author)
-
Inbreeding in natural mammal populations : historical perspectives and future challenges
- 2019
-
In: Mammal Review. - : Wiley. - 0305-1838 .- 1365-2907. ; 49:4, s. 369-383
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The awareness of inbreeding as a potentially harmful process dates several centuries back in time, and occurred early in various religions, cultures, and societies. However, it was not until the 18th Century that the phenomenon was first investigated systematically through breeding experiments in domestic animals and plants. Investigations were followed by the establishment of the theoretical framework in the 19th Century by Darwin, Mendel and other pioneering evolutionary biologists. Throughout the development of this field, from breeding experiments and discoveries of the mechanism of inheritance, via heterozygosity-fitness correlations, construction of pedigrees for natural populations, emergence of the conservation genetics field, to present-day whole genome sequencing of extinct species, mammals have played a crucial role as model organisms and flagship species. In this review, we present a chronological overview of the theoretical development and empirical data on inbreeding in mammals, from the 18th Century to the present day. Furthermore, in relation to the current analytical capacity, we identify gaps in the knowledge and future challenges in the study of inbreeding and inbreeding depression in mammals.
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| 36. |
- Hemphill, Elisa June Keeling, et al.
(author)
-
Genetic consequences of conservation action: Restoring the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) population in Scandinavia
- 2020
-
In: Biological Conservation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3207 .- 1873-2917. ; 248
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) population in Fennoscandia experienced a drastic bottleneck in the late 19th century as a result of high hunting pressure. In the 1990s, despite nearly 70 years of protection, the population showed no signs of recovery. In order to mitigate the population decline and facilitate re-establishment, conservation actions including supplementary feeding and red fox culling were implemented in 1998, followed by the reintroduction of foxes from a captive breeding programme, starting in 2006. A positive demographic impact of these actions is evident from a doubling of the population size over the past decade. We used genetic data collected in eight subpopulations between 2008 and 2015 to address whether the recent demographic recovery has been complemented by changes in genetic variation and connectivity between subpopulations. Our results show that genetic variation within subpopulations has increased considerably during the last decade, while genetic differentiation among subpopulations has decreased. A marked shift in metapopulation dynamics is evident during the study period, suggesting substantially increased migration across the metapopulation. This shift followed the recolonization of an extinct subpopulation through the release of foxes from the captive breeding programme and was synchronized in time with the implementation of supplementary feeding and red fox culling in stepping stone patches between core subpopulations in mid-Scandinavia. Indeed, the increase in genetic variation and connectivity in the Scandinavian arctic fox population suggests that metapopulation dynamics have been restored, which may indicate an increase in the long-term viability of the population.
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| 37. |
- Häggström, Margaretha, 1962, et al.
(author)
-
Att undervisa i hållbar utveckling - Relationellt perspektiv
- 2022
-
Book (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Hur kan lärare arbeta med hållbar utveckling i en tid då globala kriser och klimatförändringar väcker både rädsla och oro? Och hur kan elever samtidigt känna hopp inför sin framtid och sitt vuxna liv? Dessa frågor är utgångspunkt för det utvecklings- och forskningsprojekt som utgör basen i denna bok. Du får följa med i berättelser som lärare och elever skapat tillsammans för att utveckla kunskap om social, ekologisk och ekonomisk hållbarhet. Boken redogör för de pedagogiska utgångspunkterna, men ger också rikligt med praktiska exempel på metoder och former för undervisning i och genom demokratiska och relationella förhållningssätt. Du får konkreta tips på hur du kan integrera hållbar utveckling i undervisningen. Såväl kritiska aspekter som lärdomar och möjligheter lyfts fram. I centrum står eleven och läraren utifrån det relationspedagogiska perspektivet. Att undervisa i hållbar utveckling: Relationellt perspektiv vänder sig till lärarstudenter och verksamma lärare i årskurs F-6. Bokens syfte är att inspirera, stödja och utgöra diskussionsunderlag i skolans arbete med miljöperspektivet och hållbar utveckling.
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| 38. |
- Johannes, Måsviken, 1990-, et al.
(author)
-
Elevational variation of arthropod communities in the Swedish mountains
-
Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Mountain topography gives rise to elevation gradients in both abiotic and biotic conditions, which can generate substantial biodiversity variation. Due to the close link between elevation and climate, mountain areas may be particularly useful for evaluating the ecological consequences of climate change. Arthropods are the most diverse animal phylum and play important roles in most ecosystems. Although arthropods are exposed to multiple stressors and are in global decline, we only have scant information on the distribution of arthropods along elevation gradients. We investigated how taxonomic richness, taxonomic composition, and spatial structuring of spider-, insect-, and springtail communities differed along elevation gradients at three sites in a high latitude mountain area. Taxonomic richness of spiders and insects declined monotonically with increasing elevation, but there were limited differences between sites in such declines. We did not observe any significant relationships between the taxonomic richness of springtails and elevation. Taxonomic composition did vary with elevation for all three taxonomic groups, and it also differed among the three sites. Spider- and insect communities were both spatially nested and showed spatial modularity along the elevation gradients. While the modular patterns suggest that species turnover has generated distinct communities at different elevations, some generalist species were still widespread throughout large parts of the gradients. We observed no spatial structuring in springtail communities along elevation gradients. Our results point to smaller differences among sites than among taxonomic groups in how taxonomic richness and community structuring varied with elevation. We interpret these results as support for taxonomically specific adaptations to environmental conditions being important for structuring arthropod communities. We also suggest that climate-driven changes to arthropod communities in mountain environments may be regulated by two not mutually exclusive processes, one in which generalist species may become more dominant and shift their ranges upward and one which high elevation specialists may go extinct because of increasingly fragmented habitats.
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| 39. |
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| 40. |
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| 41. |
- Johansson, Karin, et al.
(author)
-
Clostridium difficile infection diagnostics : evaluation of the C. DIFF Quik Chek Complete assay, a rapid enzyme immunoassay for detection of toxigenic C. difficile in clinical stool samples
- 2016
-
In: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - Hoboken, NJ, USA : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 124:11, s. 1016-1020
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Diagnostic testing for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has, in recent years, seen the introduction of rapid dual-EIA (enzyme immunoassay) tests combining species-specific glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) with toxin A/B. In a prospective study, we compared the C. DIFF Quik Chek Complete test to a combination of selective culture (SC) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of the toxin A gene. Of 419 specimens, 68 were positive in SC including 62 positive in LAMP (14.7%). The combined EIA yielded 82 GDH positives of which 47 were confirmed toxin A/B positive (11%) corresponding to a sensitivity and specificity of 94% for GDH EIA compared to SC and for toxin A/B EIA a sensitivity of 71% and a specificity of 99% compared to LAMP. Twenty different PCR ribotypes were evenly distributed except for UK 081 where only 25% were toxin A/B positive compared to LAMP. We propose a primary use of a combined GDH toxin A/B EIA permitting a sensitive 1-h result of 379 of 419 (90%, all negatives plus GDH and toxin EIA positives) referred specimens. The remaining 10% being GDH positive should be tested for toxin A/B gene on the same day and positive results left to a final decision by the physician.
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| 42. |
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| 43. |
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| 44. |
- Kukushkin, Vadim Yu., et al.
(author)
-
New Methods for Synthesis of Platinum(II) Dimethyl Sulfide Complexes
- 1994
-
In: Inorganica Chimica Acta. - : Elsevier BV. - 0020-1693. ; 219:1-2, s. 155-160
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Different methods for the synthesis of anionic dimethyl sulfide platinum complexes of the type Q[PtCl3(Me2S)] (Q = triphenylbenzylphosphonium, Ph3PBzl, or tetrabutylammonium, BU4N) and [Pt(mu-Cl)Cl(Me2S)]2 are reported. The compounds Q[PtCl3(Me2S)] were prepared by interaction of [PtCl4]2- with an excess of Me2S in non-aqueous media, reduction of [PtCl5(Me2S)]- with hydrazine sulfate, bridge-splitting reactions of (Ph3PBzl)2[Pt2(mu-Cl)2Cl4] and [Pt(mu-Cl)Cl(Me2S)]2 with two equivalents of Me2S and (Pb3PBzl)Cl, respectively, and substitution of dimethyl sulfide in trans-[PtCl2(Me2S)2]. The [Pt(mu-Cl)Cl(Me2S)]2 dimer was prepared via reaction Of cis-[PtCl2(Me2S)2] with two equivalents of silver nitrate followed by separation of AgCl(s) and addition of one equivalent of K2[PtCl4]. The structure of (Ph3PBzl)[PtCl3(Me2S)] was determined by X-ray single crystal analysis. The compound crystallizes in the space group P2(1)/n with a = 9.746(3), b = 19.511(4), c = 14.966(4) angstrom, beta = 100.43(2)-degrees, V = 2799.0(9) angstrom3 and Z = 4.
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| 45. |
- Kukushkin, Vadim Yu., et al.
(author)
-
Phenylation of Platinum(II) Thioether Complexes by Tetraphenylborate(III) in Solid State and Nitromethane Solution
- 1993
-
In: Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1042-6507 .- 1563-5325. ; 75:1-4, s. 253-255
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Platinum(II) complexes of the type [Pt(thioether)2Cl]+(thioether = dimethyl sulfide, thioxane) are capable of abstracting a phenyl group from the BPh4 counterion with formation of trans[Pt(thioether)2ClPh] compounds. Thermal reactions proceed both in the solid phase and in nitromethane solution at elevated temperature and have preparative importance. Phenylation of the Pt(II) centre also occurs in reaction between [Pt(Me2S)2Cl2] and AgBPh4 in CH2Cl2 suspension. Brief X-ray crystallographic structural data for trans-[Pt(Me2S)2ClPh] and [Pt(thioether)3Cl]X (thioether = Me2S, tx, X = SO3CF3; thioether = Me2S, X = PF6) are reported.
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| 46. |
- Lagerholm, Vendela K., et al.
(author)
-
Run to the hills : gene flow among mountain areas leads to low genetic differentiation in the Norwegian lemming
- 2017
-
In: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0024-4066 .- 1095-8312. ; 121:1, s. 1-14
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The endemic Norwegian lemming (Lemmus lemmus) is an icon for cyclic species, famous since the Middle Ages for its enormous population outbreaks and mass movements. Although the drivers behind this cyclicity have been intensively investigated, virtually nothing is known about the extent to which long-distance dispersal during population peaks actually lead to gene flow among mountain tundra areas. In this article, we use nine microsatellite markers to address this question and analyse range-wide genetic diversity and differentiation between Fennoscandian sub-regions. The results revealed a high genetic variation with a surprisingly weak population structure, comparable to that of much larger mammals. The differentiation was mainly characterized as a genetic cline across the species' entire distribution, and results from spatial autocorrelation analyses suggested that gene flow occurs with sufficiently high frequency to create a genetic patch size of 100 km. Further, we found that for the equivalent distances, the southern sub-regions were genetically more similar to each other than those in the north, which indicates that the prolonged periods of interrupted lemming cyclicity recorded in the northern parts of Fennoscandia have led to increased isolation and population differentiation. In summary, we propose that mass movements during peak years act as pulses of gene flow between mountain tundra areas, and that these help to maintain genetic variation and counteract differentiation over vast geographic distances.
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| 47. |
- Larm, Malin, et al.
(author)
-
Fitness effects of ecotourism on an endangered carnivore
- 2020
-
In: Animal Conservation. - : Wiley. - 1367-9430 .- 1469-1795. ; 23:4, s. 386-395
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Nature-based recreational and tourism activities can exert significant direct and indirect impacts on wildlife, through behavioral, physiological and distributional changes. Despite many studies demonstrating such changes, few attempts have been made to quantify the fitness consequences and evaluate their biological significance. Helagsfjallen in Sweden is a core area of the endangered Fennoscandian arctic foxVulpes lagopus, and a popular area for recreational tourism. Some dens in the area experience daily disturbance from tourism during the summer season, while others are virtually undisturbed. We used a long-term dataset (2008-2017) of 553 juveniles in 74 litters to investigate summer juvenile survival, which is an important fitness component for the arctic fox. We found that the mean juvenile survival rate increased from 0.56 at undisturbed dens to 0.83 at disturbed den during years of decreasing small-rodent abundance, where predation on the arctic fox is presumed to be highest. We suggest that the increased survival could be mediated by a human activity-induced predator refuge for the arctic foxes in close proximity of trails and mountain huts. Our study demonstrates a possible positive indirect effect of nature-based tourism on wildlife and is one of a few studies attempting to quantify this impact. It highlights the importance of context for how animals are affected by disturbance. We also demonstrate that studying how the effects of tourism activity vary depending on the context could provide opportunities for identifying the mechanisms behind these effects, which can be an important link between scientific research and the management of wildlife and tourism activities.
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| 48. |
- Larm, Malin, et al.
(author)
-
Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance
- 2021
-
In: Global Ecology and Conservation. - : Elsevier BV. - 2351-9894. ; 27
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The rapidly growing interest for nature-based recreational activities threaten biodiversity values and increases the disturbance caused to wildlife. Several studies have demonstrated spatial and temporal activity shifts of animals in response to human disturbance. However, most studies investigate effects on how animals use an area of high tourism disturbance, such as a tourist resort or hiking trail, and not the effects of human disturbance at a key site for the animal, such as a denning or breeding site. In this study, we use photos from remote camera monitoring of arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) dens with the aim to investigate the effects of various levels of tourism disturbance on the diurnal activity pattern and vigilance of breeding adult arctic foxes at the den site. We find a temporal shift towards a higher daytime activity at the den in response to high intensity tourism (71 +/- 3.9% in disturbed areas compared with 53 +/- 6.2% in undisturbed areas), which stands in contrast to an increased nocturnality seen in studies of many other species, including another study of arctic foxes. We suggest that the difference could be explained by the higher cost of avoiding a key site for the animal, as in this study, compared with avoiding a more general human disturbance in an area within the distribution range of the animal, as in most other studies. Increased time spent avoiding the perceived threat of humans could compromise other important activities and have potential negative effects on e.g. hunting or provisioning for the juveniles. Human disturbance focused at a key site, such as a denning or breeding site, can thereby be expected to have larger consequences than what is observed in most studies of disturbance effects on wildlife. Based on observations of both tourists and arctic foxes during close encounters in an area of high intensity tourism, we also find that they both respond behaviorally to each other. The potential for positive or negative feedback mechanisms in such relationships between tourists and wildlife highlights the importance of considering both sides of the complex interaction to find a balance between preserving biodiversity and ensuring continued possibilities for recreation.
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| 49. |
- Larsson, Ing-Marie, 1963-, et al.
(author)
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Healthcare workers' structured daily reflection on patient safety, workload and work environment in intensive care. A descriptive retrospective study
- 2022
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In: Intensive & Critical Care Nursing. - : Elsevier. - 0964-3397 .- 1532-4036. ; 68
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: To describe the results of use of structured daily reflection assessments among healthcare workers at an intensive care unit over the course of one year. Methods: In this descriptive retrospective study, data were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The data encompassed 1095 work shifts, evaluated by healthcare workers at an intensive care unit using a structured daily reflection instrument. The areas evaluated were patient safety, workload and work environment, and free-text comments were possible.Findings: The results showed that 36% (n = 395) of work shifts, most of them daytime shifts (44%; n = 161), were affected. Workload was the area that affected most work shifts (29%; n = 309). Missed nursing care, complex care and inaccurate communication impacted patient safety, while patient care, multitasking and working conditions affected workload. Work environment was impacted by organisational factors, environment, lack of control and moral stress.Conclusion: Using daily reflection among healthcare workers in the intensive care unit illuminated areas that affect patient safety, workload, and work environment. The importance of communication and collaboration and how they can impact patient safety, workload, and the work environment were highlighted by the team.
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| 50. |
- Larsson, Petter, et al.
(author)
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Consequences of past climate change and recent human persecution on mitogenomic diversity in the arctic fox
- 2019
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In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8436 .- 1471-2970. ; 374:1788
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ancient DNA provides a powerful means to investigate the timing, rate and extent of population declines caused by extrinsic factors, such as past climate change and human activities. One species probably affected by both these factors is the arctic fox, which had a large distribution during the last glaciation that subsequently contracted at the start of the Holocene. More recently, the arctic fox population in Scandinavia went through a demographic bottleneck owing to human persecution. To investigate the consequences of these processes, we generated mitogenome sequences from a temporal dataset comprising Pleistocene, historical and modern arctic fox samples. We found no evidence that Pleistocene populations in mid-latitude Europe or Russia contributed to the present-day gene pool of the Scandinavian population, suggesting that postglacial climate warming led to local population extinctions. Furthermore, during the twentieth-century bottleneck in Scandinavia, at least half of the mitogenome haplotypes were lost, consistent with a 20-fold reduction in female effective population size. In conclusion, these results suggest that the arctic fox in mainland Western Europe has lost genetic diversity as a result of both past climate change and human persecution. Consequently, it might be particularly vulnerable to the future challenges posed by climate change. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The past is a foreign country: how much can the fossil record actually inform conservation?'
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