North Of Sweden Research Articles

Managers of micro-sized enterprises and Covid-19: impact on business operations, work-life balance and well-being

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to identify how managers of micro-sized enterprises experience the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their business operations, work-life balance and well-being. Further, the study aims to make comparisons between managers of micro-sized businesses and managers of small-sized businesses. This mixed-method study is based on qualitative interviews with ten managers of micro-sized enterprises and a questionnaire answered by 95 managers of micro-sized and small-sized enterprises in regions in the north of Sweden. Managers of micro-sized enterprises reported significantly worse scores for mental well-being, job satisfaction and life satisfaction in comparison with managers of small-sized enterprises. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: Changed leadership role, Impact on private life and Impact on well-being. In the interviews, the managers of micro-sized enterprises reported that the pandemic had increased their workload and forced them to mobilise strategies for enterprise survival. This study indicates that managers of micro-sized enterprises had changed their leadership role and increased their workload and number of work tasks, including supporting the employees, developing strategies for business survival and applying for governmental support. However, the managers demonstrated creativity in finding new solutions for their enterprises.

Mediaeval jewellery from the Volga-Kama area in the East-Baltic region

This paper considers jewellery objects of the Volga-Kama provenience of the 9th–13th century revealed at archaeological sites in the territory of North-Western Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and North Sweden. Groups of Kama and Volga imports are identified for the products characteristic of the Volga-Kama region in general, and for “syncretic” objects of the Old-Russian period combining artistic traditions and techniques of different regions. The article notes the concentration of finds of this kind in the South-East Ladoga region and in Novgorod

Educators’ Digital Competence in Swedish Rural Schools

Abstract This article presents a survey census study performed in a small, remotely located municipality with four rural schools in the north of Sweden. The study is part of a larger project, Remote Consulting in special needs education between special educators and class teachers, the aim of which is to increase the equivalence between the municipality’s schools by giving more class teachers improved access to special needs education (SNE) consultations provided by special educators via remote consulting. Prior to the start of the project, a questionnaire was sent out to all the class teachers in the participating schools. All the teachers approached answered the questionnaire. One of the aims of the survey was to gain increased knowledge about the teachers’ self-efficacy in their use of ICT. The most intriguing result was that three of the five 50-59 year-old teachers estimated their knowledge about ICT to be above average compared to that of their colleagues. A similar pattern was identified in the teachers’ use of ICT in their teaching. Of those who used ICT every day, three were 30-39 years old, three were 50-59 years old and one was 40-49 years old, while all of those who used ICT less than once a week were younger than 39. The results of the study indicate that the teachers in this study are adequately equipped to proceed from physical counselling to remote consulting in special needs education.

Kwenowie – (nie)zapomniana mniejszość

The Kven People have lived in the North Cape area since ancient times. The first account of the Cwenas is to be found in Ohthere’s of Hålogaland account, which dates back to 890 C.E., and describes the existence of peoples living in Cwena land in the north of Sweden. Kven people are said to be descendants of Finnish peasants and fishermen who emigrated from the northern parts of Finland and Sweden to Northern Norway. The tax books from the sixteenth century indicate clearly that the Kven people lived permanently in the area of the Gulf of Bothnia. The Kvens were well integrated, and perceived as a valuable workforce. Still, tempestuous Russian history combined with Finnish dependency on the Russian Empire backfired on the perception of the Kvens in Norway, as they were seen as a menace to national security. As a result, they were made to go through a very strict assimilation process from the nineteenth century onwards. After WWII, their situation became somewhat better, but it still left much to be desired, since they were thought to collaborate with the USSR. The wind of change started to blow in 1996, when the Kvens were granted minority status in Norway, and in 2005 the Kven language was recognized as a minority language in Norway.

Effects on Energy Demand in an Office Building Considering Location, Orientation, Façade Design and Internal Heat Gains—A Parametric Study

12.9% of the energy use in the EU originates from the commercial and public sector. It has therefore become a priority to optimize energy efficiency in these buildings. The purpose of this study has been to explore how energy demand in a new office building is affected by different internal heat gains, location, orientation, and façade design, and also to see how different indicators can change perspective on energy efficiency. The study was performed with simulations in IDA-ICE with different façade design and changes in internal heat gains (IHG), orientation, and location. Energy demand was then compared to two different indicators. Using a façade designed to lower solar heat gains had little effect on energy demand in the north of Sweden, but slightly more effect further south. The amount of internal heat gains had significant effect on energy demand. Making deeper studies on design and internal heat gains should therefore be prioritized in the beginning of new building projects so the most energy-efficient design can be chosen. When the indicator kWh/m2 was used, the cases with low internal heat gains were perceived as the most energy efficient, while when kWh/(m2 × hpers) (hpers = hours of use) was used, the cases with high occupancy and low electricity use were considered to be the most energy efficient. Therefore, revising the standardized indicator is of great importance.

Quality variation in comminuted forest fuels delivered during the winter in north Sweden

ABSTRACT Swedish legislation stipulates the precision required for estimates of parameters used to determine the value of various forest fuels. The net energy value of fuel, as it is received, is often used to set the trade price. The estimate of energy content is based on the moisture content of samples taken from each truckload and the weight of the biomass; the ash content and net calorific value are measured a few times each year. Hence, it is necessary to know the variation in moisture content to ensure that a sufficient number of samples are taken, a number based on the allowed variation and precision of estimates, as defined in the legalization. In this study, the variation in moisture content was measured by taking samples from 18 truckloads of comminuted forest fuels during the winter. The results showed that the current sampling regime, i.e., manually taking four samples from each truckload, is sufficient for deliveries with 10 truckloads for logging residue chips and 4 for stem wood chips. The number of samples should be increased to 12–43, 8–21, and, 17–82 depending on assortment for what the measuring act defines as large deliveries (>=50 tonnes; >=3 truckloads), medium-sized deliveries (<50 – >25 tonnes; 2 truckloads) and single truck deliveries (<= 25 tonnes; 1 truckload), respectively. Current research into fast online sampling and analysis methods could resolve this issue for small deliveries.

Politicians’ view on their role in promoting health – developing a questionnaire

Abstract Background Although the political context is recognized as an important determinant of health, there is limited research on politicians' role in health promotion. No fitting questionnaire to study the subject could be identified, therefore a new questionnaire was developed. Methods An inductive approach was used and the first step was semi-structured interviews with six politicians. They represented two different municipalities and four different political parties from different sides of the Swedish political spectrum. The interviews focused on the politicians’ view on their role, responsibility and possibility to promote health. The data was analysed by means of qualitative content analysis. Five categories were created with several sub-categories each. The categories formed the sections of the questionnaire. Statements and questions were created to cover all the sub-categories. The statements were assigned Likert-scales (strongly agree to strongly disagree) for answers and some of the sentences were turned into questions. Lastly, face validity of the questionnaire was tested by the interviewees who filled out the questionnaires, two by thinking aloud as they did and three by filling out the online version of the questionnaire and leaving comments on the questionnaire. Results This resulted in a questionnaire with five sections focused on: Politicians view on health and health promotion; to affect health as a politician; collaboration between actors; the politics of health; the municipality/region organisation and prerequisites. Conclusions The questionnaire opens up for explorative studies on politicians' view on their role, responsibility and possibility to promote health. It is currently being used in a study exploring local and regional politicians in the north of Sweden and their role in health promotion. Key messages Politicians’ view on their role in health promotion is of importance to explore. The developed questionnaire can be used to study politicians’ role in health promotion.

High frequency of intermediary alleles in the HTT gene in Northern Sweden - The Swedish Huntingtin Alleles and Phenotype (SHAPE) study

Trinucleotide (CAG) repeat expansions longer than 39 in the huntingtin (HTT) gene cause Huntington’s disease (HD). The frequency of intermediate alleles (IA) with a length of 27–35 in the general population is not fully known, but studied in specific materials connected to the incidence of HD. The Swedish Huntingtin Alleles and Phenotype (SHAPE) study aims to assess the frequency of trinucleotide repeat expansions in the HTT gene in north Sweden. 8260 individuals unselected for HD from the counties of Norr- and Västerbotten in the north of Sweden were included. DNA samples were obtained and analysis of the HTT gene was performed, yielding data on HTT gene expansion length in 7379 individuals. A high frequency of intermediate alleles, 6.8%, was seen. Also, individuals with repeat numbers lower than ever previously reported (<5) were found. These results suggest a high frequency of HD in the norther parts of Sweden. Subsequent analyses may elucidate the influence of IA:s on traits other than HD.

A multiple risk factor programis associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease in 70-year-olds: A cohort study from Sweden.

In individuals below 65 years of age, primary prevention programs have not been successful in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. However, no large study to our knowledge has previously evaluated the effects of prevention programs in individuals aged 65 years or older. The present cohort study evaluated the risk of CVD in a primary prevention program for community-dwelling 70-year-olds. In 2012-2017, we included 3,613 community-dwelling 70-year-olds living in Umeå, in the north of Sweden, in a health survey and multidimensional prevention program (the Healthy Ageing Initiative [HAI]). Classic risk factors for CVD were evaluated, such as blood pressure, lipid levels, obesity, and physical inactivity. In the current analysis, each HAI participant was propensity-score-matched to 4 controls (n = 14,452) from the general Swedish population using national databases. The matching variables included age, sex, diagnoses, medication use, and socioeconomic factors. The primary outcome was the composite of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and stroke. The 18,065 participants and controls were followed for a mean of 2.5 (range 0-6) years. The primary outcome occurred in 128 (3.5%) HAI participants and 636 (4.4%) controls (hazard ratio [HR] 0.80, 95% CI 0.66-0.97, p = 0.026). In HAI participants, high baseline levels of blood pressure and lipids were associated with subsequent initiation of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering therapy, respectively, as well as with decreases in blood pressure and lipids during follow-up. In an intention-to-treat approach, the risk of the primary outcome was lower when comparing all 70-year-olds in Umeå, regardless of participation in HAI, to 70-year-olds in the rest of Sweden for the first 6 years of the HAI project (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77-0.97, p = 0.014). In contrast, the risk was similar in the 6-year period before the project started (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.93-1.17, p = 0.03 for interaction). Limitations of the study include the observational design and that changes in blood pressure and lipid levels likely were influenced by regression towards the mean. In this study, a primary prevention program was associated with a lower risk of CVD in community-dwelling 70-year-olds. With the limitation of this being an observational study, the associations may partly be explained by improved control of classic risk factors for CVD with the program.

Latviešu valodas kā svešvalodas apguve Āzijā

The Latvian language as a foreign language (LATS) is learned both in Latvia and abroad. It can be done in higher education institutions, as well as in different courses and self-directed learning. Outside Latvia, there are many countries and higher education institutions where it is possible to acquire LATS. In some higher education institutions, the Latvian language has been taught since the beginning of the 20th century. The oldest LATS teaching traditions are in North America, Germany, Sweden, Lithuania and Australia. In some universities, such as Stockholm University, Masaryk University, Saint Petersburg State University, etc., academically strong study programs in Baltic Studies were established. Over time, study programs have been closed for various reasons, at most leaving the Latvian language as an optional course. At some universities, the Latvian language course has been discontinued. Although in some higher education institutions outside Latvia LATS could be acquired starting from the beginning of the 20th century, the most significant interest in the Latvian language was after the restoration of independence of the Republic of Latvia. Then many higher education institutions in Europe established Latvian language and culture study programs. This interest was related to the geopolitical situation. People tried to get to know the post-Soviet countries through the language. When Latvia joined the European Union, interest in the Latvian language decreased in Europe. Nowadays, interest in the Latvian language has increased in Asia, especially in China. In Asia, it is possible to acquire the Latvian language in China and Japan. There are established different Latvian language bachelor programs in universities of China while in Japan the Latvian language is taught for somebody interested in Latvian culture and traditions more than in the Latvian language.

Investigation of the Mould Resistance Design (MRD) model for mould growth in attics

Based on measurements of mould in 17 attics in the north of Sweden, 3 were chosen as a tentative validation of the MRD-model (Mould Resistance Design) for long periods of time (1961-2012). Comparing the measurements and the results from the simulations showed great differences regarding the mould growth depending on the simplifications used in the model. How the leakage was simulated and where the moisture from the leakage was placed in the construction were the most important factors. The study could not validate the MRD model as such, but it was clear that the simulations with relatively small adjustments could give realistic data

Defrosting and Frost Protection Measurements of Heat Recovery in Cold Climate

The installation of technical solutions for heat recovery from the ventilation air is a very important step, both with respect to improving the indoor climate and as an energy-saving measure. Ventilation without heat recovery use a substantial part of an entire building’s heating use, especially if the building is a low energy building. To realize a large implementation of heat recovery property owners must increase their knowledge about how these systems work and they must be able to rely on them functioning properly. The function and performance of a ventilation system when it comes to heat recovery can be a problem as soon as temperatures drop far below zero. When freezing occurs some form of defrosting is required and this can lead to indoor climate problems and to little or no heat recovery being obtained, which will reduce the energy efficiency and, at the same time, may compromise moisture safety. The goal of this project is to increase knowledge about how heat recovery systems for residential buildings with respect to defrosting and frost protection measures in heat exchangers. The knowledge can thereafter be used to develop effective defrosting strategies and frost protection measures so that the energy use and power requirements are minimized. Measurements were performed for heat recovery systems placed in dwellings in north Sweden to investigate occurrence of frost formation. The paper will present these measurements and some comparing simulations which can serve as a basis for further development of good defrosting strategies.

Train-based differential eddy current sensor system for rail fastener detection

One of the crucial components in rail tracks is the rail fastening system, which acts as a means of fixing rails to the sleepers to maintain the track gauge and stability. Manual inspection and 2D visual inspection of fastening systems have predominated over the past two decades. However, both methods have drawbacks when visibility is obscured and are found to be relatively expensive in terms of cost and track possession. The present article presents the concept of a train-based differential eddy current (EC) sensor system for fastener detection. The sensor uses the principle of electromagnetic induction, where an alternating-current-carrying coil is used to create an EC on the rail and other electrically conductive material in the vicinity and a pick-up coil is used to measure the returning field. This paper gives an insight into the theoretical background and application of the proposed differential EC sensor system for the condition monitoring system of rail fasteners and shows experimental results from both laboratory and field measurements. The field measurements were carried out along a heavy-haul railway line in the north of Sweden. Results obtained from both the field measurements and from the lab tests reveal that that the proposed method was able to detect an individual fastening system from a height of 65 mm above the rail. Furthermore, missing clamps within a fastening system are detected by analysing a time domain feature of the measurement signal.

European Union’s Last Intact Forest Landscapes are at A Value Chain Crossroad between Multiple Use and Intensified Wood Production

Research Highlights: The European Union’s last large intact forest landscapes along the Scandinavian Mountain range in Sweden offer unique opportunities for conservation of biodiversity, ecological integrity and resilience. However, these forests are at a crossroad between intensified wood production aimed at bio-economy, and rural development based on multi-functional forest landscapes for future-oriented forest value chains. Background and Objectives: We (1) estimate the area of near-natural forests potentially remaining for forest harvesting and wood production, or as green infrastructure for biodiversity conservation and human well-being in rural areas, (2) review how forest and conservation policies have so far succeeded to reduce the loss of mountain forests, and (3) discuss what economic, socio-cultural and ecological values that are at stake, as well as different governance and management solutions. Materials and Methods: First, we estimated the remaining amount of intact mountain forests using (1) the Swedish National Forest Inventory, (2) protected area statistics, (3) forest harvest permit applications and actually harvested forests, (4) remote sensing wall-to-wall data on forests not subject to clear-felling since the mid-1950s, (5) mapping of productive and non-productive forestland, and (6) estimates of mean annual final felling rate. Second, we review policy documents related to the emergence of land use regulation in north Sweden, including the mountain forest border, and illustrate this with an actual case that has had significant policy implementation importance. Results: There is a clear difference between the proportions of formally protected productive forestland above the mountain forest border (52.5%) and north Sweden in general (6.3%). A total of 300,000 ha of previously not clear-felled mountain forest outside protected areas remain, which can support novel value chains that are not achievable elsewhere. Conclusions: The mountain forests in Sweden provide unique conservation values in the European Union. Since the beginning of the 1990s, policy regulations have been successful in limiting forest harvesting. Currently, however, mountain forests are a battle ground regarding intensification of forest use, including logging of forests that have never been subject to clear-felling systems vs. nature conservation and wilderness as a base for rural development. The ability of mountain municipalities to encourage sustainable rural forest landscapes must be strengthened.

Organizational presence and place: Sociomaterial place work in the Swedish outdoor industry

The purpose of this article is to explore the relation between organizational presence and the place in which such a presence is enacted. To this end I mobilize Doreen Massey’s processual conceptualization of place as an event consisting of a bundle of trajectories. By following the presentification of a Swedish company, Fjällräven, in the natural environment in the North of Sweden during Fjällräven Classic, I show that the organization is not made present in place, but through place production. I propose the concept of place work to express the work done by representatives of the organization, but also by other humans and nonhumans, to make the throwntogetherness of the place result in a rather coherent and stable construction through which the organization is made present. Place work is therefore work through which organizational presence and place are recursively co-creating. The concept of place work expands what we can learn about the “where” of an organization when building on an ontology of performativity.

Identification of Preventable Death and Severe Complications in Train Crashes in Rural and Cold Environment Using a Simulation-Based Model

Introduction:The use of rail transport is increasing in Sweden, as well as within Europe, and train speeds are escalating. These factors contribute to an increasing frequency of train crashes and major crashes so severe that they can be classified as disasters. There is a lack of knowledge concerning factors of importance related to the rescue operation that can influence survival rate at train crashes, especially in cold environments.Aim:The aim was to identify preventable death and severe complications among passengers in a train crash in rural and cold environments using a simulation-based model.Methods:A train crash scenario was developed based on scientific research, crash reports, and lessons observed in incidents. The scenario was set to a train with seven carriages consisting of 150 passengers that derailed in a curve in 160km/h, 10km from the hospital. In Umeå in the north of Sweden, 12 participants from seven emergency/disaster organizations joined in two preparing workshops and a real-time simulation-based train crash. The Emergo Train System (ETS) was chosen as a simulation tool. Data collection such as rescue capacities, response time, and patient surge were collected and transferred into the ETS.Results:The results show 17 preventable death and 9 preventable severe complications since the actions were not implemented in the recommended time.Discussion:The results show that an extended rescue operation can have devastating consequences especially in cold environments. Further experimental simulations are needed with defined interventions to find out how preventable deaths and severe complications can be reduced.

Resurge deposits associated with the shallow marine early Cambrian Vakkejokk impact, north Sweden

AbstractThe lower Cambrian Vakkejokk Breccia is a proximal ejecta layer from a shallow marine impact. It is exposed for ~7 km along a steep mountainside in Lapland, northernmost Sweden. In its central parts, the layer is up to ~27 m thick. Here the breccia shows a vertical differentiation into (1) a lower subunit consisting of strongly deformed target sediments mixed with up to decameter size, mainly crystalline basement clasts (i.e., lower polymict breccia [LPB]); (2) a middle subunit consisting of a polymict, blocky to gravelly breccia, commonly graded (i.e., graded polymict breccia [GPB]), that, in turn, is sporadically overlain by (3) a few dm thick, sandy bed (i.e., top sandstone [TS]). Previous work interpreted the graded beds as deposited by resurging water during early crater modification. We made three short (&lt;1.35 m) core drillings through the graded beds. The line‐logging technique previously used on cores from other marine‐target craters was complemented by logging of equal‐sized cells in photos made along the cores. Granulometry and clast lithology determinations provide further evidence for the top beds of the breccia being resurge deposits. However, the magnitude of this resurge can only be assessed by future deep core drilling of the infill of the crater hidden below the mountain.

Soil frost effects on streamflow recessions in a subarctic catchment

AbstractThe Arctic is warming rapidly. Changing seasonal freezing and thawing cycles of the soil are expected to affect river run‐off substantially, but how soil frost influences river run‐off at catchment scales is still largely unknown. We hypothesize that soil frost alters flow paths and therefore affects storage–discharge relations in subarctic catchments. To test this hypothesis, we used an approach that combines meteorological records and recession analysis. We studied streamflow data (1986–2015) of Abiskojokka, a river that drains a mountainous catchment (560 km2) in the north of Sweden (68° latitude). Recessions were separated into frost periods (spring) and no‐frost periods (summer) and then compared. We observed a significant difference between recessions of the two periods: During spring, discharge was linearly related to storage, whereas storage–discharge relationships in summer were less linear. An analysis of explanatory factors showed that after winters with cold soil temperatures and low snowpack, storage–discharge relations approached linearity. On the other hand, relatively warm winter soil conditions resulted in storage–discharge relationships that were less linear. Even in summer, relatively cold antecedent winter soils and low snowpack levels had a propagating effect on streamflow. This could be an indication that soil frost controls recharge of deep groundwater flow paths, which affects storage–discharge relationships in summer. We interpret these findings as evidence for soil frost to have an important control over river run‐off dynamics. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing significant catchment‐integrated effects of soil frost on this spatiotemporal scale.

Disparities in colorectal cancer between Northern and SouthernSweden – a report from the new RISK North database

Background: Geographic cancer health disparities have been reported in Sweden. The disparities are not fully understood, but may be attributed to differences in exposure to risk factors as well as differences in health care, socioeconomics and demography. The aim of this study was to describe the new nationwide population based RISK North database and its potential by analysing health disparities in colorectal cancer between Northern and Southern Sweden.Methods: Cancer-specific data from the National Cancer Quality Registers for colorectal, gastric and oesophageal cancer and brain tumours were linked to several nationwide registers hereby creating a new database – RISK North. To exemplify the potential of RISK North, we analyzed differences in colorectal cancer incidence, mortality and survival in relation to gender, age, cohabitation and education between Northern and Southern Sweden 2007–2013.Results: In colon cancer, the age-adjusted incidence per 100.000 was lower in Northern than Southern Sweden, 35.9 in the North vs. 41.1 in the South (p < .01); mortality rates were 11.0 vs. 12.2 (p < .01). For rectal cancer, incidence rates were 17.6 vs. 19.7 (p < .01) and mortality rates 5.33 vs. 5.89 (p = .07), respectively. The largest difference in incidence was demonstrated for colon cancer among individuals >79 years old (190. vs. 237, i.e., ∼20%). Survival in colon cancer was higher in Southern Sweden, HR 0.92 (0.87–0.98) adjusted for age, gender, co-habiting, education and m-stage at diagnosis. No difference in survival was seen for rectal cancer.Conclusions: The new RISK North database enabled analysis of cancer disparities between Northern and Southern Sweden. The incidence of colorectal cancer were lower in the North of Sweden whereas colon cancer survival was higher in the South. These differences can be further analysed utilising the RISK North database.

The combined effects of FADS gene variation and dietary fats in obesity-related traits in a population from the far north of Sweden: the GLACIER Study.

BackgroundRecent analyses in Greenlandic Inuit identified six genetic polymorphisms (rs74771917, rs3168072, rs12577276, rs7115739, rs174602, and rs174570) in the fatty acid desaturase gene cluster (FADS1-FADS2-FADS3) that are associated with multiple metabolic and anthropometric traits. Our objectives were to systematically assess whether dietary polyunsaturated fat acid (PUFA) intake modifies the associations between genetic variants in the FADS gene cluster and cardiometabolic traits and to functionally annotate top ranking candidates to estimate their regulatory potential.MethodsData analyses consisted: interaction analyses between the six candidate genetic variants and dietary PUFA intake; gene-centric joint analyses to detect interaction signals in the FADS region; haplotype block-centric joint tests across 30 haplotype blocks in the FADS region to refine interaction signals; functional annotation of top loci. These analyses were undertaken in Swedish adults from the GLACIER Study (N=5,160); data on genetic variation and eight cardiometabolic traits was used.ResultsInteractions were observed between rs174570 and n-6 PUFA intake on fasting glucose (Pint=0.005) and between rs174602 and n-3 PUFA intake on total cholesterol (Pint=0.001). Gene-centric analyses demonstrated a statistically significant interaction effect for FADS and n-3 PUFA on triglycerides (P=0.005) considering genetic main effects as random. Haplotype analyses revealed three blocks (Pint<0.011) that could drive the interaction between FADS and n-3 PUFA on triglycerides; Functional annotation of these regions showed that each block harbours a number of highly functional regulatory variants; FADS2 rs5792235 demonstrated the highest functionality score.ConclusionsThe association between FADS variants and triglycerides may be modified by PUFA intake. The intronic FADS2 rs5792235 variant is a potential causal variant in the region having the highest regulatory potential. However, our results suggest that haplotypes may harbour multiple functional variants in a region, rather than a single variant.