Southern Sweden Research Articles

Retrospective genetic testing (Traceback) in women with early-onset breast cancer after revised national guidelines: a clinical implementation study

PurposeThis study focused on identifying a hereditary predisposition in women previously diagnosed with early-onset breast cancer through a retrospective outreach activity (Traceback). The objectives were to evaluate the possible clinical implementation of a simplified Traceback strategy and to identify carriers of pathogenic variants among previously untested women.MethodsThree hundred and fifteen Traceback-eligible women diagnosed with breast cancer at 36–40 years in Southern Sweden between 2000 and 2019 were identified and offered an analysis of the genes ATM, BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, PALB2, RAD51C, and RAD51D through a standardized letter. Women who chose to participate were asked about their experiences through a questionnaire. The workload for the study personnel was measured and recorded.ResultsOne hundred and seventy-six women underwent genetic testing and pathogenic variants were identified in 9.7%: ATM (n = 6), BARD1 (n = 1), BRCA1 (n = 3), CHEK2 (n = 5), and PALB2 (n = 2). Women with normal test results were informed through a standardized letter. Carriers of pathogenic variants were contacted by telephone and offered in-person genetic counseling. One hundred and thirty-four women returned the subsequent questionnaire. Most study participants were satisfied with both written pre- and post-test information and many expressed their gratitude. The extra workload as compared to routine clinical genetic counseling was modest (8 min per patient).ConclusionThe insights from the participants’ perspectives and sentiments throughout the process support the notion that the Traceback procedure is a safe and an appreciated complement to routine genetic counseling. The genetic yield of almost 10% also suggests that the associated extra workload for genetic counselors could be viewed as acceptable in clinical implementation scenarios.

Landscapes of risk: A comparative analysis of landscape metrics for the ecotoxicological assessment of pesticide risk to bees

Abstract Pesticide use in agricultural landscapes creates environmental contamination that is heterogenous in space and time. Mobile organisms, such as bees, are exposed to multiple contamination sources when visiting patches that vary in the amount, timing and toxicity of pesticides used. Yet, environmental risk assessments (ERA) typically fail to consider this heterogeneity, in part because of the complexities of estimating exposure to different pesticides, and subsequent risk at organism‐relevant scales. We use pesticide assays of 269 bee‐collected pollen samples to understand the spatiotemporal variability of risk across a network of 41 field sites in southern Sweden. Observed bee pesticide risk is calculated based on compound‐specific residue quantifications in pollen and standardized toxicity data. We then compare the ability of three classes of landscape‐scale variables to predict this risk: (1) landscape composition and configuration metrics, (2) landscape load based on national pesticide use data and (3) predictions from a newly developed bee pesticide exposure model. Based on use data, 10 crops account for 81% of the total risk. We detected 49 pesticide compounds in bee‐collected pollen. Although herbicides and fungicides constitute the bulk of detected pesticides, both in frequency and amount quantified, unsurprisingly, insecticides contribute the most to risk. Landscape composition and configuration metrics did not predict observed pesticide risk, and interactions with bee species indicate taxa‐dependency in predictions. Landscape load predicted observed risk consistently between taxa. Risk estimates from our exposure model were strongly predictive but only when considering realized risk (i.e., risk estimates based on prior pesticide use information). Synthesis and applications. Predicting pesticide risk based on landscape patterns could enable landscape‐scale ERA. However, simple metrics of landscape pattern, such as proportion of agricultural land, are not sufficient. We found that risk observed in bee‐collected pollen was best predicted when integrating spatialized pesticide use in the pesticide exposure model, underscoring the importance of such data for research, monitoring and mitigation. Further, we propose a guidance framework for future landscape ecotoxicological risk analyses that clarifies data needs relative to risk prediction goals.

Disease exposure in infancy affects women's reproductive outcomes and offspring health in southern Sweden 1905–2000

Ample evidence demonstrates that early-life adversity negatively affects morbidity and survival in late life. We show that disease exposure in infancy also has a continuous impact on reproduction and health across the female life course and even affects early-life health of the next generation. Using Swedish administrative data, obstetric records, and local infant mortality rates as a measure of disease exposure, we follow women's reproductive careers and offspring health 1905–2000, examining a comprehensive set of outcomes. Women exposed to disease in infancy give birth to a lower proportion of boys, consistent with notions that male fetuses are more vulnerable to adverse conditions and are more often miscarried. Sons of exposed mothers are also more likely to be born preterm and have higher birthweight suggesting in utero out-selection. Exposed women have a greater risk of miscarriage and of male stillbirth, but their overall likelihood of giving birth is not affected.

Polarimetric Measures in Biomass Change Prediction Using ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 Data

The use of multiple synthetic aperture radar polarizations can improve biomass estimations compared to using a single polarization. In this study, we compared predictions of aboveground biomass change from ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 backscatter using linear regression based on (1) the cross-polarization channels, (2) the co- and cross-polarizations from fully polarimetric SAR, (3) Freeman–Durden polarimetric decomposition, and (4) the polarimetric radar vegetation index (RVI). Additionally, the impact of forest structure on the sensitivity of the polarimetric backscatter to AGB and AGB change was assessed. The biomass consisted of mainly coniferous trees at the hemi-boreal test site Remningstorp, located in southern Sweden. We found some improvements in the predictions when quad-polarized data (RMSE = 79.4 tons/ha) were used instead of solely cross-polarized data (RMSE = 84.9 tons/ha). However, when using Freeman–Durden decomposition, the prediction accuracy improved further (RMSE = 69.7 tons/ha), and the highest accuracy was obtained with the radar vegetation index (RMSE = 50.4 tons/ha). The corresponding R2 values ranged from 0.45 to 0.82. The bias was less than 1 t/ha for all models. An analysis of forest variables showed that the sensitivity to AGB was reduced for high values of basal-area-weighted mean height, basal area, and stem density when predicting absolute AGB, but the best change prediction model was sensitive to changes larger than the apparent saturation point for AGB state estimates. We conclude that by using fully polarimetric SAR images, forest biomass changes can be estimated more accurately compared to using single- or dual-polarization images. The results were improved the most (in terms of RMSE and R2) by using the Freeman–Durden decomposition model or the RVI, which captured especially the large changes better.

‘Level the playing field’ – pupils’ experiences of inclusion and social justice in physical education and health

ABSTRACT School physical education and health (PEH) has an important role to play in the physical, cognitive, emotional and social development of young people [Opstoel, K., Chapelle, L., Prins, F. J., De Meester, A., Haerens, L., van Tartwijk, J., & De Martelaer, K. (2020). Personal and social development in physical education and sports: A review study. European Physical Education Review, 26(4), 797–813] which, in turn, can enhance interpersonal relations and help build more socially cohesive and just societies [Benn, T., Dagkas, S., & Jawad, H. (2011). Embodied faith: Islam, religious freedom and educational practices in physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 16(1), 17–34; Smith, W., Philpot, R., Gerdin, G., Schenker, K., Linnér, S., Larsson, L., Mordal Moen, K., & Westlie, K. (2021). School HPE: Its mandate, responsibility and role in educating for social cohesion. Sport, Education and Society, 26(5), 500–513]. Unfortunately, research continues to highlight the inability of PEH to realize these important outcomes and the pervasiveness of practices that instead contribute to exclusion and inequality. The aim of this study was to add our understanding of school PEH practices by exploring pupils’ experiences of inclusion and social justice. Data were generated through a survey, observations, interviews and critical reflective texts. Participants in the study were pupils from three different upper-secondary schools (age 16–19) located in southern Sweden. The analysis of data involved a six-phase thematic analysis approach [Braun, B., & Clarke, V. (2013). Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners. Sage] informed by theories of critical and dialogical pedagogy [Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Seabury]. The results are presented in relation to four central themes: (1) care and relationships, (2) pupil involvement, (3) use of modified and non-traditional activities and spaces; and (4) learning about and acting on social inequities. In order to promote more inclusive and socially just PEH practice, a [Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Seabury] analysis of the pupils’ experiences draws attention to the importance of: establishing horizontal teacher–pupil relationships built on trust and love: engaging pupils in an ongoing dialogue where the pupils practice choice and decision-making with their peers; inviting the pupils into critically reflecting on issues of positionality and power and; pupils learning to act on social inequities. To conclude, the paper calls for future studies where teachers and pupils collaborate to develop PEH practices underpinned by inclusion and social justice.

Analyzing the environmental risk factors of European spruce bark beetle damage at the local scale

The frequent outbreaks of European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus (L.) have destroyed huge amounts of Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) forests in central and Northern Europe. Identifying the risk factors and estimating the damage level is important for strategic damage control. The risk factors of forest damage by spruce bark beetles have mostly been analyzed on the landscape scale, while the in-stand risk factors have been less investigated. This study aims at exploring the local-scale risk factors in a flat area with spruce-dominated forest in southern Sweden. The investigated factors include four abiotic factors, i.e., soil wetness, solar radiation, slope gradient, and aspect, and three biotic factors, i.e., the number of deciduous trees and trees that died from attacks in previous years that remained (TreesLeft) and removed (TreesRemoved) from the forest stand. We put up 24 pheromone bags in six stands attacked by bark beetle in the previous years, resulting in different numbers of infested trees in each plot. We explored in which microenvironment a pheromone bag resulted in more colonization, the impact radius of each factor, and the necessary factors for a risk model. The environmental factors were obtained from remote sensing-based products and images. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used with the environmental factors as the explanatory variables and the damage levels as the response variables, i.e., the number of attacked trees for the plot scale, and healthy/infested for the single-tree scale. Using 50 m and 15 m radius of the environmental factors resulted in the best fit for the model at plot and individual tree scales, respectively. At those radii, the damage risk increased both at plot and individual tree level when spruce were surrounded by more deciduous trees, surrounded by dead trees that had been removed from the forest, and spruces located at the north and east slopes (315°–135° of aspect, > 2° slope). Soil wetness, solar radiation, and remaining standing dead trees in the surrounding did not significantly impact the damage level in the microenvironment of the study area. The GLM risk model yielded an overall accuracy of 0.69 in predicting individual trees being infested or healthy. Our efforts to investigate the risk factors provide a context for wall-to-wall mapping in-stand infestation risks, using remote sensing-based data.

Biomass Production of the Poplar Clone OP42 During the Second Rotation Plantation–The Effects of Four Thinning Treatments

Poplar (Populus species and their hybrids) plantations can produce large amounts of biomass on agricultural land during the first rotation. However, there is limited knowledge regarding plantation re-establishment through re-sprouting (second rotation) after harvest, stand management options for such plantations, and biomass production during rotation length up to 20 years. In this study, we analysed biomass production responses to thinning treatments in an 18-year-old second rotation poplar plantation in Southern Sweden. The first rotation plantation was established with clone OP42 (Populus maximowiczii A. Henry × P. trichocarpa Torr. and Gray). The thinning experiment was conducted seven years after the first rotation harvest, comprising four treatments: unthinned – 6000 stems ha−1, light thinning – 3000 stems ha−1, medium thinning – 1100 stems ha−1, and heavy thinning – 550 stems ha−1. Eleven years after thinning, standing volume/biomass reached 484 m3 ha−1 (162 Mg DM ha−1) in the unthinned and medium thinning plots, 443 m3 ha−1 (148 Mg DM ha−1) in lightly and 338 m3 ha−1 (113 Mg DM ha−1) in heavily thinned plots. The mean annual increment was not different among the unthinned, light, and medium thinnings, 26 m3 ha−1 yr−1 (9 Mg DM ha−1 yr−1). The total production, including living, dead and removed trees, was highest following the medium thinning, 695 m3 ha−1 (233 Mg DM ha−1). Gradual self-thinning in the unthinned and lightly thinned plots was increased by a drought period. Overall, this study suggests that the second rotation of poplar plantations has high biomass production and provides an alternative to planting after harvest.

Coping with darkness: residents’ experience of reduced outdoor lighting in neighbourhoods

Despite ongoing replacement of old lighting installations with new energy-efficient light emitting diodes, the energy crisis has led to the implementation of strategies for reducing energy use for public outdoor lighting in neighbourhood environments. This would save money and reduce light pollution; however, the situations should be evaluated from the residents’ perspective. This paper presents a pilot study, which aimed to explore how residents experience and respond to reduced outdoor lighting in their neighbourhoods during dark hours, by applying the adapted Human-Environment Interaction model to understand the relation between outdoor lighting quality, neighbourhood quality and local independent mobility from the residents’ perspective. The pilot study was based on a short questionnaire (N =76, 29 males, 47 females, Mage = 66.66 years) and telephone or online interviews (N = 13, 5 males, 8 females, Mage = 68.08 years) with the residents living in the neighbourhood areas, in Southern Sweden, where strategies were employed for reducing the use of public outdoor lighting. Data were collected between February and March 2023. Overall, the results affirmed the important role of outdoor lighting quality in residents’ experience of neighbourhood environments and local independent mobility (i.e. the ability of residents to walk or move around on their own in their neighbourhood area), whereas the effect of reduced outdoor lighting was rather insignificant. The interviews further showed different experiences of the reduced outdoor lighting and how the residents coped with the lighting conditions by using solutions (i.e. headlamps, flashlights, bike lamps and reflectors), and that high-level perceived safety from crime in the neighbourhoods was found to play an important role in local independent mobility during dark hours. The adapted conceptual model allowed for the evaluation of outdoor lighting conditions considering both internal and external factors from the residents’ perspective, and could provide a basis for discussion about potential changes in public outdoor lighting.

Campylobacter Infections With and Without Bacteremia: A Comparative Retrospective Population-Based Study.

Bacteremia with species in the genus Campylobacter is rare, and knowledge of the disease course in comparison with Campylobacter enteritis is limited. This is a retrospective population-based study. Episodes of Campylobacter bacteremia and Campylobacter enteritis with a concurrent negative blood culture result that occurred between 2015 and 2022 in southern Sweden were identified through the laboratory database. Medical records were reviewed, and clinical features between patients with bacteremic Campylobacter infections were compared with patients with Campylobacter spp found in feces. The study included 29 bacteremic infections with Campylobacter and 119 cases of Campylobacter spp found in feces. Patients with Campylobacter bacteremia were significantly older than those with enteritis (72 years [IQR, 58-62] vs 58 years [IQR, 33-67], P < .0001). Eleven patients with bacteremia developed sepsis within 48 hours from blood culturing, and no patient died within 30 days from hospital admission. Campylobacter bacteremia is rare and occurs mainly in the elderly with comorbidities. In comparison with Campylobacter infections limited to the gastrointestinal tract, patients with bacteremic Campylobacter infections are older and seem more prone to develop sepsis. Classical gastroenteritis symptoms in bacteremic cases with Campylobacter may be absent.

Carbon isotope values of hazelnut shells: a new proxy for canopy density

Hazel (Corylus avellana) has been abundant in the vegetation of northern and central Europe since the early Holocene and has provided food and materials for humans ever since. Here we use stable carbon isotope (δ13C) values of hazelnut shells to infer woodland openness based on the premise of the “canopy effect”. It is well established that plants growing in dense, shaded forests have lower carbon isotope (δ13C) values than plants growing in open areas. By measuring δ13C values in hazelnuts collected from trees growing in different levels of light intensity, we show that the canopy effect is preserved in hazelnuts and that their δ13C values can be used to infer woodland openness in the past. We apply the method to hazelnuts recovered from sites dated to between the Mesolithic and Iron Age (c. 7000 BCE−1000 CE) in southern Sweden. Our results show that the nuts dated to the Mesolithic were harvested from hazels growing in a range of closed to open settings while nuts from subsequent periods were harvested from progressively more open environments. Given the abundance of hazelnuts recovered from many archaeological contexts, this method has the potential to reconstruct the microhabitats exploited by humans in the past and explore the impact of humans on their environment.

How common is otogenic meningitis? A retrospective study in southern Sweden over 18years.

Bacterial meningitis is a rare, but life-threatening disease, which sometimes occurs as a complication to acute otitis media (AOM). The proportion of meningitis cases originating from AOM is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the proportion of meningitis cases caused by AOM, to compare risk factors, bacteriology and outcome between otogenic and non-otogenic meningitis, and to analyse the incidence of bacterial meningitis after the introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines (PCV). The medical charts of all patients admitted to hospitals in southern Sweden with bacterial meningitis between 2000 and 2017 were retrieved. Based on otoscopy and/or imaging, the proportion of otogenic meningitis cases was calculated, as were annual incidences. A total of 216 patients were identified, 25 of whom died. The proportion of otogenic meningitis was 31% but varied from 6% among teenagers to 40% among adults. Before PCV, 23% of all meningitis cases were children < 2years, compared to 1% post-PCV. The average incidence in the adult population, on the other hand, increased post-PCV, though there were large annual variations. S. pneumoniae was the most commonly identified pathogen in everyone but teenagers, in whom N. meningitidis was predominant. AOM is an important cause of meningitis in children and adults. Though bacterial meningitis almost disappeared in children < 2years after the introduction of PCV, the incidence of pneumococcal meningitis in adults seems to have increased.

Validation of the Super-Brief Pathological Narcissism Inventory (SB-PNI) among Swedish adolescents

This study examines the psychometric structure and properties of the Swedish version of the Super-Brief Pathological Narcissism Inventory (SB-PNI) among adolescents. In order to ensure the validity and feasibility of the measure, we examined the factor structure, measurement invariance across gender, age and ethnicity, and construct validity in relation to a number of correlates of narcissism in adolescence. Data were drawn from a large cross-sectional survey conducted in 35 schools in southern Sweden. The sample consisted of N = 5313 adolescents (Mage = 16.10 SD = 1.55) with 52.2% girls, 45.9% boys and 1.8% adolescents with unspecified gender, from compulsory and upper secondary schools in southern Sweden. The results showed that the measure holds a two-factor structure, suggesting the use of the subscales grandiosity and vulnerability separately, rather than as a unidimensional measure. The correlated factors grandiosity and vulnerability yielded full configural and metric invariance across gender, age, and ethnicity. Both grandiosity and vulnerability were correlated with externalizing and internalizing symptoms, as well as with low self-esteem. The study provides evidence for the utility of the SB-PNI among Swedish adolescents and indicates that the measure can be used across male and female adolescents of different ages and ethnic groups.

We could help them in many ways. Health coaches’ experiences from targeted health dialogues with 70-year-olds: a qualitative study

BackgroundTargeted health dialogues (THDs) have been implemented in primary care in many Swedish regions in an attempt to prevent cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. A THD is a counselling meeting with a specially educated health dialogue coach. It is preceded by blood tests (cholesterol, plasma glucose), blood pressure measuring, anthropometric measures, and a lifestyle questionnaire. Health advice is given based on an illustrative health profile. In southern Sweden, all 40- and 50-year-olds are invited to a THD. Recently, a pilot project with similar THDs for 70-year-olds was performed at 14 healthcare centers. The aim of the present study was to examine the health dialogue coaches’ experiences of THDs in 70-year-olds.MethodsSixteen of 22 coaches consented to participate in the study. Twelve of 14 healthcare centers were represented. Data were collected through three focus groups, and two individual interviews, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, thereafter analyzed inspired by systematic text condensation. The researchers conducted the analyses separately, whereafter differences were discussed until consensus was reached.ResultsSupport from all co-workers at the healthcare center and time for planning and reflection were mentioned as success factors for the implementation of THDs. The lifestyle questionnaire was perceived to be a bit too extensive for 70-year-olds, especially regarding physical activity and diet. Waist-hip ratio was perceived as a problematic measure. In particular, women often had high values despite a lean body composition and low BMI. Many coaches believed that the 70-year-old participants belonged to the healthier part of the population, and they also had the impression that there was a lower participation rate among immigrants, possibly due to language difficulties. The coaches enjoyed the THDs and believed that the 70-year-olds appreciated them as well. The THDs provided an opportunity to discuss not only cardiovascular risk factors but health issues and life in general.ConclusionsThe health dialogue coaches valued THDs with 70-year-olds highly, but minor adaptations of the information given, questionnaire and health profile were suggested in what the coaches thought could increase participation and facilitate the dialogues with this age group.

Capillary leak syndrome was associated with more severe multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This population-based study investigated the occurrence of capillary leak syndrome (CLS) in children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), associated with COVID-19. We also examined associations between CLS and MIS-C disease severity. All eligible individuals aged 0-18 years, who were diagnosed with MIS-C in Skåne, southern Sweden, from 1 April 2020 to 31 July 2021, were studied. They were all included in the Pediatric Rheumatology Quality Register and clinical and laboratory data were compared between patients with and without CLS. We included 31 patients (61% male) with MIS-C in the study. The median age at diagnosis was 10.6 years (range 1.99-17.15) and 45% developed CLS. All six patients who required intensive care had CLS. Patients with CLS also had a higher incidence of reduced cardiac function, measured as low ejection fraction. The CLS group exhibited significantly higher C-reactive protein values (p < 0.001) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels (p < 0.001), as well as lower platelet counts (p = 0.03), during the first week of treatment. Individuals with CLS also received more intense immunosuppression. CLS was a common complication of MIS-C in our study and these patients had a more severe disease course that required more intensive treatment.

Ventifacts and wind deflation surfaces in context with glaciofluvial sediment successions in southern Sweden – Their age and implication for glacial history

Recent suggestions propose that the glacial landscape in southern Sweden is primarily a relict from the Saalian glaciation (>130 ka). The arguments for this standpoint are the assertion that the majority of glaciofluvial deposits in this region are till-covered, and that wind-abraded clasts are observed at the contact between glaciofluvial sediments and till at numerous locations. Furthermore, it has been posited that this wind abrasion occurred during periglacial conditions during the Early Weichselian, preceding the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). If this hypothesis holds true, it would necessitate a significant shift in our understanding of the Quaternary geological history for this region. To test this claim, we conducted an extensive examination of the purported stratigraphic conditions within 54 gravel pits situated south of the Middle Swedish End Moraine Zone (MSEMZ). The presence of a covering till bed on top of glaciofluvial sediments could only be confirmed in 22% of the gravel pits, and these sites were almost exclusively associated with ice-margin standstills/oscillations during the Late Weichselian deglaciation. In all other gravel pits where covering till could not be verified, ventifacts occur in several stratigraphic positions: at the contact between glaciofluvial and overlying littoral sediment, redeposited ventifacts within littoral sediment, and ventifacts at the contact between glaciofluvial or littoral sediments and overlying aeolian sediment. We conducted an extensive luminescence dating program (comprising 74 samples) in 22 of the gravel pits to determine the age of the ventification by dating underlying and overlying sediments. We conclude that wind abrasion across southern Sweden was not a single simultaneous event but rather a time-transgressive or recurrent process. It occurred in close conjunction with local deglaciation in some instances, while in others, it transpired later, extending into the Early Holocene. Notably, none of the encountered ventifact surfaces are of a pre-LGM age. For sites along the west coast, the evidence indicates a first wind abrasion event during periglacial conditions roughly between 17 and 16 ka. In upland sites, ventifact formation either occurred immediately after deglaciation, during the Bølling−Allerød interstadial complex (14.7−12.8 ka), or during the Younger Dryas. Even though the ice margin was situated far to the north of these sites during the latter event, concurrent patterned ground formation suggests a harsh climate with reduced vegetation cover, leading to sand drift and ventifact formation in both coastal and upland areas. In some locations, the sand drift and subsequent aeolian sediment deposition persisted into the Early Holocene. Based on our stratigraphic investigations and dates, we reject the idea that southern Sweden's glacial landscape was shaped primarily during the Saalian.

Embodied navigation: the influence of lived experience on physical activity and sedentary behavior among older adults

ABSTRACT Purpose The impact of a sedentary lifestyle on health and well-being is well recognized. However, there is limited understanding of how a lifetime of physical activity and sedentary behaviour influences an active lifestyle in older adults. The aim of this study was to describe how lived experience of physical activity and sedentary behaviour impacts daily activities among older adults, from a life course perspective. Methods Qualitative content analysis was used; individual telephone interviews were conducted with fourteen older adults aged 71 to 92 years. The participants received initial support from community care and lived in ordinary housing in southern Sweden. Results The interviews yielded one theme, “Navigating with an embodied activity compass,” and two sub-themes: “Being guided by the past” and “Unveiling pathways through body awareness.” Conclusions Our study highlights how older adults’ lived experiences of physical activity, with their connections to body awareness and acceptance, impact daily physical activity. These findings offer new knowledge for clinical practitioners balancing recommendations of sedentary behaviour and physical activity, to promote healthy daily physical activity among older adults. Future research and policies should consider the lived experiences of older adults when addressing public health matters related to sedentary behaviour and physical activity.

A Machine Learning Approach to Simulation of Mallard Movements

Machine learning (ML) is increasingly used in diverse fields, including animal behavior research. However, its application to ambiguous data requires careful consideration to avoid uncritical interpretations. This paper extends prior research on ringed mallards where sensors revealed their movements in southern Sweden, particularly in areas with small lakes. The primary focus is to distinguish the movement patterns of wild and farmed mallards. While well-known statistical methods can capture such differences, ML also provides opportunities to simulate behaviors outside of the core study span. Building on this, this study applies ML techniques to simulate these movements, using the previously collected data. It is crucial to note that unrefined application of ML can lead to incomplete or misleading outcomes. Challenges in the data include disparities in swimming and flying records, farmed mallards’ biased data due to feeding points, and extended intervals between data points. This research highlights these data challenges, while identifying discernible patterns, as well as proposing approaches to meet such challenges. The key contribution lies in separating incompatible data and, through different ML models, handle these separately to enhance the reliability of the simulation models. This approach ensures a more credible and nuanced understanding of mallard movements, demonstrating the importance of critical analysis in ML applications in wildlife studies.

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of biopsy-confirmed adult-onset IgA vasculitis in southern Sweden

ObjectiveImmunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgAV) is the most prevalent primary childhood vasculitis in Sweden, but is considerably rarer in adults. This study aims to describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics and renal...

Tracking Centimeter‐Scale Water Level Changes in Swedish Lakes Using D‐InSAR

AbstractLakes are valuable water resources that support aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and supply fresh water for the agricultural, industrial, and urban sectors worldwide. Although water levels should be tracked to monitor these services, conventional gauging is unfeasible in most lakes. This study applies Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (D‐InSAR) to estimate small water level changes, less than 2 cm, in Swedish lakes over 6‐day intervals. We validated the method across the shores of 30 Swedish lakes with gauged observations in 2019. We used Sentinel‐1A/B images with a 6‐day temporal separation to construct consecutive interferograms and accumulated the phase changes in pixels of high coherence to build a time series of water levels. We find that the accumulated phase change obtained by D‐InSAR replicates the magnitude of water levels in seven lakes in Southern Sweden, where water levels change slowly, less than 2 cm per 6‐day period, as validated by in‐situ gauges. In addition, this study demonstrates the application of D‐InSAR to estimate the long‐term direction of water level change (i.e., increase or decrease) in all 30 lakes. This work reveals the utility of high temporal resolution water level observations in support of other satellite water level instruments such as conventional altimeters and the recently launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography Mission.

Temperature Adaptation of Aquatic Bacterial Community Growth Is Faster in Response to Rising than to Falling Temperature

Bacteria are key organisms in energy and nutrient cycles, and predicting the effects of temperature change on bacterial activity is important in assessing global change effects. A changing in situ temperature will affect the temperature adaptation of bacterial growth in lake water, both long term in response to global change, and short term in response to seasonal variations. The rate of adaptation may, however, depend on whether temperature is increasing or decreasing, since bacterial growth and turnover scale with temperature. Temperature adaptation was studied for winter (in situ temperature 2.5 °C) and summer communities (16.5 °C) from a temperate lake in Southern Sweden by exposing them to a temperature treatment gradient between 0 and 30 °C in ~ 5 °C increments. This resulted mainly in a temperature increase for the winter and a decrease for the summer community. Temperature adaptation of bacterial community growth was estimated as leucine incorporation using a temperature Sensitivity Index (SI, log growth at 35 °C/4 °C), where higher values indicate adaptation to higher temperatures. High treatment temperatures resulted in higher SI within days for the winter community, resulting in an expected level of community adaptation within 2 weeks. Adaptation for the summer community was also correlated to treatment temperature, but the rate of adaption was slower. Even after 5 weeks, the bacterial community had not fully adapted to the lowest temperature conditions. Thus, during periods of increasing temperature, the bacterial community will rapidly adapt to function optimally, while decreasing temperature may result in long periods of non-optimal functioning.