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Common mental disorders are associated with long‐term sick leave, especially among women. There is a lack of theory‐based research regarding the impact of personal factors on return to work and psychological well‐being. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether return‐to‐work beliefs and perceived health were predictors of return to work and psychological well‐being among women during or after long‐term sick leave for common mental disorders, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. This was a prospective cohort study with a 1‐year follow‐up. At baseline, women (n = 282) had been on full‐ or part‐time sick leave for common mental disorders for 2–24 months. Data were collected in October 2019–January 2020 and October 2020–January 2021 in Sweden. The Social Insurance Agency identified the women at baseline. The Return‐To‐Work Beliefs Questionnaire, EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale and General Health Questionnaire‐12 were used. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted. The women were divided into two groups: full‐time sick leave or part‐time sick leave at baseline. The results showed that stronger return‐to‐work intention significantly predicted return to work among women on full‐time sick leave at baseline. No significant predictors of return to work were found among women on part‐time sick leave at baseline. Psychological well‐being was predicted by stronger social pressure to return to work (full‐time group) and a more positive attitude toward returning to work and better perceived health (part‐time group). We concluded that the Theory of Planned Behaviour can be useful for understanding return to work among women on full‐time sick leave, and what underlies psychological well‐being in both groups. However, return to work and psychological well‐being were predicted by different factors, indicating that a multifactorial approach should be used in supporting women to return to work after long‐term sick leave for common mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore how persons with systemic mastocytosis (SM) described the time between the onset of symptoms and signs and getting the diagnosis. Background: SM is a rare disease caused by the accumulation of clonal mast cells with abnormal function. The symptoms and signs of the disease are varied, often diffuse and affect individuals differently. Due to this complexity, a multi-disciplinary diagnostic approach is required, in which general practitioners play an important part in identifying and referring patients relevant for such investigations. Methods: Sixteen persons with SM were interviewed about their experiences of the time before the diagnosis was received. Systematic text condensation was used in the analysis process. Findings: The time between symptom and signs onset and diagnosis was perceived as difficult. SM often had a complex and unpredictable effect on a person's daily life, long before diagnosis. In the analysis, three themes were found. Having symptoms and signs with an unknown cause included the participants' descriptions of numerous symptoms and signs, often years before diagnosis. These could be severe and result in worries for both participants and their next-of-kin. Dealing with the symptoms and signs encompassed the different ways in which the participants coped with the symptoms and signs, and sought relief. Being a patient without a diagnosis underlined the lack of information and knowledge within healthcare, often resulting in a delayed or incorrect diagnosis. The study highlighted the importance of a person-centred approach and the need to increase knowledge of the disease within primary care, to shorten this stressful and vulnerable time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the once seemingly constant yet constantly moving Arctic sea ice as inspiration, this article reflects on how individuals and societies can navigate the ruptures in our expectations about a predictable future caused by climate change. With insights from scientific assessments of adaptation and resilience in the Arctic, it describes various facets of a resource landscape for addressing the challenges brought by the new reality of a warmer and more unpredictable world. In focus is the central role of people, including their learning processes and ability to cooperate. It furthermore emphasizes that futures and values are the outcome of social processes, not predetermined, and thus in the hands of those who engage in shaping them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The process of return to work is complex. Knowledge is scarce regarding the experiences from co-workers and employers about this process. Aim: To explore and describe how co-workers and managers experience the return to work process involving a colleague with stroke who is participating in a person-centred rehabilitation programme focusing on return to work including a work trial. Material and methods: Seven co-workers and four managers were interviewed during the work trial of a colleague with stroke. Results: Being a co-worker or manager was related to various challenging experiences; the emotional challenge of being a supportive co-worker or manager, the challenging experience of having too much responsibility, and the challenge of being supportive despite a lack of knowledge. Conclusions: The participants placed value on having support from the coordinator for handling different challenges, but despite this they experienced difficulties in being a valuable support. The limited time of work trial and occasional lack of support from the employer were aggravating aspects. Significance: This study highlights the importance of establishing a commitment between the employer and all involved actors in the initial phase in order to create the best possibilities for a fruitful return to work process, including work trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seminal 1983 “Ferments in the Field” collection made limited reference to environmental issues and concerns. Considering communication media and technological artifacts as both nature and culture and, more specifically, through defining media as both infrastructural environments and content, we discuss how challenges brought about by environmental change can inform contemporary media and communication research and environmental communication. The materiality of e-waste, which has resonance for cultural, political, economic, and geographic analyses, is used as an illuminating case in point. We link the implications ensuing from the e-waste issue with the roles mediation and communication of environmental narratives play, and how they can be informed by such “medianatures,” as well as geopolitical considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media play a major role in framing key political issues such as climate change, and the melting of the Arctic snow and ice has become a bellweather of global climate change through the mediations of the region and its wildlife. While Arctic change has scientific significance for understanding global warming, it also plays a key role in the popular communication of global climate change and its impacts. This article addresses questions such as how the Arctic and its sea ice have become become powerful images of climate change, and what roles scientific activities, technologies, and networks play in relation to media and mediation. Drawing upon earlier research on the role of the media and framing in relation to climate change in general and upon Arctic climate change in particular, we explore how media framings are linked with various dynamics such as scientific practice and the institutional structure of the media system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate which demographic and clinical factors were associated with psychological wellbeing in working-aged people in multimodal rehabilitation for musculoskeletal disorders. 116 participants met the criteria for inclusion: persistent or intermittent pain for at least three months; pain that adversely impacts daily life; potential for active change despite pain; no co-morbidity or condition that will hinder participation in the rehabilitation program. Primary outcome was psychological wellbeing and independent measures were general, physical and mental health, pain intensity, limitations in daily life, depression and sleep. The results show decreased odds of psychological wellbeing for persons rating high on depression. The results remained significant after adjusting for sex and age. Being a woman increased the odds of high psychological wellbeing. Logistic regression showed that psychological wellbeing was not significantly associated with pain intensity; sleep; functional limitations; general, physical, or mental health. None of the other independent variables was significantly associated with high vs. low psychological wellbeing. Depression turned out to be significantly related to psychological wellbeing, contrary to pain and limitations in daily life. If further studies with larger, random samples can confirm these results, this knowledge may be important both in clinical settings and in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:In Sweden, less than 50% of those getting stroke in working age return to work (RTW). Effective rehabilitation programmes need to be developed and therapeutic aspects understood. Aim:To explore and describe how persons with stroke experience their RTW process while participating in a person-centred rehabilitation programme focusing on RTW. Materials and methods:Seven persons with mild or moderate stroke were interviewed twice during the intervention in the vocational training phase using semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using grounded theory. Results:Having a coordinator by their side gave support and guidance during the RTW process. Knowledge of stroke, strategies and a straightforward communication created a structure for the RTW process. Expressing one’s own wishes increased opportunities to influence and decide which path to follow in order to reach the goal. Conclusion:Straightforward, open and recurring communication facilitated the possibility to adapt to the situation. These aspects increased insight and awareness which facilitated the RTW process. Significance:The findings indicate that a precondition for a fruitful RTW process was that suitable platforms at work were created in which the actors involved could cooperate. This knowledge might also be valuable in the RTW process for people with other diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Arctic is changing rapidly, and there are many indications that the region is in the midst of transformational change. While some of the focus relates to impacts of climate change, rapid economic development and the potential for shifts in political and social structures in the region have also been in the limelight. This article looks at the circumpolar Arctic as a potential case of a regime shift in a large-scale socialecological system that includes reinforcing feedbacks. A special focus is placed on governance structures, as these play an important role in social negotiations on the relationship between societies and the environment. While climate change is often portrayed as a driver of social change in the Arctic, it does not appear that the ongoing changes in the biophysical features of the Arctic region have rocked current circumpolar governance structures out of kilter. On the contrary, the ongoing climate-related changes, in particular sea ice decline, appear to have reinforced political commitment to existing legal structures. Major past social regime shifts have mainly been related to access to resources and national identity ideology, with political dynamics reinforced at times by military security considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of law in the management of the Baltic Sea, with focus on eutrophication. It aims to identify legal instruments or structures realizing an ecosystem approach. This also includes a discussion of the prerequisites of law as contributor to ecosystem-based management (EBM), as well as evaluation of current legal instruments. While ecosystem approach to environmental management is central to contemporary environmental management policy, it is still unclear what such an approach entails in concrete legal terms. The scope of the analysis stretches from international and EU legal regimes, to implementation and regulation within the national legal systems. A conclusion is that the management structures need further development to properly realize EBM, for example, through concretization of management measures, and clarification of duties and responsibilities for their realization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among staff working in elderly care, a considerable proportion lack formal competence for their work. Lack of formal competence, in turn, has been linked to higher staff ratings of stress symptoms, sleep disturbances and workload. Objectives: 1) To describe the strengths and weaknesses of an e-assessment and subsequent e-training program used among elderly care staff who lack formal competence and 2) to study the effects of an e-training program on staff members' working life (quality of care and psychological and structural empowerment) and well-being (job satisfaction and psychosomatic health). The hypothesis was that staff who had completed the e-assessment and the e-training program would rate greater improvements in working life and well-being than would staff who had only participated in the e-assessments. Methods: An intervention study with a mixed-methods approach using quantitative (2010-2011) and qualitative data (2011) was conducted in Swedish elderly care. Participants included a total of 41 staff members. To describe the strengths and weaknesses of the e-assessment and the e-training program, qualitative data were gathered using semi-structured interviews together with a study-specific questionnaire. To study the effects of the intervention, quantitative data were collected using questionnaires on: job satisfaction, psychosomatic health, psychological empowerment, structural empowerment and quality of care in an intervention and a comparison group. Results: Staff who completed the e-assessments and the e-training program primarily experienced strengths associated with this approach. The results were also in line with our hypotheses: Staff who completed the e-assessment and the e-training program rated improvements in their working life and well-being. Conclusion: Use of the e-assessments and e-training program employed in the present study could be one way to support elderly care staff who lack formal education by increasing their competence; increased competence, in turn, could improve their self-confidence, working life, and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among staff working in elderly care, a considerable proportion lack formal competence for their work. Lack of formal competence, in turn, has been linked to higher staff ratings of stress symptoms, sleep disturbances and workload. Objectives: 1) To describe the strengths and weaknesses of an e-assessment and subsequent e-training program used among elderly care staff who lack formal competence and 2) to study the effects of an e-training program on staff members’ working life (quality of care and psychological and structural empowerment) and well-being (job satisfaction and psychosomatic health). The hypothesis was that staff who had completed the e-assessment and the e-training program would rate greater improvements in working life and well-being than would staff who had only participated in the e-assessments. Methods: An intervention study with a mixed-methods approach using quantitative (2010–2011) and qualitative data (2011) was conducted in Swedish elderly care. Participants included a total of 41 staff members. To describe the strengths and weaknesses of the e-assessment and the e-training program, qualitative data were gathered using semi-structured interviews together with a study-specific questionnaire. To study the effects of the intervention, quantitative data were collected using questionnaires on: job satisfaction, psychosomatic health, psychological empowerment, structural empowerment and quality of care in an intervention and a comparison group. Results: Staff who completed the e-assessments and the e-training program primarily experienced strengths associated with this approach. The results were also in line with our hypotheses: Staff who completed the e-assessment and the e-training program rated improvements in their working life and well-being. Conclusion: Use of the e-assessments and e-training program employed in the present study could be one way to support elderly care staff who lack formal education by increasing their competence; increased competence, in turn, could improve their self-confidence, working life, and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: Health care providers, especially registered nurses (RNs), are a professional group with a high risk of musculoskeletal pain (MSP). This longitudinal study contributes to the literature by describing the prevalence and change in MSP, work-related factors, personal factors, self-reported pain, disability and sick leave (>7 days) among RNs working in a Swedish hospital over a 3-year period. Further, results concerning prediction of pain, disability and sick leave from baseline to a 3-year follow-up are reported. Method: In 2003, a convenience sample of 278 RNs (97.5% women, mean age 43 years) completed a questionnaire. In 2006, 244 RNs (88% of the original sample) were located, and 200 (82%) of these completed a second questionnaire. Results: Logistic regression analyses revealed that pain, disability and sick leave at baseline best predicted pain, disability, and sick leave at follow-up. The personal factors self-rated health and sleep quality during the last week predicted pain at follow-up, while age, self-rated health, and considering yourself as optimist or pessimist predicted disability at follow-up, however weakly. None of the work-related factors contributed significantly to the regression solution. Conclusions: The results support earlier studies showing that a history of pain and disability is predictive of future pain and disability. Attention to individual factors such as personal values may be needed in further research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of the present study was to provide information about factors related to long-duration pain (LDP) (>3 months), sick leave (SL) and long sick leave (LSL) (>3 months) among staff in the community health services. The specific research question was: To what extent do data on activity, physical function, pain severity, psychological/cognitive factors, expectations of LDP, expectations to be working within 6 months and work satisfaction predict LDP, SL and LSL respectively? Logistic regression analyses were used to test predicted membership in the groups LDP, SL and LSL. In this context prediction refers to statistical prediction only, due to the cross-sectional design. Staff (n = 914) in the public health services in a medium-sized Swedish city completed a questionnaire during the spring of 2000. The results show that musculoskeletal pain and SL for this occupational group are common. Pain severity, expectations of LDP and fear-avoidance increased the odds of being in the LDP group, while kinesiophobia decreased the odds. Pain severity and kinesiophobia increased the odds of being in the SL group, while expectations to be working in 6 months decreased the odds. Only expectations to be working in 6 months predicted membership in the LSL group, decreasing the odds. Although some caution is warranted concerning the representativity of the sample, the results indicate that expectations about pain duration and ability to work are important psychosocial factors in LDP and LSL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental evolution is a powerful approach to study the dynamics and mechanisms of bacterial niche specialization. By serial passage in mice, we evolved 18 independent lineages of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 and examined the rate and extent of adaptation to a mainly reticuloendothelial host environment. Bacterial mutation rates and population sizes were varied by using wild-type and DNA repair-defective mutator (mutS) strains with normal and high mutation rates, respectively, and by varying the number of bacteria intraperitoneally injected into mice. After <200 generations of adaptation all lineages showed an increased fitness as measured by a faster growth rate in mice (selection coefficients 0.11-0.58). Using a generally applicable mathematical model we calculated the adaptive mutation rate for the wild-type bacterium to be >10-6/cell/generation, suggesting that the majority of adaptive mutations are not simple point mutations. For the mutator lineages, adaptation to mice was associated with a loss of fitness in secondary environments as seen by a reduced metabolic capability. During adaptation there was no indication that a high mutation rate was counterselected. These data show that S. typhimurium can rapidly and extensively increase its fitness in mice but this niche specialization is, at least in mutators, associated with a cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymorphisms in the rifampin resistance mutation frequency (f) were studied in 696 Escherichia coli strains from Spain, Sweden, and Denmark. Of the 696 strains, 23% were weakly hypermutable (4 × 10-8 ≤ f < 4 × 10-7), and 0.7% were strongly hypermutable (f ≥ 4 × 10-7). Weak mutators were apparently more frequent in southern Europe and in blood isolates (38%) than in urinary tract isolates (25%) and feces of healthy volunteers (11%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents news items relating to environmental law in Sweden compiled as of July 2004. Environmental Protection Agency's issuance of a regulation concerning emissions to air of SO2, NO2 and dust from combustion plants; Chemicals Inspectorate's issuance of some amendments to Regulation 1998:8 on chemical and biotechnical products; Swedish Radiation Protection Authority's issuance of a new regulation on planning for and during decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

Lack of neonatal angiotensin II type-1 receptor stimulation produces irreversible abnormalities of renal function and morphology, which can be prevented by simultaneous administration of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Given the fact that growth hormone (GH) is the strongest secretagogue for IGF-I, we wanted to explore whether GH could reproduce the effect of IGF-I. Rats were treated from 3 to 13 days of age with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril (10 mg/kg/day) and GH (4 mg/kg/day), alone or in combination. Renal gene expression of IGF-I and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP) was determined during and after treatment. Renal function and morphology were investigated at adult age. In contrast to the beneficial effect of IGF-I, GH treatment in combination with enalapril further deteriorated both renal function and morphology as compared with enalapril treatment alone, demonstrating: reduced glomerular filtration rate, increased tubular dilation and further expansion of the outer medulla. Enalapril decreased medullary expression of IGF-I and increased renal expression of IGFBP-1, changes that were not affected by concomitant GH treatment. These findings indicate that GH and IGF-I have different roles in the renin-angiotensin system-mediated kidney development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates whether insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I treatment attenuates renal abnormalities induced by neonatal angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition in rats. Urinary concentrating ability, renal function, and renal morphology; Somatic growth in neonatal rats; Renal histology.

Presents information on a study which investigated insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I) treatment in renal abnormalities induced by neonatal angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition. Information on neonatal ACE; Methodology; Results of the study; Beneficial effect of IGF-I administration.

Investigates renal adaptation to dietary sodium restriction and loading in rats treated neonatally with enalapril. Metabolic balance studies; Renal function and hemodynamics; Renal histology; Sodium chloride preference; Plasma sodium and osmolality during sodium loading; Skeletal muscle potassium.

Discusses the how the renal adaptation to dietary sodium restriction and loading in rats have treated neonatally with enalapril. Information on the neonatal treatment of rats; Assessment of sodium and potassium balance; Reference materials and methodology used.

Presents a chemostat study conducted by correlating glycolytic flux with adenosine triphosphate concentration in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Investigation of the levels of intracellular nucleotides and glycolytic enzymes at different glycopytic fluxes; Determination of whether there is a correlation between any of these concentrations; How changes in catabolic flux affected the accumulation of the storage carbohydrates glycogen and trehalose.

Background: Sick leave due to musculoskeletal pain, particularly in the neck/shoulders and back, is one of the major public health problems in Western countries such as Sweden. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of return to work (RTW) among women on sick leave due to long-term neck/shoulder and/or back pain. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study with a 1-year follow-up. The study participants were recruited from a local Swedish Social Insurance Agency register and had all been on sick leave for ≥ 1 month due to long-term (≥ 3 months) neck/shoulder and/or back pain. Data on predictors and outcome were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 208 women aged 23–64 years were included at baseline, and 141 responded at the 1-year follow-up. Cluster analyses were performed to identify one predictor from each cluster for use in the regression model. Results: At the 1-year follow-up, 94 of the 141 women had RTW and 47 had not. Women who engaged in more coping through increasing behavioral activities (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03–1.25) and those who more strongly believed they would return to the same work within 6 months (OR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.10–1.37) had an increased probability of RTW. Receiving more social support outside work (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.28–0.92) decreased the odds of RTW at the 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: Behavioral activities, beliefs about returning to the same work, and social support outside work were predictors of RTW at the 1-year follow-up. Healthcare professionals should consider these predictors in their efforts to prevent prolonged sick leave and to promote RTW in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About half of those that have had stroke in working age return to work (RTW). Few rehabilitation programmes exist focussing RTW after stroke. To produce a clear replicable description of the ReWork-Stroke rehabilitation programme targeting RTW for people of working age who have had stroke. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication 12 item checklist was used to describe the ReWork-Stroke programme developed 2013–2014. This paper presents the development, rationale and processes in the programme to enable replication and provide evidence for implementation. Occupational therapists (OTs) skilled in stroke rehabilitation contribute knowledge about consequences of stroke and coordinate stakeholders involved. The ReWork-Stroke is person-centred, includes individual plans and generic components, consists of a preparation and a work trial phase. During the preparation phase, resources and hindrances for RTW are mapped and a plan for work trial is elaborated. During the work trial phase, the intervention is located at the workplace. The OT conducts recurrent follow-ups and collaborates with employers/co-workers. A person-centred programme has advantages in its flexibility to meet different needs between people and by this thorough description of ReWork-Stroke, others can replicate the programme and its fidelity and evidence can be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Impaired work ability and reduced life satisfaction due to long-term musculoskeletal pain, particularly in neck, shoulders and back, are considered occupational health problems that can result in workers taking sick leave. The aim of the study was to determine whether work ability and life satisfaction predict return to work (RTW) among women with long-term neck/shoulder and/or back pain, and to assess the ability of the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-11) to discriminate between those who did RTW and those who did not RTW (NRTW).Methods: This is a cohort study with 1-year follow-up. A survey was sent to 600 women receiving sick leave benefits from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. In total, 208 women responded at baseline, and 141 at a 1-year follow-up. To identify whether work ability and life satisfaction predicted RTW, multiple logistic regression analyses were performed with and without adjustment for type of work and pain intensity. To assess the discriminative ability of the WAI and the LiSat-11 for women who did RTW and those who did NRTW, receiver operating characteristic curves were fitted.Results: Work ability predicted RTW, and the results remained significant after adjusting for type of work and pain intensity (OR 1.12, 95% CI: 1.04-1.22). Life satisfaction was not significant. The WAI at baseline adequately discriminated between RTW and NRTW after 1 year (Area under curve 0.78, 95% CI: 0.70-0.86), but the LiSat-11 did not.Conclusions: This study supports a relationship between work ability and RTW among women on sick leave for long-term neck/shoulder and/or back pain. The results indicate that the WAI, but not the LiSat-11, can discriminate between RTW and NRTW in the population under study. Although the discriminative ability of the WAI needs to be verified in new samples before it can be recommended for use in rehabilitation settings, we suggest that healthcare professionals consider how women perceive their work ability in order to better support them in their RTW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Impaired work ability and reduced life satisfaction due to long-term musculoskeletal pain, particularly in neck, shoulders and back, are considered occupational health problems that can result in workers taking sick leave. The aim of the study was to determine whether work ability and life satisfaction predict return to work (RTW) among women with long-term neck/shoulder and/or back pain, and to assess the ability of the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-11) to discriminate between those who did RTW and those who did not RTW (NRTW). Methods: This is a cohort study with 1-year follow-up. A survey was sent to 600 women receiving sick leave benefits from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. In total, 208 women responded at baseline, and 141 at a 1-year follow-up. To identify whether work ability and life satisfaction predicted RTW, multiple logistic regression analyses were performed with and without adjustment for type of work and pain intensity. To assess the discriminative ability of the WAI and the LiSat-11 for women who did RTW and those who did NRTW, receiver operating characteristic curves were fitted. Results: Work ability predicted RTW, and the results remained significant after adjusting for type of work and pain intensity (OR 1.12, 95% CI: 1.04–1.22). Life satisfaction was not significant. The WAI at baseline adequately discriminated between RTW and NRTW after 1 year (Area under curve 0.78, 95% CI: 0.70–0.86), but the LiSat-11 did not. Conclusions: This study supports a relationship between work ability and RTW among women on sick leave for long-term neck/shoulder and/or back pain. The results indicate that the WAI, but not the LiSat-11, can discriminate between RTW and NRTW in the population under study. Although the discriminative ability of the WAI needs to be verified in new samples before it can be recommended for use in rehabilitation settings, we suggest that healthcare professionals consider how women perceive their work ability in order to better support them in their RTW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among staff working in elderly care, a considerable proportion lack formal competence for their work. Lack of formal competence, in turn, has been linked to higher staff ratings of stress symptoms, sleep disturbances and workload.Objectives: 1) To describe the strengths and weaknesses of an e-assessment and subsequent e-training program used among elderly care staff who lack formal competence and 2) to study the effects of an e-training program on staff members' working life (quality of care and psychological and structural empowerment) and well-being (job satisfaction and psychosomatic health). The hypothesis was that staff who had completed the e-assessment and the e-training program would rate greater improvements in working life and well-being than would staff who had only participated in the e-assessments.Methods: An intervention study with a mixed-methods approach using quantitative (2010-2011) and qualitative data (2011) was conducted in Swedish elderly care. Participants included a total of 41 staff members. To describe the strengths and weaknesses of the e-assessment and the e-training program, qualitative data were gathered using semi-structured interviews together with a study-specific questionnaire. To study the effects of the intervention, quantitative data were collected using questionnaires on: job satisfaction, psychosomatic health, psychological empowerment, structural empowerment and quality of care in an intervention and a comparison group.Results: Staff who completed the e-assessments and the e-training program primarily experienced strengths associated with this approach. The results were also in line with our hypotheses: Staff who completed the e-assessment and the e-training program rated improvements in their working life and well-being.Conclusion: Use of the e-assessments and e-training program employed in the present study could be one way to support elderly care staff who lack formal education by increasing their competence; increased competence, in turn, could improve their self-confidence, working life, and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the economic hardship faced by the Nobel Foundation. Report published in 'Dagens Industri', a Swedish financial newspaper; Request to relax the government rules regulating the investment policies of the foundation; Comments by Micheal Sohlman, executive director of the foundation; Alarm caused by the proposed changes; History of the foundation; Statistics on the financial upheaval over the years.

Examines the work of Thomas Ostros as Sweden's minister of education and science. His ideas about how the state should interact with other sectors; Plans to increase state spending on basic research; Criticisms of Ostros based on the desire to spend funds on applied research; New science policy to be issued next year; Debate over management of independent foundations focused on applied research.

Describes the state of Swedish science in late 1998. Upheaval in the sciences; Impact of a faltering economy on state funding of science; Shift from basic to applied research; Growing influence of foundations on science policy; Evaluation by the government of the structure of Swedish research funding; Views of Stig Hagstrom of the National Agency for Higher Education; History of problems since 1990; Grants by the Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF).

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate relationships between sense of coherence, emotion-focused coping, problem-focused coping, coping efficiency, and mental quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic illness. A model based on Lazarus' and Folkman's stress and coping theory tested the specific hypothesis: Sense of coherence has a direct and indirect effect on mental QoL mediated by emotion-focused coping, problem-focused coping, and coping efficiency in serial adjusted for age, gender, educational level, comorbidity, and economic status.Methods: The study used a cross-sectional and correlational design. Patients (n = 292) with chronic diseases (chronic heart failure, end-stage renal disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and Parkinson) completed three questionnaires and provided background data. Data were collected in 2012, and a serial multiple mediator model was tested using PROCESS macro for SPSS.Results: The test of the conceptual model confirmed the hypothesis. There was a significant direct and indirect effect of sense of coherence on mental QoL through the three mediators. The model explained 39% of the variance in mental QoL.Conclusions: Self-perceived effective coping strategies are the most important mediating factors between sense of coherence and QoL in patients with chronic illness, which supports Lazarus' and Folkman's stress and coping theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the plan of the Swedish government to improve its research and science education. Funding allocated for academic research; Estimated year 2000 budget for research and development; Criticism on the way the budget is being distributed.

Background: Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often suffer from sleep problems, which interact with BPD-specific symptoms and influence prognosis. The present study investigated the relationships between BPD symptoms, the outcome of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and sleep quality and sleep architecture as assessed by polysomnography.Seventeen patients diagnosed with BPD participated in an 8‑week semi-residential DBT program. At the beginning of the program, two nights of polysomnography were conducted in the sleep laboratory. Depressive symptoms, BPD-specific symptoms, and subjective sleep quality were assessed via questionnaires at the beginning and end of the treatment program as well as after 6 months.The DBT program successfully decreased depressive and BPD-specific symptoms and increased subjective sleep quality. Patients with the strongest symptoms benefitted more from the treatment. Stronger BPD-specific symptoms were associated with less rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. At the 6‑month follow-up, only depression was still reduced, while BPD-specific symptoms and sleep quality had again worsened. Better subjective sleep quality was associated with a stronger reduction in BSL scores at 6‑month follow-up.The DBT program was initially effective. The positive outcome was, however, not permanent, stressing the importance of subsequent disorder-specific outpatient programs. Furthermore, REM sleep might to some extent protect against emotional distress in BDP, and subjective sleep quality was positively correlated with follow-up treatment outcome.Materials and methods: Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often suffer from sleep problems, which interact with BPD-specific symptoms and influence prognosis. The present study investigated the relationships between BPD symptoms, the outcome of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and sleep quality and sleep architecture as assessed by polysomnography.Seventeen patients diagnosed with BPD participated in an 8‑week semi-residential DBT program. At the beginning of the program, two nights of polysomnography were conducted in the sleep laboratory. Depressive symptoms, BPD-specific symptoms, and subjective sleep quality were assessed via questionnaires at the beginning and end of the treatment program as well as after 6 months.The DBT program successfully decreased depressive and BPD-specific symptoms and increased subjective sleep quality. Patients with the strongest symptoms benefitted more from the treatment. Stronger BPD-specific symptoms were associated with less rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. At the 6‑month follow-up, only depression was still reduced, while BPD-specific symptoms and sleep quality had again worsened. Better subjective sleep quality was associated with a stronger reduction in BSL scores at 6‑month follow-up.The DBT program was initially effective. The positive outcome was, however, not permanent, stressing the importance of subsequent disorder-specific outpatient programs. Furthermore, REM sleep might to some extent protect against emotional distress in BDP, and subjective sleep quality was positively correlated with follow-up treatment outcome.Results: Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often suffer from sleep problems, which interact with BPD-specific symptoms and influence prognosis. The present study investigated the relationships between BPD symptoms, the outcome of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and sleep quality and sleep architecture as assessed by polysomnography.Seventeen patients diagnosed with BPD participated in an 8‑week semi-residential DBT program. At the beginning of the program, two nights of polysomnography were conducted in the sleep laboratory. Depressive symptoms, BPD-specific symptoms, and subjective sleep quality were assessed via questionnaires at the beginning and end of the treatment program as well as after 6 months.The DBT program successfully decreased depressive and BPD-specific symptoms and increased subjective sleep quality. Patients with the strongest symptoms benefitted more from the treatment. Stronger BPD-specific symptoms were associated with less rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. At the 6‑month follow-up, only depression was still reduced, while BPD-specific symptoms and sleep quality had again worsened. Better subjective sleep quality was associated with a stronger reduction in BSL scores at 6‑month follow-up.The DBT program was initially effective. The positive outcome was, however, not permanent, stressing the importance of subsequent disorder-specific outpatient programs. Furthermore, REM sleep might to some extent protect against emotional distress in BDP, and subjective sleep quality was positively correlated with follow-up treatment outcome.Conclusion: Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often suffer from sleep problems, which interact with BPD-specific symptoms and influence prognosis. The present study investigated the relationships between BPD symptoms, the outcome of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and sleep quality and sleep architecture as assessed by polysomnography.Seventeen patients diagnosed with BPD participated in an 8‑week semi-residential DBT program. At the beginning of the program, two nights of polysomnography were conducted in the sleep laboratory. Depressive symptoms, BPD-specific symptoms, and subjective sleep quality were assessed via questionnaires at the beginning and end of the treatment program as well as after 6 months.The DBT program successfully decreased depressive and BPD-specific symptoms and increased subjective sleep quality. Patients with the strongest symptoms benefitted more from the treatment. Stronger BPD-specific symptoms were associated with less rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. At the 6‑month follow-up, only depression was still reduced, while BPD-specific symptoms and sleep quality had again worsened. Better subjective sleep quality was associated with a stronger reduction in BSL scores at 6‑month follow-up.The DBT program was initially effective. The positive outcome was, however, not permanent, stressing the importance of subsequent disorder-specific outpatient programs. Furthermore, REM sleep might to some extent protect against emotional distress in BDP, and subjective sleep quality was positively correlated with follow-up treatment outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ponders on the implications of the mergers of pharmaceutical companies in Sweden to the industry's research and development plans. Job cuts accompanying the mergers of Pharmacia and Upjohn; Effects on pharmaceutical research accounts; Reason the companies are cutting staff; Areas of research and development that would be likely affected by the job cuts; Reaction of union representatives about this.

Discusses the effort to protect patient privacy due to the growing interest among genetics researchers in Sweden's wealth of public tissue banks. Information on Swedish public health care systems' collection of human tissue; Ethical guidelines set by Swedish Medical Research Council; Model of how public tissue banks should interact with the biotech industry.

Reports that Sweden plans to increase public oversight of research. Purpose of a committee of parliamentarians to study academic research; Requirement that each university establish an independent ethics committee; Ability to seek a second opinion about committee decisions; Concern to counter scientific misconduct; Concerns about bias in the allocation of grants in Sweden; Results of peer review to be made publicly available.

Focuses on the state of environmental research and science in Sweden. Its leadership in the field in the early 1990s; How the lack of government funding in the late 1990s is threatening its survival; Why the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) left all of its funding practices to the Federation for Strategic Environmental Research (MISTRA); Worries over MISTRA's leadership; Reports from SEPA and the Swedish Council for the Planning and Coordination of Research; Possible resolutions.

Objectives To determine how the fitness cost of deformylase inhibitor resistance conferred by fmt mutations can be genetically compensated. Methods Resistant mutants were isolated and characterized with regard to their growth rates in vitro and in neutropenic mice, MIC and DNA sequence. Faster-growing compensated mutants were isolated by serial passage in culture medium, and for a subset of the resistant and compensated mutants whole-genome sequencing was performed. Results Staphylococcus aureus mutants resistant to the peptide deformylase inhibitor actinonin had mutations in the fmt gene that conferred high-level actinonin resistance and reduced bacterial growth rate. Compensated mutants that remained fully resistant to actinonin and showed increased growth rates appeared within 30–60 generations of growth. Whole-genome sequencing and localized DNA sequencing of mutated candidate genes showed that alterations in the gene agrC were present in the majority of compensated strains. Resistant and compensated mutants grew at similar rates as the wild-type in a mouse thigh infection model. Conclusions Resistance to deformylase inhibitors due to fmt mutations reduces bacterial growth rates, but these costs can be reduced by mutations in the agrC gene. Mutants defective in fmt (with or without compensatory agrC mutations) grew well in an animal model, implying that they can also cause infection in a host. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: The prospect of adequate comparisons is essential to decide on the effectiveness of different treatments. As there is a lack of unity in choice of questionnaires and included measures concerning musculoskeletal disorders, further investigations based on international recommendations are of interest. The intention of present study was to initiate the development of a clinically useful short-form questionnaire. The aim was to select items that capture prominent health aspects for women with neck-shoulder pain and thereby reduce the number of items to a clinically more convenient amount, and to determine the underlying structure of included items. Method: Data were collected in a randomised controlled trial including women with non-specific neck-shoulder pain >3 months (n == 117). Data collection included three core domains: pain intensity, physical and emotional functioning, and analysis was performed using Principal component analysis, and Varimax rotation. Results: The resulting 9-factor solution included interference, solicitous/distracting responses, mood and feelings about self and relations, pain intensity, punishing responses, personal growth, life control, sleep, and appetite (29 items). Conclusions: The results will contribute to the development of a reduced battery of questions representing core dimensions. Such questionnaire would lighten the assessment load in the clinic as well as in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

engström m., skytt b. & nilsson a. (2011) Journal of Nursing Management 19, 732-741 Working life and stress symptoms among caregivers in elderly care with formal and no formal competence Aim The aim of the present study was to describe and compare caregivers with formal and no formal competence on job satisfaction, psychosomatic health, structural and psychological empowerment and perceptions of care quality. A further aim was to study relationships among study variables. Methods A convenience sample of 572 caregivers in elderly care participated. Results Caregivers with no formal competence perceived higher workload, more communication obstacles, less competence, poorer sleep and more stress symptoms than did their colleagues. Linear regression analyses revealed that the factor self-determination was an explanatory variable of stress levels among caregivers with no formal competence, and self-determination and impact among caregivers with formal competence. Linear regression analysis revealed that different dimensions in structural and psychological empowerment explained the variance in staff job satisfaction, perceived stress symptoms and quality of care. Conclusions No formal competence seems to be a risk factor for psychosomatic health problems. Implications for nursing management Managers need to have a strategic plan for how to create a working environment for caregivers with no formal competence. Caregivers' self-determination seems to be important for stress symptoms. Meaning, self-determination, impact and opportunities appear to be important for job satisfaction and competence, opportunities, resources and formal power for quality of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scand J Caring Sci; 2011; 25; 476-483 Relationships between coping, coping resources and quality of life in patients with chronic illness: a pilot study Background: In Sweden there are approximately about 3500 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and 250 000 chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. Objectives: The original purpose of the study was to determine differences between two groups of patients with chronic illness (ESRD and CHF) regarding the following study variables: coping, sense of coherence (SOC), self-efficacy and quality of life (QOL). Following this, the aim was to explore the relationships between demographic variables (sex, age, educational level and living area) and QOL as well as between coping, SOC, self-efficacy and QOL for the combined sample of patients with ESRD and CHF. Methods: A comparative and correlative design was used with a sample of 100 patients (n = 41 ESRD, n = 59 CHF). The data were collected during 2004, using four standardized questionnaires and regression analyses were conducted. Results: No significant differences were found between the two groups. Positive correlations were identified between SOC, general self-efficacy and QOL, whereas negative correlations emerge between emotion-focused coping, SOC, general self-efficacy and QOL. SOC, general self-efficacy and emotion-focused coping explained 40% of the variance in QOL. Those with low SOC and general self-efficacy showed negative correlations between emotion-focused coping and QOL, whereas no such correlations were shown for those with high values on SOC and general self-efficacy. Conclusions: The present results on coping and QOL correspond with previous research regarding how other groups with chronic illness handled their daily life. Preliminary results indicate that how individuals tackle their present situation is more important than which chronic illness they have. Women used more emotion-focused coping than men, which constitute an important finding for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the fmt gene (encoding formyl methionine transferase) that eliminate formylation of initiator tRNA (Met-tRNAi) confer resistance to the novel antibiotic class of peptide deformylase inhibitors (PDFIs) while concomitantly reducing bacterial fitness. Here we show in Salmonella typhimurium that novel mutations in initiation factor 2 (IF2) located outside the initiator tRNA binding domain can partly restore fitness of fmt mutants without loss of antibiotic resistance. Analysis of initiation of protein synthesis in vitro showed that with non-formylated Met-tRNAi IF2 mutants initiated much faster than wild-type IF2, whereas with formylated fMet-tRNAi the initiation rates were similar. Moreover, the increase in initiation rates with Met-tRNAi conferred by IF2 mutations in vitro correlated well with the increase in growth rate conferred by the same mutations in vivo, suggesting that the mutations in IF2 compensate formylation deficiency by increasing the rate of in vivo initiation with Met-tRNAi. IF2 mutants had also a high propensity for erroneous initiation with elongator tRNAs in vitro, which could account for their reduced fitness in vivo in a formylation-proficient strain. More generally, our results suggest that bacterial protein synthesis is mRNA-limited and that compensatory mutations in IF2 could increase the persistence of PDFI-resistant bacteria in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 14% of the working-age Swedish population are either on long-term sick leave or early retirement due to disability. Substantial increase of sick listing, reports of work disabilities and early retirement due to stress and musculoskeletal chronic pain suggest a need for methods of preventing loss of function resulting from these conditions. The present preliminary investigation examined the effects of a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for the treatment of public health sector workers who showed chronic stress/pain and were at risk for high sick leave utilization. ACT was compared in an additive treatment design with medical treatment as usual (MTAU). A group of 19 participants were randomly distributed into 2 groups. Both conditions received MTAU. The ACT condition received four 1-hour weekly sessions of ACT in addition to MTAU. At post and 6-month follow-up, ACT participants showed fewer sick days and used fewer medical treatment resources than those in the MTAU condition. No significant differences were found in levels of pain, stress, or quality of life. Improvements in sick leave and medical utilization could not be accounted for by remission of stress and pain in the ACT group as no between-group differences were found for stress or pain symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the hybrid modelling of the rolling force in a plate mill. Chemical composition and various process parameters for the rolling process; Relationship between various neural networks and multivariate models; Emphasis of the standard deviation of the residuals.

Background: Long-term sick leave due to common mental disorders (CMDs) is a great burden in society today, especially among women. A strong intention to return to work (RTW) as well as symptom relief may facilitate RTW in this group. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding what constitutes a strong intention. The Theory of Planned Behaviour is well-suited to identifying underlying beliefs about intentions to perform a behaviour. By including psychological well-being and perceived health, a more comprehensive picture of determinants of RTW intention might be achieved. Thus, the aim of the present study was to identify associations between RTW beliefs, psychological well-being, perceived health and RTW intentions among women on long-term sick leave due to CMDs, and to do so based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour.Methods: The study was cross-sectional. Between October 2019 and January 2020, 282 women on long-term sick leave (> 2 months) due to CMDs were included in the study. The questionnaires for data collection were: "RTW Beliefs Questionnaire", the "General Health Questionnaire -12" and the "EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale". Standard multiple regression analysis was performed both with and without adjustment for potential confounders.Results: The results showed that a more positive attitude towards RTW, stronger social pressure to RTW, higher perceived control over RTW and higher psychological well-being were associated with stronger RTW intention. The adjusted analysis eliminated the importance of psychological well-being for RTW intention, but showed that women who reported that their employer had taken actions to facilitate their RTW had stronger RTW intention.Conclusion: The RTW beliefs, derived from the Theory of Planned Behaviour, were all important for a strong RTW intention, while psychological well-being and perceived health showed weaker associations. Furthermore, having an employer that take actions for facilitating RTW was associated with stronger RTW intentions. Though some caution is warranted regarding the representativeness of the sample, the results do improve our understanding of some important determinants of RTW intention among women on long-term sick leave for CMDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local governments, or municipalities, play a key role in water governance around the world owing to the many administrative competencies they hold, ranging from water service delivery to urban planning. However, the ability of municipalities to carry out their competencies effectively depends in large part on the characteristics of the institutional arrangements in which they are embedded. In particular, the relationship between municipalities and watershed governance institutions has received little attention in the literature on polycentric and multilevel governance. Drawing on insights from diverse cases around the world, we argue that empirical research must pay closer attention to the links, or lack thereof, between municipalities and watershed governance institutions to improve the sustainability of water governance outcomes in practice. We identify a set of critical issues affecting municipalities' engagement in governance at the watershed scale that broadly apply across different contexts, and which we argue deserve more attention in future research: (1) disconnect and ambiguities of authority across hierarchical levels; (2) internal and external challenges to municipalities engaging in effective collaborations; (3) barriers to expanding the scope of traditional municipal affairs; and (4) misalignment of biophysical, institutional, and political timescales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]