Search

Evolutionary theory explains a wide range of biological phenomena. Proper understanding of evolutionary mechanisms such as natural selection is therefore an essential goal for biology education. Unfortunately, natural selection has time and again proven difficult to teach and learn, and students’ resulting understanding is often characterized by misconceptions. Previous research has often focused on the importance of certain key concepts such as variation, differential survival, and change in population. However, so-called threshold concepts (randomness, probability, spatial scale, and temporal scales) have also been suggested to be important for understanding of natural selection, but there is currently limited knowledge about how students use these concepts. We sought to address this lack of knowledge by collecting responses to three different natural selection items from 247 university students from Sweden and Germany. Content analysis (deductive and inductive coding) and subsequent statistical analysis of their responses showed that they overall use some spatial scale indicators, such as individuals and populations, but less often randomness or probability in their explanations. However, frequencies of use of threshold concepts were affected by the item context (e.g., the biological taxa and trait gain or loss). The results suggest that the impact of threshold concepts, especially randomness and probability, on natural selection understanding should be further explored.

Piptoporellus baudonii is proposed as a new combination for Laetiporus baudonii in the Polyporales (Basidiomycota) based on morphological and molecular features. This parasitic macrofungus attacks cashew trees, Eucalyptus, cassava, Tectona, and some indigenous trees in southern regions of Tanzania and poses a serious threat to agroforestry and livelihood conditions in the area. Phylogenetic trees were produced from partial sequences of three rDNA gene regions and a portion of translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1) gene of Laetiporus baudonii for comparisons with samples from the antrodia clade. Our results reveal a strongly supported group of L. baudonii with Piptoporellus in Fomitopsidaceae. Piptoporellus baudonii shares many morphological features with other members of Piptoporellus but differs from them in having broadly ellipsoid or rarely ovoid basidiospores. Both morphological and phylogenetic evidence justify the placement of L. baudonii in Piptoporellus together with the three other known species in the genus.

Background Family caregivers of patients with severe illness and in need for a palliative care approach, face numerous challenges and report having insufficient preparedness for the caregiver role as well as a need for information and psychosocial support. Preparing to care for a severely ill family members also means becoming aware of death. Feelings of being prepared are associated with positive aspects and regarded protective against negative health consequences. Methods The study adheres to the SPIRIT-guidelines (Supplementary 1), uses a pre-post design and include a web-based intervention. Inclusion criteria are; being a family caregiver of a patient with severe illness and in need of a palliative care approach. The intervention which aims to increase preparedness for caregiving and death is grounded in theory, research and clinical experience. The topics cover: medical issues, symptoms and symptom relief; communication within the couple, how to spend the time before death, being a caregiver, planning for the moment of death and; considerations of the future. The intervention is presented through videos and informative texts. The website also holds an online peer-support discussion forum. Study aims are to: evaluate feasibility in terms of framework, content, usage and partners’ experiences; explore how the use of the website, influences family caregivers’ preparedness for caregiving and death; explore how the use of the website influences family caregivers’ knowledge about medical issues, their communication with the patient and their considerations of the future; and to investigate how the family caregivers’ preparedness for caregiving and death influences their physical and psychological health and quality of life 1 year after the patient’s death. Data will be collected through qualitative interviews and a study-specific questionnaire at four time-points. Discussion This project will provide information about whether support via a website has the potential to increase preparedness for caregiving and death and thereby decrease negative health consequences for family caregivers of patients affected by severe illness. It will provide new knowledge about intervention development, delivery, and evaluation in a palliative care context. Identification of factors before death and their association with family caregivers’ preparedness and long-term health may change future clinical work. Trial registration The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT03676283 .

This paper presents a study of children’s ideas of the body’s internal structure. Children between four and 13 years (N = 170) individually produced drawings. During each drawing session the children explained their drawings to a facilitator and added written labels either by them- selves or, if they were too young to write, with the facilitator’s help. The results provide an updated comprehensive picture of children in differ- ent age groups and their views on the internal structure of the body. The type and numbers of organs drawn are similar to those documented in previous studies. However, in comparison to recent studies, the children drew more organs, the brain was indicated almost as often as the heart, and the Valentine heart was frequently used as a symbol. In contrast with previous research, children drew connections between organs. This result calls for caution regarding conclusions made from decontextua- lized questions. The importance of providing children with the opportu- nity to clarify their drawings is emphasised since it otherwise becomes a question of the researcher’s interpretation. The connections they draw, and explanations they give to their drawings, have interesting implica- tions for understanding children’s ideas, and hence both for teaching and learning and for science education research.

Evolutionary theory explains a wide range of biological phenomena. Proper understanding of evolutionary mechanisms such as natural selection is therefore an essential goal for biology education. Unfortunately, natural selection has time and again proven difficult to teach and learn, and students’ resulting understanding is often characterized by misconceptions. Previous research has often focused on the importance of certain key concepts such as variation, differential survival, and change in population. However, so-called threshold concepts (randomness, probability, spatial scale, and temporal scales) have also been suggested to be important for understanding of natural selection, but there is currently limited knowledge about how students use these concepts. We sought to address this lack of knowledge by collecting responses to three different natural selection items from 247 university students from Sweden and Germany. Content analysis (deductive and inductive coding) and subsequent statistical analysis of their responses showed that they overall use some spatial scale indicators, such as individuals and populations, but less often randomness or probability in their explanations. However, frequencies of use of threshold concepts were affected by the item context (e.g., the biological taxa and trait gain or loss). The results suggest that the impact of threshold concepts, especially randomness and probability, on natural selection understanding should be further explored. Funding agencies: Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council [VR 2012:5344]; Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council EvoVis

Additional file 1: SPIRIT 2013 Checklist: Recommended items to address in a clinical trial protocol and related documents*.

Aspicilia goettweigensis is a poorly known species from xerothermic siliceous rocks in Europe. It is considered to be common in the Czech Republic and it is new to Hungary and Russia. The main diagnostic character is formation of cracked, popcorn-like, areoles in the central parts of the thalli. Analysis of nrITS sequences revealed its close relationship to Aspicilia subdepressa and A. volcanica. TLC revealed stictic acid in analysed A. goettweigensis samples. A key to non-lobate Aspicilia with stictic acid known from Europe is provided.

När en företagsobligation och en statsobligation har samma löptid och har en skillnad i avkastning, så kallas denna skillnad för kreditspread. Ett känt koncept inom finansvärlden är att risk har en stark koppling till avkastning. När emittenten av obligationen inte kan återbetala överenskommen utdelning eller principiellt lånebelopp så klassas detta som en betalningsinställelse. Eftersom det generellt sett är större risk för en betalningsinställelse för ett företag än för en stat, så vill investerare bli kompenserade för den extra risken de tar sig an. Den totala risken som utgör skillnaden i avkastning kan i sin tur delas upp i flera olika riskkomponenter. Syftet med vår uppsats är att undersöka ifall likviditetsrisk, ränterisk och kreditrisk har en effekt på kreditspread för företagsobligationer på den svenska marknaden. Med detta som bakgrund så har vi samlat in historiska data på förfallna obligationer under de senaste 10 åren via databaserna Thomson Reuter Datastream och Eikon. Vi har sedan laddat ned obligationsspecifika egenskaper i form av finansiella nyckeltal för samtliga obligationer. Dessa nyckeltal har valts för att till bästa förmåga representera och mäta respektive risk. Exempelvis så har vi använt oss av nyckeltalet “bid-ask-spread” för att mäta likviditetsrisk hos en obligation. För att undersöka sambandet mellan våra valda risker och kreditspread så genomförde vi ett hypotestest. Vi skapade en nollhypotes och en alternativhypotes som vi sedan testade med hjälp av en multipel regression. Nollhypotes (H0): Studiens utvalda variabler har inte en effekt på den kreditspread hos svenska företagsobligationer Alternativhypotes (Ha): Studiens utvalda variabler har en effekt på den kreditspread hos svenska företagsobligationer Slutsatsen var att vi kunde statistiskt påvisa ett positivt samband mellan riskernas storlek och storleken på obligationens kreditspread. Detta gjordes både för riskerna var för sig och för modellen när den blev testad i sin helhet. Den bakomliggande teorin bakom variablerna kunde därför antas vara korrekt även vid applicering på svenska marknaden för det senaste decenniet. Vi har som ambition att denna studie skall kunna agera som ett verktyg för fundamental analys för framtida investerare samt vidare studier inom området obligationer på svenska marknaden

Bakgrund. Denna magisteruppsats från specialistsjuksköterskeprogrammet i akutsjukvård är en pilotstudie som görs på uppdrag av Centrum för Interprofessionell Samverkan och sambruk inom Akut vård (CISA). Allvarlig händelse är en händelse där resurser behöver omfördelas, ledas och användas på ett särskilt sätt. Internationella erfarenheter visar att beredskap inför allvarlig händelse är ett förbättringsområde. Nationella erfarenheter pekar på kommunikation samt introduktion av nyanställda som områden för utveckling. Vid allvarlig händelse engageras flera olika verksamheter som måste samverka, något som tidigare erfarenheter och forskningsresultat har visat vara svårt. Övning kan förbereda personal i att hantera olika händelser, samt förbättra samverkan vid verklig händelse. Digital simuleringsövning bidrar med ett effektivt sätt att lära sig genom att utförandet sker i en säker miljö. Syftet med pilotstudien är att kartlägga genomförandet och upplevelsen av övningar inför allvarlig händelse inom larmkedjan i ett län i södra Sverige. Metod. Den valda designen var tvärsnittsstudie. Datainsamlingen utfördes genom en enkätundersökning. Urvalet skedde med hjälp av CISA:s styrgrupp genom bekvämlighetsurval. Totalt 108 respondenter svarade, av dessa exkluderades nio på grund ut av totalt eller partiellt (>30%) bortfall. Analys av deskriptiv och analytisk statistik skedde i SPSS version 25. En tematisk innehållsanalys utfördes på fritext svaren. Resultat/Slutsats. Deltagarna som arbetar inom larmkedjan övar i olika omfattning baserat på vilken verksamhet de tillhör samt om de har en ledningsroll eller ej. Verksamheterna samövar inför allvarlig händelse men tenderar att samöva prehospitalt alternativt intrahospitalt. En övervägande majoritet upplever att det övas för sällan. Övningarna upplevs generellt som meningsfulla av deltagarna. Realism, mängdträning samt tid till övning identifieras som förbättringsområden. Mer forskning behövs inom området. Förslagsvis med lika stora grupper av representanter från verksamheterna för att kunna dra säkrare slutsatser kring resultatet samt därmed gynna den enskilda patienten genom att öka samhällets beredskap inför allvarlig händelse. Background. This master thesis from the nurse specialist program in emergency care is a pilot study conducted on assignment of Center for interprofessional collaboration and artel within emergency care (CISA). Major accidents or disasters are events where resources need to be redistributed, lead, and used in a specific manner. International experience shows that preparedness for major accidents or disaster is an area in need of improvement. National experiences point out communication and introduction of new employees as areas of improvement. A major accident or disaster involves multiple functions, that within this extreme situation need to cooperate, something that past experiences have shown to be difficult. Exercise can prepare personnel in dealing with different situations, as well as improve cooperation in real events. Digital simulation exercises contribute as an effective way to learn in a safe environment. Aim of the study was to map how exercises for major accidents are implemented and experienced within the emergency response system in a county in southern Sweden. Method. The chosen design was a cross-sectional study. The data collection was conducted through a survey study. The sample was collected with the help of CISA’s control group through convenience sample. The study got a total of 108 participants, of these participants nine were excluded because of total or partial (>30%) non-completion. Analysis of descriptive and analytic statistics was carried out in SPSS v.25. A thematic content analysis was conducted on the free text answers. Results/Conclusion The participants that work within the emergency response system exercise to different extents based on which unit within the emergency response system they belong to as well as if they have a management role in case of a major accident or not. The units corporate for major accidents but tend to co-exercise either prehospitally or intrahospitally. A clear majority of the participants agree that they practise too rarely. The exercises are generally seen as meaningful by the participants. Realism, amount of training and time for practice are identified as areas of improvement. More research is needed within the area, as a suggestion with equal sized groups of representatives from the different units, to be able to draw more certain conclusions from the result and thereby favor the individual patient, by increasing the readiness for major accidents or disasters in society. Projekt Tabletop

Under våren 2017 togs prover på avloppsvatten från Skånes Universitetssjukhus (SUS) i Lund i samarbete mellan Region Skåne och Högskolan Kristianstad (HKR). Totalt analyserades fyraprovpunkter med avseende på förekomst av 23 läkemedel, antibiotika och andra mikroföroreningar. De fyra provpunkterna var 1. Pumpgrop för uppsamling, 2. Onkologen, 3. Infektion samt 4. Avlopp från Centralblocket. Resultaten redovisas baserat på olika behandlingsfunktion, vilketinnefattar grupperna J - Antiinfektiva medel för systemiskt bruk, C - Hjärta och Kretslopp, N -Nervsystemet, M - Rörelseapparaten samt övriga ämnen. Resultaten visar att vissa läkemedelsläpps ut från SUS i högre koncentration jämfört med utgående avloppsvatten från ettreningsverk (se rapporten ”Läkemedelsutsläpp från Skånska avloppsreningsverk 2017” nedan). Noterbara ämnen är ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole och trimethoprim, samtligaantibiotika. Resultaten vi-sar också att olika avdelningar medicinerar sina patientgrupper olika och att avdelningarna därmed kan vara lokala punktkällor för vissa typer av antibiotika. Koncentrationen av läkemdelsrester i avloppsvattnet påverkas förstås också av den totala vattenanvändningen, som i sin tur är en konsekvens av antal anställda, antal patienter, antal toaletter och arbetsmetoder/vattenanvänd-ning per avloppsspunkt mm. De uppmätta halternavisar att det är önskvärt, i en uppföljande studie, att analysera och fastställa, företrädesvis för antibiotika, vilka andra preparat som används på SUS, och i vilken omfattning. Det är viktigt att poängtera att resultaten från denna undersökning kommer från ett provtagningstillfälle där provtagningen bestod av ett stickprov. En uppföljande studie behöver innehålla fler analystillfällen samt söka svar på om förekomsten av höga halter av antibiotika kan föranleda resistensutveckling i sjukhusens avloppssystem. Vidare behöver man undersöka vilka eventuella åtgärder som behöver vidtas, vid sjukhusen och/eller vid avloppsreningsverken, för att förhindra att höga halter av läkemedelsrester belastar vattenmiljön med dess djur och växtliv. Hänsyn måste då också tas inte bara till vilka ämnen som specifikt härrör från sjukhuset utan också i vilka mängder och i vilken omfattning de når reningsverket i aktiv form.

Background Macroevolutionary time is a difficult idea to grasp and is considered to be a threshold concept in teaching and learning evolution. One way of addressing this subject is to use animations that represent evolutionary time. The aim of this descriptive and exploratory study was to investigate how various representations of time in an animation affect the way undergraduate students comprehend different temporal aspects of hominin evolution. Two factors, namely differences in timelines (the number of timelines with different scales) and the mode of the default animated time rate (either constant throughout the animation or decreasing as the animation progressed) were combined to give four different time representations. The temporal aspects were investigated using undergraduate students’ ability to find events at specific times, to comprehend relative order, to comprehend concurrent events, to estimate the duration of time intervals and their ability to compare the lengths of time intervals. Results The results revealed that “finding events at specific times” near to the end of the animation (closer to present time), where the sequence of events appeared very quickly, was more difficult for groups working with animations with only one timeline. We also found that the ability to comprehend concurrent events can be impaired if several timelines are displayed and the animation speed is relatively high. The ability to estimate the duration of a time interval was more difficult for groups working with animations with only one timeline, especially at the end of the animation where the sequence of events occurred quickly. Making correct comparisons of time intervals was relatively independent of which animation was used with one notable exception: groups working with an animation featuring several timelines and a decreasing default animated time rate performed worst at comparing events with intervals that spanned parts of the timeline with different scales. Conclusions Our results indicate that the choice of animation should depend on the teaching intention. However, a visualization with several timelines, and an animated time which slowed down toward present time, generated the best results for the majority of items tested. Temporal scale shift may interfere with the perception of time in cases where durations are compared.