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Our study examines the organising of transitions in Vocational Education and Training in a rural Norwegian municipality. In Norway, Vocational Education and Training is diverse and interlinked in continual organising. Organising, in this context, is a continuous set of actions forming recognisable patterns that become institutions. An upper secondary Vocational Education and Training case study was conducted in a rural municipality. The case study included interviews with students, teachers, leaders and company representatives. The study investigated in what ways the organising of rural Vocational Education and Training supported students' crossroads and transitions to limit marginalisation. The findings indicate that actants in the network, as well as a balance between individuals' needs and labour market requirements, are stabilising factors. The interdisciplinary training office is an important choreographer in active networking, and it is also important for teachers and students to bridge over and interact with Vocational Education and Training companies early on in their education. Transition as a path to inclusion is a learning and developmental process that occurs in continuous, alternating interactions between education and work.

Purpose: This article examines the role of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in a green transition of industry. In the world of industry, battling climate change is often treated as a technical issue, but recent research on VET has tried to balance the technological paradigm with more human-centric approaches. The literature review addresses emergent VET research that presents various and partially competing perspectives on the purpose of VET in relation to climate change. Methods: We use an integrative literature review to investigate this complex topic. This technique is particularly useful for making sense of emergent research concepts, as well as various, and partially competing, theoretical and methodological approaches. It also allows us to incorporate literature from different countries and VET systems. The main search was performed in Scopus during March 2023, and included studies published within a timespan of eight years (2016-2023). Findings: Through a qualitative content analysis, we have identified five cross-cutting themes in the literature--Conceptualising ill-defined concepts of green jobs and skills; high-tech solutions in the movement towards a fourth industrial revolution versus inclusive growth for VET greening; towards sustainable work-based learning for green skills in VET; radical transformative approaches to a just green transition; and the co-creation of skill-formation ecosystems. The analysis has highlighted the ways in which VET can take on different roles in the green transition, and that these roles can be developed successively in parallel with a green transition in industry. In the development of the role of VET, it is also relevant to consider the contrast between "transitional" approaches and "transformative" approaches in VET research. While transitional approaches are recurrently marked by empirical research in specialised areas and subsystems within society, transformative approaches are characterised by a stronger focus on societal transformation (large-scale changes), power dynamics, and social justice. Conclusion: In conclusion, we suggest an analytical model that synthesises research on what role VET can play in a green transition of industry. The development model highlights that VET can take on different roles in a green transition and can gradually develop in parallel with a green transition in industry.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) modifies the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk associated with a family history of CVD. We assessed interactions between biomarkers of low PUFA intake and a family history in relation to long-term CVD risk in a large consortium. METHODS: Blood and tissue PUFA data from 40 885 CVD-free adults were assessed. PUFA levels ≤25th percentile were considered to reflect low intake of linoleic, alpha-linolenic, and eicosapentaenoic/docosahexaenoic acids (EPA/DHA). Family history was defined as having ≥1 first-degree relative who experienced a CVD event. Relative risks with 95% CI of CVD were estimated using Cox regression and meta-analyzed. Interactions were assessed by analyzing product terms and calculating relative excess risk due to interaction. RESULTS: After multivariable adjustments, a significant interaction between low EPA/DHA and family history was observed (product term pooled RR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.02-1.16]; P=0.01). The pooled relative risk of CVD associated with the combined exposure to low EPA/DHA, and family history was 1.41 (95% CI, 1.30-1.54), whereas it was 1.25 (95% CI, 1.16-1.33) for family history alone and 1.06 (95% CI, 0.98-1.14) for EPA/DHA alone, compared with those with neither exposure. The relative excess risk due to interaction results indicated no interactions. CONCLUSIONS: A significant interaction between biomarkers of low EPA/DHA intake, but not the other PUFA, and a family history was observed. This novel finding might suggest a need to emphasize the benefit of consuming oily fish for individuals with a family history of CVD.

Abstract The dataset presents a 43 year-long reanalysis of pollen seasons for three major allergenic genera of trees in Europe: alder (Alnus), birch (Betula), and olive (Olea). Driven by the meteorological reanalysis ERA5, the atmospheric composition model SILAM predicted the flowering period and calculated the Europe-wide dispersion pattern of pollen for the years 1980–2022. The model applied an extended 4-dimensional variational data assimilation of in-situ observations of aerobiological networks in 34 European countries to reproduce the inter-annual variability and trends of pollen production and distribution. The control variable of the assimilation procedure was the total pollen release during each flowering season, implemented as an annual correction factor to the mean pollen production. The dataset was designed as an input to studies on climate-induced and anthropogenically driven changes in the European vegetation, biodiversity monitoring, bioaerosol modelling and assessment, as well as, in combination with intra-seasonal observations, for health-related applications.

Background: Infertility along with fertility treatments has been reported to have a devastating effect on the well-being of the individuals involved as well as their relationship. So far, the studies exploring the impact on the relationship have mainly focused on heterosexual couples facing infertility and undergoing treatment. There is, therefore, a lack of data on the potential role of sexual orientation, gamete origin, as well as treatment success on the risk of separation after fertility treatment. The purpose of this study was, thus, to explore whether sexual orientation, donation treatment, and fertility success affected the relationship well-being and to explore various separation-related aspects. Methods: We have performed a prospective cohort study of heterosexual and homosexual couples undergoing fertility treatment with autologous and donated gametes in Sweden and followed them for up to 10 years after receiving fertility treatment. In the current follow-up study, 660 individuals have been included. Results: Almost 39% of lesbian couples participating reported having separated as opposed to 11–17% of heterosexual couples undergoing treatment with own or donated gametes. Neither background factors nor treatment success protected against separation. By using the relationship satisfaction ENRICH tool, we were able to demonstrate that dissatisfaction of one of the lesbian spouses or heterosexual spouses undergoing oocyte donation increased significantly the risk of separation 8–10 years after treatment commencement. Conclusion: The findings can be used by fertility clinics to provide relationship tools to the treated couples in order to help them nurture their relationship and decrease the risk of separation in the long run.

Abstract Background Preterm infants are at risk of complications due to their prematurity and Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is one of them. To discover and treat ROP the preterm infants regularly undergo eye examinations. Nurses are responsible for the infants’ care during this painful and stressful procedure. Aim The aim of this study was to explore nurses’ perceptions of preterm infants’ eye examinations. Methods Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 nurses experienced in participating in preterm infants’ eye examinations. Data were analysed using a phenomenographic approach. Results The results showed several perceptions of the eye examinations, and the analysis resulted in four descriptive categories: Infants are affected by the eye examination; Nurses have comprehensive overall responsibility for the infants; Parents are important to their infants, but they need support to fulfil their parental role, and Collaboration is important for the examination’s favourable outcome. The category Nurses have comprehensive overall responsibility for the infants was regarded as the most comprehensive, covering all the other categories. Conclusions Nurses felt a great responsibility during a painful and stressful procedure for preterm infants. Infants’ well-being could be better protected by interprofessional collaboration, improved nursing care and involved parents.

This article investigates stakeholders' learning and transformative action when developing a collaboration platform between a Swedish regional authority organisation (RAO) and civil society organisations (CSOs) to find new ways to provide welfare services. The material is based on 22 semi-structured interviews and observations of seven general meetings at which RAO officials and CSO representatives met. In addition, notes were taken during two workshops with key stakeholders and interviewees, respectively. Learning and transformative action were analysed through a TADS approach. The findings reveal that a signed agreement, stipulating collaboration between the two sectors (public and civil society) became a second stimulus for shared transformative agency. After signing the agreement, conflicts of motives arose, which challenged learning between stakeholders. Surprisingly, it was not the conflicts of motives between the two sectors, but those within each sector that constituted the most severe expansive learning challenges, and consequently also a delay in the development of the collaboration platform that was to provide welfare services. Nonetheless, the conflicts also contributed to small, incremental, steps of transformative action toward what they had set out to do.

Abstract Background Finding ways to prolong independence in daily life among older people would be beneficial for both individuals and society. Urban green spaces have been found to improve health, but only a few studies have evaluated the association between urban green spaces and independence in daily life. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effect of urban green spaces on independence in daily life, using social services and support, mobility aids, and relocation to institutional long-term care as proxies, among community dwelling people 65 + years. Methods We identified 40 357 people 65 + years living in the city of Malmö, Sweden in 2010. Using geographical information systems (GIS), we determined the amount of urban green spaces (total, public, and quiet) within 300 m of each person’s residence. All three measures were categorized based on their respective percentiles, so that the first quartile represented the 25% with the least access and the fourth quartile the 25% with the most access. In 2015 and 2019, we assessed the outcomes minor assistance (non-personal support), major assistance (personal support), and relocation into institutional long-term care. These three outcome measures were used as proxies for independence in daily life. The effect of amount of urban green spaces in 2010 on the three outcomes in 2015 and 2019, respectively, was assessed by pairwise comparing the three highest quartiles to the lowest. Results Compared to the lowest quartile, those in the highest quartile of quiet green spaces in 2010 were less likely to receive minor assistance in both 2015 and 2019. Besides this, there were no indications that any of the measures of urban green space affected independence in daily life at the five- and nine-year follow-up, respectively. Conclusion Although urban green spaces are known to have positive impact on health, physical activity, and social cohesion among older people, we found no effect of total, public, or quiet green spaces on independence in daily life. This could possibly be a result of the choice of measures of urban green spaces, including spatial and temporal aspects, an inability to capture important qualitative aspects of the green spaces, or the proxy measures used to assess independence in daily life.

Having positive and meaningful social connections is one of the basic psychological needs of students. The satisfaction of this need is directly related to students' engagement--a robust predictor of educational achievement. However, schools continue to be sites of interethnic tension and the educational achievement of ethnically-minoritized students still lags behind that of their ethnic majority peers. The goal of the present study was to provide a quantitative account of the current segregated learning environments in terms of multicultural curriculum and instruction, as well as their possible impact on student outcomes that can mitigate these challenges. Drawing upon Self-Determination Theory, we investigated the extent to which the use of multicultural practices can improve students' engagement and whether this relationship is mediated by students' peer relationships. With data from 34 upper primary school classroom teachers and their 708 students, our multigroup analysis using structural equation modeling indicated that, in classrooms with a low (compared with high) minoritized student concentration, peer relationships can mediate the positive as well as negative effects of different dimensions of multicultural education on student engagement.

Mutations in superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) are a cause of hereditary amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) through a gain-of-function mechanism involving unfolded mutant SOD1. Intrathecal gene therapy using the antisense-oligo-nucleotide drug tofersen to reduce SOD1 expression delays disease progression and has recently been approved in the United States and the European Union. However, the discovery of children homozygous for inactivating SOD1 mutations developing the SOD1 Deficiency Syndrome (ISODDES) with injury to the motor system suggests that a too low SOD1 antioxidant activity may be deleterious in humans. Measuring SOD1 activity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in tofersen-treated patients is recommended but difficult due to low concentration and the presence of the isoenzyme SOD3. We here present a sensitive method to assess SOD1 activity by removing SOD3 from CSF samples using highly specific immobilized antibodies and subsequent measurement of the SOD activity. We validated the method on 171 CSF samples from ALS patients with and without mutations and controls and used paired erythrocyte samples for comparison. We found that in ALS patients with wildtype SOD1, the SOD1 activity in CSF was equal to controls, but patients with mutant SOD1 show lower activity in CSF, even for patients with mutants previously reported to have full activity in erythrocytes. Activity variation in CSF was large among patients carrying the same SOD1 mutation and larger than in erythrocytes and in post-mortem nervous tissue. Additionally, we identified a discrepancy between the SOD1 activity and protein level measured with ELISA in both CSF and erythrocytes. Since antibodies used for SOD1 ELISA-quantification are raised against the natively folded wildtype SOD1, the concentration of mutant SOD1s may be underestimated. Analysis of SOD1 enzymatic activity in CSF is therefore a more reliable way to monitor the effect of SOD1-lowering drugs.

Summary: Background: Transportation noise has been linked with cardiometabolic outcomes, yet whether it is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) remains inconclusive. We aimed to assess whether transportation noise was associated with AF in a large, pooled Nordic cohort. Methods: We pooled data from 11 Nordic cohorts, totaling 161,115 participants. Based on address history from five years before baseline until end of follow-up, road, railway, and aircraft noise was estimated at a residential level. Incident AF was ascertained via linkage to nationwide patient registries. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to estimate associations between running 5-year time-weighted mean transportation noise (Lden) and AF after adjusting for sociodemographics, lifestyle, and air pollution. Findings: We identified 18,939 incident AF cases over a median follow-up of 19.6 years. Road traffic noise was associated with AF, with a hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.02 (1.00–1.04) per 10-dB of 5-year mean time-weighted exposure, which changed to 1.03 (1.01–1.06) when implementing a 53-dB cut-off. In effect modification analyses, the association for road traffic noise and AF appeared strongest in women and overweight and obese participants. Compared to exposures ≤40 dB, aircraft noise of 40.1–50 and > 50 dB were associated with HRs of 1.04 (0.93–1.16) and 1.12 (0.98–1.27), respectively. Railway noise was not associated with AF. We found a HR of 1.19 (1.02–1.40) among people exposed to noise from road (≥45 dB), railway (>40 dB), and aircraft (>40 dB) combined. Interpretation: Road traffic noise, and possibly aircraft noise, may be associated with elevated risk of AF. Funding: NordForsk.

Abstract The European Commission (EC) asked EFSA to assess the genotoxicity of beauvericin (BEA). Relevant information, including that which has become available since the 2014 Scientific Opinion on the risks to human and animal health related to the presence of BEA and enniatins in food and feed, was reviewed. In the previous Opinion the Panel concluded that in vitro genotoxicity data were equivocal and there were no in vivo genotoxicity data available. New in vitro studies in mammalian cell lines provided no convincing evidence for induction of chromosomal damage by BEA as measured by micronucleus and chromosome aberration tests or an increase of DNA strand breaks as assessed by the Comet assay. In these studies, no concentration‐dependent effects or potential for interference from associated cytotoxicity were observed. In addition, DNA double‐strand breaks as measured by γ‐H2AX analysis were only observed following exposure to highly cytotoxic BEA concentrations. In vivo studies (Comet and Pig‐a assays, micronucleus test) with BEA were negative. In vitro gene expression studies showed no indication of a DNA damage response and (quantitative) structure activity relationship analysis was also not indicative of genotoxic potential. Some effects of BEA might play an indirect role in the formation of DNA strand breaks. These include increased reactive oxygen species, induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, associated with interference in mitochondrial function and cell signalling. There was no compelling evidence of inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. Taken together, the available data indicate that BEA is devoid of genotoxic potential.

Abstract The European Commission asked EFSA to update its 2012 risk assessment on brominated phenols and their derivatives in food, focusing on five bromophenols and one derivative: 2,4,6‐tribromophenol (2,4,6‐TBP), 2,4‐dibromophenol (2,4‐DBP), 4‐bromophenol (4‐BP), 2,6‐dibromophenol (2,6‐DBP), tetrabrominated bisphenol S (TBBPS), tetrabromobisphenol S bismethyl ether (TBBPS‐BME). Based on the overall evidence, the CONTAM Panel considered in vivo genotoxicity of 2,4,6‐TBP to be unlikely. Effects in liver and kidney were considered as the critical effects of 2,4,6‐tribromophenol (2,4,6‐TBP) in studies in rats. A BMDL10 of 353 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day for kidney papillary necrosis in male rats was identified and was selected as the reference point for the risk characterisation. The derivation of a health‐based guidance value was not considered appropriate due to major limitations in the toxicological database. Instead, the margin of exposure (MOE) approach was applied to assess possible health concerns. Around 78,200 analytical results for 2,4,6‐TBP in food were used to estimate dietary exposure for the European population. Considering the resulting MOE values, all far above an MOE of 6000 that does not raise a health concern, and accounting for the uncertainties affecting the exposure and hazard assessments, the CONTAM Panel concluded with at least 95% probability that the current dietary exposure to 2,4,6‐TBP does not raise a health concern. Due to lack of occurrence data, no risk assessment could be performed for breastfed or formula‐fed infants. No risk characterisation could be performed for any of the other brominated phenols and derivatives included in the assessment, due to lack of data both on the toxicity and occurrence.

Objective: To assess (i) the impact of self-reported fatigue on functioning in daily life, and (ii) the association with sociodemographics, physical capacity, and work ability among people with post-COVID-19. Design: A cross-sectional study. Subjects: Adults reporting post-COVID-19 symptoms for at least 2 months. Methods: Participants were recruited through social media and responded to an online survey between October 2021 and February 2022 regarding sociodemographics, COVID-19 symptoms, comorbidities, physical and mental fatigue, aerobic capacity, and work ability. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used. Results: A total of 614 participants (88% women, mean age 47 years, on average 13 months of symptoms) were included. A majority (≥ 84%) reported both physical fatigue and mental fatigue, according to the Fatigue Severity Scale and Mental Fatigue Scale. The fatigue impacted motivation, physical functioning, work, family, or social life, and increased sensitivity to stress and concentration difficulties. Among the factors, work ability had the strongest association with both physical fatigue and mental fatigue; odds ratio: 0.650 and 0.473, p