Obesity is a problem that increases exponentially in humans and companion animals. It is defined as a big accumulation of fat in the body and is usually connected with several diseases. This study describes how obesity can be diagnosed, in which way the gut flora can affect obesity, if the gut flora is genetically influenced or not, and how it differs between individuals with obesity and obesity-related diseases. Conclusions of the study are that both the bacterial strains Bacteriodetes and Firmicutes probably have a connection to obesity. The intestinal flora is probably also genetically related.

AimThe aim of this study was to develop and perform a reliability test of a questionnaire regarding side dominance in order to identify the dominant/non-dominant side in students at the Swedish alpine ski high school.MethodA questionnaire of side dominance of the upper and lower extremity was developed, and its reliability was tested according to the test-retest design. A total of 121 subjects answered the questionnaire twice. The questionnaire included five questions about side dominance, i.e. what hand/arm or foot/leg (left /right) that one prefers to use as a first choice when writing, throwing, kicking a ball, jumping over a fence and stair climbing. Furthermore, there was a question whether the responder has a safer/better ski turn to the left or to the right.

AimThe aim of the present investigation was to study the side distribution (right, left) and possible gender differences in terms of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in different sports.MethodThis Register study comprises a total of 27856 subjects from the Swedish National Anterior Cruciate Ligament Register. Side- distribution and possible gender differences were analyzed. The different sports consisted of aerobics, alpine skiing, basket, cross-country skiing, dancing, enduro, floorball, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey/bandy, martial arts, outdoor activities, racket sports, snowboard, soccer, and volleyball. Due to injuries that had occurred in the traffic and at work 5076 subjects were excluded. Statistical data have been analyzed with one way ANOVA and x2 test and the Tukey post hoc test has also been used.

The aim of this dissertation is the production of a landscape management document to protect and improve elements of biological, cultural and economic value found within the site at Tosthult. The study involves both analysis of the current grazing regime, comparison of today?s flora with flora collected in the fifties and a SWOT analysis of inhabitants? views on Tosthult?s landscape and neighbourhood. The resultant landscape management document applies to an area over 134 ha and is valid for thirty years. The proposal contains 26 separate management units, each with necessary information on the area, definition of management goals and the mix of management procedures to undertake.

The thesis "Jaummuov?rrie Flower Meadow: An Assessment of Species Diversity and Cultural History," provides a detailed botanical examination of Jaummuov?rrie flower meadow in the Ammarn?s area, focusing on its biodiversity and cultural significance. The study aims to evaluate the species richness of the meadow and explore its role in the cultural heritage of the region. In addition to its ecological importance, the thesis delves into the cultural history of Jaummuov?rrie flower meadow, tracing its significance to the local community and traditional practices.

Mina mönster rör sig kring naturen, skogen och dess invånare.Flamingon står framför en blomma som slingrar sig uppåt, bredvid ser hjorten på oss med en bestämd blick och en snigel rör sig långsamt fram över en yta av växtlighet. Det här är min egen värld som jag skapar med tecknandet som grund, varje mönster är som att leka med ett dockhus, jag flyttar runt djuren och möblerar om med blommorna tills jag hittar en ordning och skapar små världar där djuren och naturen kan frodas. De har inte en kontinental tillhörighet, de hör inte till ett specifikt ekosystem eller en specifik del av jorden. De tillhör min egen värld, de är inte enbart från regnskogen eller norden. Det är en salig blandning av allt, det som finns på riktigt och det som är fantasi..

The species in the genus bumblebees (Bombus) are important pollinators. In the world there are 250 bumblebee species and there are 34 species in Norway. The purpose of this study is 1) to assess changes in the species composition of bumblebees in twenty different places in Norway that have been inventoried first one time between 1939-1960 and the second time in 2012, and 2) to relate species richness and distributions to current landscape composition with the aid of orthophotos. In this study, I have used regression analyzes on the different bumblebee species that were present or absent at the inventory, using the premises of the following variables: low or high altitude, latitude, longitude and seven different types of land use (farmland, building/plots, open land/pasture, forest, wetland and open or snow-covered ground above the tree line) to see if there was any relationship between each species and the different variables. I have not analyzed what the landscape looked like at the first inventories and therefore we cannot say whether it has changed and if that is why species number has decreased. This would be interesting to study further and to see if there is any relationship between landscape changes and bumblebee?s species decline.

Aim: The purpose with this study was to examine if there is burnout or symptoms of burnout among Swedish alpine coaches. The study would also investigate if the place of work have any meaning of developing burnout symptom or to become burnout. How the coaches think that their working situation could be any better is also going to be lightened.Method: The participants in this study were all full time paid alpine coaches in Sweden. Total amount of participator was 28. 13 of them worked on ski gymnasium, 4 worked on ski collage and 11 worked in SSF (Swedish Ski Federation).

The aim of this study was to establish knowledge about the most suitable substrate for cultivating different kinds of anaerobic beer spoilage bacteria in the brewing industry. During the study, two other aspects were investigated; if the sample volume affects the results and which anaerobic beer spoilage bacteria are present in the micro flora at the brewery. The method used was standard cultivation with four different substrates; Universal Beer Agar, Nachweismedium Bierschädliche Bakterien, Raka Ray and VLB S7-S. During the identification of bacteria in the micro flora, a method using PCR was used. None of the substrates showed a significant advantage over the others.

This paper evaluates the prospects for utilizing aquaculture effluents as a nutrient source in organic hydroponic, as is the case in aquaponics. The development of organic hydroponics is dependent on replacing synthetic fertilizers with organically derived nutrients, such as those found in aquaculture effluents. Also, in hydroponic cultivation the establishment of a plant pathogen suppressive micro flora is part of the plant protection strategy. Therefore, both nutritional and microbial qualities of aquaculture water and organic hydroponic nutri-ent solution were analyzed and compared. Results showed both aquaculture water and or-ganic hydroponic solution to be deficient in a number of essential elements, although or-ganic hydroponic solution was closer to recommendations.

De gamla ängs- och betesmarkerna hör till Sveriges artrikaste biotoper, ofta med en mycket hög arttäthet inom både flora och fauna. Ängs- och betesmarker har minskat kraftigt under det senaste århundradet vilket har lett till en utarmning av den biologiska mångfalden. Denna undersökning sker i samarbete med Täby kommun och syftet är att undersöka 10 olika ängs- och betesmarker för att få en uppdaterad bild av hävdtillståndet och vilka åtgärder som är mest lämpliga att sätta in.Detta arbete avser att fungera som en grund där framtida undersökningars resultat kan jämföras med för att se vilket resultat de insatta åtgärderna gett. Metoderna som använts är en allmän artinventering, art/area analys och successionskategorier utarbetade av Urban Ekstam samt studier av indikatorarter och lokalernas allmänna utseende exempelvis om mycket gammalt gräs finns i lokalen. Art/area- kurvorna studeras vilka genom sin lutnig och form visar vilken arttäthet som råder i det studerade växtsamhället.Flera av de undersökta lokalerna visar tecken på igenväxning och domineras främst av konkurrenskraftiga kvävegynnade arter. Dock finns ofta mindre bestånd kvar av hävdgynnad flora vilka skulle få en chans till expansion om en intensivare hävd sätts in.

De gamla ängs- och betesmarkerna hör till Sveriges artrikaste biotoper, ofta med en mycket hög arttäthet inom både flora och fauna. Ängs- och betesmarker har minskat kraftigt under det senaste århundradet vilket har lett till en utarmning av den biologiska mångfalden. Denna undersökning sker i samarbete med Täby kommun och syftet är att undersöka 10 olika ängs- och betesmarker för att få en uppdaterad bild av hävdtillståndet och vilka åtgärder som är mest lämpliga att sätta in.Detta arbete avser att fungera som en grund där framtida undersökningars resultat kan jämföras med för att se vilket resultat de insatta åtgärderna gett. Metoderna som använts är en allmän artinventering, art/area analys och successionskategorier utarbetade av Urban Ekstam samt studier av indikatorarter och lokalernas allmänna utseende exempelvis om mycket gammalt gräs finns i lokalen. Art/area- kurvorna studeras vilka genom sin lutnig och form visar vilken arttäthet som råder i det studerade växtsamhället.Flera av de undersökta lokalerna visar tecken på igenväxning och domineras främst av konkurrenskraftiga kvävegynnade arter. Dock finns ofta mindre bestånd kvar av hävdgynnad flora vilka skulle få en chans till expansion om en intensivare hävd sätts in.

A great importance for the future of municipalize is the ability to attract and retain the younger part of the population.  For the Tärnaby area (a famous tourist resort for alpine skiing), a part of the Storuman municipality, this is a problem, and with a possible mining establishment job opportunities will be provided. In this study I have examined how young adults related to the Tärnaby area have reasoning about stay or move from the area and what may get them to move back.What is the area´s place identity and is it attractive for the respondents? Can a mining establishment change the negative population trend? The results showed that the respondent have a strong connection to the area and the identity of the place. A large proportion of the respondents indicated that they wanted to move back to the area of Tärnaby, if it was possible, due to work-related causes and social relations at existing place of residence. The respondents approach for a potential mining establishment is both of positive and negative sense.  However, a mining establishment is considered by the respondents to be of great importance for the future of the Tärnaby area..

Fire has historically been of great ecological importance in the boreal forests of Sweden. The forest fire regime has, however, varied between different parts of the country. The objective of this thesis is therefore to investigate the fire history in Fulufjället National Park and, on this basis, give suggestions for future fire management. The reconstruction of fire history was done by cross-dating fire scars in samples taken from living and dead Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Local fire chronologies were established at 17 points in the forests in and around Fulufjället National Park by cross-dating fire scars on 54 samples. The oldest year-ring dated from year 968.

ABSTRACT This study is an exam work at the Department of Ecology at the Swedish Agricultural University, Ultuna, Uppsala. The field work was performed in the counties of Uppsala and Västmanland. Grassland areas, exposed to annual mowing, are known to host a variety of rare and red-listed vascular species. The area of these grassland are, however, decreasing in the landscape due to modern farming. The fact that roadside verges maintain regular mowing has proven to be a successful concept for many rare vascular plant species in this habitat. Vascular plants along roadside verges at the State road network were inventoried due to a government mandate during 1995 and 1996. As a result ?Species rich roadsides? were pointed out.