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.

Two haematological instruments intended for small animal clinic use were evaluated at the Department of Clinical Chemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden. The QBC-V and Vet abc were compared to a reference instrument, the Cell-Dyn 3500. Fresh blood samples were obtained from canine and feline patients from the University Veterinary Hospital, SLU. The QBC-V was used for 111 canine samples and 78 canine blood samples were analysed with Vet abc. From cats, 23 samples were analysed with both instruments.

Sahlgrenska Academy at University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: Changes in blood pressure by replacing regular coffee with decaffeinated coffee,in healthy, normotensive subjectsAuthor: Linnéa Adolfsson and Hillevi Pilgren SautterSupervisor: Lena HulthénExaminer: Anna WinkvistProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 ECTSDate: April 12, 2012Background Hypertension is a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease, which is themost common cause of premature death. Contributing factors to hypertension are genetics,lifestyle and nutrition. Earlier studies have shown that coffee may increase blood pressure.Objective To investigate the scientific basis whether replacing regular coffee with decaffeinatedcoffee would affect blood pressure in healthy, normotensive subjects.Search strategy Searches have been done in databases; PubMed and Scopus in February 2012.Keywords used were: ?coffee blood pressure?, ?coffee cardiovascular disease?, ? kaffeblodtryck?, ?kaffe hjärtkärlsjukdom?, ?coffee and decaffeinated coffee?, ?decaffeinated coffeeand blood pressure?, ?decaffeinated coffee and cardiovascular disease? and ?exchangedecaffeinated coffee?.Selection criteria Studies with healthy, normotesive subjects, >15 years old, BMI < 30, morethan one week of intervention, randomized controlled trails and human trials were included.Only trials using caffeine from coffee versus decaffeinated coffee and studies in English andSwedish were accepted. Exclusion criteria were other interventions such as weight loss, changesin diet, medications or stress tests.Data collection and analysis Studies were selected after inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Septic tenosynovitis involving the digital sheath is a relatively common problem in the horse and the prognosis has been considered as poor. However, there are only few studies confirming this. The purpose of this study is to increase the knowledge about the prognosis for septic tenosynovitis in the digital sheath. The literature indicates that half or a bit more than half of the treated horses will return to previous use. The recommended treatment is debridement of the wound, lavage and sometimes application of drains and broadspectrum antibiotics. The prognosis is considered as worse when the infection is established.

Methadone is frequently used as an analgesic drug for dogs although there are very few studies describing the pharmacokinetics of methadone in this species. In man methadone has a long half-life and there are considerable differences in pharmacokinetics between individuals. The dose interval is lengthened when the drug is used fore longer periods of time due to prolonged half-life. Therefore the drug dose must be adjusted individually. The purpose of this study was to study the fundamental pharmacokinetics of methadone in dogs, and to find an optimal drug dosage.

Sahlgrenska Academyat University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: Artificial sweeteners in beverage and their effecton hunger and energy intakeAuthor: Sofia Andersson and Sofia JakobssonSupervisor: Heléne Bertéus ForslundExaminer: Anna WinkvistProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: April 11, 2012BackgroundIn 2010 the total consumption of soft drinks in Sweden was estimated to 69 litres per person and17 % of the domestic production was estimated to consist of soft drinks sweetened with artificialsweeteners. The effects of artificial sweeteners on hunger is not yet fully understood. It isspeculated that they might increase hunger and hence increase energy intake.ObjectiveThe aim was to compile the evidence regarding the effects of an intake of a beverage sweetenedwith artificial sweeteners compared to sucrose on subsequent hunger and energy intake.Search strategyA systematic search for literature was performed in the databases PubMed and Scopus.Selection criteriaThe inclusion criteria were RCT, human studies, articles published in Swedish or English, studieson healthy adults and studies measuring hunger with a subjective scale or energy intake. Theexclusion criteria were studies who measured energy intake under other forms than standardisedor controlled, studies without a standardised dose of the beverage and articles needed to beordered against payment.Data collection and analysisFour articles were selected and examined according to a template developed by SBU. Theevidence for each outcome was weighed together and graded according to GRADE based on asummarised evidence form developed by the Sahlgrenska Academy.Main resultsAll four articles measured subjectively rated hunger.

Sahlgrenska Academy at University of GothenburgDepartment of Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: The effect of nutritional treatment on functional recovery after stroke, a systematic reviewAuthor: Ingrid Blankenau and Amanda LindbladSupervisor: AnneMarie GrönbergExaminer: Anna WinkvistProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTS Type of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: April 13, 2011Background: Every year 30 000 people in Sweden suffer from stroke. This costs society about twelve billion SEK. Many stroke survivors experience functional impairment which may lead to difficulties for them to meet their nutritional needs. Nutritional treatment is important in the recovery process after stroke as malnutrition increases the risk of complications.Objective: To investigate the possible effect of nutritional treatment on functional recovery after stroke.Search strategy: The search was conducted in the databases PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane by using the English keywords stroke, nutrition, rehabilitation, functional outcome, recovery, acute stroke, ischemic stroke, ischemic acute stroke, nutrition therapy, brain hemorrhage, functional recovery and nutritional rehabilitation.Selection criteria: Studies published before 2001 conducted on human subjects who suffer from stroke where they measured functional capacity and did a nutritional intervention, written in English, Swedish or Norwegian, and did not have to be requested from the library.Data collection and analysis: A systematic search was performed in PubMed. Studies which had an interesting heading were examined and abstract read.

Sahlgrenska Academy at University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: Does the number of chews affect satiation and satiety?Author: Madeleine Johansson och Helena AnderssonSupervisor: Heléne Bertéus ForslundExaminer: Frode SlindeProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: May 27, 2014Background: Overweight and obesity is a growing problem worldwide. In 2008, 35% of theworld's population were overweight and 11% obese , which is almost doubling since 1980,according to WHO. Recommendations on overweight and obesity is not just about what weeat but how we eat. A generally accepted recommendation is to eat slowly and chew yourfood properly in order to increase fullness and reduce energy intake.

Sahlgrenska Academyat University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: Coconut water and recovery/water-electrolyte balance after physicalexcercise ? A systematic overviewAuthor: Irene Eriksson and Alexandra ÖquistSupervisor: Henriette PhilipsonExaminer: Frode SlindeProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: April 09, 2014Background: During physical exercise, it is common with dehydration, which affectsperformance negatively. To restore the fluid balance it is optimal to drink fluids containingsalt and carbohydrates. In theory, coconut water should be a good recovery drink because oftheir nutrient content.Objective: To evaluate the scientific evidence available, to investigate whether coconut wateris better than water or sports drinks for rehydration after physical exercise.Search strategy: PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library have been used in the literarysearch. Keywords used were recovery, fluid balance, fluid therapy, water-electrolyte balance,rehydration, dehydration, hydration, exercise, physical activity, resistance training, activity,sports, training, coconut water in varying combinations, in order to cover as wide area aspossible.

Aim Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ'07) is an international survey tool based on parents' estimation of their child's motor coordination skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of a Swedish version of DCDQ'07 by finding out how the classification of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) via DCDQ'07 is consistent with the classification of DCD via the motor impairment test, Movement ABC.MethodIn the context of a larger study, a Swedish translated version of the parent survey DCDQ'07 were sent to 4000 randomly selected families with children aged 8 - 10 years in Stockholm County. The classifications "DCD" or "NOT DCD" with cut-off values ??of 56 (9 years) and 57 (10 years) were applied. Forty families were selected from 410 registered responses.

Sahlgrenska Academy at University of GothenburgDepartment of Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: Does coffee consumption affect the risk of stroke?Author: Jenny KällSupervisor: Heléne Bertéus ForslundExaminer: Anna WinkvistProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: May 22, 2012___________________________________________________________________________Background: The widespread consumption of coffee worldwide makes this drink interesting to study from a public health perspective. Even minor health effects may be important for the whole population. Stroke patients require the largest number of days spent in hospitals and nursing homes than any other medical condition group. Risk factors for stroke include smoking, high alcohol intake, physical inactivity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, high waist-hip ratio and diabetes.

Sahlgrenska Academyat University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: Does low fat dairy products reduce blood pressure?Author: Emma Bergman and Naman LimaniSupervisor: Lena HulthénExaminer: Anna WinkvistProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: May 26, 2014Background: It is estimated that at least a third of the population in Sweden have a high blood pressure with genetics, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity as the main contributing causes. High blood pressure is one of the greatest risk factors to develop cardiovascular diseases, which is the leading cause of death worldwide. Milk is a nutritional food product and previous research suggests that low fat dairy products may have blood pressure lowering effect.Objective: The aim was to examine the scientific basis of how low fat dairy products affect blood pressure.Search strategy: Twelve searches were conducted on PubMed and Scopus, where the chosen search terms were combined to produce a broad search as possible in the particular area. The search terms used were dairy, dairy products, milk, blood pressure and hypertension.Selection criteria: Studies on normotensive or hypertensive individuals who received low fat dairy products were included.

In Sweden in January 2005, there is only one producer of organic broilers and none of organic turkeys. But there are, on the other hand, a few small-scale producers whose housing systems to some extent are similar to what is stipulated in the organic standards. The aims of this work are to investigate what housing systems are used by the Swedish small-scale producers of broilers and turkeys, what main challenges they are confronted with and if there is an interest and a possibility for a change-over to organic production. For the first part of this work a literature study was performed with the purpose of detecting the main health problems in conventional as well as smallscale production. A special focus was on coccidiosis and leg weakness as those were considered to be of particular importance. A study was made of Swedish small-scale poultry production units. In two groups of broilers from the same producer and in three flocks of turkeys the level of Eimeria oocysts in faeces and litter was investigated.

Sahlgrenska AcademyAt University of GothenburgDepartment of internal medicine and clinical nutritionAbstractTitle: D for depression: Does vitamin D supplementation have apalliative effect on depressive symptoms? ? A systematic reviewAuthor: Emelie Nacksten and Lua Ferreira RangelSupervisor: Fredrik BertzExaminer: Ingrid LarssonProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: May 22th, 2013BackgroundDepression is one of the major diseases in the world and is ranked by the WHO as the leading causeof disability. Several studies suggest that there is a correlation between low s-25(OH)D levels and theoccurrence of depression. Current research has found enzymes required for synthesis of the active formof vitamin D and its receptors (VDR) in the brain. The potential role of the vitaminas a neuroactive steroid has resulted in an increased interest in investigating the role of vitamin D in thetreatment of depression.ObjectiveStudy the scientific evidence to determine if vitamin D supplementation can relieve depressive symptomsin adults.Search strategyThe literature search was conducted in the databases Scopus, Pubmed, Cochrane and PsychInfo.

This thesis reports on a case study of two different organisational forms in the Swedish forest industry; the geographic and the functional organisation. The work in the geographic organisation is carried out within districts under the supervision of an overall responible district manager, where as in the functional organisation the work has been divided into functions headed by function managers. Forest magement, logging and wood purchases are examples of such functions. The general idea of the functional organisation is having the functions working over a larger geographic unit, without subdividing district boundaries of the region. Also a third organisational form of current interest for the forest industry; the process orientated organisation, is analyzed in the case study. Here, a company outside the forest industry has been analyzed, since no forest company was considered to have made as much progress of changing organisation to process orientation. In the report I present the results from qualitative interviews, where I give the reader a picture of the motives behind each organisational form, what the form implies for some of the company?s interested parties and the organisations? views on future organisational development.