Soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and fluxes in forest ecosystems are influenced by natural and human disturbances. In the tropical regions the highest impacts on disturbance in forest C cycles are related to human activities such as conversion of natural lands to cropland and pasture areas and to forest plantations. The disturbances in the forest C cycles will release CO2 emissions to the atmosphere triggering global warming. In this study the focus was set in subtropical soils in Brazil, south extreme region of Bahia. The aim of the study was to investigate whether reforestation of Eucalyptus plantations under former pasture areas will help mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration.

This is a 15 hp (10 p) thesis in biology at the programme for Horticulture Management at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp. In this literature study we have processed, reviewed and arranged facts and research, to make it more available for those who want to know more about establishment or cultivation of mosses. Our client is Fredriksdal?s Museums and Gardens in Helsingborg who are planning to establish a moss garden. The information is meant to be used by Fredriksdal and other similar facilities.

Sahlgrenska Academyat University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: Can an increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids have an effect on testosteronelevels in women with PCOS?Author: Ylva Dernbrant och Helene HagenborgSupervisor: Lena HulthénExaminer: Anna WinkvistProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: May 23, 2012BackgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome affects women of fertile age and consists of elevated testosterone levels and increased insulin resistance along with effects on ovulation and fertility. The elevated level of testosterone often leads to problem with acne and hirsutism, and it is also common with overweight and metabolic syndrome. The nutrition treatment has mainly consisted of energy restriction, together with exercise and drugs to reduce insulin resistance and consequently reduce androgen levels. However, an in-depth knowledge about how the components of our diet can affect further, is lacking.Omega-3-fatty acids can affect insulin resistance and testosterone levels within other groups but today knowledge is lacking if these findings can be transferred to women with PCOS.

Sahlgrenska Academyat University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: Vitamin D supplementation and its effect on body composition in the overweightand obese ? a systematic reviewAuthor: Johanna Blum and Emma Sellin FrimodigSupervisor: Sofia KlingbergExaminer: Ingrid LarssonProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: April 10, 2013Background: There is an increasing burden of overweight and obesity worldwide. Theconditions lead to morbidity and lowered quality of life. Since there is research showing aconnection between obesity and low levels of serum 25(OH)D, this raises the question ifsupplementation of vitamin D may have positive effects on body weight, waist circumference andbody composition in the overweight and obese.Objective: To investigate if there is enough scientific evidence to recommend vitamin Dsupplementation combined with nutrition therapy to overweight and obese patients.Search strategy: The systematic collection of data was performed in the databases PubMed andScopus. Search terms included were ?vitamin D supplementation?, ?obesity? ?cohort?, ?vitamin D?,?vitamin D3 supplementation? and ?overweight?.Selection criteria: Human studies with RCT, CCT or cohort design written in English orSwedish were included.

ABSTRACTThe fauna of the Lower Cambrian is far from fully understood, as is the environment of that epoch. Some of the most crucial moments in the history of evolution takes place during this epoch; the Cambrian explosion and the appearance of ecosystems as we know them. That makes it an important period to investigate. Doing so, the Lower Cambrian offers a lot of problems, one of which is that body fossils are seldom preserved. That has often left us with trace fossils to create an image of the Lower Cambrian life, but also some bedrock features such as ripple marks.The main purpose of this work has been to investigate the possibilities of relating the wave lengths and forms of recent wave-generated ripples to fossil ones, and also to evaluate the methods for that kind of comparison.

Sahlgrenska Academyat University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: Oral intake of green tea and its effect on the appearance of UV-induced erythema, erythema solare ? A systematic literature reviewAuthors: Ernita Antoni Mulliqi and Pernilla GustafssonSupervisor: Sofia KlingbergExaminer: Ingrid LarssonProgramme: Dietetics programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: April 10, 2013Background: UV irradiation of the skin can cause erythema, clinically called erythema solare. The condition can exert pain as well as discomfort and may in the long term lead to negative effects including skin cancer. Green tea contains catechins which are substances with anti-inflammatory effect that may have positive effects on the skin. The intake of green tea is believed to have a protective effect against UV irradiation, since green tea extracts in lotions in previous studies have shown to increase the skin tolerance level against UV irradiation.Objective: To examine the scientific basis and determine whether an oral intake of green tea has a protective effect against UV-induced erythema.Search strategy: Searches in the scientific databases PubMed and Scopus were made to find suitable articles.

This study is made in cooperation with the insurance company, Skandia. Skandia is a part of Old Mutual group?s Nordic division and is one of Swedens largest insurance companies with a total of 1.9 million customers. The company offers traditional life assurance, unit-linked insurance, private healthcare insurance and banking services. Insurance companies such as Skandia operate in a highly competitive environment.

Sub Saharan Africa has during the last decade become the world?s fastest urbanizing region. This change is concentrated to a few metropolitan areas one of them being Dar es Salaam, the largest city of Tanzania. Since the 1960s Dar es Salaam has grown from being a relatively small coastal city of approximately 300 000 people to become a bustling urban centre of four million inhabitants. This development has had a major impact on the city structure, which in turn has affected people?s welfare and the surrounding environment. One such consequence is the detrimental loss of urban vegetation and open areas in the city.

Sahlgrenska AcademyAt University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstract:Titel: Effect on muscle building associated with alcohol intake after exerciseAuthor: Frida Bond och Linnea DanielssonSupervisor: Frode SlindeExamminer: Anna WinkvistProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDatum: May 26, 2014Background: Drinking alcohol is often used as something to spice up weekdays as well as more festive occasions. The reverse aspect of alcohol consumption is that the body sees alcohol as toxic and therefore the basis for a number of diseases. Exercise and physical activity have been proven to be good for several welfare diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Among people in general, opinion is divided as to how exercise combined with alcohol affects muscle building, but what do science say? Objective: The purpose of this review article is to analyze and summarize the existing scientific data about how the structure of muscles is affected in relation to alcohol intake after exercise.

Sahlgrenska Academyat University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: BCAA supplementation in patients undergoing resection for liver cancerAuthor: Mikael Semaan and Viktor SjölingSupervisor: Fredrik BertzExaminer: Frode SlindeProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: April 10, 2013BackgroundLiver cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the third largest to cause death. Protein-energy malnutrition is common in patients with liver disease and they often suffer from changes in the hepatic metabolism of nutrients and other substances. There is a basis for recommending BCAA supplementation in other certain liver diseases. Given the similar clinical picture of liver cancer surgery, it is possible that supplementation of BCAA can be beneficial for these patients as well.ObjectiveThe aim was to study the scientific basis for the effect of branched chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation in liver cancer patients. Can it improve their recovery in terms of nutritional status and albumin levels, and does it changes the duration of hospital stay, after surgery?Search strategyFive extensive searches were performed on PubMed and Cochrane after appropriate study material.

Sahlgrenska Academy at University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: The effect of a high versus low carbohydrate intake on endurance performanceAuthor: Emma Andersson and Josefine DahlqvistSupervisor: Fredrik BertzExaminer: Frode SlindeProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: May 22, 2013BackgroundCarbohydrates play a significant role in the human metabolism, especially during training. Manystudies have investigated the effects on different carbohydrate intakes on training performance. Thescientific researchers have met a consensus in the fact that a higher intake of carbohydratescompared to a lower carbohydrate intake improves athletic performance. Lately, the increasedinterest in low carbohydrate diets has despite these recommendations gained followers globally.ObjectiveTo determine if a higher carbohydrate intake results in a better endurance performance, comparedto a lower carbohydrate intake, for adult males and females, measured as time to exhaustion, totaldistance covered and power output/cadence. To be able to give nutrition recommendations toendurance athletes based on the current scientific evidence and identify if there is need for furtherresearch in this area.Search strategyThe databases used for the literature search were PubMed and Scopus.

Today?s electrical grid companies understand that better knowledge of and information about their grid can help realize a smart grid network. One way to gain better knowledge and information about the low voltage network is to install measuring equipment on the substation transformer´s secondary low voltage side that measures the low voltage network losses for that specific substation. By doing so, grid companies can, due to the calculation of the low voltage network losses, identify and address issues such as illegal power dissipation, unmeasured power outtakes, and unsatisfied technical documentation for the substations low voltage network.During 2012, Mälarenergi Elnät AB had a total electrical network loss (both medium and low voltage network losses included) of three to four percent of their total distributed electrical volume. Converting this energy volume into a monetary figure this accounts for a loss of around 30 million Swedish crowns.

This degree project concludes the Innovation and Design Engineering programme at Karlstad University. The project was carried out by David Brocker, Erik Hallberg and Andreas Hertzman during the spring of 2006 and corresponded to 15 weeks of work per student. Assigner was Martin Larsson at Arexor and instructor at Karlstad University was Monica Jakobsson.Arexor has a patent to a construction of an electrical skirting board with moveable wall sockets, called Electrical Track System. The lowest parts of the interior walls along the floor are today almost always covered by a conventional skirting board. Arexors patented product replaces that with the possibility to move and increase the number of wall sockets by choice along an electrical skirting board.

Sahlgrenska Academyat University of GothenburgDepartment of internal medicine and clinical nutritionAbstractTitle: Can exclusive enteral nutrition replace steroid treatment in pediatric Morbus Crohn?Author: Hanna Rymark Lehnér and Josephine PetterssonSupervisor: Mette AxelsenExaminer: Anna WinkvistProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: May 23, 2012Background: Morbus Crohn is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease which periodically causes great suffering for the patient. There is solid scientific evidence that treatment with steroids effectively induces and preserves remission. However, side effects are many and a great risk for stunted growth and skeletal development exists in children. A widespread view is that exclusive enteral nutrition is as effective as steroids in pediatric Crohn´s.

Sahlgrenska Academyat University of GothenburgDepartment of Internal Medicine and Clinical NutritionAbstractTitle: A vegetarian diet, a possible treatment complement for relief of symptoms ofrheumatoid arthritis? A systematic review.Author: Alexandra Ahlsén and Caroline ForsbergSupervisor: Mette AxelsenExaminer: Anna WinkvistProgramme: Dietician study programme, 180/240 ECTSType of paper: Examination paper, 15 hpDate: May 22, 2012Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic remitting polyarthritis that is relapsing.Symptoms are inflammation of the joints with pain, stiffness and degradation of joint tissue.In some cases, also other parts of the body are involved. The treatment consists ofmedications to reduce pain, inflammation and degradation of joint tissue. Today, the offerednutritional treatment is primarily focused on meeting energy requirements and nutrient needs.The diet has also been discussed as symptomatic treatment, and one of the factors believed toinfluence the symptoms is meat.Objective: To assess the evidence as to whether a vegetarian diet affects the symptoms ofrheumatoid arthritis, and if so, to suggest how it can be implemented in practical dieteticswork.Search strategy The databases used in the literature search was PubMed, Scopus, and AMED.The search words used were: "rheumatiod arthritis", "vegetarian", "vegan", "diet", "meat" and"animal protein".Selection criteria: Studies investigating a vegetarian diet on the symptoms of RA wereincluded. Only RCT, clinical trial, controlled clinical trial, human studies and original articlesin English or Swedish were included.