Phytoestrogens are secondary metabolites produced by plants. Among the plants that make phytoestrogens are soya, red clover and some types of grass. The name phytoestrogen is a collective term for compounds such as genistein, daidzein, biochanin A and formononetin. These compounds are similar to oestradiol-17? in their chemical structure.

Science and technology has been the bedrock of human growth and dynamism. Man has over the years distinguished his existence from all other beings by his ability to champion and fashion his existence. Among his tools is biotechnology which actually attenuates the fears of aging and death.Human reproductive cloning stands out as one of the means through which biotechnology plans to achieve this perfect existence for man. Technological advancements in the field of biotechnology are now in the threshold of human procreation.Human reproductive cloning is seen as an assisted method of reproduction which creates a newborn that is genetically identical to another human being.Human reproductive cloning as a technology and as a means of reproduction is not without its pros and cons. In as much as the technology promises to mention but a few, hope for the infertile couples and single parents, as well as the hope of reproduction without passing on hereditary diseases; it at the same time beeps some flashes of worry.

Aim: The aim of present study was to determine the frequency of taste and smell disorders occuring in patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer. Methods: The study was of an empirical cross sectional quantitative descriptive design. During one month, consecutive cancer patients at outpatient units in two Swedish hospitals were asked to participate in the study by completing a questionnaire that had been developed previously for a similar study. All participants had undergone at least 1 cycle of intravenous chemotherapy or  a minimum of seven days of oral chemotherapy. Results: A total of 102 patients completed the questionnaire.

The aim of the thesis is twofold: the first aim is to identify a number of reproductive logics that are used to construct Swedish regulation of embryo donation for reproductive use as either ethical or unethical in the governmental ? and medical discussions ? and to examine how these logics are interconnected with notions of gender and parenthood. The second aim is to identify a number of tensions that arise in the application of the governmental ethical logic on the embryo and embryo donation and discuss how these tensions can be solved with a feminist material approach. I argue that the terminology used to distinguish between genetic, biological, social and legal parenthood in my material is insufficient for understanding the value of the embryo outside its pre-human status. I therefore argue for an embryonic feminist bioethics that is attentive to the embryos post-human status, and for a reformulation of the parenthood terminology in line with what I call ?reproductive ties?..

Introduction: Studies have shown that women are not always satisfied with the effects of contraception and that contraceptive advice is perceived as non-specific. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate what contraceptive women have chosen to use in the different phases of their reproductive lives, and what they felt had influenced their choice. Method: A retrospective cross-sectional comparative study with a quantitative approach. A survey with fixed and multiple-choice options was sent to five hundred 45-year old women. Result: The study shows that various birth controls are different in the normal reproductive life.

The title is a quote from a blog entry written by the Swedish journalist Linus Fremin. For many years Fremin suffered from bulimia and he claims that men for a long time have been excluded from medias coverage of eating disorders.We wanted to try this thesis and decided to do a quantitative study of articles published in two Swedish newspapers, Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter, regarding eating disorders during the period 20101129-20121129. We studied 199 articles and counted the occurrence of men and women in the texts.Our study showed that women were represented in a majority of the articles, whereas the men were clearly much more absent. In most of the articles eating disorders were described as a female issue and men were rarely included. It?s difficult to say how the ideal division of men and women in media?s coverage of eating disorders should look like.

The main objective of this study has been to explore how art therapists experience the visual art´s that can be used in the promotion of health among people with depression - and anxiety disorders. The concept of SOC- sense of coherence has been a central term and a link between imaging and SOC were identified in the study. The underlying method in the study was a qualitative form, where semi-structured interviews were used. Through a strategic- sample five female art therapist were contacted, who all came to participate in the study. The study is essentially based on hermeneutical method and the analysis of interview material has been analyst by using thematic analysis.

The main domain in which eating disorders are defined is medical, whereas socio-cultural perspectives are less common. Because social workers seeks to explain different problems taking societal factors into account, we asked ourselves if social workers have a way of understanding eating disorders, that is different from a medical point of view. Two focus group interviews were conducted; the one composed by social workers with experience of working with eating disorders, and the other by social workers without that experience, which enabled comparisons. The interviews were analyzed using socio-cultural and feminist perspectives. The result showed that the social workers use socio-cultural perspectives in explaining eating disorders.

The purpose of this literature review was to find common factors for the persons who predispose to eating disorders. These factors shall help the nurse to recognise early signs of eating disorder behaviors. The literature review is directed to the nurse and will answer the issue: Which groups in the community run the risk of developing eating disorders? Furthermore, this knowledge shall lead to a better understanding of persons having eating disorders and be used as an aid in his/her encounter with these patients. The method was a literature review based on eight scientific articles, which were interpreted on the basis of the competence of the nurse.

The aim of this study was to examine musculoskeletal disorders among dental hygienists inrelation to work postures (sitting, standing, and altering) and to study differences in thegroups regarding numbers of disorders, locations and degrees. A mail questionnaire wasdistributed among 200 dental hygienists in the region of Skåne. The response rate was 79 %.The majority of the dental hygienists were working in a sitting position. Only43 dental hygienists were altering their working position and two were working in a standingposition. The results showed that 85 % of the dental hygienists have experiencedmusculoskeletal disorders in the last 12 months.

This project was initiated by a veterinarian, that at stallion performance tests for breeding during a number of years, noted breed differences in various types of testicular disorders. Therefore it was of interests to examine the proportion of testicular disorders within certain breeds. The aim with the project was in a first part to study cryptorchidism in common horse breeds in Sweden. Information about castrations of stallions performed during a 10 year period (2000-2009) was collected from computerized case records at five animal hospitals. The case records showed the numbers of castrations, normal cases and cases preformed on stallions with cryptorchidism, abdominal respectively inguinal.

An array of different retinal disorders is present as a threat in quite a number of dog breeds. These often lead to profound visual impairment or blindness. Many of the disorders are genetic, and they are, in Sweden as well as in other countries, subject to breeding programmes. The anatomy of the eye and the retina, as well as current examination techniques (ophthalmoscopy, electroretinography (ERG) and genetic analysis) are described. The more common retinal disorders encountered in dogs in Sweden are discussed: retinal dysplasia, generalized progressive retinal dystrophy, retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy, collie eye anomaly, sudden acquired retinal degeneration, retinal detachment and choroiditis. The possibly affected breeds are listed. The value of diagnostic findings is discussed and current advances on the subject in ophthalmologic research are accounted for..

The aim of this thesis is to explain what actions Sweden and the international communities have been taking in terms of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in order to realize the Programme of Action from the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo 1994. In a theoretical perspective, donor countries and multilateral organizations are seen as interacting actors involved in global development cooperation. Through applying a human rights approach I will show shortages in terms of supplies to contraception, international agreement on the issue of safe abortions and a new era that comes with new rules for aid and development cooperation. In addition, for human rights to be realized there is the feature of accountability. Without accountability, SRHR cannot be fully respected, guaranteed and protected.

The cat is one of our most common pets. Understanding the reproductive physiology of the queen is important, not only for the knowledge of our domestic cats but also for wild undomesticated feline species, many of which have been reported endangered. Understanding the mechanisms behind the estrous cycle, ovulation and pregnancy is also important for handling the feral cat populations that are a problem in several countries. The purpose of this literature study is to look into the hormonal patterns of the reproductive physiology of the female cat, with focus on ovulation, pregnancy and pseudo-pregnancy, and from this information determine in which fields more research would be needed. The female cat is seasonally polyestrous in Sweden, meaning that she can have several estrous cycles during the breeding season but goes through a long period of reproductive dormancy during the darker months of the year. The queen is considered an induced ovulator, with copulation triggering the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland needed for ovulation.

Our aim of this study was to investigate barriers and opportunities for people with mental disorders getting in to the labor market. This from experiences by people whose daily job contains work rehabilitation for this group in particular. On the basis of five qualitative interviews the results showed that prejudices towards people with mental disorders are a barrier for them to get a wage labor. Furthermore the results showed that low self-esteem within the target group and also high educational demands becomes a barrier to a wage labor. The results also showed that to focus on the healthy aspects may serve as an opportunity for people with mental disorders to get in to the labor market and be able to have a paid job.