The history of Lapland : wherein are shewed the original manners, habits, marriages, conjurations, &c. of that people : written by John Scheffer, professor of law and rhetoric at Upsal in Sweden.

Added engraved title page: The history of Lapland.

Fractures in older people - incidence, predictors and consequences

In older populations, fractures are common and the consequences of fractures may be serious both for an individual and for society. However, information is scarce about the incidence, predictors and consequences of fractures in population-based unselected cohorts including both men and women and a long follow-up. The objective of this study was to analyse the incidence and predictors of fractures as well as functional decline and excess mortality due to fractures, among 482 men and 695 women aged 65 or older in the municipality of Lieto, Finland from 1991 until 2002. In analyses, Poisson’s, Cox proportional Hazards and Cumulative Logistic regression models were used for the control of several confounding variables. During the 12-year follow-up with a total of 10 040 person-years (PY), 307 (26%) persons sustained altogether 425 fractures of which 77% were sustained by women. The total incidence of fractures was 53.4 per 1000 PY (95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 47.9 - 59.5) in women and 24.9 per 1000 PY (95% CI: 20.4 - 30.4) in men. The incidence rates of fractures at any sites and hip fractures were associated with increasing age. No significant changes in the ageadjusted incidence rates of fractures were found in either gender during the 12-year follow-up. The predictors of fractures varied by gender. In multivariate analyses, reduced handgrip strength and body mass index (BMI) lower than 30 in women and a large number of depressive symptoms in men were independent predictors of fractures. A compression fracture in one or more thoracic or upper lumbar vertebras on chest radiography at baseline was associated with subsequent fractures in both genders. Lower body fractures independently predicted both short- (0-2 years) and long-term (up to 8 years) functional decline in mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) performance during the 8-year follow-up. Upper body fractures predicted decline in ADL performance during longterm follow-up. In the 12-year follow-up, hip fractures in men (Hazard Ratio [HR] 8.1, 95% CI: 4.4-14.9) and in women (HR 3.0, 95% CI: 1.9-4.9), and fractures at the proximal humerus in men (HR 5.4, 95% CI: 1.6-17.7) were independently associated with excess mortality. In addition, leisure time inactivity in physical exercise predicted independently both functional decline and excess mortality. Fractures are common among older people posing serious individual consequences. Further studies about the effectiveness of preventing falls and fractures as well as improving care and rehabilitation after fractures are needed.

Accelerated ageing like a vigour test to diasporas of Myracrodruon urundeuva Fr. Allem

This work established the adequate temperature and the period of exposition for the accelerated ageing test with diasporas of Myracrodruon urundeuva from an area of the Cerrado in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Before and after the ageing, at the temperatures of 40ºC, 41ºC, 42ºC and 45ºC combined with periods of 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 hours, the water content and germination were evaluated. For each treatment, 12g of diasporas in mini chambers with 40 mL of distilled water were submitted to the accelerated ageing test. A total of 100 diasporas, divided into four replications, in plastic boxes, on two sheets of blotting paper, in germinator at 25ºC and 8 hours of photoperiod were germinated. In all treatments the content of water of the aged diasporas was superior to 20% and this value stabilized itself between 25% and 28%, from the 18 hours of exposition. Independently of the tested periods, the ageing at the temperatures of 40ºC, 41ºC and 42ºC did not affect the germination. After the ageing at 45ºC, the germination did not differ among the periods of 12, 18 and 24 hours of exposition, but in all these periods it was inferior to the control and superior to the periods of 30 and 36 hours. In these last two periods, fungi were observed. The accelerated ageing of diasporas of Myracrodruon urundeuva should be conducted at the temperature of 45ºC, during the exposition periods of 12 to 24 hours.

Social capital, coping and information behaviour of long-term unemployed people in Finland

Avhandlingen studerar hur långtidsarbetslösa klarar av sin situation, hurdant socialt kapital och informationsbeteende de har, samt granskar hur de ovannämnda faktorerna är relaterade till varandra. Därtill undersöks om det finns skillnader mellan finsk- och svenskspråkiga långtidsarbetslösa på de här tre livsområdena. I undersökningen består socialt kapital av sociala relationer, deltagande i organisatoriska aktiviteter samt känslan av tillhörighet med olika grupper och samfund. Gällande informationsbeteende är fokus på vardaglig informationssökning, vilka källor som används, och hurdana problem man stöter på när man söker information. Som mest påfrestande upplevdes arbetslösheten av män, som var i början eller mitten av sin arbetskarriär. De äldre (över 55 år) verkade på många sätt klara av arbetslöshetssituationen bättre än de yngre, som drabbades hårdare av ekonomiska problem och stress. Kvinnor kunde bättre än män bibehålla en positiv inställning, de hade t.ex. starkare sociala nätverk som stöd, medan mäns sociala relationer i högre grad verkade vila på en arbetsgemenskap, som blev allt svagare i och med utdragen arbetslöshet. Yngre män upplevde också ofta att deras hälsa hade försämrats, när den för kvinnor och äldre arbetslösa i genomsnitt blev bättre. När arbetslösas bemästring av arbetslöshetssituationen, sociala relationer och informationssökning granskades, framgick att människor som var aktiva på ett livsområde också var aktiva på andra livsområden. I de flesta fall framkom inte några större skillnader mellan finsk- och svenskspråkiga arbetslösa. Beträffande informationssökning var de upplevda problemen ändå av diametralt motsatt karaktär – för svenskspråkiga åsamkade för lite tillgänglig information ofta problem, medan problemet för de finskspråkiga var att hitta det väsentliga i informationsflödet. Finskspråkiga kände sig också mera fast anknutna till sin boendemiljö och det finska samhället i stort, svenskspråkiga hade däremot i genomsnitt bredare och tätare sociala nätverk.

People and the intertidal : human induced changes, biodiversity loss, livelihood implications and management in the Western Indian Ocean

Vad händer i tidvattenzonen? Var går gränsen mellan land och hav, vad händer i tidvattenzonen och vem ansvarar för detta? I västra Indiska oceanen (VIO) kan avståndet mellan den lägsta nivån för lågvattnet och den högsta nivån för högvattnet vara flera kilometer och nivåskillnaderna upp till 6 meter och detta skapar ett stort och föränderligt område. Syftet med min avhandling är att öka förståelsen för tidvattenzonen i tropiska och subtropiska västra Indiska oceanen. Sammanfattningsvis visar mina studier att det finns ett mycket stort värde i den komplexa tidvattenzonen, men också att det här området hotas från både land och hav, genom t.ex. överexploatering, erosion och föroreningar. Uttnyttjandet av tidvattenzonen är stort och min avhandling har visat att aktiviteter såsom fiske i form av plocking av musslor och andra ryggradslösa djur och hamnaktiviteter påverkar den biologiska mångfalden negativt, vilket leder till försämrad levnadsstandard för resursutnyttjande människor i regionen. För att förbättra situationen krävs det mer forskning, miljöövervakning och bättre förvaltning av tidvattenzonen. Experter i regionen har rangordnat förslag på förvaltningsstrategier som skulle kunna testas för att förbättra miljön och skapa ett mer hållbart nyttjande. Avhandlingen visar även att det är möjligt att använda fjärranalysteknik såsom satellitbildsanalys för att kvantifiera mängden sjögräsvegetation (i form av biomassa), vilket kan ha stor betydelse för att förbättra storskalig miljöövervakning av kustnära naturtyper (habitat). I avhandlingsarbetet har jag använt mig av ett multidisciplinärt tillvägagångssätt och använt metoder såsom ekologisk och biologisk provtagning, intervjuer, observationer, diskussionsgrupper, frågeformulär och fjärranalys. Resultaten presenterade i denna avhandling ger en ökad kunskap om tidvattenzonen i utvecklingsländerna inom VIO-regionen som kan användas för att initiera och fortsätta att utveckla hållbara förvaltningsstrategier av biologiska resurser.

Työssäjaksamisen voimavarat ja työssä jatkaminen ikääntyneillä vanhusten hoitotyötä tekevillä

Tässä pro gradu –tutkielmassa tarkasteltiin ikääntyneiden vanhusten hoitotyötä tekevien työssäjaksamista ja työssä jatkamissuunnitelmia voimavarakeskeisestä näkökulmasta käsin. Kiinnostuksen kohteena olivat myös työyhteisön suhtautuminen ikääntyvään työvoimaan ja keinot, joilla ikääntyneiden työssä jatkamista ja jaksamista tuetaan organisaatiossa. Tutkimusta varten haastateltiin kymmentä yli 55-vuotiasta vanhusten hoitotyötä tekevää henkilöä. Johtopäätösten mukaan työn voimavaroista merkittävimmiksi työssäjaksamisen ja työssä jatkamisen kannalta nousivat hyvät suhteet työtovereihin, toimiva työyhteisö ja asiakkaat. Työn ulkopuolisesta elämästä voimia saatiin mielekkäistä vapaa-ajan puuhista ja läheisistä. Persoonallisuuden voimavaroista keskeiseksi nousi optimistisuus. Eläkkeellä työskentelyaikomusten taustalla olivat usein kokemus työstä nauttimisesta ja hyvä terveys. Toisaalta hyvästä terveydestä haluttiin nauttia myös eläkkeellä.

Older Consumers’ Adoption of Online Shopping

The thesis is concerned with the online shopping behavior of older adults, who in this study are at least 60 years old. At the moment, the population is ageing and consumers are buying more and more via the Internet. The objective of the thesis is to understand the large group of older adults in Finland as online customers.The study explores older consumers’ adoption of online shopping with a qualitative research, and it is situated in the research tradition of hermeneutic phenomenology. Phenomenology focuses on the life-world of people. The empirical data was collected by three focus groups with 13 participants altogether. The focus group conversations brought forth that there is not tremendous difference in the motives of older consumers to shop online compared to other age groups. The study strengthened the previous conception of a change toward more ageless market. However, online stores should be designed to accommodate some special needs of older consumers as they occasionally struggle with the logic of websites. Finnish older consumers have adopted online shopping because of perceived convenience and because of tolerable perceived risk during first online shopping experience. Positive experiences strengthen positive attitude toward electronic channel.

Detection of renal dysfunction based on serum creatinine levels in a Brazilian community: the Bambuí Health and Ageing Study

There are few population-based studies of renal dysfunction and none conducted in developing countries. In the present study the prevalence and predictors of elevated serum creatinine levels (SCr > or = 1.3 mg/dl for men and 1.1 mg/dl for women) were determined among Brazilian adults (18-59 years) and older adults (>60 years). Participants included all older adults (N = 1742) and a probabilistic sample of adults (N = 818) from Bambuí town, MG, Southeast Brazil. Predictors were investigated using multiple logistic regression. Mean SCr levels were 0.77 ± 0.15 mg/dl for adults, 1.02 ± 0.39 mg/dl for older men, and 0.81 ± 0.17 mg/dl for older women. Because there were only 4 cases (0.48%) with elevated SCr levels among adults, the analysis of elevated SCr levels was restricted to older adults. The overall prevalence of elevated SCr levels among the elderly was 5.09% (76/1494). The prevalence of hypercreatinemia increased significantly with age (chi² = 26.17, P = 0.000), being higher for older men (8.19%) than for older women (5.29%, chi² = 5.00, P = 0.02). Elevated SCr levels were associated with age 70-79 years (odds ratio [OR] = 2.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-4.42), hypertension (OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.34-6.92), use of antihypertensive drugs (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.26-4.82), chest pain (OR = 3.37, 95% CI: 1.31-8.74), and claudication (OR = 3.43, 95% CI: 1.30-9.09) among men, and with age >80 years (OR = 4.88, 95% CI: 2.24-10.65), use of antihypertensive drugs (OR = 4.06, 95% CI: 1.67-9.86), physical inactivity (OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.11-4.02) and myocardial infarction (OR = 3.89, 95% CI: 1.58-9.62) among women. The prevalence of renal dysfunction observed was much lower than that reported in other population-based studies, but predictors were similar. New investigations are needed to confirm the variability in prevalence and associated factors of renal dysfunction among populations.

Effect of a single tetanus-diphtheria vaccine dose on the immunity of elderly people in São Paulo, Brazil

Epidemiological data regarding tetanus and diphtheria immunity in elderly people in Brazil are scarce. During the First National Immunization Campaign for the Elderly in Brazil in April 1999, 98 individuals (median age: 84 years) received one tetanus-dyphtheria (Td) vaccine dose (Butantan Institute, lot number 9808079/G). Inclusion criteria were elderly individuals without a history of severe immunosuppressive disease, acute infectious disease or use of immunomodulators. Blood samples were collected immediately before the vaccine and 30 days later. Serum was separated and stored at -20ºC until analysis. Tetanus and diphtheria antibodies were measured by the double-antigen ELISA test. Tetanus and diphtheria antibody concentrations lower than 0.01 IU/mL were considered to indicate the absence of protection, between 0.01 and 0.09 IU/mL were considered to indicate basic immunity, and values of 0.1 IU/mL or higher were considered to indicate full protection. Before vaccination, 18% of the individuals were susceptible to diphtheria and 94% were susceptible to tetanus. After one Td dose, 78% became fully immune to diphtheria, 13% attained basic immunity, and 9% were still susceptible to the disease. In contrast, 79% remained susceptible to tetanus, 4% had basic immunity and 17% were fully immune. Although one Td dose increases immunity to diphtheria in many elderly people who live in Brazil, a complete vaccination series appears to be necessary for the prevention of tetanus.

Sleep, ageing and night work

Studies have shown that the frequency or worsening of sleep disorders tends to increase with age and that the ability to perform circadian adjustments tends to decrease in individuals who work the night shift. This condition can cause consequences such as excessive sleepiness, which are often a factor in accidents that occur at work. The present study investigated the effects of age on the daytime and nighttime sleep patterns using polysomnography (PSG) of long-haul bus drivers working fixed night or day shifts. A total of 124 drivers, free of sleep disorders and grouped according to age (<45 years, N = 85, and ≥45 years, N = 39) and PSG timing (daytime (D) PSG, N = 60; nighttime (N) PSG, N = 64) participated in the study. We observed a significant effect of bedtime (D vs N) and found that the length of daytime sleep was shorter [D: <45 years (336.10 ± 73.75 min) vs N: <45 years (398 ± 78.79 min) and D: ≥45 years (346.57 ± 43.17 min) vs N: ≥45 years (386.44 ± 52.92 min); P ≤ 0.05]. Daytime sleep was less efficient compared to nighttime sleep [D: <45 years (78.86 ± 13.30%) vs N: <45 years (86.45 ± 9.77%) and D: ≥45 years (79.89 ± 9.45%) and N: ≥45 years (83.13 ± 9.13%); P ≤ 0.05]. An effect of age was observed for rapid eye movement sleep [D: <45 years (18.05 ± 6.12%) vs D: ≥45 years (15.48 ± 7.11%) and N: <45 years (23.88 ± 6.75%) vs N: ≥45 years (20.77 ± 5.64%); P ≤ 0.05], which was greater in younger drivers. These findings are inconsistent with the notion that older night workers are more adversely affected than younger night workers by the challenge of attempting to rest during the day.