Obesity is a worldwide problem affecting both children and adults. Genetic, physiological, enviro... more Obesity is a worldwide problem affecting both children and adults. Genetic, physiological, environmental, psychological, social and economic factors interact in varying degrees, influencing body weight and fat distribution and the progress of obesity. Moreover, some anthropogenic chemicals have proven to be endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with the potential to interfere with different actions of hormones in the body. EDCs may thereby disrupt homeostasis, modifying developmental, behavioral and immune functions in humans and animals, and also promoting adiposity. Because hormones generally act at low concentrations, small changes in the endocrine system may lead to extensive effects. Based on data from experimental and epidemiological studies this thesis elucidates the relationship between a large number of environmental contaminants and obesity. The experimental studies demonstrated that fructose supplementation in the drinking water resulted in unfavorable metabolic alterations such as a higher liver somatic index (LSI), an increase in plasma triglycerides and increased plasma levels of apo A-I. Fructose in combination with exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) increased liver fat content and plasma levels of apo A-I in juvenile female Fischer 344 rats. The experimental studies also showed that the retro-peritoneal fat, which in rats is a distinct fat depot easy to distinguish and dissect, correlated well with the measurements of total fat mass analyzed with MRI, and could therefore be used as a substitute for total fat mass in rats. The epidemiological studies showed that circulating levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were related to fat mass measured by DXA. OCDD, HCB, TNC, DDE and the less chlorinated PCBs were positively related to fat mass, while the more highly chlorinated PCBs showed a negative association. Further, circulating levels of BPA were positively associated with levels of the hormones adiponectin and leptin, but negatively related with ghrelin, hormones which are involved in the regulation of hunger and satiety. However, serum BPA levels were not related to measures of fat mass in the elderly individuals in the PIVUS cohort. This thesis concludes that environmental contaminants such as BPA and POPs most likely are contributors, along with genetic, social and behavioral factors, to the development of obesity.
This article has two aims. On the one hand, I want to clarify the use of architectural quality as... more This article has two aims. On the one hand, I want to clarify the use of architectural quality as a key concept used by architects. That is, I want to look at this notion from a professional perspe ...
ATT HAMNA PÅ DEN KORTA LISTAN : – om prekvalificering till inbjudna tävlingar
Kritik, 2012
Denna artikel undersoker prekvalificeringen av arkitektkontor i samtida arkitekttavlingar i Sveri... more Denna artikel undersoker prekvalificeringen av arkitektkontor i samtida arkitekttavlingar i Sverige. Prekvalificeringen ar ett urvalsforfarande som anvands av byggherrar och bestallare vid inbjudna ...
Kvaliteten vid arkitekttävlingar hotad 8 JUNI 2017-AV MAGNUS RÖNN Tävlingen är utsatt för starka ... more Kvaliteten vid arkitekttävlingar hotad 8 JUNI 2017-AV MAGNUS RÖNN Tävlingen är utsatt för starka externa processer som begränsar dess möjlighet att bidra till arkitektonisk kvalitet. Det skriver Magnus Rönn som sammanfattar en nyligen utgiven antologi.
Designing appropriate architectural structures or planning desirable urban environments as well a... more Designing appropriate architectural structures or planning desirable urban environments as well as inventing methods and processes to bring about new ideas require a collective competence, assurance, consensus and acceptance. It needs a shared consistency, participation, confidence and ability to better reframe the often ‘wicked’ design problems and suitable solutions in/for the continuously changing societies. Throughout the history, design competition has been deployed as a reliable and acquiescent system for assuring quality and as an efficient instrument for evaluation of the best design solutions. The aim of this study is to develop knowledge on architectural competition in Finland. Architectural competition has been carried out in Finland since the end of the 19 century and it still comprises an important part of the major architectural practices of the country. The Finnish competition system is a recognized endeavour to elevating qualities and minimizing uncertainties in design processes. Every year, about 30 to 35 architectural and urban design competitions take place in Finland. Competitions are used to give partaking opportunity specially to talented young architects to express their visions, to demonstrate their professional skills and to be rewarded and endorsed publicly. While conducting our research, we surprisingly found that very few scientific studies are made on this topic in Finland as well as in the rest of the Nordic countries. Due to this fact, the present study has the characteristics of an empiric survey derived from the first-hand information sources. It is the outcome of the investigation of architectural competitions in Finland with vital reliance on a series of meticulously conducted interviews with 7 key actors including highly qualified and experienced experts from the jury members representing clients, architect associations and competitors. In order to get a better picture of the prizewinning proposals and see if they have been implemented in reality, a special follow-up has been made on the Finnish architectural competitions held during the years 1999 and 2000. Further more, some similarities and differences between the competition systems in the other Nordic countries are compared and analyzed. The study provides a new perception on how the architectural design competition in Finland is managed in practice. We are keen to answer how the targets are set up and met by jury members to pointing out a winner. We would like to argue that there are usually more than a few entries with good design solutions. The concept of ‘design quality’ has situated meanings and contents. The judging, making decision, and selection processes are strongly connected to the leading values, norms, regulations, organisations and traditions. And, when design and quality are two culturally and contextually bond concepts they often appear to be complicated, incoherent and remain open to various interpretations. However, while the main role of the jury is to agree upon the most appropriate proposal, it finally succeeds to distinguish the best entry based on collective agreement gained through the cumulated tacit knowledge and well-trained eyes of professionals. We would therefore argue that competence and consensus are two essential factors that make jury members to feel confident in their final choice of a winner.
Entreprenadtävlingen i Karlskrona, en utvärdering av prekvalificeringen
This article presents a study on a commission competition with a list of imperative requirements ... more This article presents a study on a commission competition with a list of imperative requirements and its implementation. The competition opened in January 2012, but had to be interrupted prematurely and prior to a jury assessment process. The aim has been to develop knowledge about an alternative type of architecture competition oriented towards building construction companies in close collaboration with architects. The overall research question has been to understand the motives for this choice of competition organization and its applicability to the issue of innovating housing for the senior group of citizens. The study has used case study methodology that has included document review (close reading) and an interview guide with questions on the background of the competition, development of the invitation to participate, the assessment process of the applicants to participate, the selection of companies, and the reasons for the interruption of the competition. Given the alternative form of the competition, the process was subject to confidentiality. Despite access was given to secret information that arouse from the process, the extent of the study has restricted. Therefore, the five participating teams for architects and building contractors have not been possible to interview, nor an access to the submitted entries in the competition. The sample of informants consists of three persons who were involved in the decision-making process of this competition. The invitation to a commission competition was developed during a negotiation process within the organizing body, a principal local municipal real estate company and four other similar partners from other municipalities in close collaboration with a local association for senior housing. This consortium initiated discussions with the Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology (SIAT) and the Swedish Association of Public Housing Companies (SABO). In addition, a team consisting of an architect, a legal expertise and representatives from the building sector acted as advisors to the consortium. The ambition with the competition was to promote cost efficiency with new thinking in design. In this case, the commission competition and its assessment procedure developed in a technical orientation. The selection process of candidates for participating in the competition was based on a numeric value system that was attributed different imperative requirements. However, the invitation only attracted a sparse interest from six teams of architects and building contractors. All of these candidates were approved and were invited. In this aspect, the organizer had to simplify the selection process since the estimate on interested partners reached 10. However, none of the candidates were assessed as fully competent in relation to the imperative requirements, and, therefore, the competition was interrupted prematurely, and prior to the jury assessment process. The main conclusion from this study is that, in this case, the commission competition has been planned and managed from a rational perspective that has amputated both the force of competing in architecture. The selection committee represents an expert model. The respond from the building sector can be seen a disappointment.
This paper presents a case study about the development of People's park (Folkets Park) in Linköpi... more This paper presents a case study about the development of People's park (Folkets Park) in Linköping. The development included two coordinated projects; a planning project focusing on the use of the land and an architectural project implemented by the promoters aimed at planning, designing and building new housing in People's park. The study was based on close reading of documents and interviews with key actors. The Technical and Building Department in Linköping and the County Administration Board provided documents. From this documentation key actors have been identified. Nine of them were interviewed. The case study ends with a conclusion and discussion based on findings in the case. The story begins in 2006 when the Developer (HSB) and People's park contacted the politicians on the board of the Technical and Building Department (Teknik-och samhällsbyggnadsnämnen) in Linköping. The developer planned to construct 250-300 apartments in the area. People's park wanted to sell the land to renovate the main building (Cupolen) to be used for new activities/functions. In January 2008 the politicians gave the Technical and Building Department (Teknik-och samhällsbyggnadskontoret) the assignment to begin working with the promoters. In the combined planning and architectural project, the question of cultural heritage arose during discussions about issues such as demolition/preservation, adaptation of a new development to the area, and compensation for damage to the cultural environment. By April 2008 the project group presented a planning program which would enable transforming People's park into a housing area. Two buildings were cited as being of interest to preserve: yellow pavilion (Gula paviljongen) and the theatre building. After demands for a heritage inventory was made of People's park park as a cultural heritage. The inventory was used by the representative for the cultural department in the detail planning process to preserve two of the houses deemed to be a valuable part of the cultural heritage. The other pavilions were demolished. The compensation for the development damage of the cultural environment included the following measures: The developer accepts to renovate and reuse the yellow pavilion and contribute 2.5 million SEK to moving the theater building. The costs for moving are estimated to be 13.6 million SEK. The new housing is structured around the park in the middle to save the natural and cultural worth; valuable trees were protected during the construction period. A lesser area of land came within the development area due to regulations about preservation in the detail plan. In the detail planning process key actors assume both active and passive roles about damage to the cultural environment and the preservation of its worth. The demand for compensation is not supported by legal rules but based on prerequisites of the site, the quality of the buildings and the investigation of the heritage. No representative for the cultural environment was present in the project group; rather the actors were given the roles of committees to consider the proposals when the exhibition documents were presented. The study is summarized in eight conclusions.
Markanvisningstävling i Göteborg : En pilotstudie om gestaltning, byggande och boendekostnader
This case study examines one developer competition organized in Gothenburg 2013. The objective of... more This case study examines one developer competition organized in Gothenburg 2013. The objective of the competition was to develop good and cheaper housing. 13 design teams constructed by architects, constructors and real estate managers took part in the competition. 10 design teams manage to deliver proposals that met the rental requirement. From this point of view the competition must be seen as successful. However, the implementation of the winning design became problematic. There are three key players in the developer competition: the organizer, the jury with support of an evaluation group and the design teams. The purpose of the case study is to contribute with knowledge about the competition as a tool for the development of housing design. 65 informants could be identified among the key players after analyzing competition documents. 53 of them have answered a questionnaire with open questions about the developer competition in Gothenburg. Together with the documents these answers give a good view of the competition. The results from the case study are summarized in eight overall conclusions, which discuss the following themes: Developer competition as a form of competing, the competition as a tool for political ambitions, dissemination of information about the competition, construction of design team, motives for competing, requirements in the brief as obstacles and inspiration, innovation, competition experiences
En sammanfattning av vissa tankegångar angående FoU om underhåll och drift av befintlig miljö. Ty... more En sammanfattning av vissa tankegångar angående FoU om underhåll och drift av befintlig miljö. Tyngdpunkten ligger på arbetsmiljöfrågorna för den till fastigheten knutna personalen. Underhållsarbetet Verksamhet (lokalbrukare) Underhållspersonal (Yrkeskunskap / Organisation) Diskussion kring en modell av underhållsarbetet 97
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