Because of the paucity of evidence with regard to dark adaptation and the vitamin A status of pre-school children, this study is made. The purpose, therefore, is to add to the available data on this subject through an investigation of the bio-photometer as a means of detecting vitamin A deficiency in pre-school children.

Animal behavior can be used to detect disease and well-being in dairy cattle. In this dissertation, we evaluated the accuracy of an accelerometer to measure step activity, lying time, and lying bouts in pre-weaned dairy calves. The output from the accelerometer was correlated with behavioral measurements taken from video footage. The accelerometer proved to be accurate in identifying step activity (r = 0.99), lying time (r = 0.99), and lying bouts (r = 0.99). The accelerometer was then used to detect behavioral changes occurring around respiratory disease events in pre-weaned calves. Activity declined 1 d prior to clinical disease onset, and this decline persisted for 3 d post-diagnosis. Furthermore, lying bouts declined beginning 2 d prior to diagnosis, and this effect persisted after diagnosis as well. However, aside from a slight reduction in milk intake, feeding behavior was not different between diseased and healthy calves. These data suggest that activity and lying behaviors may be a better measure than feeding behaviors for detection of respiratory disease in pre-weaned dairy calves. Dystocia has detrimental effects on both periparturient dairy cows and newborn calves. We administered a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, meloxicam to periparturient dairy cattle. Treatments included administration prior to calving (MEL-PRE, n = 60), post-calving (MEL-POST, n = 69), or a negative control (CTL, n = 65). We measured the length of labor to determine which cows had easy or difficult calvings. Eutocic MEL-PRE animals produced 6.8 kg/d more milk than eutocic CTL. Regardless of calving difficulty, MEL-PRE animals produced more milk fat, protein, and lactose (kg/d) than the CTL. Additional research is needed to determine appropriate treatments for dystocic calvings. Calves born during the above trial were monitored to determine if meloxicam administration prior to calving impacted newborn calf health and behavior. Calves born difficultly displayed fewer lying bouts for the first few days after birth when compared to calves born easily. No effect of treatment or calving difficulty was noted on calf health. Additional research examining intervention strategies aimed at improving well-being of calves born difficultly is needed. / Ph. D. / Public interest in animal welfare continues to grow, making it increasingly important that the dairy industry evaluates management practices to further advance animal well-being. Animal behavior can be used to detect disease and well-being in dairy cattle. We monitored activity and lying behaviors around respiratory disease events in calves. This was done to determine which behaviors were altered by respiratory disease, and if these behaviors could be used to detect respiratory disease events earlier. Activity and lying behaviors were measured using an accelerometer that works similarly to a pedometer. We were able to identify that calves that would manifest with respiratory disease would display a decline in activity prior to clinical disease diagnosis. These data suggest that activity measures could be a promising indicator for respiratory disease detection in calves, and allow for earlier detection. Parturition, the act of a dairy cow giving birth, is a stressful, risky time period as disease incidences and death are high. Furthermore, an immense amount of inflammation occurs after calving due to parturition as well as metabolic stress associated with milk production. Therefore, in this study, we administered a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (meloxicam) to alleviate inflammation. Treatments included administration prior to calving (MEL-PRE), post-calving (MEL-POST), or a negative control (CTL). We measured the length of labor to determine which cows had easy or difficult calving events. Animals that received meloxicam prior to calving and calved easily produced 6.8 kg/d more milk than CTL animals that calved easily. Additional research is needed to determine appropriate treatments for animals that calve difficultly. Calves born during the above trial were monitored to determine if meloxicam administration prior to calving impacted newborn calf health and behavior. No effect of treatment or calving difficulty was noted on calf health. Additional research examining intervention strategies aimed at improving well-being of calves born difficultly is needed.

No

Yes / Dog bite injuries are a common cause of patient presentation to NHS emergency departments (EDs) and minor injuries units, and are generally associated with a low level of acuity, despite an inherent capacity for significant soft tissue damage to be inflicted by canine jaws capable of exerting terrific bite forces. Anatomical sites for injury correlate to victim age, with hand and wrist injuries predominating in the adult population. The most common complication is infection secondary to inoculation of oral flora, with the hands being particularly vulnerable due to their anatomy. Injuries to structures such as tendons can be discreet, and retained foreign bodies can easily be overlooked. Wound care has a propensity to attract a disproportionately high level of malpractice actions, and approaches to the management of dog bite injuries have largely been empirical, which may render the practitioner particularly exposed. In response to increasing pressures on healthcare systems, paramedics with extended scopes of practice, including wound care and suturing, are being utilised to assess, manage, treat, and either refer or discharge patients with apparently minor injuries, in strategies aimed at reducing hospital admissions. This article adopts a case study format to examine and evaluate treatment modalities and the current evidence base informing best practice in terms of dog bite injuries from the perspective of a paramedic practitioner, with critical reflection on the decision making process and complexities of such episodes of care in the pre-hospital setting.

Yes / The COVID-19 pandemic placed the UK healthcare system under unprecedented pressure, and recovery will require whole-system investment in innovative, flexible and pragmatic solutions. Positioned at the heart of the healthcare system, ambulance services have been tasked with addressing avoidable hospital conveyance and reducing unnecessary emergency department and hospital attendances through the delivery of care closer to home. Having begun to implement models of care intended to increase ‘see and treat’ opportunities through greater numbers of senior clinical decision makers, emphasis has now been placed upon the use of remote clinical diagnostic tools and near-patient or point-of-care testing (POCT) to aid clinical decision making. In terms of POCT of blood samples obtained from patients in the pre-hospital setting, there is a paucity of evidence beyond its utility for measuring lactate and troponin in acute presentations such as sepsis, trauma and myocardial infarction, although potential exists for the analysis of a much wider panel of analytes beyond these isolated biomarkers. In addition, there is a relative dearth of evidence in respect of the practicalities of using POCT analysers in the pre-hospital setting. This single-site feasibility study aims to understand whether it is practical to use POCT for the analysis of patients’ blood samples in the urgent and emergency care pre-hospital setting, through descriptive data of POCT application and through qualitative focus group interviews of advanced practitioners (specialist paramedics) to inform the feasibility and design of a larger study. The primary outcome measure is focus group data measuring the experiences and perceived self-reported impact by specialist paramedics. Secondary outcome measures are number and type of cartridges used, number of successful and unsuccessful attempts in using the POCT analyser, length of time on scene, specialist paramedic recruitment and retention, number of patients who receive POCT, descriptive data of safe conveyance, patient demographics and presentations where POCT is applied and data quality. The study results will inform the design of a main trial if indicated. / The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 1 Jun 2024.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Pulp and paper mills are being placed under increasing pressure to maximise the use of the biomass being processed for pulp, and move towards integrated biorefineries (IFBRs), where a diverse range of products can be produced and not just pulp exclusively. Extracting hemicelluloses prior to the pulping process could increase the profitability of the mills as the hemicelluloses could be used to produce a number of additional products. Hemicelluloses are a plant polysaccharides with the most abundant hemicellulose in hardwoods being xylan, with xylose being the primary monosaccharide constituent of xylan. The majority of pulps produced in the Southern Hemisphere are done with hardwoods as feedstock, typically with the Kraft process. The attraction of the concept of extracting hemicellulose prior to pulping is further augmented by the fact that hemicellulose is underutilised in the Kraft process. In the Kraft process the hemicellulose is dissolved during pulping and burned along with lignin for the production of energy, however, hemicellulose has about half the heating value when compared to that of lignin. The main objective of this study was to find a pre-extraction method that is effective in releasing xylan from Eucalyptus grandis, the most important hardwood feedstock used for pulping in the Southern Hemisphere. The method also needs to be practical in terms of integrating it into the Kraft process and should have a minimal effect on pulp yield and subsequent paper qualities. Xylan extractions from E. grandis as feedstock were carried out with white liquor, green liquor and NaOH. Green liquor is the dissolved smelt originating from the recovery boiler in the Kraft process and consists mainly sodium carbonate and sodium sulphide. White liquor’s principal components include sodium hydroxide and sodium sulphide and is used in the digesters during the pulping stage of the Kraft process. NaOH is a make up chemical used in the Kraft process. These chemicals were chosen since they are all already present within the Kraft process. The suitability of these chemicals as xylan extraction methods is further bolstered by the fact that their alkalinity may actually reduce chemical usage in pulping. This provides scope for integration of hemicellulose extraction into Kraft pulping without implementing major changes to the existing industrial process. Moreover, alkali chemicals for pre-extraction allow for minimal effect on resulting pulp and paper. In terms of the extracted product, the alkaline conditions provided by these chemicals create conditions that are suitable for a high degree of polymerisation of hemicelluloses. Xylan pre-extracted chips from selected extraction conditions were subjected to varying pulping conditions, to replicate pulp yields and properties obtained with untreated E. grandis chips when using conventional pulping. Handsheets were also produced from the pulps produced under the highest pulp yield conditions, and these were tested for pulp quality properties. Furthermore, mass balances were performed to gauge the impact that hemicellulose pre-extraction would have using green liquor, white liquor and NaOH on the sodium and sulphur balances of the mill. From the extractions performed, the highest fraction of xylan recovered was 15.15% w/w utilising 2M NaOH, at 120°C for 90 minutes extraction time. This was followed by white liquor extraction at 13.27% w/w utilising 20% AA at 140°C for 90 minutes. Green liquor extraction produced the lowest xylan recovery at 7.83% w/w with 2% TTA and 160°C with an h-factor of 800. The residues from selected extraction conditions were utilised for these pulping optimisation experiments. Selected extraction conditions used for further pulping included 2% TTA and 160°C for green liquor, 20% AA and 120°C and 140°C extraction temperature for white liquor, as well as 2M concentration and 120°C for NaOH. The highest yielding pulping conditions were achieved with a 35% reduction in pulping chemicals and 45 minutes pulping time in combination with green liquor pre-extraction, while for pulping combined with white liquor pre-extraction a 50% reduction in chemicals and 30 minute pulping time was preferred. For pulping subsequent to NaOH pre-extraction a 75% reduction in the NaOH dosage and a 45 minute pulp time was preferred. All pulp steps were performed at 170°C. Unbeaten handsheets produced from the selected pulping conditions for white liquor and green liquor extracted chips showed similar physical properties (burst, tear, tensile indices) when compared to the control (pulps from non-extracted chips). However the greater quantity of xylan removed from cellulose fibres with NaOH extraction, resulted in pulps with lower xylan contents, which affected the burst and tear indices of the handsheets formed from these pulps. An increase in tear, while a reduction in the burst index, was observed for the pulp produced from NaOH extracted chips. It was concluded that although white liquor and NaOH extraction allows for greater xylan recovery, the large chemical expenditure associated with these methods will impose significant cost impacts on the existing Kraft process. From mass balances performed, green liquor xylan extraction due to its lower alkalinity, will be more forgiving in terms of additional make up chemical costs. It also allowed for minimum effect on both the pulp and paper quality, thus making it the most practical of the pre-extraction methods. However, whether the additional make chemicals required for the green liquor extraction method will be justified by the quantity of xylan extracted will only be answered by a thorough economic assessment, which was not in the scope of this project. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Pulp- en papiermeule word onder toenemende druk geplaas om die gebruik van die biomassa wat vir pulp verwerk word, te maksimaliseer, en om te beweeg na geïntegreerde bioraffinaderye, waar ʼn groot verskeidenheid produkte vervaardig kan word, en nie slegs uitsluitlik pulp nie. Die ekstraksie van hemisellulose voor die verpulpingsproses kan die winsgewendheid van die meule verhoog, aangesien die hemisellulose gebruik kan word vir die vervaardiging van verskeie bykomende produkte. Hemisellulose is ʼn plantpolisakkaried, met xilaan as die hemisellulose wat die oorvloedigste in hardehout gevind word, en met xilose as die primêre monosakkaried-bestanddeel van xilaan. Die meerderheid van die pulp wat in die Suidelike Halfrond geproduseer word, word met hardehout as voerstof gedoen, tipies met behulp van die Kraft-proses. Die aanloklikheid van die konsep om hemisellulose voor verpulping te win, word verder versterk deur die feit dat hemisellulose in die Kraft-proses onderbenut word. In die Kraft-proses word die hemisellulose tydens verpulping opgelos en saam met lignien verbrand vir die opwekking van energie, maar hemisellulose het egter ongeveer die helfte van die verhittingswaarde van dié van lignien. Die vernaamste doelstelling van hierdie studie was om ʼn pre-ekstraksiemetode te vind wat xilaan doeltreffend van Eucalyptus grandis, die belangrikste hardhout-voerstof wat in die Suidelike Halfrond vir verpulping gebruik word, kan vrystel. Die metode moet ook prakties wees met betrekking tot integrering met die Kraft-proses, en dit moet ʼn minimale uitwerking op pulpopbrengs en gevolglike papiergehalte hê. Xilaan-ekstraksie uit E. grandis as voerstof is uitgevoer met wit loog, groen loog en NaOH. Hierdie chemikalieë is gekies omdat hulle reeds in die Kraft-proses teenwoordig is. Die geskiktheid van hierdie chemikalieë as xilaan-ekstraksiemetodes is verder ondersteun deur die feit dat hul alkaliniteit moontlik chemiese verbruik in verpulping kan verlaag, wat ruimte vir die integrasie van hemisellulose-ekstraksie in Kraft-verpulping laat sonder om grootskaalse veranderinge aan bestaande nywerheidsprosesse te implementeer. Alkali-chemikalieë vir preekstraksie lei boonop tot ʼn minimale uitwerking op resultante pulp en papier, terwyl die alkalitoestande, met betrekking tot die geëkstraheerde produk, toestande skep wat geskik is vir ʼn hoë mate van polimerisasie van hemisellulose. Uit die ekstraksies wat uitgevoer is, is die hoogste fraksie xilaan gewin deur die gebruik van NaOH teen 15.15% w/w met 2M NaOH, teen 120 °C vir 90 minute ekstraksietyd. Dit is gevolg deur witloog-ekstraksie teen 13.27% w/w met die gebruik van 20% AA teen 140 °C vir 90 minute. Groenloog-ekstraksie het die laagste xilaan-winning teen 7.83% w/w met 2% TTA en 160°C met ʼn h-faktor van 800 voortgebring. Houtspaanders wat aan xilaan-pre-ekstraksie met groen loog onderwerp is, het pulp met kappanommers en opbrengste soortgelyk aan dié van nie-geëkstraheerde spaanders voortgebring toe die chemiese lading met 35% verlaag is, in verhouding tot dít wat vir niegeëkstraheerde spaanders gebruik is. Xilaan-pre-geëkstraheerde spaanders met wit loog het ʼn 50%-vermindering in verpulpingschemikalieë gelewer in verhouding tot houtspaanders wat aan konvensionele verpulping onderwerp is. Die chemiese reduksie van groen loog was minder as dié van wit loog weens die laer alkalilading wat tydens hemisellulose-ekstraksie voor verpulping gebruik is. Vir witloog-ekstraksie kon pulpopbrengste gehandhaaf word, alhoewel pregeëkstraheerde spaanders met wit loog ʼn neiging getoon het om pulp met laer kappanommers voort te bring. Alhoewel pulp wat uit houtspaanders gemaak is wat aan NaOH-ekstraksie onderwerp is, gelei het tot ʼn 75%-vermindering van NaOH gebruik in verhouding tot dié van konvensionele verpulping, is verwag dat geen NaOH benodig sou word nie, aangesien die houtspaanders reeds tydens xilaan-ekstraksie aan 2M NaOH blootgestel is. Voorts, in die literatuur is verpulping uitgevoer ná 2M NaOH-ekstraksie sonder dat die toevoeging van NaOH tydens verpulping nodig was [61]. Handvelle is vervaardig uit die pulp wat in die hoogste pulpopbrengs-toestande vervaardig is, en dit is vir pulpgehalte-eienskappe getoets. Die verpulpingstoestande met die hoogste opbrengs is bereik met ʼn 35%-vermindering van verpulpingschemikalieë en 45 minute verpulpingstyd in kombinasie met groenloog-pre-ekstraksie, terwyl vir verpulping met witloogpre- ekstraksie ʼn 50%-vermindering van chemikalieë en 30 minute verpulpingstyd verkies is. Vir verpulping ná NaOH-pre-ekstraksie is ʼn 75%-vermindering van die NaOH-dosis en 45 minute verpulpingstyd verkies. Alle verpulpingstappe is teen 170°C uitgevoer. Ongeklopte handvelle vervaardig uit die gekose verpulpingstoestande vir witloog- en groenloog- geëkstraheerde spaanders het soortgelyke fisiese eienskappe getoon (bars-, skeuren trek-indeks) in vergelyking met die kontrole (pulp uit nie-geëkstraheerde spaanders). Die grootste hoeveelheid xilaan is egter uit sellulose vesel met NaOH-ekstraksie verkry, wat gelei het tot pulp met laer xilaaninhoud, wat die bars- en skeur-indeks van die handvelle wat uit hierdie pulp vervaardig is, beïnvloed het. ʼn Toename in die skeur-indeks, met ʼn afname in die bars-indeks, is waargeneem vir die pulp wat uit NaOH-geëkstraheerde spaanders vervaardig is. Die gevolgtrekking is gemaak dat alhoewel witloog- en NaOH-ekstraksie groter xilaanwinning moontlik maak, die groot chemiese uitgawe geassosieer met hierdie metode ʼn aanmerklike koste-impak vir die bestaande Kraft-proses inhou. Groenloog-xilaanekstraksie sal, weens die laer alkaliniteit, meer geskik wees met betrekking tot die koste van bykomende aanvullende chemikalieë. Dit hou ook ʼn kleiner uitwerking op die pulp- en papiergehalte in, wat dit dus die praktieste van die pre-ekstraksiemetodes maak. Of die bykomende chemikalieë nodig vir die witloog- en NaOH-ekstraksies egter geregverdig kan word deur die hoeveelheid xilaan wat gewin is, kan slegs deur ʼn deeglike ekonomiese assessering beantwoord word, wat nie binne die omvang van hierdie projek geval het nie.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

<p>Den här rapporten undersöker vilken uppfattning och kunskap lärarna i förskolan har om naturvetenskap och hur den införlivas i praktiken enligt förskolans läroplan och lokala styrdokument. Syftet med den här undersökningen är att ta reda på: (i) Vad är naturvetenskap för lärarna i förskolan? (ii) Vilka mekanismer styr lärarnas planering och realisering av naturvetenskapen i det pedagogiska vardagsarbetet?</p><p>Material och data till undersökningen har samlats ihop genom kvalitativa intervjuer med sju lärare i förskolan.</p><p>Rapporten visar att övervägande delen av lärarna i förskolan ser naturvetenskapen som att vistas i skog och mark. Vad det gäller faktorer som påverkar planering och realisering av naturvetenskapen framkom det genom intervjumaterialet att det är: (i) Kompetens, (ii) förståelse av naturvetenskapen och dess innehåll och (iii) insikten av de styrdokument som förskolan lyder under.</p><p>Utifrån gällanden styrdokument i förskolan är naturvetenskapen ett kunskapsområde som bör lyftas och synliggöras i den pedagogiska vardagen. För att uppfylla dessa krav bör lärarna i förskolan öka sin kunskap inom denna vetenskapsgren.</p> / <p>This report investigates the perception and knowledge of natural science amongst pre-school teachers and how natural science is currently incorporated into the pre-school curriculum. The aims of these investigations are in particular to: (i) Establish what natural science means (and implicates) to pre-school teachers. (ii) Identify factors that influence planning and implementation of natural science in the pre-school curriculum.</p><p>Material and data for the abovementioned investigations have been gathered through qualitative interviews with seven active pre-school teachers.</p><p>The report finds that a majority of the interviewees only have a very basic understanding of natural science and therefore often fail to adequately incorporate natural science in the daily pre-school curriculum. The report furthermore finds that amongst the interviewees the factors that influence planning and implementation of natural science in the pre-school curriculum are: (i) competence, (ii) perception and knowledge of natural science and (iii) interpretation of the pre-school curriculum guidelines.</p><p>Current pre-school curriculum guidelines stresses the importance of natural science and encourages pre-school teachers to increase the awareness of natural science by incorporating it in the daily curriculum. This report argues that in order to increase the awareness of natural science the knowledge and perception of natural science amongst pre-school teachers must first be improved.</p>

<p>Gene expression in the eukaryotic cell is a fundamental cellular process, which consists of several distinct steps but extensively coupled to each other. From site of transcription in the nucleus to the cytoplasm, both mRNA and rRNA are associated with a proper set of proteins. These proteins influence RNA processing, transport as well as ribosome maturation. We have tried to take advantage of different model systems to understand the process of eukaryotic gene expression at the post-transcription level. To this end, we have focused on identification and characterization of several specific proteins in the context of mRNP and rRNP particles.</p><p>We have characterized a novel yeast gene MRD1, which encodes a protein with five RNA-binding domains (RBDs) and is essential for viability. Mrd1p is present in the nucleolus and the nucleoplasm. Depletion of Mrd1p leads to a decrease in the synthesis of 18S rRNA and 40S ribosomal subunits. Mrd1p associates with the 35S prerRNA and the U3 snoRNA and is required for the initial processing of pre-rRNA at the A₀-A₂ sites. The presence of five RBDs in Mrd1p suggests that Mrd1p may function to correctly fold pre-rRNA, a requisite for proper cleavage.</p><p>Meanwhile, an MRD1 homologue, Ct-RBD-1 with six RBDs, has also been identified and shown to involve in ribosome biogenesis in Chironomus tentans. Ct-RBD-1 binds pre-rRNA in vitro and anti-Ct-RBD-1 antibodies repress pre-rRNA processing in vivo. Ct-RBD-1 is mainly located in the nucleolus in an RNA polymerase I transcription-dependent manner, but it is also present in discrete foci in the interchromatin and in the cytoplasm. In the cytoplasm, Ct-RBD-1 is associated with ribosomes and, preferentially, with the 40S ribosomal subunit. Our data suggest that Ct-RBD-1 plays a role in structurally coordinating pre-rRNA during ribosome biogenesis and that this function is conserved in all eukaryotes.</p><p>We have characterized a novel abundant nucleolar protein, p100 in C. tentans. The p100 protein is located in the fibrillar compartment of the nucleolus, and remains in the nucleolus after digestion with nucleases. This indicates that p100 might be a constituent of the nucleolar proteinaceous framework. Remarkably, p100 is also localized in the brush border in the apical part of the salivary gland cell. These results suggest that it could be involved in coordination of the level of protein production and export from the cell through regulation of the level of rRNA production in the nucleolus.</p><p>We have characterized a Dbp5 homologue in C. tentans, Ct-Dbp5. The protein becomes associated with nascent pre-mRNAs at a large number of active genes, including the Balbiani ring (BR) genes. Ct-Dbp5 is bound to nascent BR pre-mRNP particles and accompanies them through the nucleoplasm and the nuclear pore into the cytoplasm. Nuclear accumulation of Ct-Dbp5 takes place when synthesis and/or export of mRNA are inhibited. Our results indicate that most or all of the shuttling Ct-Dbp5 exiting from the nucleus associated with mRNP. Furthermore, Ct-Dbp5 is present along the mRNP fibril extending into the cytoplasm, supporting the view that Ct-Dbp5 is involved in restructuring the mRNP prior to translation.</p><p>We have shown that the export receptor CRM1 in C. tentans is associated with BR pre-mRNP while transcription takes place. We have also shown that the GTPase Ran binds to BR pre-mRNP, but its binding mainly in the interchromatin. Although both CRM1 and Ran accompany BR pre-mRNP through the nuclear pore, Leptomycin B treatment reveals that a NES-CRM1-RanGTP complex is not essential for export of the BR mRNP. Our results suggest that several export receptors associate with BR mRNP and that these receptors might have redundant functions in the nuclear export of BR mRNP.</p><p>We have analyzed four SR proteins, SC35, ASF/SF2, 9G8 and hrp45, in C. tentans. All four SR proteins genes are expressed in salivary gland cells and in several other tissues in a tissue specific pattern. We found that about 90% of all nascent pre-mRNAs bind all four SR proteins, and that approximately 10% of the pre-mRNAs associate with different subsets of the four SR proteins, suggesting that not all of four SR proteins are needed for processing of pre-mRNA. None of three examined SR proteins leave BR pre-mRNP as splicing is completed. Instead, 9G8 accompanies the mRNP to the cytoplasm, while SC35 and hrp45 leave the BR mRNP at the nuclear side of the nuclear pore complex.</p>

Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva distriktssköterskans arbete med, och erfarenhet av livsstilsförändringar hos patienter med pre-diabetes inom primärvården. Metod var en empirisk intervjustudie med en kvalitativ ansats. Åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer utfördes, intervjumaterialet analyserades utifrån Graneheim och Lundmans innehållsanalys. Resultatet visade att patienter med pre-diabetes oftast upptäcktes i samband med årskontrollen hypertoni eller då de sökte för andra besvär. Blodsockret kontrollerades på patienter med riskfaktorer. Det var diabetessköterskan som tog hand om patienterna och gav information om pre-diabetes, typ 2-diabetes, samt råd vad gäller livsstilsförändringar. De använde sig av olika pedagogiska verktyg och metoder i arbetet med att förebygga typ 2-diabetes hos patienter med pre-diabetes. Hur ofta dessa patienter följdes upp var individuellt. Att få patienten att förstå betydelsen av livsstilsförändringar upplevdes som en utmaning. Tid- och resursbrist nämndes som hinder i det förebyggande arbetet men ändå upplevdes möjligheterna som många. Slutsats är att om strukturerade rutiner för upptäckt av pre-diabetes och förebyggande av typ 2-diabetes fanns skulle patienter med pre-diabetes hittas tidigare. Därmed skulle onödigt lidande för patienten och de samhällskostnader som typ 2-diabetes medför minska. / The Aim of this study was to describe the Community Health Care nurse´s work and experience with lifestyle changes in patients with pre-diabetes, within the primary health care. The Method was an empirical interview study with a qualitative approach. Eight semi structured interviews were accomplished, the interview material were analyzed with Graneheim and Lundmans qualitative content analysis. The Results showed that the patients with pre-diabetes was discovered during the annual check-up for hypertension, or when the patients sought care for other symptoms. Blood glucose were checked on all patients with risk factors. It was the diabetes nurse who informed the patients about pre-diabetes, type 2- diabetes, and gave advice about lifestyle changes. They used different pedagogic tools and methods in the preventive work. The follow-up was adapted individually. It was a challenge to get the patients to understand that lifestyle changes were needed. Recourses and lack of time were an obstacle in the preventive work. Still the opportunities were seen as many. The Conclusion is that patients with pre-diabetes would be found earlier if structured routines for discovery of pre-diabetes and prevention of type 2-diabetes excited in the primary health care. Therefore, unnecessary suffering for the patient, and social costs would decrease.