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Deciphering the dynamic mechanical forces that govern mitochondrial membrane morphology iscrucial for understanding the structural maintenance of cristae architecture associated withcellular homeostasis and pathology. Central to this architectural organization is the respiratorychain complexes of the cristae. Despite extensive structural characterization of individualrespiratory complexes, little is known about how these macromolecular engines alone and intandem actively influence and shape their own local functional landscape. This project hassuccessfully constructed and simulated a coarse-grained protein model of respiratory complexIII₂, including several functional co-factors, in three different biomimetic lipid bilayers, withincreasing lipid complexity reflecting the lipid composition and assymetry of the innermitochondrial membrane. The two microsecond simulations has allowed for quantification ofmembrane-deformation through induced mean curvature, revealing that the respiratory complexIII₂ actively shapes the inner mitochondiral landscape. At the protein-membrane interface themembrane consistently present with induced negative mean curvature along with thickening ofthe membrane. The membrane deformations are not only localized at the immidiate proteinsurface but propagates several nanometers from the protein boundary. Crucially, the curvatureprofile induced by respiratory complex III₂ recruits cardiolipin that accumulate on the proteinsurface. These finding are thoroughly supported by statistical replicates, that demonstrate aconverged system. Ultimately, this work provides a vital foundation for unraveling themacromolecular mechanisms governing cristae architecture and mitochondrial function.

Understanding contaminant transport times in complex freshwater systems is critical for safeguarding drinking water infrastructure. Lake Mälaren in Sweden serves as a vital water source but features complex morphology and multi-basin dynamics that complicate risk assessments. This study explored simulated passive tracer behaviour over a five-year period (2010-2014) from six primary inflows to three major drinking water intakes in eastern Mälaren to quantify transport times, identify seasonal patterns, and determine the influence of sub-basin discharge. Data from the 3D hydrodynamic model pyGETM were analysed using single-variable correlations, multi-variable linear regressions, and seasonal analysis. 

The findings reveal a clear geographically driven gradient, establishing a strict transport hierarchy constrained by physical proximity. Small, nearby catchments exhibit rapid, stable transport across all seasons whereas transport from distant inflows showed more variability and seasonal effect. Seasonally, the spring flood triggers a highly synchronized compression of transport times lake-wide, while summer acts as a stagnant hydraulic phase. Multi-variable regressions revealed that the combined North-Central basin discharge acts as the dominant regional accelerator, triggering substantial velocity increases across most routes. The Western basin mostly causes localized acceleration. Overall, higher flows from all sub-basins tend to accelerate water transport throughout the lake. These findings underscore that Mälaren cannot be managed as a uniform system. For drinking water producers, combining current flow data with the transport times calculated in this study can provide an early-warning framework to anticipate rapid contaminant arrivals.

Shipping accounts for a significant proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions, and a transition is currently underway towards alternative fuels with a lower environmental impact. One such alternative is hydrogen, which can be a carbon-neutral fuel if produced from desalinated seawater via electrolysis powered by fossil-free energy.

By-products arising from seawater desalination include brine, and from electrolysis plants, hot water from the cooling system. To keep costs down, it is desirable to locate these plants adjacent to the sea and to discharge these by-products into the adjacent water. However, discharging hot water and brine into a confined coastal area may affect local conditions. This study therefore aims to investigate the potential impact arising in a shallow bay in the Baltic Sea as a result of point source discharges of brine and hot water along the shoreline.

To investigate this, a review was first conducted of existing technologies for desalinating salt water, as well as the composition of the resulting by-product in terms of salinity and volume. To investigate the spread of point source discharges, the Mike 3 FM Flow Model simulation tool was used. The model was constructed using Burgsviken on Gotland as a case study area, initial data from databases, data from the literature and other external sources.

The simulations showed a significant temperature increase in the bay, primarily in the inner part closest to the point source discharge. The greatest temperature increase occurred adjacent to the discharge, with a maximum increase of 8.3°C and a linear monthly increase of 3.6°C. The lowest increase occurred at the far end of the bay, with a linear increase of 0,04°C per month. However, the effect of the brine discharge did not affect the natural salinity of the bay; instead, a decrease in salinity was observed, which is believed to be due to the inflow of fresh water.

On the Thai-Myanmar border, formal protection mechanisms exist on paper but remain difficult or unsafe to use for many undocumented survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), since seeking help can also expose them to immigration enforcement. This thesis examines how Myanmar women employed in migrant-serving civil society organizations (CSOs) in Mae Sot make GBV protection accessible for displaced Myanmar survivors who cannot safely approach formal institutions on their own. Drawing on seven semi-structured interviews across three CSOs and documentary analysis, it develops the framework of care-based humanitarian brokerage, bringing together borderland governance, critical scholarship on GBV recognition, humanitarian brokerage, and feminist ethics of care.

The findings identify several interlinked practices through which workers mediate access to protection: outreach and the establishment of first contact, navigation and routing, sequential information disclosure, trust mediation with selective translation, sustained accompaniment, and inter-organizational coordination. These practices are not ad hoc responses but patterned, skilled practices. Formal humanitarian and state-linked systems operationally depend on this brokerage labour without adequately recognizing, supporting, or protecting it, and workers bear significant emotional, financial, temporal, and gendered costs in performing these functions. By naming this asymmetry between operational dependence and institutional recognition, the thesis reframes localization for settings of thin international humanitarian presence and argues that support for “local actors” must ask which actors make protection usable, what labour they perform, and whether that labour is recognized, resourced, and protected.

This thesis explores the approaches used and challenges experienced implementing Inclusive Education (IE) in humanitarian contexts. Addressing an evident gap in humanitarian research, the study takes an exploratory lens, utilising the perceptions of aid workers to better understand how IE is implemented by humanitarian organisations. The researcher conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with humanitarian aid workers split between headquarters and fieldbased positions. Sub questions focused on pedagogical approaches and implementation strategies, the rationale for IE in emergencies, and the challenges that humanitarian aid workers face implementing IE in crisis environments. Analysis was conducted qualitatively, using inductive coding, and supported by NVIVO software, with results presented and analysed thematically. The study yielded several significant findings of relevance to the humanitarian sector. Firstly, trauma informed pedagogical approaches were regarded by participants as an important and distinct strategy for implementing IE in humanitarian contexts, involving trauma informed teacher training, classroom approaches, and the provision of psychosocial support alongside classroom teaching. Contrary to the mixed perspectives on the applicability of IE in emergency contexts, this study noted a strong level of support for the approach in humanitarian education work. Nonetheless, a series of challenges implementing IE were identified, including poor data collection, stigma, limited resources, and a misalignment between donor priorities and humanitarian need. This misalignment represents the study’s most significant finding and contribution to humanitarian research, with donors perceived as constraining longer term structural solutions, and at times allocating funding to areas inconsistent with the greatest level of humanitarian need.

As modern computational workloads become increasingly data-intensive, memory access latencyremains a primary bottleneck to performance. To mitigate this “Memory Wall”, processors utilisehardware prefetchers of varying complexity, from basic next-line fetchers, to advanced spatialpredictors to speculatively load data into cache. To prevent cache pollution and interconnect con-gestion, processors often employ static bandwidth throttling policies to clamp speculative traffic. The objective of this thesis is to empirically evaluate the performance characteristics of differentprefetching algorithms and their systemic interactions with bandwidth throttling mechanisms onthe Intel Crestmont microarchitecture.

By using model-specific registers and physical performance monitoring unit telemetry, this the-sis isolated individual prefetcher algorithms (L1 Next-Line prefetcher, L2 streamer, and Adaptive Multi-Path), and then evaluated them across varying throttling profiles using the SPEC CPU 2017 benchmark suite. The results demonstrate that prefetcher efficacy is highly workload-dependent. While compute-bound workloads are largely insensitive to prefetcher configurations, memory-bound workloads expose a conflict coined the Throttling Paradox. In this context, the paradox is that the mechanism designed to optimise performance by limiting memory bandwidth, insteadleads to performance degradations on single threaded workloads. The findings suggest that it triggers demand-driven replacement by blocking early speculative requests and forcing the CPU to issue late, pipeline-stalling demand misses for the exact same data.

Understanding how gene-flow and selection interact across environmental gradients is essential for assessing population resilience and evaluating the deep-refugia potential of mesophotic habitats under rapid climate change. In the context of depth, genetic connectivity patterns have been documented for broadcast-spawning species, but that of brooding marine invertebrates remains largely unexplored, leaving the role of mesophotic habitats as potential refugia uncertain. Here, we investigated the genetic structure of the brooder sponge Ircinia variabilis across shallow and mesophotic habitats in the Eastern Mediterranean and across shallow sites spanning multiple Mediterranean basins (i.e., Mallorca, Ionian-Sea and Israel). By quantifying depth and distance-related connectivity, and assessing the relative roles of neutral processes and temperature-driven selection, we evaluated the genetic connectivity of I. variabilis and the potential of mesophotic habitats to function as refugia. Using ddRADseq, we obtained 957 SNPs, to characterize gene-flow patterns, genetic structure, and environmental influences on differentiation. Ircinia variabilis exhibited pronounced vertical and geographic genetic structure, consistent with limited larval dispersal. Notably, Ionian-Sea populations were genetically closer to Mallorca than to the geographically closer Israeli populations, suggesting influence of oceanographic barriers. Analyses of selection-associated loci indicate that environmental variability contributes to population divergence, supporting local adaptation. Along the Israeli coast, pronounced differentiation between shallow and mesophotic populations highlights depth as a key axis of evolutionary divergence. Limited vertical connectivity challenges a central assumption of the deep refugia hypothesis, suggesting mesophotic populations may not sustain shallow populations under climate change.

Mast cells (MCs) are versatile, multifunctional immune cells with broad roles in physiological homeostasis and pathogenic processes. MCs are found in most tissues, including skin, lungs, intestines, and peritoneum, and they vary in numbers, types, and biological functions. MCs are implicated in host defense against various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Additionally, MCs are crucial in protecting against toxins, including those present in venoms from multiple species, such as honeybees, snakes, scorpions, and lizards. Although MCs play an essential role in host defense, they are mostly known for their detrimental actions in allergic reactions, such as asthma, food allergy, anaphylaxis, mastocytosis, and various inflammatory skin conditions. Under such conditions, MCs are activated (via IgE-mediated or other mechanisms) and release a range of potent proinflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor α. In addition to cytokines, they are major producers of histamine and various proteases, including chymase, tryptase, and carboxypeptidase A3. As a result, these mediators contribute to the pathological manifestations associated with inflammatory conditions and other disorders. This review focuses mainly on the biological role of MCs and their proteases, with a focus on chymase and tryptase, as well as their inhibitors as candidate therapies for MC-driven diseases.

Eskers are of vital importance to Swedish society, constituting a significant portion of Swedish drinking water supply. Their high permeability also makes them vulnerable to contaminants such as PFAS. Norrvatten is a producer of drinking water with several groundwater abstraction facilities along the Northern Stockholm esker that are used as reserve sources of water. In the Hammarby reservoir, PFAS are found consistently throughout most of the esker, with limited data suggesting a fully developed contamination plume. The source is unknown and there is a lack of knowledge regarding PFAS transport behavior. To investigate potential sources and their respective pathways, mass transport modeling was performed in Feflow, a groundwater modelling software. Two models of the reservoir were used, with varying hydraulic conductivities and meshes, and mass transport modules were implemented for this thesis. Simulated PFAS concentrations were compared with observations to identify which sources were the most probable. Sorption to the esker was also estimated, using an assumption that the source could be up to 90 years old and had reached steady state conditions recently. With these maximum partitioning coefficients (K_d^max) derived, the expected persistence of PFAS after hypothetical removal of sources was evaluated at the Hammarby water source. The PFAS simulated were perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). To further increase knowledge of PFAS presence in the reservoir, sampling of previously untested groundwater wells was also done.The results suggest that at least two sources are present in the reservoir. One is leaching perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA), the other is leaching perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSA) and they are both likely positioned by the upstream edge of the reservoir. It is also possible but less likely that a third source is contributing both groups of PFAS further downstream. The sources must be old, between 50 – 90 years depending on location, to have reached the steady state conditions present. These large travel times led to low estimated sorption, with maximum partitioning coefficients ranging between 0.03 – 0.16 L kg^-1 for PFOS and 0.00 – 0.20 L kg^-1 for PFBA. These values are only upper bounds for sorption, and the true sorption could be any value within these intervals. With these derived sorption values and using PFOS and PFBA as representatives, concentrations of PFSA would have decreased significantly (down to 10% of today’s concentrations) within 55 – 95 years, concentrations of PFCA by longer. Even if the sources were to be removed soon, PFAS will persist for several decades in the Hammarby reservoir.

The atmospheric composition of rocky exoplanets offers an important tool for constraining the properties of the interior of this type of planet, beyond what is possible from measurements of their mass and radius alone. However, the interpretation of these observations requires an understanding of the complex interplay of a larger number of coupled planetary and atmospheric processes. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding rocky exoplanet atmospheres, beginning with their formation and escape mechanisms. We specifically highlight the importance of long-term interaction between the atmosphere, the surface, and the interior on rocky planets. Furthermore, this review addresses the influence of biological activity and photochemical reactions on the atmospheric compositions. Consequently, establishing how these different processes contribute to shaping the atmospheres of rocky exoplanets during their evolution is fundamental for the characterization of these planets with future space missions and ground-based surveys.

Objective: To evaluate early and long-term neuromuscular and clinical effects of botulinum toxin type A (BoNTA) in women with chronic migraine undergoing sustained treatment.

Methods: Forty female patients were stratified by cumulative BoNTA exposure (treatment-naïve, ∼1 year, 2-5 years, >5 years). Clinical outcomes included migraine frequency, pain burden, and quality of life. Neurophysiological assessments during one treatment cycle comprised motor nerve conduction studies, quantitative EMG, jitter analysis, and blink reflex. Serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were also measured.

Results: BoNTA significantly reduced migraine days (p = 0.0008) with sustained benefit across treatment groups. Neuromuscular side effects were reported in 75% of patients treated for ≥1 year, including ptosis, diplopia, and shoulder weakness. In treatment-naive patients, frontalis CMAP amplitudes declined significantly from baseline to week 12 (p = 0.0006), whereas cumulative reductions were most pronounced in the trapezius muscle in patients treated for 2-5 years (p < 0.0001). EMG showed spontaneous activity consistent with denervation in up to 60% of patients and myopathic patterns in 30-40% of long-term-treated individuals. Abnormal jitter in the orbicularis oculi was present in 47% at week 12. NfL levels were higher in long-term treated groups at week 4 (p = 0.0095), while GFAP remained unchanged. Subtle blink reflex abnormalities suggested possible central modulation.

Conclusions: BoNTA is associated with persistent neuromuscular alterations, with early effects in facial muscles and cumulative changes in the trapezius.

Significance: These findings support the occurrence of treatment-dependent neuromuscular side effects and highlight the need for monitoring during long-term therapy.

Soils across permafrost regions are one of the largest terrestrial pools of mercury (Hg) in the world, storing an estimated 500-1500 Gg of Hg in the top three meters of soil. Ongoing climate-driven thaw threatens to release this legacy Hg into the environment. Efforts to quantify and model this pool have been hindered by a lack of harmonized, spatially resolved observations. To address this, we compiled a database of 117,802 Hg observations collected between 1988 and 2022 from 59 studies across Arctic, sub-Arctic, and alpine permafrost regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, northern Europe, Eurasia and the Tibetan Plateau. The database includes Hg concentration measurements in solid materials - such as soil, leaves, roots, and wood - as well as in water samples from soil porewater, lakes, and rivers across the northern hemisphere permafrost domain. The database enables cross-site synthesis, model calibration and evaluation, and environmental assessments by standardizing and harmonizing data from diverse sources. Data standardization included unit conversion, categorization of observations by type, and quality-control procedures to ensure consistency across studies. Analytical uncertainty was preserved where reported in source studies, and quality control indicators - including range and outlier flags - were applied to support data screening and interpretation. Mercury concentrations vary widely across observations, with lake sediment showing the highest median values (70 ng g-1, IQR: 45-116), followed by soil (50 ng g-1, IQR: 32-90), and vegetation (15 ng g-1, IQR: 9-33). Water observations (total Hg) had a median of 2 ng L-1 (IQR: 2-6). Statistically significant differences in Hg concentrations among observation types were observed at both global and regional scales, generally following the pattern: lake sediment > soil > vegetation, although this ordering is sensitive to regional sampling distribution. These patterns, along with spatial and observation-type biases, highlight the need for improved coverage in underrepresented regions such as Eurasia. The database is freely accessible through Zenodo under the concept 10.5281/zenodo.18300989 (all versions; Olson et al., 2026a), to support ongoing research and model development in Arctic and sub-Arctic Hg cycle studies.

The positional distribution of fatty acids in the glycerol of triacylglycerols (TGs) gives multiple regioisomeric and enantiomeric species with different absorption, metabolism and tissue distribution. This diversity is further enhanced by the positional isomers of double bonds in these fatty acids which present an analytical challenge.

To improve the determination of this plethora of isomers, we coupled chiral liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry. For the separation of enantiomers and regioisomers, we used an amylose tris(3-chloro-4-methylphenylcarbamate) stationary phase (Chiralpak IF-3) and evaluated the key chromatographic parameters: mobile phase composition, column temperature and flow-rate. Acetonitrile/ water (98:2, v/v) as mobile phase at 35 °C and 0.15 mL/min was selected for separation of enantiomers and regioisomers. In addition, coupling three columns (750 mm) improved efficiency and resolution for the separation of key enantiomers and regioisomers. In addition, our method discriminated TGs differing in double-bond position and cis/trans configuration, which are difficult to resolve using conventional reversed-phase chromatographic systems. The separation method showed stable retention and reproducible determination of enantiomeric percentages in liver matrices.

The application of the method revealed the stereochemical TG diversity in rat liver extracts that is unresolved by conventional RP chromatography. Furthermore, it enabled detection of differences in enantiomeric distribution following exposure to doxorubicin. This highlights the importance of resolving TG isomers in biological samples.

In conclusion, this work reports a robust MS-compatible lipidomics chiral platform for stereospecific TG analysis providing an analytical foundation for future investigation of lipid remodelling and de novo lipogenesis at the stereochemical level.

Zero-valent iron is a widely used material for removal of heavy metals and other pollutants fromwater. This study evaluates different zero-valent iron materials and their ability to reduce Uconcentrations to less than 10 µg/L, a concentration that can be related to an existing dischargerequirement for a mine in Sweden.An experimental setup consisting of columns filled with different zero-valent iron materials wasused to study if it was possible to achieve a reduction in uranium concentrations. Waste rockleachate from LKAB’s Kiruna mine, with approximately 100 µg/L uranium, was pumped intoeach column in an upward flow direction. In total, ten columns were used in the study, withseven containing different types and amounts of zero-valent iron. The zero-valent iron columnsenabled an evaluation of the effect of different hydraulic residence times on uranium removaland loading capacity, defined as the maximum amount of uranium per mass zero-valent iron thatcan be removed before the zero-valent iron material needs to be changed.The study found that all zero-valent iron materials initially achieved a uranium reduction toconcentrations less than 0.02 µg/L. However, five of the columns which contained a smalleramount of zero-valent iron exhibited uranium breakthrough after one to five weeks depending onthe material. The lowest hydraulic residence time tested was 3 minutes which also gave the resultof concentrations under 0.02 µg/L. While it was not possible to determine the total loadingcapacity of the different iron materials over the period of this study, minimum loading capacitiesof 0.15 to 0.25 mg U / g zero-valent iron material were achieved over a six-week period. At the highest tested hydraulic residence time tested of around 20 hours, depending on thecolumn, nitrate reduction occurred and produced ammonium, where the ammonium-nitrogenconcentration in those zero-valent iron columns was equal to the inlet concentration of nitratenitrogen. The pH was also initially high in these zero-valent iron columns, between 11 – 12, butdecreased over time to a pH just under 9.This study shows that the application of zero-valent iron in the field to remove uranium for minedrainage should be possible. It needs to be considered which zero-valent iron material to usebased on grain-size, surface area and loading capacity.

Pharmaceutical residues in wastewater have become an increasing environmental concern due to their potential impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health. In response, the revised EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive introduces new requirements for quaternary treatment at wastewater treatment plants. Biochar filters have shown promising removal efficiencies for pharmaceutical residues, but their environmental performance from a life cycle perspective remains relatively unexplored. This study aimed to assess the climate change and toxicity impacts of biochar filters for quaternary wastewater treatment using life cycle assessment (LCA). Biochar produced from forest biomass and sewage sludge were compared in different scenarios including energy source and end of life treatment. A cradle to grave LCA was conducted which included feedstock production, transportation, pyrolysis, filter usage, and end of life treatment.  

The results showed that forest biomass was associated with lower environmental impacts than sewage sludge across all impact categories. The energy source strongly influenced climate change impacts, while feedstock selection was the dominant factor for toxicity related impacts. The forest biomass and sewage sludge biochar were characterized by different environmental hotspots associating with reference use and ash treatment respectively. The filter reduced the toxicity associated with measured pharmaceutical residues in treated wastewater by more than 90%. The study highlights the importance of applying a life cycle perspective when evaluating quaternary wastewater treatment technologies, as reductions in pharmaceutical emissions may be associated with environmental impacts elsewhere in the system.

Background: It is thought that pets have positive effects on psychosocial factors and physical activity. However, earlier findings are inconsistent. In this study, we investigated the link between dog/cat ownership and social integration, mental and physical health and physical activity.

Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 4604 people, aged 50-64, from the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS). Questionnaire data were used to assess dog/cat ownership. Social integration was self-reported and collected by the Interview Schedule for Social Interaction. Mental health was investigated with the SF-12 questionnaire, and physical activity was self-reported. Multiple linear regressions and ordinal regressions were used to investigate the relationships with dog/cat ownership. The analyses were adjusted for potential confounders.

Results: Dog owners (n = 745) reported less social integration than non-dog owners, both regarding number of social contacts (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69, 0.92) and availability of close relationships (aOR 0.79, CI 0.67, 0.94). No differences in mental health status regarding dog/cat ownership were detected. Dog owners reported 2 hours more weekly walking time on average (p < 0.001) and 2 hours less sitting time (p = 0.016) compared to non-dog owners. A dose-response relationship was found regarding the dog owners' responsibility for the dogs' exercise and the reported amount of walking (p < 0.001). Cat owners (n = 1032) walked approximately 20 minutes less per week than non-cat owners (p = 0.02).

Conclusions: Dog ownership was associated with less social integration and no differences in mental health were found between dog/cat owners compared to non-owners. Dog owners were more physically active, and there was a dose-response relationship between the proportion of the engagement in the dog's daily exercise and the time spent walking. The relationship between dog ownership and physical activity is relevant in relation to cardiovascular health.

In recent work-primarily the book Choosing Normative Concepts (2017) - I has presented what I see as a new, significant problem regarding normativity. Briefly, it has to do with the existence of alternative normative concepts. What if I know that I ought to φ, but at the same time I know that I ought* to ψ, where ψ is an incompatible course of action and the concept OUGHT* is an alternative OUGHT-like concept? I think that this kind of question raises many different issues. But one thing it does is to present problems for what I call ardent realism, a view which I believe often underlies what realists about normativity say and hold. Several theorists have suggested that expressivism somehow provides a way out of the problem I present, and my main aim here is to evaluate this suggestion. My conclusions are negative. Expressivism does not provide a way out. Or, more carefully: it does not provide a way out not already afforded by other views, and that has not already been discussed in the context of discussing such other views.

The disease-modifying antibody lecanemab for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) was initially designed to target amyloid-beta (Aβ) protofibrils, i.e. soluble aggregates of Aβ, but it has also been successful in clearing insoluble amyloid plaques in clinical studies. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how a brain penetrating, bispecific murine variant of lecanemab (RmAb158-scFv8D3) distributes in the brain and interacts with different pools of aggregated Aβ in APP transgenic mice. The alpha-synuclein targeting antibody RmAbSynO2-scFv8D3 was used as control. Further, by performing in vivo high cut-off microdialysis in freely moving animals, brain interstitial fluid (ISF) was continuously collected across 24 h to assess concentrations of free antibody in the brain. Post mortem distribution of the antibodies was analyzed by sequential extraction of brain tissue. RmAb158-scFv8D3 showed rapid ISF clearance as well as a redistribution from brain extracts containing small, soluble Aβ species toward brain extracts containing insoluble, plaque-associated Aβ with time. A treatment effect was detected already at 12 h post injection, whereby the RmAb158-scFv8D3-treated animals showed lower concentrations of the smallest, most soluble Aβ aggregates. Collectively, these findings suggest that within the first 24 h after a single injection of the bispecific RmAb158-scFv8D3 antibody we can capture the antibody's initial brain distribution and interactions with both soluble Aβ aggregates and insoluble, plaque-associated Aβ. These interactions mediate a swift reduction of soluble Aβ, while clearance of insoluble Aβ requires longer treatment time.

Background: The innate immune system is increasingly recognised as a key driver in the pathogenesis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as important mediators of inflammation, potentially reflecting cellular activation and disease processes in vivo. The aim of this exploratory pilot study was to investigate the presence of neutrophil- and platelet-derived EVs in the plasma and synovial fluid of children with JIA and compare these with plasma levels in healthy controls.

Methods: Seven children with active, untreated JIA and ten healthy controls were included. Citrate plasma and synovial fluid were analysed for neutrophil- and platelet-derived EVs using flow cytometry. Disease activity was assessed using the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score (JADAS27) and functional impairment via the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ). Non-parametric tests were used in analyses.

Results: Neutrophil- and platelet-associated EVs were detectable not only in plasma but also in synovial fluid in all children with JIA. Plasma levels of CD41+ EVs and MPO+ EVs were significantly higher in the JIA group compared with controls. Activated platelet EVs (CD41+ and CD41 + CD62P) were detected predominantly in plasma and only at low levels in synovial fluid. MPO+ and H3Cit+ EVs were present in both compartments, indicating neutrophil activation and NET-related components. No correlations between EV levels and clinical or laboratory variables were found.

Conclusion: This exploratory pilot study is the first to assess platelet- and neutrophil/NET-associated EV phenotypes in both plasma and synovial fluid in children with JIA. The results indicate systemic platelet activation and NET-related activity in both circulation and the inflamed joint compartment.

Preeclampsia and small for gestational age (SGA) births share pathophysiologic pathways involving the cardiovascular system, inflammation, and placentation. To evaluate their pathophysiological differences and similarities, we compared alterations in mid-pregnancy circulating protein levels in women with subsequent preeclampsia and/or SGA birth. We used the Olink cardiovascular panel II to measure 92 mid-pregnancy plasma proteins in healthy pregnant women with subsequent uncomplicated pregnancies (controls; n = 480), term (≥37 weeks) preeclampsia (n = 233), preterm (< 37 weeks) preeclampsia (n = 40), SGA birth (n = 106), or combined preeclampsia and SGA birth (n = 31). False discovery rate-adjusted Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's post-hoc tests identified protein level differences between controls and each adverse outcome group. Compared with controls, mid-pregnancy protein alterations were most common in women with subsequent term preeclampsia, particularly involving the cardiovascular proteins angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and B-type natriuretic peptide. Across all outcomes, matrix metalloproteinase-12 and placental growth factor were lower compared to controls, particularly in those with combined disorder. In summary, cardiovascular and inflammatory protein alternations were most common in women with subsequent preeclampsia. Shared dysregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-12 and placental growth factor, both known regulators of placentation and the vascular system, suggests their involvement in both preeclampsia and SGA births, albeit the pathways may differ.

Introduction: To describe the clinical characteristics of a Swedish cohort of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAV) and kidney involvement and to study long-term survival and predictors of all-cause mortality.

Methods: An observational study including patients with AAV and kidney involvement between 1993 and 2023 from two centres in mid-Sweden. Data were obtained from electronic health care records and follow-up visits. Multivariable Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier analysis were performed to evaluate risk factors of interest predicting all-cause mortality.

Results: Among 190 patients (56% men, median age 67 years, 43% PR3-ANCA (Proteinase 3 Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody), and 57% MPO -ANCA (Myeloperoxidase Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody) positive, estimated glomerular filtration rate at diagnosis was 23 ml/min/1.73 m² [interquartile range (IQR) 11-42] and 16% required dialysis. Median follow-up 20 was 7.5 years (IQR 3.6-12.3) and 106 deaths occurred. Main causes of death were infections (28%), cardiovascular disease (24%) and malignancy (18%). Cox hazard regression models showed that older age [hazard ratio (HR) 1.10, 95% CI 1.06-1.14] was a strong, consistent, and independent predictor of all-cause mortality, irrespective of sex, ANCA type, and kidney function. In the Uppsala cohort (n = 91) serum albumin levels at diagnosis emerged also as an independent risk factor when adjusting for age, kidney function and other inflammatory parameters (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.79-0.94).

Conclusion: Long-term patient and kidney survival was associated mainly with age and serum albumin levels at diagnosis in this Swedish cohort of patients with AAV. Infections and cardiovascular disease were the most common causes of death, underscoring the importance of infection monitoring and cardiovascular risk management.

In the 20th-century expansion of Swedish universities, research and education moved from department buildings-built according to the logic of one professor, one department, one building-into larger building complexes where work could be co-located yet functionally and spatially separated. At Uppsala University in Sweden, the Uppsala Biomedical Center (BMC, 1977) and the Center for Humanities and Social Sciences (Hum-C, 1976) are two examples of such larger macro-buildings intended to contribute to the economies of scale in academia. Created and planned simultaneously and in parallel to each other, the buildings followed diverging rationalities in their structures and in how the practices that took place within could be optimised. BMC was envisioned and planned as a flexible building, where walls could be moved and laboratories re-constructed depending on shifting objectives and unexpected needs. First and foremost, BMC was organized to be adaptable to research. Hum-C, on the other hand, embodied generic estimates on the ideal size for teaching. Teaching was streamlined in accordance with pedagogical ideals and contemporary studies on how it could be improved. The sizes of rooms and groups were adjusted to follow these optimal scales when moving between different forms of teaching. These buildings in many ways emerged as part of a response to a prolonged national discussion on how higher education should be organized, starting in the early 1950s. While both buildings were created to anticipate an expansion of the university as a whole, they also accentuated a separation between research and education, on one side, and between the life sciences and humanities on the other. Indeed, BMC became regarded as a factory of research while Hum-C was seen as a teaching factory. By comparing the planning and design of these two buildings, this paper studies how research and education became dis-embedded from each other in different ways at Uppsala University between 1963 and 1984.

Objective: To explore women's experiences following polygenic risk score (PRS) testing for breast cancer risk and to assess the knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP), and implementation perspectives of medical professionals and healthcare decision-makers in Sweden.

Methods: Convergent mixed-methods study combining quantitative survey data with qualitative thematic analysis of survey open-ended responses and focus group discussion (FGD) notes. Setting: Swedish healthcare context. Participants: 400 women receiving PRS results for a first Participants Feedback Survey; 289 women for the second Participants Feedback Survey, and 6 medical professionals/decision-makers for a KAP survey and FGD. Women completed two sequential online feedback surveys post-PRS result disclosure. Professionals completed a KAP survey and participated in an FGD. Quantitative survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data from open-ended survey questions and FGD notes were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Participants valued participation in PRS testing and receiving PRS-test results, with 87% finding results interesting and 82% finding them valuable. Although most participants found the explanations understandable (approximately 75% in Survey 1 and 82% in Survey 2), qualitative comments indicated that some had difficulty interpreting probabilistic risk information, including participants who self-identified as highly educated or medically trained. Negative emotional impact was generally minimal (85% felt calm), though some women with high PRS risk experienced anxiety. Major unmet needs included clearer explanations, actionable guidance, and better access to follow-up support from healthcare. Professionals were cautiously positive: in the KAP survey, 5 of 6 were familiar with the concept of PRS, but confidence in the health system's readiness to integrate it was limited. The main barriers raised were the absence of clinical guidelines and the need for evidence of clinical utility.

Conclusions: Breast cancer PRS testing holds potential for enhancing risk assessment in Sweden. Key challenges for clinical integration include clinician readiness, the development of clear guidelines, and improved participant comprehension and communication. PRS tests should be accompanied with clinical decision support both for patients as well for medical professionals. Addressing these will require person-centered communication tools, robust evidence of clinical utility, well-defined clinical pathways, investments in provider education, and equitable implementation strategies within the Swedish healthcare system.Clinical trial number Not applicable.

Background: A reduction in kidney function cause metabolites that normally are cleared by the kidney to accumulate. These accumulated metabolites could potentially link kidney function to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Aim: To assess the relationships between creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the metabolome (791 endogenous metabolites) in the general population, as well as the cortisol to cortisone ratio.

Patients and methods: Three population-based cohorts, Epihealth, PIVUS and POEM (total n = 3,444), were used with a discovery/validation approach. Metabolomics was measured by mass spectroscopy. eGFR was calculated using the 2021 CKD-EPI creatinine-based equation. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the correlations between each metabolite concentration and eGFR, adjusting for sex, % fat mass, cardiovascular risk factors and medications. The metabolites significant in the linear regression were analyzed using MultiVariable Mendelian Randomization (MVMR), adjusting for diabetes and BMI.

Results: Nighty-six metabolites were significantly associated to eGFR and had the same direction of association in both linear regression and MVMR. The vast majority of these associations were negative. Apart from creatinine, N-acetylalanine, N,N-dimethyl-pro-pro, N,N,N-trimethyl-alanylproline betaine (TMAP) were the top findings. Pathway enrichment analysis (Metaboloanalyst 6.0) found five significantly enriched pathways, two of which involved amino acid metabolism.

Conclusions: In a general population with only mild to moderately reduced kidney function, several metabolites were associated with kidney function, including the cortisol to cortisone ratio. This finding is of interest since several of these metabolites might link reduced kidney function to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

How does media discourse on digital election interference affect political polarisation? This study investigates this question using a survey experiment conducted in the United Kingdom in 2024. Respondents were exposed to fictitious news stories about digital interference during the 2019 UK general election, and the treatment varied information about which party benefitted from the interference. Attitudes were subsequently measured across ideological, affective and perceived polarisation. The results indicate that news about digital election interference does not increase polarisation at an aggregate level. However, respondents reported higher levels of perceived societal division and affective polarisation against ideological opponents when the opposing party benefitted from the interference. These findings contribute to ongoing discussions regarding digital harms and democratic interference, pointing to the need to consider the effects of interference in democratic processes that stem from the public discourse on the event.

Introduction

There are still knowledge gaps relating to the interaction between digitalization, organizational changes, and the aging of the workforce. This study examines the impact of digitalization on older workers in the financial sector in Sweden and the Czechia. The experience of digitalization by older workers in different countries and labor market sectors, and its fostering of insecurity and precarity through technostress, feelings of inefficacy and uncertain futures, is understudied.

Methods

Through interviews with men and women aged 50-64 who are employed in financial institutions in the Czechia and Sweden, the research explores organizational changes, including outsourcing and agile management, and their impact on the experiences of older workers at work.

Results

The findings reveal key differences in ongoing changes between the two countries, such as the prominence of agile management in Sweden and the absence of outsourcing in the Czechia. Despite these variations, digitalization narratives are remarkably similar, reflecting an international emphasis on efficiency and competitiveness. The study illustrates that digitalization can create precarious working conditions for older employees, including technostress, feelings of ineffectiveness and insecurity, and uncertainty about the future.

Discussion

The results emphasize the need for temporal analyzes and consideration of national conditions when understanding the multifaceted consequences of digitalization for the older workforce. Overall, the paper highlights the similarities and differences in organizational opportunities and challenges within and across national labor market contexts, providing valuable contributions to the ongoing academic debate on aging and digitalization in the workplace.

Despite the centrality of ethics to humanitarian identity and practice, there remains insufficient empirical research on how humanitarian workers operating in Bangladesh recognise and navigate ethical tensions in their daily work. This study addresses this gap by examining how aid workers in the Rohingya response experience and navigate ethical dilemmas arising from tensions between humanitarian principles and operational realities in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

Drawing on qualitative interviews with eight humanitarian practitioners selected through purposive and snowball sampling, the study generates rich empirical insights of aid workers operating within one of the world’s largest and protracted refugee responses. Participants worked across diverse organisations and roles ranging from field-level to programme management.

The findings reveal that ethical dilemmas are not exceptional occurrences but routine and structurally embedded features of the operational environment. Aid workers navigate a complex landscape in which state authorities hold the power to grant or withdraw operational approval, majhis (camp leaders) influence aid distribution, organisations operate according to their own mandates and values, and donors prioritise specific programmes. These dynamics intersect simultaneously, generating competing obligations that cannot all be fulfilled at once. Prioritising one need inevitably means neglecting another. Rather than applying humanitarian principles in a straightforward way, practitioners rely on practical wisdom, experience, and situated moral judgement to manage dilemmas that institutional frameworks alone cannot resolve.

The study makes several contributions to the humanitarian field. It extends Slim’s framework on ethical dilemmas by demonstrating empirically that such dilemmas are structurally produced rather than individually generated. It expands the concept of ‘do no harm’ beyond designated beneficiaries to include host communities who may also experience unintended consequences of categorization and prioritization; and identifies consultation with supervisor and colleagues as a significant yet institutionally underrecognised ethical strategy. The study demonstrates that humanitarian principles are not simply applied in practice but are continuously negotiated.

Background and aims

Guidelines recommend measuring lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] at least once in all adults, but testing remains limited in clinical practice. We evaluated pragmatic strategies to maximize the immediate clinical impact of Lp(a) testing on the need of lipid-lowering treatment (LLT) in a primary prevention setting.

Methods

In 24,994 individuals aged 50-65 years from the population-based Swedish Cardiopulmonary BioImage Study (SCAPIS), we assessed: (i) whether self-reported data can identify individuals likely to have elevated Lp(a) (>= 50 mg/dL) and thus serve as a pre-screening tool, and (ii) how the clinical impact of Lp(a) testing-defined as eligibility for LLT according to ESC/EAS guidelines-varies by age and sex.

Results

Self-reported data poorly predicted elevated Lp(a) (ROC-AUC 0.54). Overall, incorporating Lp(a) levels increased eligibility for LLT from 11.3% to 19.6%. However, the clinical impact varied by age and sex. The number needed to screen (NNS) to identify one additional individual eligible for LLT was lowest in men aged 50-60 years (approximate to 10-15) and women >= 55 years (<20 at age 55 and < 10 at age 65), but substantially higher in younger women (NNS >50).

Conclusions

Elevated Lp(a) cannot be reliably identified using self-reported data. Incorporation of Lp(a) levels substantially increased eligibility for LLT. Targeting testing in men >= 50 years and women >= 55 years maximizes immediate clinical utility and may serve as a pragmatic interim strategy pending broader implementation of universal Lp(a) testing.

During the last decades, formalised applications of shifting decision-making power, resources and authority to local actors has dominated the discourse within a humanitarian context - termed as localisation. The marginalisation and devaluing of local knowledge and capacity are often referred to as legacies of colonialism, expressed through unequal global hierarchies also perpetuating the humanitarian sector and international cooperation today. For this study, interviews with practitioners within the field of humanitarian work, aid and development were conducted to examine how localisation is operationalised, and what barriers the practitioners identify in this work. Together with academic literature, the empirical findings are analysed by the framework of decoloniality. Situated in a broader context of existing research, this thesis contributes with perspectives on a microlevel on how localisation is translated from theory into practice, aiming to partake in current debates and impact future practices. The findings show that ambiguity around the term localisation result in various implications in practice and contradicts one universal definition. For instance, localisation is operationalised by establishment of regional offices, recruitment of national staff and changed terminology - all aimed at challenging hegemonic and Eurocentric dynamics within the humanitarian system. Contextual and locally anchored knowledge were highly valued, but the practitioners simultaneously problematised simplified notions of “the local”, and the risk of localisation as a symbolic reform due to its fashionable status as a buzzword. Other challenges include tensions on both organisational and individual levels in international collaboration, for instance regarding accountability and adherence to humanitarian principles. The barriers to localisation are mainly resulting from operating within deeply rooted structures of colonialism and coloniality, which takes time and critical engagement to reform. Perceived key aspects to successful localisation presented by the practitioners are also incorporated.

Tuvalu is being framed as a primary example of climate migration and the disastrous

effects of climate change (Farbotko and Lazrus, 2012; Saddington, 2025). The nation is

addressing this through various disaster risk reduction (DRR) methods, including the

strategy of climate migration.

DRR and understanding disasters are key aspects of humanitarian action (Sphere

Association, 2018). Planning and prevention provide people with safer and more dignified

livelihoods. Ensuring communities are aware of the risks of climate change and that they

understand their mobility choices is an increasing humanitarian concern. Rising sea levels

and increased climate disaster events demand humanitarian responses, locally and

internationally, and through DRR, the effects can be mitigated before they become critical.

Analysing DRR as a key humanitarian framework, this thesis seeks to reframe traditional

methods through local indigenous knowledge, including the Tuvaluan model of climate

mobility, te vaka, and relational dynamics, such as fenua and falepili. Understanding the

language of climate mobility and the definitions of migration and displacement helps frame

the empirical discussion of climate migration as a DRR strategy in Tuvalu.

Tuvalu’s colonial, economic and migration history lay the foundations for the empirical

case study. This thesis explores the DRR policies and reports by the Government of

Tuvalu, the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, the Tuvaluan Red Cross Society

and the United Nations collaboration, to understand the humanitarian responses and action

taken to support Tuvaluans migratory pathways due to the impact of climate change. This

thesis also dives into the ‘sinking’ narrative portrayed in broader discussions and how

Tuvalu’s agency and culture are perceived through these DRR responses.

Through a discourse analysis, this thesis strives to answer: How are humanitarian and

government actors responding to the growing concern of a sinking Tuvalu, and what role

does climate migration as a disaster risk reduction strategy play?, through examining key

emerging discourses, imagery, and the language utilised. This discussion analyses the

climate migration responses by Tuvalu, how this is perceived internationally, and how

humanitarian responses should understand Tuvalu’s situation and their DRR strategy.

Humanitarian action is only effective if it is able to reach those in need, thus, the imposition of blockades produces a major challenge for the field of humanitarianism. The Gaza Strip has been under blockade for many years, however, the intensification of such barriers in 2023 ushered in what many consider the worst chapter in the history of Israel and Palestine. Though calls to end the blockade have abounded, little academic research has been produced regarding the adaptations the humanitarian sector has witnessed in the face of these challenges. This desk-based study conducts an empirical analysis of existing literature and secondary sources to consider changes that have occurred since the imposition of the 2023 blockade. Importantly, this blockade is embedded within over a century of colonialism and oppression and cannot be understood separately from this. Thus, this thesis will contextualize the blockade and siege on Gaza within the history of the land before proceeding to analyze its effects and the responses from the international community. Overall, this thesis finds that the weaponization of humanitarianism, forced localization of relief efforts, and increased solidarity action present new realities within humanitarian action for Gaza. By analyzing these varied forms of humanitarianism, one can conceive of different possibilities to care for civilians and recognize vulnerabilities that Gazans face. Additionally, these new possibilities within humanitarianism in Gaza present insights for the humanitarian sector at large, as tactics of deprivation and barriers to aid are becoming increasingly common in conflicts across the globe.

This thesis explores how Judith Butler’s (2009) theory of grievable lives is produced within the asylum system on the Greek island of Samos. Grounded in a qualitative, phenomenological approach, it draws on perspectives from both international and local humanitarian workers (who claimed asylum in Samos) to examine how everyday practices shape the recognition and valuation of human life.The findings identify three interconnected dynamics: differential treatment, power and control, and dehumanisation. Together, these reveal a system in which hierarchies based on nationality, gender, and perceived vulnerability influence access to resources, rights, and care. These inequalities are reinforced through institutional structures, opaque decision-making, and the normalisation of prolonged waiting and inadequate living conditions.By linking lived experience to theory, the study shows that grievability is not only discursively constructed but also materially enacted through bureaucratic and spatial practices. In doing so, it extends Butler’s framework and contributes to critical migration scholarship by highlighting how asylum systems function as sites of differential recognition,raising broader questions about the uneven valuation of life within contemporary European border regimes.

This thesis examines the extent to which humanitarian capacity-building frameworks uphold knowledge hierarchies between the National Societies of the Global North and South within the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (IFRC). Through a case study involving the Swedish Red Cross (SRC) and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS), the thesis investigates the application of capacity building through the technical field of feedback mechanisms in Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA).

The thesis draws on academic literature to discuss how humanitarian activities are anchored in a colonial power structure, with ‘white gaze’ and ‘white saviour’ mentalities reinforcing knowledge hierarchies that position the Global North as the expert and the Global South as knowledge deficient. Additionally, qualitative data obtained from six semi-structured interviews not only support these theories by illustrating how colonial dynamics continue to shape partnerships within the IFRC but also reveal a double standard: the SRC establishes global standards and systematically develops capacity in feedback mechanisms for National Societies in the Global South, yet maintains fragmented and unsystematic feedback systems domestically in countries of the Global North. Conversely, BDRCS utilizes advanced, mainstream feedback mechanism systems that are symbolically acknowledged but not employed for reciprocal learning.

The thesis concludes that capacity-building remains predominantly a unilateral process, perpetuating Northern dominance through structural barriers and biases rooted in assumptions of Northern superiority. Its lessons learned and recommendations advocates reconceptualizing humanitarian partnerships to prioritize lived-experience expertise over geographical origin, thereby fostering a more equitable and inclusive global movement.

Background: Childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk of psychological distress, yet population-level evidence on their long-term use of antidepressants remains limited. We aimed to assess the risk of antidepressant use, alone and in combination with other psychotropic drugs, among childhood cancer survivors.

Methods: This Nordic cohort study included 5-year survivors of childhood cancer diagnosed between 1990 and 2015 in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. Antidepressant use was assessed using national registry data through December 31, 2022. For comparison, we randomly selected population references matched on year of birth, sex, and country, and identified all siblings of the survivors. We estimated cumulative hazards of antidepressant use alone and in combination with other psychotropic drugs and used Cox models to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

Findings: The study population included 11,026 childhood cancer survivors, 52,422 population references, and 13,304 siblings. Childhood cancer survivors had a moderately elevated risk of antidepressant use compared with population references (aHR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.20-1.33). Survivors also had a longer average duration of antidepressant exposure and an increased risk of concurrent use of antidepressants with other psychotropic drugs (aHR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.17-1.36) compared with population references. In the sibling comparison, results were broadly similar, showing an increased risk for antidepressant use alone (aHR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.15-1.31) and for concurrent psychotropic drug use (aHR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.12-1.37) in childhood cancer survivors.

Interpretation: This registry-based cohort study provides robust evidence of a modest but statistically significant increased risk of antidepressant use alone or in combination with other psychotropic drugs among childhood cancer survivors compared to the general population.

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between serum uric acid (UA) levels and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and to explore potential genetic links and causal relationships using large population-based cohorts.

METHODS. We analyzed data from 7443 participants in the LifeLines cohort and 90,107 participants in the UK Biobank, all aged >= 55 years. Glaucoma status was determined based on questionnaires and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between serum UA levels and glaucoma, adjusting for demographic, clinical, and lifestyle covariates. Meta-analysis was performed to combine results across cohorts. Genetic correlation, polygenic risk score (PRS), and two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were conducted to evaluate shared genetic architecture and causality.

RESULTS. Higher serum UA levels were significantly associated with increased odds of glaucoma in the UK Biobank (per 0.1 mM increase, odds ratio [OR] = 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-1.11, P = 0.007 in the fully adjusted model), with consistent findings in meta-analysis. No association was observed in the LifeLines cohort. Genetic analyses revealed no evidence of shared genetic correlation or causality between UA and glaucoma. The UA PRS was not associated with glaucoma odds, and the glaucoma PRS showed no association with serum UA levels.

CONCLUSIONS. Elevated serum UA levels were phenotypically associated with glaucoma, but genetic analyses did not support a causal link. UA may reflect systemic oxidative stress rather than directly contribute to glaucoma pathogenesis. Further studies are needed to clarify underlying mechanisms and clinical relevance.

Charging infrastructure for electrical aircraft at airports needs to be developed to avoid large and disturbing power demand peaks on the electrical power grid. One way to reduce power peaks is by using a battery system at the airport. The purpose of this report is to investigate such a solution on a small scale, to understand more about charging infrastructure for electric aircraft, creating a system design based around batteries and analyze which components are needed to create a lab-demonstrator. The design was made based on previous research on the field and about components as well as simulation, calculations and experiments. This report suggests a whole design of the electricity supply system to charge electric aircraft controlled via a microcomputer. All practical elements of the lab-demonstrator could not be finalized because of the project’s tight time-frame. The elements constructed showed proficient results, the lab-demonstrator can successfully convert a three phase alternating voltage to direct voltage, forward to a programmable load that is representing the airport and electrical airplanes being charged, that is controlled via a microcomputer. More research, testing and construction of the system is therefore necessary to test the design, value of components and its functionality.

TikTok has globally emerged as one of the biggest social media platforms. The platform was originally developed with entertainment purposes but has increasingly developed into a political arena. This development has led to an increase in political actors joining the platform to use it as a tool for political communication. Despite the increased importance of TikTok as a political arena, research on the subject is scarce. The existing research has mainly been conducted in an international context while systematic research within the Swedish context remains limited. The aim of this study is therefore to address this research gap by examining how Swedish parliamentary parties use TikTok as a tool for political communication. To explore this, the study will mainly focus on how the political parties combine entertainment and political content on the platform. The study employs a quantitative content analysis of TikTok posts published by Swedish parliamentary parties within a three-month period. The findings indicate that the Swedish political parties publish mainly political content on TikTok. Further, the results suggest that the political parties are distinctly adapting to the platform by using different strategies in their communication. This study can therefore contribute to the field of political communication through its exploration of how Swedish political parties have taken advantage of the platform.

The present study explores the prevalence of tacit knowledge - as understood through Michael Polanyi – in the practice of indexing visual material. Furthermore, the study argues against the objectivity ideal present in library-adjacent practices. Indexing through subject analysis is found to represent a practice in which subjectivity, interpretation, and tacit knowing on the one hand; institutional guidelines and norms, standardisation, and controlled vocabularies, on the other; are all present. 

The study’s theoretical framework is threefold; Theodore R. Schatzki’s practice theory enables an understanding of indexing as a situated and social practice; Birger Hjørland’s domain analysis provides a framework to understand knowledge organisation as shaped by institutional and domain-specific contexts (here: image-workers); and Michael Polanyi's theory of tacit knowledge allows an analysis of the knowing underlying indexing decisions. Through visual elicitation, and semi-structured interviews, with two image-working librarians from New York Public Library, and two from the Swedish National Library, seven tendencies are noted, prevalent in how and why certain indexing decisions presented themselves. 

These tendencies include times when participants commented on: gaps in used subject heading systems, and how they managed these through hierarchical climbing; a tension between their interpretations of elicited images and available subject terms in KOs; having knowledge of what an elicited image depicted through personal and professional knowledge; awareness of the limits to their knowledge; an understanding of the institutional guidelines and norms (collection logic); and how they transferred knowledge in the case of a new colleague entering the taskforce. The results show that tacit knowledge is an inherent and essential part of the indexing practice of visual material, this alongside the explicit KOs at the participating librarians' disposal. 

The purpose of this thesis has been to increase the knowledge of the librarian profession by studying competencies in job advertisements for public libraries from 1988, 2003, and 2018. A historical study can show the changes in the profession and how the profession has developed during thirty years. The time frame envelopes some big changes for the librarian profession in Sweden and the Swedish society. In total 122 job advertisements from 1988, 31 job advertisements from 2003, and 76 job advertisements from 2018 were investigated in this study.

Abbott’s theory of professions and his concept of jurisdiction was mainly used to analyse the material and how the competencies were related to the librarian profession. To categorize the competencies, this study employed Lundmark’s categories and definitions. The result showed that there is a high demand for a library education for all the studied years, but that there has been a reduction in requiring a library education. Different personal and social skills have increased in demand, and more employers put an emphasis on the importance of these skills. Overall, the data showed that the librarian profession has had a change in the jurisdiction in the public libraries in Sweden. Working with the collections has declined in the public libraries and more importance has been given to the outreach.

This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

The aim of this thesis is to understand how questions about representation and visibility come to fruition in the creation of an archival pedagogical tool, known in Sweden as an “archival bag” (arkivväska). We further want to highlight how a participatory project’s arrangement and aim can influence participation. This thesis is a case-study following Skånes arkivförbunds project “National minorities written heritage in Skåne”, where archival bags are created for each national minority group in participation with the minorities.

The thesis is based on material collected from seven semi-structured interviews with both archivists working at Skånes arkivförbund as well as project participants from four out of five national minority groups. The material also consists of documents regarding the project. The material was categorized using the method thematic analysis. The theoretical framework consists of three parts: participation as defined by Alexandra Eveleigh, Joyce Gabiola et al.’s four tensions found in the work against symbolic annihilation, as well as Michelle Caswell et al.’s tripartite framework illustrating representational belonging.

The study shows that the project was successful thanks to the archive staff’s ability to adapt to the participants’ expressed needs. When it comes to the bags’ material, we notice a strong need from the participants to maintain a balance between difficult and uplifting themes about the community. We also see how this project illustrates new ways for archives to work with representation, where outreach can promote visibility of underrepresented groups. This is a two years master’s thesis in Archival Science.

The aim of this study was to provide a deeper understanding of the incentives of the librarians when introducing alternative classification/arrangement in four public libraries in Sweden. The research questions focus on the function of alternative arrangement, on why there is a need for alternative arrangement and how this can be understood through the lens of critical knowledge organization and user convenience.

The primary theoretical framework was based on perspectives of critical knowledge organisation and deconstruction combined with the user perspectives user warrant and user convenience. The empirical part of the thesis is based on semi structured interviews with respondents at four different public libraries in Sweden that are using a system of alternative arrangement. A thematic analysis was used, identifying four themes in the data: “the new system”, “the user-friendly system”, “the flexible system” and “the local system”. In the result there is an overview of the function of the alternative systems and why there is a need for them. The result also show that the aim of the systems is to lower the threshold and make the library a more inclusive place where it is easy to find what you look for. The traditional systems such as the Swedish library classification system (SAB) and the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) are seen as outdated and complicated which motivates the need for a change to a new system. The findings indicate that alternative arrangement can be a way to create a new order aligned with perspectives of critical knowledge organization.

This is a two year master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

The number of cyberattacks against government agencies and the public sector has increased significantly with the digital development of society. That includes increased digital dependence and a changed security policy situation. With this context, cybersecurity and information security have become central issues for the Swedish public administration, including the education sector. The purpose of this study is to analyze how information and cybersecurity have been problematized in Swedish national policy documents and policy documents at Swedish universities. The aim of this thesis is to increase the understanding of policy documents and their impact on public administration.

The study is theoretically grounded in Carol Lee Bacchi's approach “What's the Problem Represented to be”? (WPR). Through a qualitative policy analysis and document analysis, the study aims to critically examine and problematize the articulated conception of information and cybersecurity in policy documents, such as national strategies, regulations and legislation. As well as the internal governing documents of public sector universities. The study seeks to highlight assumptions, representations and priorities which shape the structure of policy documents. Through the WPR approach, the thesis aims to identify problem representations, narratives and underlying assumptions in policy documents.

The results of the study show three main problem representations. The first is inadequate governance, which involves unclear definition and distribution of information security roles as well as responsibilities within the organisation. The second concerns insufficient competence in information and cybersecurity and its impact on the effectiveness of information security management. Lastly, the third involves inadequate security controls and protective measures against cyberattack including information manipulation. These three problem representations affect the implementation of effective security controls to address risks such as cyberattacks, among the perception and understanding of information and cybersecurity within the public sector. This is a two-year master’s thesis in Archival Science/Library and Information Science/Museum and Cultural Heritage Studies.

This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how public services (samhällsservice) affects public libraries and public librarianship. The library union and association describe a situation where, although the libraries receive less funds, they are pressured to offer more public services, e. g. assistance with printing or writing applications. The situation is problematic and generates conflicting views as to how much service should be offered. The problem statement is formulated from this situation and poses these research questions: How is public services defined and why has it become a matter for the public library, according to the interviewees? How does it affect their work? How do the interviewees perceive that the public library is affected by public services? 

The empirical material was gathered by interviewing public librarians, after which it was thematised and analysed with qualitative content analysis. Steen Wackerhausen’s professional theory and Mark Suchman’s institutional legitimacy theory form the main theoretical framework. 

The results show that the concept affects the profession and the public library in several ways, one of which is a constant repositioning of boundaries. This can be difficult for individuals to navigate and has a bearing on the institution's identity on several levels, leading to an impact on its legitimacy. There is no standardised definition of public services. In relation to how the core mission of the library is interpreted, this can lead to different approaches and identities within the profession. This study confirms existing findings in the research field of public services in connection with the role of the public library and librarians. The study also has the potential to aid practising librarians in the negotiations concerned with the concept of public services and its bearing on their daily work-life. This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

The relationships between distinct abilities and their interdependencies during memory tasks and motor learning activities are not clear. An important question is whether being proficient in memory or motor learning tasks also translates into better performance in another, similar task - reflecting potential generalization of motor learning abilities. To investigate the correlation between memory performance and motor learning, we used a combination of behavioral tasks that assess general exploratory behavior, declarative memory, and fine motor learning in female mice. For the exploratory behavior, we used the open field task, and assessed declarative memory using the novel object recognition and Y-maze. Motor performance and learning was assessed through the vertical pole and pellet reaching tasks. We found a positive correlation between the Y-maze and the pellet reaching task performance, where a higher exploration rate indicated a higher success ratio in the pellet reaching task. Further, leave-one-out cross-validation prediction analysis show that Y-maze performance is a robust predictor of pellet reaching performance, showing that mice pellet reaching performance can reliably be predicted from Y-maze performance. These results can be used to conduct a pre-study for challenging motor tasks that include pre-behavioral procedures on mice. Our study shows that performance in the Y-maze predicts pellet reaching performance, indicating that these tasks can be used as pre-screening for motor learning performance and activity.

Objectives: To identify latent trajectories of blood pressure throughout pregnancy and evaluate their associations with body mass index (BMI), physical fitness (estimated via oxygen uptake), and serum relaxin levels in a cohort of healthy pregnant women.

Study design: Prospective inception cohort study. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to characterize systolic and diastolic blood pressure patterns across gestation. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of trajectory group membership.

Main outcome measures: Longitudinal trajectories of systolic and diastolic blood pressure during pregnancy.

Results: A total of 492 women were included in early pregnancy. Three distinct and stable trajectories were identified for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Nulliparous women and those with BMI >25 kg/m² had significantly increased odds of belonging to the highest blood pressure trajectory group (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.47; 95% CI: 1.58-3.86 and aOR 1.61: 95% CI 1.04-2.49), respectively). No significant associations were observed between trajectory group membership and maternal age, physical fitness, or early-pregnancy serum relaxin concentrations.

Conclusions: Early pregnancy blood pressure may serve as a clinically relevant marker for gestational hypertension risk. Women with lower baseline readings may require less frequent antenatal monitoring, whereas those with elevated initial values could benefit from closer surveillance. Nulliparity and overweight status were associated with higher blood pressure trajectories, highlighting their relevance in antenatal risk stratification. Physical fitness and relaxin levels did not demonstrate predictive value in this context

Wave-particle resonance is a key mechanism for energy transfer in collisionless plasmas with important implications for wave excitation and particle acceleration. Cyclotron resonance occurs when a particle's gyromotion synchronizes with the wave fields, with their interactions usually describable by quasilinear diffusion or nonlinear trapping. The nonlinear wave-particle energy transfer is facilitated by background inhomogeneities such as magnetic field gradients and/or frequency sweeping. When wave amplitudes become large, the particle's gyromotion can be strongly perturbed, altering the classical cyclotron resonance condition and giving rise to a nonlinear process known as anomalous resonance or anomalous trapping. This mechanism has been explored in idealized, uniform settings; however, its behavior in realistic inhomogeneous environments remains poorly understood. Here, we present in situ evidence of simultaneous cyclotron and anomalous resonances between electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves and charged particles in Earth's dayside magnetosphere. The local magnetic-field gradient enables bidirectional wave-particle energy transfer: high-energy ions drive the waves through cyclotron resonance, while lower-energy ions absorb energy from the same waves via anomalous resonance. We also identify signatures consistent with anomalous resonance of sub-keV electrons, suggesting that efficient wave-particle coupling may extend far below the classical cyclotron-resonant energy. This interplay of resonances reveals an inhomogeneity-driven pathway for energy redistribution across a broader energy range than previously recognized. These findings highlight the need to incorporate anomalous resonance into models of magnetospheric dynamics, especially in regions with strong inhomogeneities, and open new avenues for understanding energy transfer in complex plasma environments.

Introduction External aortic compression is used to reduce excessive blood loss in childbirth. However, it has never been evaluated for the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage. This study aims to investigate whether routine external aortic compression, in patients undergoing elective caesarean delivery, is an effective and acceptable preventive method to reduce severe postpartum haemorrhage. Methods and analysis This multicentre, randomised, controlled, open-label trial aims to enrol 2246 patients across 10 maternity hospitals in Sweden. Patients with a live single or multiple pregnancy after 34 complete gestational weeks undergoing elective caesarean delivery will be randomised to either routine manual external aortic compression or no aortic compression (standard care). The primary objective is to investigate whether external aortic compression in caesarean delivery is an effective preventive method to reduce severe postpartum haemorrhage, defined as a calculated blood loss >1000 mL or blood transfusion within 48 hours. The secondary objectives are to investigate whether it reduces overall maternal morbidity, shortens time in surgery or hospital, affects patient-reported outcomes and is safe and acceptable to patients. Analyses will follow the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle, using generalised linear mixed-effects models for the primary and secondary outcomes with adjustment for study centre. Multiplicity for confirmatory outcomes will be controlled using a hierarchical testing procedure. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained on 20 September 2022 from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (2022-04327-01), and amendments were approved on 28 November 2022 (2022-06377-02), 17 February 2025 (2025-00700-02) and 9 June 2026 (2026-03503-02). Results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed medical journals, presented at scientific meetings and communicated to the public through mass media. Trial registration number NCT05312658.

Purpose: Eating jetlag (variation in eating times between weekdays and weekends) may increase obesity risk in adults, but studies in children are lacking. The potential moderating roles of social jetlag (SJL, variation in sleep timing between weekdays and weekends) and chronotype (an individual's intrinsic circadian rhythm) also remain unclear. We examined whether eating jetlag is associated with adiposity in Finnish preschoolers and whether chronotype or SJL moderate these associations.

Methods: Data included 639 children (3-6 years, 48% girls) from the cross-sectional DAGIS study (2015-2016). Diet was assessed using 3-day food records. SJL and chronotype were assessed from hip-worn accelerometer data. Six eating jetlag indicators were derived as weekend-weekday differences: first/last eating occasion jetlag, eating/energy intake midpoint jetlag and morning/evening latency jetlag. Adiposity was measured by BMI z-score and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Linear regression with interaction terms was used, with significant interactions examined in moderator-stratified analyses.

Results: Eating jetlag indicators were not associated with adiposity in the full sample. However, interaction analyses indicated moderation by SJL. Among children with high SJL (median 62 min, IQR 17), greater eating midpoint jetlag was associated with lower BMI z-score (β: - 0.65, 95% CI: - 1.21 to - 0.10), whereas greater morning latency jetlag was associated with higher BMI z-score (0.83, 0.19 to 1.46) and WHtR (0.035, 0.013 to 0.058). No consistent interactions were observed for chronotype.

Conclusion: Although no associations were observed between eating jetlag and adiposity in the full sample, associations varied by SJL. However, these findings require confirmation in longitudinal studies.

Today, sustainability issues necessitate cross-curricular approaches, where mathematics plays an important role. Critical questions, such as climate change, encompass multiple dimensions, and we need an education to understand and address these challenges. Previous research on what such education can look like has mainly focused on older students, and very few have focused on younger children. Using the iterative process of didactic modelling, this paper presents a didactic model resulting from a three-year project working with children (3-8 years old) on the topic of sharing. During this process, teachers and researchers worked closely together, with one focus on teachers' didactical choices. Some of these choices concerned the importance of engaging tasks, how to organise teaching, and how to create collaborative work. As such, the model provides an illustration of how to design and operationalise a cross-curricular education for sustainable development. Since the didactical model has not yet been exemplified, its limitations are discussed.