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Nurses’ experiences of nursing interventions to prevent pressure ulcers among older adults in nursing homes : A general literature study
No full textBakgrund: Äldre personer som bor i särskilda boenden har ökad risk att utveckla trycksår på grund av åldersrelaterade förändringar, nedsatt rörlighet, undernäring och kroniska sjukdomar. Trycksår påverkar både fysisk hälsa, psykiskt välbefinnande och livskvalitet, och sjuksköterskan har en central roll i att förebygga dessa vårdskador. Syfte: Syftet var att belysa sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av omvårdnadsåtgärder som tillämpas för att förebygga trycksår hos äldre personer i särskilt boende. Metod: Studien genomfördes som en allmän litteraturstudie. Systematiska sökningar utfördes i två vetenskapliga databaser. Åtta vetenskapliga artiklar inkluderades, varav tre var kvantitativa och fem var kvalitativa. Artiklarna analyserades enligt Popenoe et al. (2021). Resultat: Resultatet presenterades i tre huvudkategorier: "Sjuksköterskans kunskap, ansvar och utmaningar", "Erfarenheter av riskbedömningar och tidiga förebyggande åtgärder" samt "Hur arbetsmiljön påverkar sjuksköterskors möjligheter att förebygga trycksår". Sjuksköterskor beskrev att deras kompetens, tillgång till utbildning och möjligheter att arbeta utifrån evidensbaserade riktlinjer påverkade det preventiva arbetet. Riskbedömningar, tidiga åtgärder och kontinuerlig uppföljning framstod som centrala, samtidigt som arbetsmiljörelaterade faktorer som brist på tid, personal och resurser begränsade möjligheterna till effektiv prevention. Konklusion: Förebyggande av trycksår krävde att sjuksköterskor hade tillräcklig kunskap, fungerande rutiner och en arbetsmiljö som möjliggjorde systematiska riskbedömningar. För att stärka vårdens kvalitet rekommenderas förbättrad utbildning, tydligare riktlinjer och organisatoriska insatser som stödjer sjuksköterskors arbete i särskilda boenden.Background: Older adults living in long-term care facilities are at increased risk of developing pressure ulcers due to age-related changes, reduced mobility, malnutrition, and chronic illnesses. Pressure ulcers affect physical health, psychological well-being, and quality of life, and nurses play a central role in preventing these care-related injuries. Aim:The aim was to illuminate nurses’ experiences of nursing interventions used to prevent pressure ulcers among older adults in long-term care facilities. Method: The study was conducted as a general literature review. Systematic searches were performed in two scientific databases. Eight scientific articles were included, three quantitative and five qualitative. The articles were analyzed according to Popenoe et al. (2021). Results: The results were presented in three main categories:"Nurses’ knowledge, responsibilities, and challenges", "Experiences of risk assessments and early preventive measures", and "How the work environment influences nurses’ ability to prevent pressure ulcers". Nurses described that their competence, access to education, and ability to work in accordance with evidence-based guidelines influenced preventive care. Risk assessments, early interventions, and continuous follow-up emerged as essential. However, work environment factors such as lack of time, staff shortages, and limited resources restricted opportunities for effective prevention. Conclusion: Preventing pressure ulcers required that nurses had sufficient knowledge, effective routines, and a work environment that supported systematic risk assessment. To improve the quality of care, enhanced education, clearer guidelines, and organizational measures that support nurses' work in long-term care facilities are recommended
Imputing Sparse Multivariate Medical Time Series Data Using Graph Neural Networks
No full textMany public healthcare datasets suffer from severe missing data, resulting in high sparsity. Reports indicate that in some public sources, over 80% of the data contain missing values. Ignoring these missing entries can significantly impact downstream clinical predictions, particularly in data-driven models. Consequently, imputing missing values is essential for effective healthcare data analysis and mining. Meanwhile, healthcare datasets inherently possess a graph structure that captures the complex relationships among patients, clinical measurements, and diseases. Existing imputation methods exhibit limitations. Most graph-based models, such as the discriminative imputation model GRIN, are restricted to homogeneous graphs with a single node type, limiting their ability to capture cross-type interactions, and do not provide any uncertainty estimate of the imputed value. Generative diffusion-based models, on the other hand, like CSDI, achieve strong performance, but they do not incorporate explicit graph structure to leverage relational dependencies in the data. To address this problem, we propose a novel Variational Graph Autoencoder (VGAE)-based model that integrates Chebyshev graph convolution, spatial attention, and cross-attention fusion to combine patient- and measurement-based graph views, thereby capturing richer relational information. Experiments conducted on the MIMIC-IV dataset, which comprises over 36,000 patients, eight clinical measurements, and 48 time steps, demonstrate that our model outperforms several baseline methods, such as Mean, KNN, MICE, MF and Brits, and achieves very close imputation error to CSDI and GRIN. The fused cross-attention approach achieves lower imputation errors than using either graph view individually. Furthermore, the VGAE framework enables uncertainty estimation for each imputed value, which is particularly beneficial in clinical decision-making. These results highlight that leveraging multiple node perspectives through cross-attention offers a promising direction for improving healthcare data imputation.
From abuse to unity : National belonging, and the 2018 Durmaz affair in Swedish football
No full textSwedish athletes from ethnic minority backgrounds have increasingly reported experiences ofeveryday racism and discrimination in sport, with a recurring theme being the questioning oftheir national identity and authentic ‘Swedish-ness’. These experiences reflect broader patternsof right-wing populism and anti-immigration sentiment in contemporary Sweden, which increasinglypermeate sporting contexts. Through qualitative news frame analysis, this article examinesthe case of Jimmy Durmaz following Sweden’s 2018 FIFA World Cup match against Germany.Post-match, Durmaz received an avalanche of online abuse targeting his ethnic origin and questioninghis legitimacy to represent Sweden. This incident prompted a national outcry against racismand xenophobia, with print media and the national team mounting a unified anti-racist response.Drawing on the theoretical framework of civic and ethnic nationalism, we demonstrate how theDurmaz case reveals the conditional and performative nature of multicultural acceptance inSwedish sport, where athletes’ belonging becomes contingent upon sporting success and conformityto civic ideals. The analysis shows how sporting disappointment, occurring amidst increasinglynormalised anti-immigration discourse, activated latent ethnic nationalist anxieties that questionedDurmaz’s authentic ‘Swedish-ness’ despite his birth in Sweden and long-standing national teamcontributions. The swift civic nationalist counter-mobilisation by teammates, media, and politicalleaders illustrates ongoing tensions between competing conceptions of nationhood in contemporarySweden. While contemporary Swedish society shows few signs of declining anti-immigrationsentiment in either youth or adult sport, the nationwide unified response to such attitudesdemonstrates possibilities for collective cultural resistance against exclusionary nationalism. Thiscase illuminates how sporting events can serve as both catalysts for xenophobic backlash and sites of anti-racist solidarity, reflecting broader tensions over national identity and belonging incontemporary European societies. © The Author(s) 2025
Adult patients' experiences of the impact of atopic dermatitis on quality of life : A general literature review
No full textBakgrund: Atopisk dermatit (AD) är en kronisk inflammatorisk hudsjukdom som drabbar vuxna i varierande svårighetsgrad. Sjukdomen kännetecknas av klåda, smärta och återkommande eksem. Långvarig behandling och egenvård krävs, vilket kan innebära en belastning i vardagen. Syfte: Syftet var att belysa vuxna patienters erfarenheter av atopisk dermatits påverkan på livskvaliteten. Metod: Studien genomfördes som en allmän litteraturstudie med induktiv ansats. Tolv vetenskapliga artiklar publicerade mellan 2015 och 2025 analyserades, varav åtta kvantitativa, två kvalitativa och två med mixad metod. Artiklarna kvalitetsgranskades med hjälp av Carlsson och Eimans (2003) granskningsmall. Resultat: Resultaten visade att atopisk dermatit påverkar vuxna patienters livskvalitet på flera plan. Sömnproblem, psykisk ohälsa och social isolering framkom som vanliga erfarenheter. Patienterna beskrev även svårigheter att följa behandling på grund av tidskrävande rutiner, oro för biverkningar och bristande stöd från vården. Samtidigt identifierades utbildning, delaktighet och kontinuerlig uppföljning som faktorer som stärker patienters egenvårdsförmåga och välbefinnande. Konklusion: Atopisk dermatit hos vuxna påverkar den fysiska, psykiska och sociala hälsan. Personcentrerad vård och stöd från sjuksköterskan är avgörande för att främja livskvalitet och egenvård.Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects adults with varying degrees of severity. The disease is characterized by itching, pain, and recurrent eczema. Long-term treatment and self-care are required, which can place a burden on daily life. Aim: The aim was to highlight adult patients' experiences of the impact of atopic dermatitis on quality of life. Method: The study was conducted as a general literature review with an inductive approach. Twelve scientific articles published between 2015 and 2025 were analyzed, including eight quantitative, two qualitative, and two mixed-method studies. The articles were quality-assessed using the Carlsson and Eiman (2003) template. Results: The results showed that atopic dermatitis affects adult patients’ quality of life on multiple levels. Patients also described difficulties adhering to treatment due to time-consuming routines, fear of side effects, and lack of professional support. Education, participation, and continuous follow-up were identified as important for improving self-care and well- being. Conclusion: Atopic dermatitis in adults affects physical, psychological, and social health. Person-centered care and nursing support are essential to promote quality of life and strengthen self-car
Bringing More Girls to STEM : A Systematic Review of Brazilian Initiatives
No full textThis full research paper presents a systematic review of initiatives aimed at increasing the participation of girls in computer science (CS)-related courses in Brazil. Gender disparity in CS is a longstanding issue, and although various initiatives have been implemented to bridge the gender gap, men still represent the majority of CS graduates worldwide. In response to this challenge, Brazilian universities have developed and promoted projects to attract and support girls in male-dominated CS courses. These initiatives address several challenges by employing diverse strategies and targeting different age groups. Most focus on encouraging and retaining female undergraduate students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs, while others introduce programming and technologyrelated activities to K-12 students. This study aims to map and analyze initiatives listed on the Brazilian Computer Society's Meninas Digitais platform, evaluating their teaching methods, outreach strategies, and content dissemination. A systematic review was conducted, analyzing over 173 registered projects up to January 7, 2025. Ten key criteria guided the analysis, including social media presence, project frequency, scientific publications, promoted content (e.g., programming languages), and target audience (K-12, undergraduate, or graduate students). Despite the variety of approaches, many projects lack clear documentation regarding their goals and public availability. Furthermore, the absence of CS education in Brazil's basic education system adds to the difficulty of attracting young female students to the field. The main contribution of this research is a critical review of Brazilian initiatives that aim to increase female participation in technology-related courses, providing insights into their scope, strategies, and limitations
Hur styr mäklarfirmor sina mäklare? : "En studie om hur styrmedel används för att balansera kundnöjdhet, lönsamhet & etiska riktlinjer vid bostadsförsäljning."
No full textSyftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur fastighetsmäklarfirmor använder styrmedel för att styra mäklare mot företagets strategiska mål. Genom kvalitativa intervjuer med fem verksamma mäklare analyseras styrningen utifrån agentteorin och PAR-modellen (Personnel, Action, Result), med hjälp av exempelvis Simons Levers of control. Resultaten visar att firmorna tillämpar en kombination av resultatstyrning genom försäljningsmål och kundnöjdhet, handlingsstyrning via tekniska system och processer, samt personalstyrning i form av värdegrund och utbildning. Styrmedel syftar till att minska målkonflikter, informationsasymmetri och risken för opportunistiskt agerande – centrala teman inom agentteorin. Samtidigt påvisas att ett ensidigt fokus på kvantitativa mål kan skapa målförskjutning och etiska utmaningar. Studien betonar vikten av balans mellan kontroll och autonomi, särskilt i en bransch där relationer, förtroende och professionellt handlande är avgörande. Slutsatsen är att ett integrerat, dynamiskt styrmedel som kombinerar tydliga mål med etisk kultur och ledarskap kan skapa bättre förutsättningar för långsiktig framgång
Academic and Cultural Challenges Faced by Female Immigrant Students in Swedish Universities
No full textThis study aims to explore the academic and cultural challenges experienced by female immigrant students in Swedish universities. For this research, qualitative approach, in-depth interviews used and participants selected from diverse nonEuropean backgrounds to recognize how gender, language, culture and migration status, interconnect in shaping their higher education experiences. The findings of the study revealed that students face difficulties in adjusting to the academic expectations, linguistic barriers, feelings of cultural disconnection, and limited access to institutional support. In spite of these challenges, many participants exhibited ‘resilience’ and developed their own personal strategies to cope and succeed. The study applied feminist standpoint theory, acculturation theory, and intersectionality theory to interpret these lived experiences within the context of the Nordic welfare model. The results revealed the need for more inclusive academic practices, and a culturally responsive student services, and also policy reforms that recognize the diverse realities of female immigrant students. This research contributes to the ongoing discussion on equality in higher education and offers practical recommendations for universities and policymakers.
One Electron at a Time : Electrical Characterization of Single Electron Transistors for Donor Spin Qubit Readout
No full textDonor spin qubits are a promising platform for quantum computation, where single-electron transistors (SETs) are employed as charge sensors for spin readout. Among potential donor dopants, bismuth (209Bi) remains unexplored despite its unique physical properties, making it a compelling candidate for donor spin qubits. This thesis focuses on the low-temperature characterization of Ti/Pd-gated silicon MOS SETs, with emphasis on how annealing conditions affect device yield and quantum-dot formation. Studied devices were fabricated with three differentannealing recipes: (i) a 400 °C anneal in 95% Ar / 5% H2 (two chips), (ii) a 400 °Cforming gas anneal in 95% N2 / 5% H2 (one chip), and (iii) the same 95% Ar / 5%H2 anneal with an additional intermediate anneal after barrier-gate deposition. In total, 59 devices were measured at 4.2 K.It was determined that devices with a final Ar/H2 anneal exhibited the highest yield (≈73–80%) and the most reproducible threshold voltages (Vth ≈ 2.0–2.2 V), whereas alternative recipes produced fewer functional devices and higher, more dispersed thresholds. A practical tuning rule was identified, where optimal barrier operation occurred at a lead-gate bias scaled as VL /Vth ≈ 1.2, independent of recipe. Coulomb blockade measurements yielded charging energies EC ∼ 1–1.6 meV, total capacitances CΣ ∼ 100–180 aF, and dot radii of ∼ 120–200 nm. These values are larger than design expectations, likely due to uncertainties in extracting parameters under thermal broadening at 4.2 K and possible multi-dot effects. These results highlight that annealing conditions influence SET yield and performance, establish practical tuning strategies, and lay the groundwork for advancing donor-based qubit experiments, particularly those involving bismuth.Spinnkvantbitar (qubits) baserade på donatoratomer är en lovande halvledarplattform för kvantberäkningar, där en elektrontransistorer (SETs) används som sensorer för spinnavläsning. Bland potentiella donatoratomer har vismut (209Bi) förblivit i stort sett outforskad trots sina unika fysikaliska egenskaper, vilket gör dentill en intressant kandidat för donatorspinnkvantbitar. Denna avhandling fokuserar på lågtemperaturkarakterisering av kisel-MOSSETs med Ti/Pd-belagda gate-elektroder, med tonvikt på hur värmebehandling(annealing) påverkar andelen fungerande enheter (yield) och kvantdot-bildning. De studerade enheterna tillverkades med tre olika annealing protokoll: (i) en400 ◦C-annealing i 95% Ar / 5% H2 (två chip), (ii) en 400 ◦C forming-gas-annealingi 95% N2 / 5% H2 (ett chip), och (iii) samma 95% Ar / 5% H2-annealing med enextra intermediär annealing efter deponering av gatestacken. Det genomfördesmätningar på totalt 59 komponenter vid 4.2 K. Det fastställdes att komponenter med en slutlig Ar/H2-annealing uppvisadehögst andel fungerande komponenter (≈73–80%) och de mest reproducerbaratröskelspänningarna (Vth ≈ 2.0–2.2 V), medan alternativa protokoll gav färrefunktionella komponenter samt högre och mer spridda tröskelvärden. En praktisk tumregel identifierades: optimal funktion hos barriären erhölls vid spänningsförhållandet VL /Vth ≈ 1.2, oberoende av protokoll. Coulomb-blockadmätningargav laddningsenergier EC ∼ 1–1.6 meV, totala kapacitanser CΣ ∼ 100–180 aF ochdot-radier i storleksordningen 120–200 nm. Dessa värden är större än förväntat,sannolikt på grund av osäkerheter vid parameterutdrag under termisk bredningvid 4.2 K samt möjliga multidot-effekter. Resultaten visar att annealingsförhållanden påverkar funktionaliteten hos SETs, etablerar praktiska avstämningsstrategier och lägger en grund för vidare donatorbaserade qubit-experiment, särskilt de som involverar vismut
Multivariate Time-Series Prediction of First Crack in Coffee Roasting using Deep Learning Models
No full textIn this study, two Artificial Neural Networks are developed: a Long-Short Term Memory model and a Convolutional Neural Network. They aim to predict the first crack, a fundamental transition point in coffee roasting. Sensor data collected during the roasting process includes temperature readings, heater settings, key transition points, and coffee bean characteristics. Methods like interpolation, feature engineering, and normalization are employed during preprocessing. When training the model, regularization, cross-validation, and hyperparameters are utilized to improve model performance. The LSTM and CNN models outperformed the linear regression model. However, both models were prone to overfitting and had high variability between results. Nonetheless, the models demonstrated that predicting the first crack during roasting is a feasible challenge
The nurse’s nursing measures that prevent healthcare-associated infections in inpatient care : A general literature review
No full textBakgrund: Smittspridningen av vårdrelaterade infektioner (VRI) är ett globalt problem och klassificeras som en vårdskada. Majoriteten av de rapporterade vårdskadorna i Sverige är VRI där hälften av dessa hade kunnat förhindrats om korrekta omvårdnadsåtgärder hade vidtagits. Att arbeta säkert och förebyggande leder till en minskning av vårdskador vilket hälso- och sjukvårdspersonalen strävar efter. Syfte: Syftet var att belysa sjuksköterskans omvårdnadsåtgärder för att förebygga vårdrelaterade infektioner inom slutenvården. Metod: Kandidatuppsatsen genomfördes som en allmän litteraturstudie som bestod av 10 vetenskapliga artiklar, varav två använde kvalitativa metoder och åtta använde kvantitativa metoder. Dessa artiklar bearbetades och analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Resultatdelen delades upp i två huvudkategorier vilket var: följsamhet till rutiner och patient- och anhörigutbildning. Sjuksköterskor upplevde att de basala hygienrutinerna var den mest effektiva metoden mot VRI men att följsamheten till dessa rutiner var en bristande faktor. Patient- och anhörigutbildning spelade en stor roll i preventionen med sjuksköterskan som den främsta informationskällan. Konklusion: Litteraturstudiens resultat belyste vikten av sjuksköterskans roll att arbeta personcentrerat och noggrant, samt problematiken kring att säkerställa följsamhet till fasta riktlinjer inom vården. Fortsatt forskning inom området bör bedrivas för att fastställa följsamhet till rutiner. Background: The spread of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is a global issue and is classified as a healthcare injury. The majority of reported healthcare injuries in Sweden are HAIs, and half of these could have been prevented through appropriate nursing interventions. Working safely and preventively contributes to a reduction in healthcare injuries, which is a central goal for healthcare professionals. Aim: The aim was to highlight the nurses' nursing interventions for preventing healthcare-associated infections in inpatient care. Method: The paper was conducted as a general literature review based of 10 scientific articles, two of which used qualitative methods and eight used quantitative methods. These articles were processed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The results were divided into two main categories: adherence to routines and patient and family education. Nurses perceived basic hygiene routines as the most effective method against HAIs, but adherence to these routines was identified as a key issue. Patient and family education played a big part in the prevention care with the nurse as the primary information source. Conclusion: The results of the literature review emphasized the importance of the nurse’s role in working in a person-centered and meticulous manner, as well as the challenges of ensuring compliance with established healthcare guidelines. Further research is needed to determine how adherence to routines can be improved.