Publikationer från Stockholms universitet
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Education, Inequality, and Labor Market Outcomes : Patterns and Trends in Educational and Socioeconomic Transformations
No full textThis dissertation contributes to a deeper understanding of how profound educational and socioeconomic transformations since the late 20th century have influenced the changing relationship between educational attainment and labor market outcomes, evolving patterns of educational inequality by social background, and trends in intergenerational income mobility. Study I examines the role of education in explaining gender differences in intergenerational income mobility in Sweden. Drawing on register data for cohorts born between 1958 and 1979, it finds that income mobility increased and then stabilized for men, while it steadily declined for women. For both genders, reduced educational inequality contributed to increased mobility. However, for women, this effect was offset by a steady rise in educational returns among cohorts born since the late 1960s. These findings offer new insights into the role of education in driving mobility patterns within the broader context of evolving gender equality. Study II examines changes in the education–occupation linkage in Sweden from 1960 to 2013. The rapid expansion of upper tertiary education and occupational upgrading shifted composition toward more tightly linked categories. Yet these gains were largely offset by weakening structural linkages at upper secondary vocational and lower tertiary levels, where ties to specific occupations eroded considerably. Taken together, educational expansion and occupational upgrading appear relatively balanced and have jointly contributed to a closer alignment between the educational system and the occupational structure in Sweden. This underscores the importance of re-evaluating educational policies to balance skill upgrading with appropriate labor market linkages of vocational education. Study III analyzes changes in the college wage premium across 49 countries and 810 country-years between 1980 and 2022, using data from the Luxembourg Income Study. Since 2000, there has been a marked decline in the wage premium, beginning in Latin America and spreading to Eastern and Central Europe. In contrast, most Western developed countries saw rising premiums throughout the 2000s, followed by stabilization or decline after 2010. Macro-level factors related to supply, demand, and institutions explain much of the cross-national variation but account for only part of the within-country changes. The global flattening of the college wage premium calls for further research to better understand its implications for the relationship between educational attainment and labor market inequality
Emerging analytical tools and strategies for PFAS discovery
No full textPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of synthetic chemicals that have garnered significant attention due to their persistence, widespread occurrence, and adverse health effects. Thousands of PFAS are registered globally, occupying a wide chemical space and requiring diverse methods for their identification and quantification. Despite vast improvements in analytical coverage over the last two decades, there are increasing concerns that unknown or emerging compounds continue to be overlooked. To address these concerns, a number of new analytical strategies have emerged: one is the so-called fluorine mass balance (FMB) approach, which involves subtracting the fluorine attributed to target PFAS (∑PFAS) from the total- or extractable organic- fluorine (TF and EOF, respectively) to deduce the quantity of unknown PFAS in a sample. This approach can be used to prioritize samples with high levels of unidentified fluorine for further interrogation. A second approach involves high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)-based suspect and non-target screening, which aims to identify novel PFAS in environmental samples. This thesis develops and/or applies these emerging analytical methods in order to improve our understanding of PFAS sources and occurrence in the environment, with FMB experiments applied throughout Papers I to III, and suspect- and nontarget screening used in Papers II-IV. In Paper I, an FMB of different components of artificial turf (backing, filling, and blades) revealed high levels of total fluorine in all samples (ranges of 16−313, 12−310, and 24−661 μg of F/g in backing, filling, and blades, respectively), while EOF and target PFAS occurred in <42% of all samples (<200 and <1 ng of F/g, respectively). Further experiments confirmed the absence of both fluoride and perfluoroalkyl acid precursors in these samples. Collectively, these results point toward the occurrence of a polymeric organofluorine, consistent with patent literature, and shines a light on the use of fluoropolymers in plastic and rubber production which might complicate disposal of these products. In Paper II, both FMB and HRMS-based suspect screening were applied to liver samples from a variety of marine mammals. As part of this work, an ionization efficiency-based model for quantification of substances lacking analytical standards was trained and validated. Thereafter, the model was used to quantify PFAS detected by suspect screening, and ultimately reduced the quantity of unidentified organofluorine from 13-70% (median: 32%) down to 0-27% (median: 17%). Paper III delved further into FMB and non-target analysis of marine mammals, this time focusing on blubber, where unexpectedly high levels of unknown EOF were previously uncovered in the blubber of a Greenlandic killer whale. Using a combination of ion exchange solid phase extraction, gas chromatography-ion mobility-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-IM-HRMS), and collision cross section (CCS)-based prioritization (i.e. CCS [Å2] < 0.2 Å2 × m/z + 100 Å2) the number of plausible organofluorine peaks was reduced from several thousand down to several hundred. Structures were proposed for the most abundant on this list based on fragmentation. Five novel fluorotelomer sulfones were identified at confidence level 1 (CL 1: identified with standard) and quantified, accounting for up to 75% of the EOF in blubber. Finally, in Paper IV methanol extracts of municipal wastewater treatment plant sludge, as well as sludge and dust standard reference materials (SRMs), were characterized by liquid chromatography-IM-HRMS, and the same CCS filter used in Paper III was applied, together with two additional PFAS prioritisation strategies (mass defect and mass/number of carbon atoms). A total of Fluorine mass balance, suspect, and non-target screening are critical tools for expanding our understanding of PFAS contamination in diverse environmental and biological matrices. Integrating these advancements is essential for more comprehensive exposure assessments and informed policy decisions.
A study of Pi- and Alpha-class glutathione transferases : Characterization and protein redesign for medical applications
No full textGlutathione transferases (GSTs) are a family of enzymes that are key players in cellular detoxication. These enzymes catalyze the transfer of glutathione (GSH) to the electrophilic center of harmful compounds to promote their elimination. The human Pi class (GST P1-1) is well-known for its overexpression in cancerous tissue and has been found to contribute to tumor growth and chemotherapeutic resistance. For these reasons, GST P1-1 has emerged as a promising therapeutic target to fight cancer by developing inhibitors and prodrugs (e.g. Telcyta) targeting the enzyme. GST P1-1 has also been suggested as a marker during carcinogenesis. Apart from being cellular detoxicants some GSTs have come to develop other functions. One member of the human Alpha class, GST A3-3, plays an important role in steroid hormone biosynthesis by catalyzing the double-bond isomerization reaction of 5-androsten-3,17-dione and 5-pregnen-3,20-dione, precursors to the steroid hormones testosterone and progesterone. To date, in addition to the human enzyme, efficient ketosteroid isomerase activity has been identified in Alpha-class enzymes from equine and porcine tissues. This thesis focuses on studying the Pi- and Alpha-class enzymes. In the first study, we characterize dog GST P1-1 and show that the enzyme shares certain class-specific similarities with the human enzyme in terms of substrate selectivity profile and inhibition profile. We also developed a thin-layer chromatography method to screen and semi-quantify Telcyta activity. In the second study, we show that the replacement of tyrosine109 with histidine increased the activity with the anticancer prodrug Telcyta 2.9-fold, and we also show that the mutation Q85R positively influenced the thermostability of the enzyme. In the third study, we discovered a mutant enzyme, V2 (Q40M-E41Q-A46S-Y109H-V200L), with 22-fold higher catalytic efficiency than wildtype human GST P1-1 with cumene hydroperoxide. The mutation Y109H was responsible for a 10-fold increase in catalytic efficiency. In the fourth study, we discovered that GST A3-3 from the common marmoset monkey possessed prominent ketosteroid isomerase activity, albeit significantly lower than its human and equine counterparts, it was on par with porcine GST A2-2. In the fifth study, we solved the crystal structure of equine GST A3-3 in complex with the inhibitor triethyltin bromide. The structure reveals the interaction between triethyltin bromide, GSH, and Tyr9 in the enzyme. All in all, the work presented in this thesis has added to the body of knowledge on the glutathione transferases from the Pi- and Alpha-classes.
From Spin Liquids to Cluster Mott Insulators
No full textThis licentiate thesis is made up of two parts, the first part is concerned with quantum spin liquids and the second part is about RIXS interferometry on cluster Mott insulators. Quantum spin liquids are fascinating phases of matter, which lack long-range magnetic order at zero temperature due to magnetic frustration. They are known to exhibit long-range entanglement and have fractionalized excitations. In this thesis we study spin-orbital liquids. They belong to a family of generalized Kitaev spin liquids, which are exactly solvable models of quantum spin liquids. We generalize the spin-orbital model to a three- and a four-coordinated three-dimensional lattice and study the impact of symmetries and exactly solvable perturbations on the low-energy physics. The second part of the thesis is concerned with cluster Mott insulators, and how they can be probed using resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS). Cluster Mott insulators are materials in which strong electron-electron interactions force the electrons to localize on clusters of atoms. They thus form “molecules” within the solid, which give rise to interference patterns in the RIXS intensity. These interference patterns do not only inform us about the existence of quasimolecular states, but also about their character. We discuss RIXS interferometry on the trimer iridate Ba4NbIr3O12
Recovery-oriented work with adolescents facing complex needs : Exploring participation through the triad of adolescents, parents, and staff in psychiatric inpatient care
No full textThe promotion of youth participation in healthcare and welfare services has gained global attention, particularly for those with complex care needs. In 2020, Sweden took a major step toward strengthening youth participation by incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) into national law. Yet, challenges remain in translating these commitments into practice. In mental health care, user involvement is recognized as essential, but structural barriers often limit its realization. Adolescents in psychiatric inpatient care frequently report low participation in treatment decisions, highlighting the need for models that enhance agency and engagement. This dissertation examines youth participation in Swedish Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP), focusing on the relational dynamics between adolescents, parents, and staff. It explores Patient-Initiated Brief Admission (PIBA), an intervention enabling adolescents to independently initiate short enrollments, thereby promoting autonomy and care accessibility. Grounded in recovery-oriented practices, the dissertation delves into how youth participation is operationalized and understood to influence recovery among adolescents with complex mental health problems. Two theoretical frameworks – epistemic injustice (Fricker, 2007) and ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) – serve as the main analytical lenses. Epistemic injustice is applied to analyze the credibility and knowledge hierarchies in psychiatric inpatient care, particularly how young people’s lived experiences are valued in clinical decision-making. Ecological systems theory offers a multi-level perspective on participation, considering the broader socio-structural and institutional influences shaping interactions in psychiatric inpatient care. The research comprises four interrelated qualitative studies: a scoping review of youth recovery literature (study I), and three interview-based studies exploring staff experiences with the implementation of PIBA (study II), staff perspectives on balancing parental involvement with adolescent autonomy (study III), and the views of adolescents and parents on participation during PIBA enrollment and its influence on recovery (study IV). The findings indicate that youth recovery is a relational and non-linear process, shaped by trust, agency, and identity development. They point to the importance of care environments that can adjust to adolescents’ evolving needs. The results further highlight systemic barriers, including credibility deficits and the ‘admission game’ phenomenon, which can undermine trust and restrict genuine involvement. Staff face challenges in balancing protection and participation, especially where parental involvement is believed to complicate adolescents’ autonomy. While PIBA appears to offer potential for enhancing participation and fostering autonomy, its effectiveness seems dependent on trust-based collaboration among adolescents, parents, and staff, as well as on adequate staff knowledge and support. Ultimately, the dissertation highlights youth participation as a dynamic, context-sensitive process influenced by supportive ecological systems and balanced with protective structures. It suggests that youth participation in psychiatric inpatient care is shaped by integrated approaches aligning provision, protection, and participation – the three pillars of the UNCRC. Strengthening adolescents’ credibility as knowledge holders appears important in addressing epistemic injustice. Revisiting care models to support collaborative decision-making and integrate recovery-oriented principles with participatory practices emerges as valuable. These insights contribute to developing participatory, recovery-oriented mental health care, with implications for staff training, improved communication, and flexible, youth-centered approaches that support adolescents’ active roles in their recovery
Puzzles of Harm : Essays on Collective Action, Death, and Non-Existence
No full textThis compilation thesis identifies and addresses four types of puzzling cases of harm involving individual agents. These types of cases are puzzling due to uncertainty, not regarding the nature of harm, but regarding its normative implications and instantiation under particular circumstances. The relevant types of cases can be divided into two broad categories. In the first category are cases in which we think individuals do harm or act wrongly on account of being involved in harm, but it is not clear what the relationship between the individual act and the harm is, or how the harm makes the act wrong. These cases arise for instance in collective impact situations, where many individual acts together bring about harmful outcomes. In the second category are cases in which it seems that individuals are harmed, but it is not clear whether or how the harm is instantiated. Puzzling cases of the second kind often arise where the alleged harm is tied to the person's coming into or going out of existence, or where birth or death separates the subject of harm from the act or event that supposedly causes it. Papers 1 and 2 each address a puzzling case of harm within the ethics of collective action, while Papers 3 and 4 each address a puzzling case of harm within the philosophy of death and non-existence
Misfortune (dis)continues across generations : Multigenerational studies linking socioeconomic and psychosocial disadvantages to psychiatric disorders
No full textMental health problems contribute substantially to the disease burden in Sweden and worldwide. Such problems are not evenly distributed in the population and are, to a large extent, socially determined. The overall aim of the current thesis is to investigate the multigenerational associations and mechanisms between socioeconomic and psychosocial disadvantages and mental health problems, as well as potential gender differences. Drawing on data from the Stockholm Birth Cohort Multigenerational Study that encompasses local and national survey- and register-based data across three generations, and through employing structural equation modeling techniques, a series of four empirical studies was conducted. Study I demonstrated multigenerational transmission of low income through the patriline (from paternal grandfathers to fathers) to grandchildren, and multigenerational transmission of psychiatric disorders through both the patriline and matriline (from maternal grandmothers to mothers) to grandsons. The patriline-grandson transmission of psychiatric disorders partially operated via low income of the fathers. Additionally, grandparents’ psychiatric disorders influenced their children’s and grandchildren’s income. Study II provided further insights into multigenerational patterns of disadvantages by showing that combinations of grandparental socioeconomic and parental psychosocial disadvantages elevated the risks of grandchild psychiatric disorders. Importantly, improved socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances across previous generations predicted lower probabilities of psychiatric disorders among grandchildren. Study III established the mediating role of psychosocial disadvantages in the parental generation, particularly among mothers, in the association between grandparental socioeconomic disadvantages and grandchild psychiatric disorders. Study IV delved deeper into the mechanisms underlying this multigenerational mediation pattern by identifying parental childhood experiences (i.e., family relationship quality, peer relationships, and educational performance) as important determinants of parental adulthood psychosocial disadvantages and grandchild psychiatric disorders. Parental childhood peer relationships and educational performance mattered more among fathers, whereas family relationship quality played a more important role among mothers. These empirical studies extend our understanding of the multigenerational transmission patterns of disadvantages, and how multiple factors in the parental generation act as mechanisms linking grandparental socioeconomic disadvantages to grandchild mental health problems. Accordingly, public health efforts to improve mental health of future generations could benefit from a multigenerational perspective
Valorization of residual streams through catalysis
No full textThis thesis explores strategies for upgrading underutilized streams, focusing on hemp hurd, softwood bark lignin, and plastics. Catalysis plays a crucial role in overcoming challenges in upgrading and efficiently converting residual streams into valuable products. By exploring lignocellulosic biomass fractionation, this research tackles the complexities of converting biomass side streams into sustainable, marketable products. Additionally, it investigates methods for recycling polyesters, particularly PET, to integrate plastic waste into a circular economy. The valorization of different biomass feedstocks, such as hemp hurd and softwood bark, requires tailored catalytic processes due to their distinct compositions. For example, reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) is highly effective for hemp hurd, rich in syringyl lignin, yielding monophenolic compounds and dissolving-grade pulp for textiles and nanocellulose production. Oxidative catalytic fractionation (OCF) works better for softwood bark, as it cleaves not only the predominant β–O–4 linkages but also additional lignin bonds, enhancing the yield of monophenolic products such as vanillin. This highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate catalytic methods based on feedstock characteristics. However, both OCF and RCF traditionally rely on expensive noble metal catalysts. As an alternative, an organocatalytic approach is introduced through a lignin condensation strategy that preserves cleavable β-ether units to produce high-performance bisphenols. Organocatalysis is also applied to the recycling of PET, enabling the recovery of valuable monomers and facilitating the recycling of polycotton waste into high-quality viscose fibers and chemicals. This thesis presents approaches to upgrading residual streams, demonstrating how catalysis-based strategies can be used in transforming low-value byproducts into valuable chemicals and materials
Sweden: Heaven or Hell : A Comparative Analysis of Documentary Techniques
No full textThis thesis examines the construction and perception of authenticity in documentaries through a comparative analysis of Sweden: Trouble in Paradise? (1961) and Sweden: Heaven and Hell (1968). Both films, aired on Swedish television, portray Sweden's societal and cultural landscape but employ markedly different stylistic approaches and narrative techniques, leading to contrasting audience receptions. Drawing on documentary theory, including Bill Nichols' modes and concepts of authenticity, the study interrogates how conventions such as narration, cinematography, interviews, and re-enactments shape viewer perceptions of truth and reality. While Sweden: Trouble in Paradise? adheres to traditional expository documentary norms with neutral narration and factual presentations, Sweden: Heaven and Hell embodies the mondo genre's sensationalist tendencies, utilizing provocative narration and staged sequences to evoke emotional reactions. This comparative approach reveals the role of production context, audience expectations, and stylistic conventions in the contested boundaries between documentary and fiction. By exploring the films’ differing receptions in Sweden, this thesis underscores the dynamic and subjective nature of documentary authenticity and its implications for genre classification and audience trust