Publikationer från Uppsala Universitet
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The Illusion of Inclusion? : Tokenism and Women’s Influence on Corporate Boards in Sweden.
No full textThis thesis explores whether increased representation of women on Swedish professional boards has contributed to a more equitable distribution of power and influence. It examines how professional female directors perceive inclusion and tokenism, and the strategies they emphasize to promote meaningful gender diversity, through own employed actions, organizational change, or broader societal transformations. Using a qualitative, abductive approach with in-depth interviews, the study uncovered how informal recruitment practices act as gatekeeping mechanisms, suggesting external recruitment firms contribute with more competence‐ and merit-based selection. It also underscores greater accountability for nomination committees and ownership in composing gender-diverse boards. Board-level diversity should be accompanied by efforts to achieve gender balance in executive management, ensuring an equitable redistribution of power across corporate governance. This emerged as critical for strengthening women's presence in the leadership pipeline and sustaining future gender-diverse boards. The empirical evidence highlighted subtle forms of tokenism, such as social exclusion and heightened performance expectations, persists in boardrooms. In response, individual competence emerged as key for women to gain recognition and inclusion. Preparation, adaptive communication, and reliance on inclusive leadership from chairpersons were identified as individual strategies for navigating boardroom dynamics and fostering inclusion
CSRD: När hållbarhet blir lag : En kvalitativ studie om en europeisk storbanks upplevelse av CSRD och dess organisatoriska anpassningar för att efterleva direktivet
No full textDenna studie undersöker hur en europeisk storbank har upplevt implementeringen av EU-direktivet 2022/2464 Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) samt vilka organisatoriska anpassningar som banken har vidtagit. Data har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med bankanställda vars roller är kopplade till hållbarhet. Empirin baseras på intervjuerna som analyserats genom en egenkonstruerad analysmodell. Studien har analyserat implementeringen av CSRD med hjälp av institutionell teori och institutionellt arbete, vilket visar hur tvingande regler och osäkerhet skapar anpassningar samt lärande inom organisationen. Studiens resultat visar att CSRD har lett till bland annat ökat personalbehov och omorganiseringar. Dessutom har komplexiteten och detaljgraden i direktivet inneburit ett omfattande tolkningsarbete, som i sin tur lett till att banken samarbetat internt mellan enheter men också externt med andra banker. Implementeringen av direktivet har även resulterat i att banken konstruerat en intern utbildningsmodell samt tagit hjälp från externa utbildningar
Evolving trends in vertebrate palaeontology (2013–2022) : a bibliometric analysis using DeepBone and Web of Science databases
No full textVertebrate palaeontology, essential for understanding the evolutionary processes of backboned animals, has witnessed substantial increase in research activity and publications over the past decade. This bibliometric analysis utilising the data from the DeepBone database, which includes 9,255 literature entries, with 8,259 overlapping entries from the Web of Science, to capture these changes. Our analysis reveals a continuous growth in publication volumes over the decade, alongside a marked expansion in interdisciplinary collaborations and the integration of innovative technological methodologies. The contribution of key regions such as the U.S.A., UK, Argentina, and China underscores the global collaboration in vertebrate palaeontology. The EU, despite its foundational economic and political union focus, stands out as a key contributor in vertebrate palaeontology, showing its extensive influence on scientific collaboration and research funding. A thematic exploration using keyword analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) analysis identifies prominent research themes, highlighting the field’s towards integrated research approaches. This study offers a quantitative overview of the recent decade in vertebrate palaeontology, providing insights into dynamic trends, major contributions, and future research directions in the field
Inhibition of the Na+-glucose transporter SGLT2 reduces glucose uptake and IFNγ release from activated human CD4+ T cells
No full textGlucose uptake in activated CD4+ T cells is essential for increased metabolic needs, synthesis of biomolecules and proliferation. Although, facilitated glucose transport is the predominant route for glucose entry at the time of activation, here we demonstrate role for the sodium-dependent glucose transporter SGLT2. By 72 h after activation, SGLT2 is expressed and functional in the human CD4+ T cells. SGLT2 inhibitors, phlorizin and empagliflozin decreased glucose uptake into the human CD4+ T cells compared to untreated cells. Phlorizin (25 mu mol/L) reduced glycolysis at 5.6 mmol/L glucose and IFN gamma levels at both 5.6 mmol/L and 16.7 mmol/L glucose. In contrast, empagliflozin (0.5 mu mol/L) only decreased IFN gamma levels in 16.7 mmol/L glucose. GABA enhanced phlorizin inhibition at both 5.6 mmol/L and 16.7 mmol/L glucose in the presence of insulin. Insulin strengthens GABAA receptors signaling in CD4+ T cells. The results are consistent with expression of SGLT2 after activation of human CD4+ T cells, that facilitates concentrating glucose uptake into the cells, enabling enhanced release of inflammatory molecules like IFN gamma. Importantly, inhibition of SGLT2 decreases IFN gamma release
Long-term clinical outcomes after Lyme neuroborreliosis in children
No full textBackground: Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is a tick-borne infection caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. Facial nerve palsy and subacute meningitis are the most prevalent neurological manifestations. Long-term prognosis is a major concern of many parents. These concerns relate to persisting neurological deficiencies as well as long-term non-specific symptoms such as fatigue. The aim of this study is to determine long-term outcome in pediatric LNB by using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of facial impairment and self-reported fatigue and to compare these outcomes between children with LNB and idiopathic facial nerve palsy (IFP). Methods: A long-term follow-up study was performed including all children (< 18 years) who visited the departments of pediatrics, neurology, or otorhinolaryngology of Gelre hospitals Apeldoorn and Zutphen between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2023 with the diagnosis LNB or IFP. After consent, children and/or parents (or guardians) were invited to complete an electronic questionnaire, including the Facial Clinimetric Evaluation (FaCE) scale and the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS). Results: During the study period, 105 children were identified with facial nerve palsy and 4 with LNB with only headache. These 4 patients with meningitis but without facial nerve palsy were not included in further analyses. Seven children were lost to follow up. In total, 102 children were invited to complete the questionnaires, of which 84 responded (82%) after a median follow-up period of 93.5 months after the acute facial nerve palsy. The median total score of the FaCE scale was 99.2 (IQR 89.2-100) in children with LNB and 98.3 (IQR 93.3-100) in children with IFP and results did not differ between groups (p = 0.787). There were no significant differences between patients with LNB and IFP in the CIS total score (median (IQR), respectively 42.0 (26.3-69.5) versus 48.0 (40.3-60.5) (p = 0.301)). Conclusions: This long-term follow-up study adds new data on self/parent reported disease specific outcomes in children with facial nerve palsy from two important patient groups (LNB and IFP). Both facial impairment and fatigue were uncommon and did not differ between LNB and IFP patients at long-term follow-up
Calprotectin in the risk stratification of patients with acute dyspnoea in the emergency department
No full textAcute dyspnoea is one of the most common presenting symptoms in the emergency department (ED) and has a variety of underlying causes. Calprotectin is a neutrophil activation marker associated with adverse outcomes in acute cardiovascular and infectious diseases. However, the usefulness of calprotectin in the risk stratification of patients with acute dyspnoea is unknown. The objectives were to, in unselected patients presenting to the ED with acute dyspnoea, investigate the association between (1) calprotectin and 90-day mortality, (2) calprotectin and 90-mortality in subgroups of patients with cardiovascular disease or pneumonia, and (3) calprotectin and illness severity. Single-centre observational cohort study from a university hospital in southern Sweden. A total of 1186 patients from the original Acute Dyspnoea Study, were included. Patients were followed for discharge diagnosis and mortality. Calprotectin concentration was measured in plasma samples collected at the ED. Mean age was 72 years and 56% were women. During follow-up, 143 patients died. In multivariate Cox regression for 90-day mortality, calprotectin in the highest quartile (> 0.96 mg/L) compared to the lowest quartile (< 0.27 mg/L) was associated with a hazard ratio of 2.71 (95% confidence interval 1.39-5.26, p < 0.01). The association with mortality remained significant in the subgroup of patients with acute cardiovascular disease (N = 205, p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in median calprotectin values between survivors and non-survivors with pneumonia (1.62 vs. 1.31, p = 0.155). Multivariate linear regression showed a strong positive correlation between calprotectin and illness severity (respiratory rate ≥ 29 or oxygen saturation ≤ 90%, p < 0.001). In conclusion, calprotectin was associated with 90-day mortality and correlated strongly with illness severity. This indicates that measurement of calprotectin at admission could improve clinical risk stratification of the acute dyspnoeic ED patient.Clinical trial number: Not applicable
The social perspectives of energy communities in EU policy and research – a scoping review
No full textThe Clean Energy for All Europeans package, launched by the EU in 2019, provides a legal framework to guide the creation and management of energy communities (EC). According to the package, ECs are expected to aid a transition towards a renewable energy system by involving and empowering citizens, and thereby address issues such as poverty, social equity and “energy segregation”. In technical and economic terms, on the other hand, ECs are mainly supposed to enable clusters of actors to collectively invest in technology for local renewable energy systems and share coordination benefits. Previous research indicates that ECs are not necessarily associated with the social perspectives and benefits as expected by the EU. In this scoping literature review, the aim is to investigate to what extent researchers that have studied ECs between 2015 and 2021 are highlighting the social perspectives with and benefits from ECs that are expected by the EU, as stated in the Clean Energy for All package. A total of 433 abstracts were screened and coded in accordance with a coding scheme regarding the dominant perspectives used by researchers when describing ECs and the outcomes expected from implementing them. The results show that technical perspectives dominate the research field, while social and institutional perspectives are less prominent. We conclude that social perspectives are still under-researched and somewhat neglected in research. It can thus be questioned if promotion of ECs will, by necessity, reduce energy poverty, increase social equity and hamper energy segregation
Urban Lock-in : Mapping Net Zero Energy Buildings(NZEB) Obstacles in Barcelona’s Housing
No full textThis study investigates the obstacles that hinder the transformation of existing residential buildings of Barcelonainto Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEB), with a particular focus on implications for vulnerable populationsaffected by energy poverty. Buildings are key components for Europe’s decarbonization, in the European Unionthey account for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. In Barcelona most buildingstock predates energy efficiency regulations, making retrofitting essential for meeting the EU climate goals.Given that the National Building Renovation Plan is currently being drafted this study aims at assessing thepotential obstacles and if and how they interact. Provided the need to uncover causal relationships and comp lexdynamics, the research is grounded in Systems Thinking and the research adopts an explanatory single casestudy methodology to explore various economic, social, technical and institutional barriers. Data were collectedthrough document analysis, semi-structured interviews, public reports, and database reviews, and analysedusing thematic analysis followed by causal mapping. Findings reveal a number of obstacles that are interrelated.Most notably, regulatory fragmentation, lack of skilled labour, administrative complexity in subsidy access,public mistrust, and conflicting policies. These obstacles are mutually reinforcing, highlighting the necessityfor integrated and interdisciplinary intervention. Moreover, vulnerable citizens face disproportionate ex clusion.The study concludes that without a coordinated, systemic approach the city’s NZEB targets are unlikely to beachieved or at least not in an equitable or efficient manner.
Editorial : Herpesvirus: transmission, pathogenesis, host-pathogen interaction, and treatment
No full textLarge Variation in Adherence to Diagnostic Guidelines in Hypertension Management in Swedish Primary Healthcare
No full textHigh blood pressure (BP) is a frequent cause for visits to primary healthcare centers (PHCCs) in Sweden. Guidelines on methods for BP measurements for diagnosis of hypertension have recently been updated. We aimed to study adherence to diagnostic guidelines in hypertension management and evaluate whether adherence to guidelines was related to organizational or sociodemographic characteristics. Interviews with representatives from 76 randomly selected PHCCs from eight regions in Sweden were conducted. PHCCs' use of 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), home BP monitoring (HBPM) and BP measurements in both arms for the diagnosis of hypertension were chosen as proxy markers for adherence to diagnostic guidelines. An adherence index was created as a composite score of these diagnostic methods. The proportion of PHCCs stating they "often use" ABPM and HBPM were 13.7% and 16.0%, respectively, and 57.3% stated they performed BP measurements in both arms. Two PHCCs did not use ABPM, HBPM or BP measurements in both arms to diagnose hypertension. None of the organizational or sociodemographic characteristics (number of listed patients, Care Need Index (CNI), geographical location, ownership, investigation primarily led by doctor/nurse, dedicated team management, special training for hypertension and local routines) were associated with the adherence index. This study shows that adherence to diagnostic guidelines vary largely between PHCCs. No organizational characteristic, not even team-based management, was associated with adherence to diagnostic guidelines. The variation raises questions about inequity healthcare and novel strategies that may be needed to improve PHCCs' adherence to diagnostic guidelines in hypertension management.