Publikationer från Uppsala Universitet
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Vad ska man läsa - och varför? : En kvalitativ studie och lärares litteraturval i svenska som andraspråk
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The Influence of Social Factors on Female Entrepreneurship. How Gender Stereotypes Affect Women Entrepreneurs in Cyprus.
No full textDespite significant advances towards gender equality globally, female entrepreneurscontinue to face persistent barriers originating from gender stereotypes, particularly insocieties characterized by traditional gender norms. This qualitative study examineshow social stereotypes affect women entrepreneurs in Cyprus by investigating theirperceptions, experiences, and strategies in overcoming gender-based barriers. Usingsemi-structured interviews with female entrepreneurs across different industries, thisstudy sheds light on the ways in which stereotypes influence the entrepreneurialjourneys of women. Findings indicate that Cypriot female entrepreneurs commonlyencounter skepticism, undervaluation, and bias. These experiences result in significantchallenges during the early phases of their entrepreneurial careers and increasedworkloads. However, the majority of interviewees reported that these stereotypes,although present, did not affect their entrepreneurial careers. Participants commonlyadopted androgynous behaviors, combining both traditionally masculine and femininetraits, to navigate gender-based barriers. They emphasized strategies such as assertivecommunication, and selective customer acceptance as critical to overcoming thesebarriers. This thesis contributes to the existing literature by providing qualitative datato address a significant research gap concerning the effects of gender stereotypes onfemale entrepreneurship, specifically in the context of Cyprus. The insights gained offerrecommendations for future research
Förändringsprocessen vid införandet av lärplattformen Canvas på Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
No full textDigitala verktyg skapar nya möjligheter för universitet att stärka sin kärnverksamhet, särskilt inom utbildning. För att bibehålla konkurrenskraft och pedagogisk kvalitet är uppdateringar av Learning Management Systems (LMS) en central process. Denna studie undersöker förändringsprocessen vid Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU) i samband med övergången från Fronter till Canvas under 2018–2019, med fokus på medarbetarnas delaktighet och upplevelser. Genom en kvalitativ fallstudie har intervjuer genomförts med två målgrupper: (1) ledare från SLU:s Avdelning för lärande och digitalisering samt (2) universitetslärare och kursledare vid Fakulteten för naturresurser och jordbruksvetenskap på campus Ultuna. Studien använder teorier om organisationsförändring för att analysera implementeringsprocessen. Resultaten visar att tydligt ledarskap, effektiv kommunikation och aktivt deltagande är avgörande för en framgångsrik förändring. Engagerande kommunikation har varit central för att motivera förändringsmottagarna, medan externa faktorer, såsom pandemin, påskyndade och underlättade implementeringen. Studien ger en fördjupad förståelse för hur mjuka faktorer påverkar förändringsmottagares acceptans och engagemang vid systembyten. Dessa insikter kan optimera framtida förändringsprocesser inom högre utbildning och stärka utvecklingen av e-lärande genom att ge kursledare och beslutsfattare bättre stöd vid implementering av nya LMS.The implementation of user-friendly digital tools offers universities new opportunities to enhance core activities such as education. To remain competitive, universities must continuously update their Learning Management Systems (LMS). This study examines the organizational change process at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) during the transition from Fronter to Canvas between 2018 and 2019, focusing on employee participation and perceptions. Through a qualitative case study, interviews were conducted with two target groups: (1) leaders from SLU’s Division of Learning and Digitalization and (2) university teachers and course leaders at the Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences at the Ultuna campus. The change process was analyzed using organizational change theories to understand employee adaptation to new digital tools. Findings indicate that soft factors, including clear leadership, effective communication, and active involvement of change recipients, are critical for a successful transition. Engaging communication played a key role in motivating employees, while external factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerated and facilitated the implementation. This study contributes to the understanding of digital transformation in higher education, highlighting the importance of leadership and communication in driving successful system transitions
Sweet Shield Advancing Glycoconjugate Vaccinesto Fight Non-Typhoidal Salmonella
No full textNon-typhoidal Salmonella is a leading cause of invasive bacterial infections worldwide, posing a particular threat to young children and immunocompromised individuals. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains and the lack of effective, widely accessible vaccines underscore the urgent need for innovative immunization approaches. Glycoconjugate vaccines, which elicit T-cell-dependent immune responses, have emerged as a promising strategy for protecting vulnerable populations against non-typhoidal Salmonella. The aim of this thesis was to develop a scalable and reproducible platform for the production of O-antigen–mutated tetanus toxin C fragment (8MTT) glycoconjugate vaccines suitable for academic laboratory settings. To achieve this, a workflow integrating accessible purification and conjugation protocols was established, based on the use of pre-purified O-antigen polysaccharide, extracted from Salmonella typhimurium using a combination of acid hydrolysis, tangential flow filtration, and size-exclusion chromatography, and the recombinant 8MTT carrier protein, produced in Escherichia coli and purified through sequential chromatographic steps. O-antigen was oxidated via reductive amination, and the resulting oxidated O-antigen was mixed with 8MTT to start the conjugation process. The resulting glycoconjugate was purified and characterized using biochemical and chromatographic methods to determine the carbohydrate-to-protein ratio and to confirm the expected increase in molecular weight. The results demonstrate the feasibility of producing glycoconjugate vaccine candidates in a non-industrial setting. This workflow, based on a high-purity O-antigen previously obtained in the lab and a recombinantly produced carrier protein, provided suitable for conjugation. Analytical characterization confirmed successful conjugation and provided a foundation for further protocol development and preclinical evaluation. In conclusion, this work establishes a practical and accessible framework for academic-scale glycoconjugate vaccine development. The platform developed here lays the groundwork for future studies aimed at optimizing production processes and evaluating immunogenicity and protective efficacy, ultimately contributing to efforts to reduce the global burden of invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella infections
Comparison between Different Models for the Dark Matter Distribution in the Milky Way
No full textDark matter is one of the great mysteries in physics today, and while the nature of this matter is unknown, many theories suggest that dark matter consists of some yet undiscovered particles. Indirect detection of dark matter is the detection of annihilation or decay products from such dark matter particles. In this project, I have used Micromegas, a public software developed to calculate dark matter properties, to calculate the fluxes of photons and muon neutrinos produced by annihilation of dark matter in the galactic halo of the Milky Way. This has been done with the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) as a particle model, and for four different dark matter halo models: isothermal, Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW), Moore and Einasto. The goal was to analyse how the annihilation flux depends on the dark matter distribution. The results show that the Moore model predicts the highest fluxes of photons and muon neutrinos, followed by Einasto, NFW and isothermal. The shapes of the fluxes, a decrease in flux as the energy increases, seem to be similar for all four models; only the amount differs. This indicates that the distribution of dark matter might not affect the resulting shape of the flux of annihilation products very much. The level of flux seems to follow the amount of dark matter well: more dark matter in the region between our sun and the galactic centre gives a higher flux of annihilation products. It therefore seems likely that the biggest contributor to the annihilation fluxes is the amount of dark matter.Mörk materia är en av fysikens största mysterier idag. Vad det är, och vilka egenskaper det har, är okänt, men många teorier menar att den utgörs av nya, hittills oupptäckta, partiklar. Indirekt detektion av mörk materia syftar till att detektera annihilations- eller sönderfallsprodukter från sådana partiklar. I detta projekt har jag använt Micromegas, en gratis programvara utvecklad för att beräkna egenskaper för mörk materia, för att beräkna flödet av fotoner och myon-neutriner från annihilation av mörk materia i Vintergatans galaktiska halo. Detta har gjorts med den minimala supersymmetriska standardmodellen (MSSM), som partikelmodell, och för fyra olika modeller för fördelningen av mörk materia i Vintergatans galaktiska halo: den isoterma modellen, Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW)-modellen, Moore-modellen och Einasto-modellen. Målet var att undersöka hur flödet av annihilationsprodukter beror på fördelningen av mörk materia i galaxen. Resultaten visar att Moore-modellen förutspår högst flöden av fotoner och myon-neutriner, följt av Einasto-modellen, NFW-modellen och den isoterma modellen. Flödenas form, ett avtagande flöde då energin ökar, verkar vara liknande för alla modeller; endast mängden flöde skiljer dem åt. Detta pekar på att fördelningen av mörk materia inte påverkar den slutgiltiga formen av annihilationsflödet. Nivån på flödet verkar följa mängden mörk materia i galaxen: ju mer mörk materia i området mellan vår sol och galaxens centrum, desto högre flöde av annihilationsprodukter. Det verkar därför troligt att den största bidragande faktorn till flödet av annihilationsprodukter är mängden mörk materia
The construction of postmemory in El espíritu de mis padres sigue subiendo en la lluvia (2024) by Patricio Pron
No full textEn este trabajo de investigación se examina la construcción de la posmemoria a través de la recuperación de una memoria familiar reprimida en El espíritu de mis padres sigue subiendo en la lluvia (Pron, 2024) partiendo del concepto teórico de la “tarea pendiente” propuesto por el psiquiatra Vamik Volkan. En la novela analizada, la posición del protagonista como hijo de progenitores periodistas que debido a su activismo político se vieron desprotegidos por el régimen durante la última dictadura militar argentina ocupa un papel central en la trama, haciendo oportuno la aplicación del término “posmemoria” planteado por Marianne Hirsch y otros conceptos asociados. Por consiguiente, a través de un análisis literario se encontrará que se recupera parcialmente la historia de los padres siguiendo una búsqueda de información fragmentaria, juntando varias impresiones hasta comprender la herencia traumática recurrente que lo ha impedido al protagonista procesar el pasado, lo cual remite a la compleción de su tarea pendiente. No obstante, veremos que la información recogida queda insuficiente para acceder a la historia entera, de lo que sigue que el empleo de imaginación y ficción resulta necesario para que sea posible cumplir con las tareas pendientes en la novela.
What does the mouse monoclonal antibody pwlam detect?
No full textBackground: Systemic amyloidosis are diseases characterized by the extracellular deposition of misfolded proteins, amyloids, in different tissues or organs. These amyloids are insoluble and toxic for the human body, causing several different conditions. Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a systemic disease where the amyloid deposits can be life-threatening. To diagnose this condition, a monoclonal antibody (pwlam) is used to bind the structures of the amyloid protein from the patient sample. After the routine diagnostic method, SDS-PAGE followed by Western blot, the result shows three typical bands, concluding the AL diagnosis. However, the true nature of the three bands, and what they represent, is still unknown. Aim: To determine what structures the monoclonal antibody pwlam binds to and detects, during the laboratory diagnosis of AL amyloidosis. Methods: Organ and abdominal fat biopsy samples of 16 different patients with AL amyloidosis were examined. SDS-PAGE together with Western blotting was performed to separate proteins and detect them with pwlam to see the typical three band pattern. After detection, Coomassie blue protein staining was done on a separate SDS-PAGE. The corresponding bands were cut out and analyzed in a mass spectrometer. The peptides detected were mapped to potential protein candidates using protein databases. Results: Organ biopsies were determined unsuitable for further analysis, since the three-band pattern could not be detected. Band materials from two abdominal fat biopsies were sent for mass spectrometry instead. The mass spectrometer identified light chain sequences in all band samples. The sequence of amino acids 9-23 in the N-terminal of the constant region of the light chain was detected in all samples with high evidence. Conclusion: Pwlam likely binds an amino acid sequence in the constant region of the light chain. The bands detected in Western blot are possibly differently cleaved sequences of the light chain protein. Moreover, heavier bands could be results of dimerization or even oligomerization of light chain monomers. Post-translational modifications could also contribute to molecular weight differences and therefore band sizes. However, to confirm these hypotheses further research is needed.
Exploring Fuzz-Driven Property-Based Testing in Pharmacovigilance Software
No full textPharmacovigilance software, systems used to monitor the safety of pharmaceutical products, plays a critical role in safeguarding public health. Ensuring the correctness of such systems is essential, yet software testing remains a complex and time-consuming task. One approach to automated testing is Property-Based Testing (PBT), which verifies that defined properties hold for a wide range of randomly generated inputs. However, PBT suffers from key limitations: it generates inputs without learning from previous executions and requires manual implementation of custom input generators for complex data structures, an effort that is both time-consuming and error-prone. This thesis explores the use of coverage-guided fuzzing as an alternative input generation method to enhance the effectiveness of PBT, particularly within the context of pharmacovigilance software and the .NET ecosystem. The aim is to improve bug-finding capabilities through feedback-driven input exploration while simultaneously removing the need for manual generator development. To evaluate, a case study was conducted to compare traditional PBT with two fuzzing-extended variants, Coverage-Guided Property-Based Testing (CGPBT) and Structure-Aware Coverage-Guided Property-Based Testing (SAPBT). Results showed that coverage guidance significantly improved performance in scenarios with sparse input conditions, while also revealing that structure-aware mutations were essential even for relatively simple data structures. Consequently, only SAPBT was applied to preexisting property tests within the real-world pharmacovigilance system, System X. Although no actual bugs were uncovered by SAPBT, the false positive results revealed weaknesses in the definitions of the data structures used. These false positives were caused by implicit assumptions in the property tests that were not explicitly encoded in the structural definitions of the data types. However, SAPBT also encountered technical challenges, particularly with the complexity of integration. In conclusion, property-based testing enhanced with structure-aware coverage-guided input generation shows strong potential for improving test effectiveness. This thesis presents both a proof of concept and a functional prototype of the approach within the .NET ecosystem. However, the current implementation remains time-intensive, impractical for broader use, and limited to executing only a single property test at a time. To enable wider adoption, future work should focus on transforming the prototype into a more scalable and efficient tool, developed as a .NET package
Measurement of the inelasticity distribution of neutrino-nucleon interactions for 80 GeV<E<560 GeV with IceCube DeepCore
No full textWe report a study of the inelasticity distribution in the scattering of neutrinos of energy 80-560 GeVoff nucleons. Using atmospheric muon neutrinos detected in IceCube's sub-array DeepCore during 2012-2021, we fit the observed inelasticity in the data to a parameterized expectation and extract the values that describe it best. Finally, we compare the results to predictions from various combinations of perturbative QCD calculations and atmospheric neutrino flux models.For complete list of authors see http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.111.112001</p