Publikationer från Uppsala Universitet
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Treatment effect of head extension by cervical collar on moderate obstructive sleep apnea : A randomized controlled trial
No full textAs available treatments in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are all associated with side effects or adherence problems, there is a need for alternative treatment options. In this randomised, open, parallel-group intervention study the effect of head extension by cervical collar was evaluated in patients with moderate OSA. One hundred patients with moderate OSA (apneas and hypopneas per estimated hours asleep = respiratory events index: 15–30) were randomised to either lifestyle intervention (LS) or cervical collar in combination with lifestyle intervention (CC/LS). Both groups received lifestyle advice. In addition, the treatment group were treated with a cervical collar, which allows adjustment of head extension, during sleep. Assessment with questionnaires and polygraphy were performed at baseline and after 6 ± 2 weeks. A linear regression model was used to assess a total effect on respiratory events index, which was the primary endpoint. In the intention to treat (ITT) analysis, the CC/LS group decreased their respiratory events index (P = 0.008) and oxygen desaturation index (P = 0.008) more than the LS group with a mean difference of -4.5 and -4.3, respectively. In the sub-analysis, there was a clear effect on respiratory events index in the supine position (mean difference between the groups -9.1, p=0.018) but not on non-supine AHI (-2.3, p=0.17). We conclude that head extension by cervical collar during sleep resulted in improved respiratory events index and oxygen desaturation index values in patients with moderate OSA. Cervical collar can be a second-line treatment option in this group, especially in positional OSA.
Exceptionally Preserved Setae : A Possible Morphological Synapomorphy of Cambrian Lophotrochozoans
No full textCambrian Lagerstätten yield exceptionally preserved fossils that have greatly improved our understanding of the origin and evolution of animal groups. Brachiopoda, a phylum of bivalved marine invertebrates nested firmly within the lophotrochozoan protostomes, are widely recovered in such Lagerstätten. The marginal chitinous setae (or chaetae) of brachiopods are the most commonly described soft tissue and have been interpreted as performing a defensive and/or sensory role. Despite their relatively common appearance in Cambrian Lagerstätten, the origin, function, and evolution of setae in the Brachiopoda is poorly known. Here, we document exquisitely preserved setal structures from South China and Laurentia paleocontinents giving new insights into their formation, microstructure and preservation mode. New setae typically make their appearance within the follicle of a neighbouring older seta and then branches off laterally forming its own follicle. Setal microstructure is likely to be composed of many canals, highly comparable to setae of their recent counterparts. Moreover, setae recovered from these palaeo-continents present different preservation: aside from the normal preservation of iron oxides and carbonaceous ingredients, some compositions of calcium are also detected in this originally chitinous organization. Investigating the evolutionary origins of chitinous setae, a specialized type found notably in lophotrochozoans such as brachiopods and annelids, reveals its presence in early Cambrian stem groups. This character likely serves as a morphological synapomorphy in lophotrochozoan evolution. However, the dearth of morpho-ultrastructure and comparative studies in Cambrian fossils presents a challenge in fully understanding this evolutionary development
Social påverkan i klassrummet och dess inverkan på elevers studieengagemang. : - från lärarens perspektiv
No full textSocial påverkan mellan elever i klassrummet observeras vara ett vanligt förekommandefenomen, som kan påverka elevernas studieengagemang. Syftet med denna studie är att från ettlärarperspektiv få reda på hur social påverkan ser ut i klassrummet, och hur lärarna arbetar medeleverna i klassrummet för att främja positivt studieengagemang. Genom att förstågruppdynamik och kamratrelationer mellan elever och dess påverkan på eleversstudieengagemang, tillsammans med lärarnas strategier, blir intresset för denna studiens syfteoch frågeställningar. Med hjälp av kvalitativa intervjuer med lärare framträder tre huvudsakligateman: grupptryck och normer, smittoeffekt av social påverkan samt lärarens roll i att utforma ettpositivt klassrumsklimat. Analysen av resultaten visar att social påverkan spelar en central roll iklassrummets dynamik. Elever anpassar ofta sitt engagemang för att passa in i gruppens normer,och både positiva och negativa spiraler av engagemang kan observeras. Detta upplevs ävenpåverkas av elevernas sociala hierarki, om elever har hög social status eller inte. I och med dettautformas en tydlig bild av informella ledarens påverkan i klassrummet, och vad dessa informellaledare kan ha för betydelse för en hel klass engagemang.Studien bidrar till att belysa lärarens aktiva roll i att motverka negativa gruppdynamiker ochstärka positiv påverkan. Lärarna arbetar aktivt med strategier såsom individuella samtal,bestämda platser i klassrummen och värdegrundsarbete. Lärarna arbetar för att skapa godaförutsättningar för ett positivt studieengagemang, men betonar svårigheterna med att motivera enklass som upplevs ha lågt studieengagemang, där normen inte är lärande och prestation. Dennastudie erbjuder en djupare förståelse av hur social påverkan och lärarstrategier samverkar för attforma elevernas engagemang och utveckling.
Handling changes on and changes of the market : market-political ambidexterity in the Swedish market for solar energy
No full textPurpose Firms regularly have to handle business-related market changes on the market, such as new market entrants, increased competition, changing prices and changing demand. However, firms active on a market subject to political interventions, resulting in changes of the market, also have to handle different support systems with subsidies, taxes, regulations, etc. As these interventions affect both firms and customers, it is important for firms to adapt to them, but if they continue to change, firms also need to adapt to changing conditions. The purpose of the paper is to study how firms handle continuous market changes and shifting governmental interventions through market-political ambidexterity. Design/methodology/approach Based on a qualitative approach, 13 in-depth interviews focusing on how firms handle market changes and political interventions over time were conducted during two time periods. The data was coded in several steps, using systematic combining. Findings The empirical results reveal that firm size is crucial in developing market-political ambidexterity; small firms lack the resources needed to handle all changes in an ambidextrous way. Changes on the market require firms to be active, whereas changes of the market, e.g. interventions, require internal stability in the firms. Changes on the market are easier to handle, wherefore there seems to be a need for firms to develop political exploration and exploitation activities related to market-political ambidexterity. Originality/value This study contributes to industrial marketing by increasing our understanding of how SMEs handle the simultaneous but sometimes contradicting demands from market changes and political interventions by developing market-political ambidexterity
Krisens drama : En undersökning av Åkessons och SD:s krisretorik under 2024
No full textDenna uppsats analyserar Jimmie Åkessons och Sverigedemokraternas retoriska krishantering i samband med tre kriser under 2024. Två av kriserna rör partiet som helhet: Kalla Faktas avslöjande om Sverigedemokraternas så kallade "trollfabriker" och Svenska kommittén mot antisemitisms anklagelser mot partiet. Den tredje krisen är kopplad till Jimmie Åkesson personligen och gäller mcledaren som var inbjuden gäst på hans bröllop. Ett argumentationsanalytiskt och narrativt perspektiv har tillämpats för att analysera hur Åkesson och Sverigedemokraterna strategiskt konstruerar och använder berättelser för att hantera dessa kriser. Resultaten visar att deras krishantering följer ett återkommande mönster, där motståndarnas anklagelser konsekvent framställs som falska och grundlösa i syfte att undergräva kritikernas trovärdighet och samtidigt stärka sin egen.This thesis analyzes Jimmie Åkesson’s and Sverigedemokraterna’s rhetorical crisis management in connection with three crises during 2024. Two of the crises concern the party as a whole: Kalla Fakta’s revelations about Sverigedemokraterna’s so-called ”troll factories” and the Svenska Kommittén mot antisemitism’s accusations against the party. The third crisis is linked to Jimmie Åkesson personally and involves the motorcycle gang leader who was an invited guest at his wedding. An argumentative and narrative perspective has been applied to analyze how Åkesson and Sverigedemokraterna’s strategically construct and utilize narratives to manage these crises. The results show that their crisis management follows a recurring pattern, where opponents accusations are consistently portrayed as false and unfounded, with the aim of undermining the critics credibility while simultaneously strengthening their own
Miniaturized Soft Pneumatic Actuator Matrix with Multiplexing Control
No full textSoft robotics has recently attracted increasing attention due to its inherent softness and compliance. However, to fully realize their potential, it often requires numerous soft components and actuators. One major challenge for a large-scale system is integration and miniaturization. In addition, for pneumatically controlled actuators, multiplexing is essential to reduce the tubing from the control valves. A miniaturized soft pneumatic actuator matrix (SPAM) with multiplexing control of crossing points by only control signals was realized by embedding two layers of interactive channels ( ) in a soft material (PDMS) to form actuators ( ) by cumulating both strokes and forces at the channel crossings, unlike piston-based serially coupled gas-springs that yield constant force. A SPAM prototype of actuators with control signals was studied. A SPAM was demonstrated in a tilting matrix and two coupled SPAMs were used in a pneumatic soft conveyor for planar manipulation. Its simplicity and size allow for future large-scale integration in soft robotics
Energigemenskap i Eskilstuna kommun : En simuleringsstudie för en fastighet i Eskilstuna kommun
No full textThe European union is accelerating the energy transition to facilitate more renewable energy generation. New EU directives set out goals that member countries must achieve. One key activity is to allow energy sharing within energy communities. With local production, consumption, storage and energy sharing, more renewable energy production can be integrated in the electricity market and reduce the costs for its members. In this project the implementation of an energy community for the property Tenoren 3 in Eskilstuna municipality will be studied. The aim of the project is to investigate how the maximum power need, the amount of bought electricity from the local grid as well as the costs of the bought electricity is affected bythe installation of the energy community. A simulation model of an energy community containing solarpanels and battery storage is developed in Python. The model is based on real data for the property consumption and synthetic data for the solar power production, household consumption as well as the Electric Vehicle (EV) charging. Three scenarios with different battery management strategies are examined. In scenario 1 the battery is optimized for peak shaving. In scenario 2 the battery is optimized for the needs of Tenoren 3. In scenario 3 the resource is optimized for the local grid in Eskilstuna. The result implies that the scenario which decreases the maximal power need the most is scenario 1. Both scenario 2 and scenario 3 result in the highest decrease of bought electricity. The scenario with the highest cost reduction for the owners of the energy community is scenario 2. The difference in cost reduction toscenario 3 is however negligible. To promote the progress of energy communities in Sweden it will be important that both the distribution system operator (DSO) as well as the owners of the energy communityare satisfied. Such a conceivable solution that this study addresses is that the battery storage is managed according to the stress on the distribution grid. With a large-scale implementation of energy sharing according to scenario 3 this would result in a situation where the owners of the energy community save money at the same time as the DSO would profit from lower stress on the distribution grid
A growing concern : Online access to minors’ health records
No full textHealthcare worldwide is undergoing a transition where patients are increasingly granted access to their electronic health records (EHRs). However, online record access (ORA) for vulnerable groups like children and adolescents remains a topic of active debate. Minors’ experiences of patient-accessible electronic health records (PAEHRs) and related ethical questions remain underexplored. The thesis aim was to explore stakeholder experiences of online access to minors’ EHRs, through six papers: 1) a case study comparing minors’ and guardian use of PAEHRs in Sweden and Finland and the use of country-specific access control practices; 2) a literature review summarising knowledge about stakeholder views and experiences on ORA for minors and parents; 3-4) two survey studies examining Swedish adolescents’ reasons for reading EHRs, utility, the link between use frequency and encouragement, as well as views on EHR security and privacy, attitudes toward information-sharing, and definitions of sensitive information; and 5-6) two mixed-methods studies exploring the views, awareness and benefits and risks with respect to ORA regulations among Swedish adolescents with serious health issues, their parents, and paediatric oncology HCPs. Findings were analysed using a framework of biomedical ethical principles. Adolescents in Finland, who receive ORA earlier, showed higher PAEHR use than their Swedish counterparts. In Sweden, few applications for extended access were found. Most prior work was US-based that left minors’ experiences, especially beyond chronic illness, largely underexplored. Swedish adolescent portal users viewed information as useful and higher use was related to HCP encouragement. Although security was rated highly, many wished to manage who could access their EHRs. Mental healthcare was the most cited as sensitive. Adolescents with serious health issues, their parents, and oncology HCPs criticised the current gap in ORA during adolescence. Parents were concerned about early adolescent ORA, while HCPs worried about the impact of parental ORA on EHR quality, and lacked knowledge of access extension. In conclusion, while ORA showed potential for engaging adolescents in their care early and facilitating parental support, risks remain for EHR quality. Education and dialogue among stakeholders, along with addressing HCP concerns, are essential efforts to make ORA an effective tool for enhancing adolescent health outcomes.NORDeHEALT
Identification and functional characterization of RNA-binding proteins in Salmonella
No full textBacteria live in an ever-changing environment, and thus require adequate gene expression changes to survive and adapt in variable conditions. Regulation of gene expression occurs at several levels. The work presented in this thesis concerns post-transcriptional regulation, i.e. regulation that acts on the transcribed mRNA. The main players at this level of regulation are regulatory small RNAs and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), which affect mRNA translation and degradation rates. This work has mainly focused on characterizing the globally acting RBP ProQ in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S.Tm). ProQ interacts with hundreds of RNA transcripts and is important for many phenotypical traits such as motility, virulence and persister cell formation. In paper I, we identify the interactome of ProQ in infection-like conditions that mimic the Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV) of eukaryotic host cells. We also highlight ProQ’s relevance for proper expression of the virulence genes connected to survival and proliferation within the SCV, by post-transcriptionally affecting expression of the important regulator PhoP. In paper II, we demonstrate that ProQ promotes biofilm formation in S.Tm, and present a new molecular mechanism of ProQ’s interaction with intrinsic terminators. Upon binding, ProQ hinders poly(A) polymerase I-dependent polyadenylation and thereby protects against 3’end-dependent degradation. In paper III, we implement our RNA interactome capture method in S.Tm, and thereby expand the RNA-binding proteome. Among the identified RBPs we discovered virulence-associated proteins previously not connected to RNA binding activities. In conclusion, the work in this thesis shows new aspects concerning the function of ProQ, highlights the physiological relevance of this protein, and generally expands the RNA-binding proteome of S.Tm. Importantly, the findings presented here point to new scientific questions that will help drive future research in the area of post-transcriptional gene regulation