Publikationer från Uppsala Universitet
Not a member yet
127603 research outputs found
Sort by
Organizational design. A qualitative case-study on decision-making in the financial industry
No full textThis study investigates current decision-making practices at Ledger & Financing (LF) division of PayEx Group which operates in the financial industry. Decision-making is highly connected to the organizational development field and is a crucial aspect for organizations as it highly affects organizational performance. The investigation included two surveys and 16 interviews conducted within the PayEx LF division. The analysis of data focused on determining the current situation regarding decision-making, finding pain points, analysing root causes, confirming the findings using a gap analysis, and suggesting opportunities for improvement. The analysis of data collected showed that decision-making at PayEx LF is slow and unclear which cause three main pain points: many discussions, decisions coming from the top, and mandates of cross-functional teams being undermined. It was found that the main factors affecting these decision-making issues are configuration, roles and responsibilities, and goals, strategies, and coordination all of which arise from a malfunctioning organizational design. A gap analysis confirmed that the matrix configuration is the fit for PayEx LF division and the misfits found have to be eliminated in order to improve decision-making. Therefore, this study suggests three opportunities for improvement: breaking the silos, finding the balance between efficiency and effectiveness, and acknowledging mandates by clarifying roles and responsibilities.
The effects of heavy smoking on oxidative stress, inflammatory biomarkers, vascular dysfunction, and hematological indices
No full textSmoking remains a major health issue worldwide, causing various diseases. This research examines the effects of heavy smoking on oxidative stress, inflammatory biomarkers, blood vascular health, and hematological parameters. A study conducted at Par Private Hospital in Erbil, Iraq, from April to May 2024 examined 104 male heavy smokers and 94 healthy male nonsmokers. Blood and biopsy samples were collected from both groups. The groups had similar age and body mass index, reducing the chances of confounding factors. Smokers showed significantly higher levels of oxidative stress markers, including malondialdehyde (p = 0.002) and nitric oxide (p = 0.002), and lower superoxide dismutase activity (p < 0.0001) compared to controls. Smokers displayed significantly elevated levels of serum endothelin-1 and interleukin-8 (p < 0.0001). Immunohistochemical analysis showed a significant rise in myeloperoxidase-positive cells and eosinophilic granule 2-positive eosinophils among smokers, indicating heightened neutrophil and eosinophil activity. Smokers showed elevated neutrophil counts in hematological analysis, while lymphocyte counts and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio remained unchanged. Oxidative stress parameters, endothelin-1 levels, inflammatory biomarkers, and hematological indices are all significantly influenced by heavy smoking, reflecting systemic inflammation and vascular dysfunction. Public health initiatives are urgently required to address the harmful health consequences of smoking, as indicated by noteworthy changes in inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers. The study offers important information on the physical effects of long-term heavy smoking, enhancing our understanding of the health hazards associated with smoking
Absolute neutron emission estimate on MAST Upgrade based on activation foil measurements
No full textDetermination of the absolute neutron rate production in any fusion device and in particular for ITER and future power plants is essential for their operation and for the optimization of the fusion power. A common calibration approach is to use well characterized neutron sources placed inside the vacuum vessel combined with Monte Carlo simulations. This method is fraught with several difficulties both from an engineering and data modeling and interpretation point of view. This is particularly true for future fusion power plants. This work demonstrates an alternative approach to the absolute calibration of the neutron rate based on activation foil measurements combined with forward modeling of a well characterized plasma discharge and fusion device. This method has been applied to MAST Upgrade and the good agreement found between measured and modeled foil activity support this approach. The results presented suffer from some limitations but suggestions are given on how to resolve them
Toxoplasma gondii associated with psychotic symptom load and cortisol in severe mental illness
No full textToxoplasma gondii (TG) is a prevalent parasite that establishes lifelong latency after primary infection. TG has been linked to severe mental illness (SMI), potentially through dopamine dysregulation in the brain. There is a bidirectional interaction between dopamine and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, where dopamine may influence cortisol regulation and cortisol may affect dopamine release. We hypothesised that TG would be associated with elevated circulatory cortisol levels, increased severity of psychotic symptoms, and structural brain aberrations in SMI. Our study included 765 patients with SMI (515 with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 250 with bipolar disorders) and 541 healthy controls (HC). TG immunoglobulin G seropositivity and circulatory cortisol concentrations were measured with immunoassays, and T1-weighted MRI scans were processed using FreeSurfer. Psychotic symptom scores were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. In SMI, TG seropositivity was associated with higher cortisol levels (p = 0.002), but not in HC. Seropositive patients had lower total psychotic symptom scores (p = 0.006) than seronegative patients, driven by the schizophrenia subgroup (p = 0.002). This effect was observed for positive, negative, and general psychotic symptom scores, but only for patients with an illness duration of 10 years or more. In an exploratory analysis, TG seropositivity was nominally associated with smaller thalamus, nucleus accumbens, and middle temporal volumes in SMI, and with smaller fusiform, parahippocampal, and pars triangularis volumes in HC. In conclusion, TG exposure in SMI was linked to elevated cortisol levels and reduced psychotic symptom scores, suggesting that its impact on SMI may be more complex and context-dependent than previously assumed
” Ur hopplösheten föds insikten om frihet och ansvar” : En analys av diktverken Tomten, Landet som icke är och Ångest, ångest är min arvedel i relation till Sören Kierkegaards begrepp ångest
No full textThis essay examines the existential challenges related to different world views in the poems "Tomten,"(The Gnome) "Landet som icke är" (The land that is not), and "Ångest, ångest är min arvedel” (Anguish, anguish is my inheritance). The aim is to study how the selected poems correspond with Kierkegaard’s view of anxiety, which he describes further in The Concept of Anxiety. For the study, I selected poems that give place to different philosophical outlooks and existential questions, to make interpretations easier in the analysis. For poem analysis, Essunger’s theories on existential arenas and the creative silence were chosen, because they were useful to the interpretation. A hybrid method was applied in the analysis, combining methods from literary and religious studies. In The Gnome, the challenges consist of the inability to find answers that can logically explain the existence of everything. Concerning Kierkegaard, this can be described as the higher form of uncertainty in everyday life. The small gnome must reflect on what this existence means by realizing that the question he’s longing for cannot be logically answered, and that the answer only can be reached in his own mind. In The land that is not, the narrator struggles with the meaning and purpose of one’s own life, as she cannot find strength in her current existence. According to Kierkegaard, her anxiety is a driving force in her soul that is predestined to return to a heavenly state of mind. The narrator utilizes a lot of creativity to explore her inner soul, thereby reflecting on what is and what is not, and has the goal to find her way to the land that is not. In Anguish, anguish is my inheritance. The narrator faces problems with finding meaning in life without relying on religion as an existential guide. Based on Kierkegaard’s reasoning, the narrator exists in the so-called demonic anxiety, an environment where he is limited and unable to make life meaningful. But on the other hand, Kierkegaard argues that anxiety can reflect on what is and what is not in life. The narrator might gain insight into what possibilities there are to leave his anxiety and change his life.
Från ambulans till akutmottagning: Faktorer som hindrar och möjliggör kommunikationen under överrapportering : En kvalitativ intervjustudie
No full textBakgrund: Kommunikation vid överrapportering från ambulans till akutmottagning är avgörande för patientsäkerheten. Brister i kommunikationen kan leda till informationsförlust, felbehandling och vårdskador. Tidigare forskning har främst fokuserat på akutmottagningens perspektiv, medan ambulanssjuksköterskors erfarenhet är mindre utforskade. Ökad kunskap om deras upplevelser kan bidra till säkrare och mer strukturerade överrapporteringar. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att belysa ambulanssjuksköterskors erfarenheter av faktorer som hindrar och möjliggör kommunikationen under överrapportering till akutmottagningar, utifrån patientsäkerhetsperspektivet. Metod: Studien genomfördes som en kvalitativ intrevjustudie baserad på semistrukturerade intrevjuer med ambulanssjuksköterskor, utvalda genom strategiskt urval kompletterat med bekvämlighetsurval. Det insamlade materialet analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys enligt Graneheim och Lundman (2004). Resultat: Studien visar att kommunikationen under överrapportering påverkas av flera hider och möjliggörande faktorer. Hindrande faktorer var bullrig miljö, avbrott, brist på struktur, sekretessproblem och hög arbetsbelatsning. Dessa ledde ofta till informationsförlust och risker för patientsäkerheten. Möjliggörande faktorer var aktivt lyssnande, tydlig struktur genom verktyg som SBAR, närvarande ledarskap och gott samarbete mellan yrkesgrupper. En ostörd och samlad överrapportering upplevdes som avgörande för en säker överrapportering. Slutsats: Effektiv kommunikation under överrapportering kräver tydliga rutiner, stödjande vårdmiljö och strukturerade verktyg. Genom att minska avbrott, stärka sekretess, främja aktivt lyssnande och erbjuda interprofessionell träning kan kommunikationsprocessen förbättras och därmed öka patientsäkerheten. Studien betonar vikten av att se kommunikationsbrister som systemfel enligt Swiss Chesse-modellen, och föreslår att framtida insatser bör fokusera på organisatoriska förbättringar snarare än enbart individens argerande.
Image Recognition for Material Classification : A study using deep learning to optimize the construction waste business
No full textClimate change and environmental degradation mark the urgent need for sustainable resource management, with recycling playing a central role. To improve efficiency in recycling processes, this thesis investigates whether image recognition and machine learning can be used to classify the contents of recycling bags based on images. The study focuses on two tasks: first, determining whether a bag contains single or a mix of materials, second, identifying the specific material category present. Deep learning models based on the ResNet-18 and VGG16 architectures were trained on real images of recycling bags across 22 categories, including both pure and mixed material classes. Three datasets were used, with variations in size and class balance to evaluate performance under different conditions. The best binary classification model, a VGG16 network, achieved a test accuracy of 83.47%. It was relatively reliable at identifying bags with a single material but less so for bags with mixed content. This result indicates that the model works well for simpler cases but struggle with more complex ones. A more balanced dataset improved VGG16 performance, while ResNet-18 was less sensitive to class imbalance. In addition, dropout regularization proved more effective than batch normalization in this context. For multi-class classification, some categories were predicted accurately while others were misclassified entirely. The results suggest that image recognition has potential to support automated waste classification. However, further development is needed. Particularly more training data, deeper networks and robustness to varying conditions are necessary for model improvement. With these changes, potentially improved models could reduce manual labor, increase classification accuracy and improve efficiency of recycling management
Large Language Models for Signal Processing Pipelines : Advancing Military Electronic Intelligence Workflows
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) has come to play a critical role in the modern defense landscape, where data has increasingly emerged as a strategic asset. Signal processing of radar emissions for detection, identification, and classification is no exception, but broader adaptability in the electronic intelligence (ELINT) domain has remained particularly unexplored by public research. Whereas the environment is typically challenged by complex and incompatible datasets, along with high data volumes and information overload, this thesis investigates whether and how large language models (LLMs) can be utilized to address these challenges. An AI-powered chatbot was proposed, capable of integrating structured and unstructured data, with a modular design intended to enhance transparency and explainability. The system was evaluated on a synthetic dataset, with architectural and design choices based on assumptions constrained by the sensitive nature of the domain. Results from unit testing showed a classification accuracy of 97.8% for prompt categorization, correct results returned by 93.3% of generated SQL queries, and significant time savings compared to manual querying. The system also enabled explainability and offered transparency through intermediate logging and decision justification. However, conversational tests exposed limitations such as error propagation, vulnerability to ambiguous inputs, and dependence on model capabilities and user proficiency. While many of these issues could be addressed, the findings revealed a strong correlation between system reliability and available resources, highlighting both opportunities and risks in operational contexts. Despite limitations due to simulated data and general assumptions, the prototype demonstrates feasibility and potential for broader adoption of LLMs in intelligence environments
Survey study on the use of the Knee Control training program and the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in youth football teams
No full textBakgrund: Främre korsbandsskador är vanligt inom fotboll och främst inom damfotbollen. Varför skadefrekvensen är högre hos denna grupp anses bero på anatomiska, biomekaniska och hormonella faktorer. Ungdomsspelare löper hög risk att drabbas och i Sverige har träningsprogrammet Knäkontroll därför utformats i skadepreventivt syfte, som uppges minska risken för en främre korsbandsskada med 64% hos kvinnliga fotbollsspelare mellan 12–17 år. Syfte: Att utreda kännedom och användning av Knäkontroll hos fotbollstränare i Sverige för pojk- och flicklag mellan 13–19 år. Syftet var även att kartlägga skadefrekvensen av främre korsbandsskador och undersöka om det fanns ett samband mellan sådana skador och användningen av träningsprogrammet. Metod: Studiens design var kvantitativ och en tvärsnittsstudie. Data samlades in genom en egenkonstruerad enkät som besvarades av fotbollstränare för ungdomslag i Sverige. Resultat: Enkäten besvarades av 85 fotbollstränare. Majoriteten (97,6%) av dem kände till träningsprogrammet och flertalet (80,7%) tillämpade det. En tredjedel använde Knäkontroll vid varje träningstillfälle, en tredjedel vid minst 1 gång/vecka och resterande mer sällan än 1 gång/vecka. Tränare för pojklag hade större spridning i användning. Vidare löpte flicklagen 3 gånger större risk att drabbas av en främre korsbandsskada. Ett litet samband kunde identifieras mellan skadefrekvens och användning av Knäkontroll. Slutsats: Det fanns en mycket hög kännedom om Knäkontroll och tränare använder det i olika utsträckning i praktiken. Flicklag löper större risk att drabbas av en främre korsbandsskada och ett litet samband mellan det skadepreventiva träningsprogrammet Knäkontroll och frekvens av främre korsbandsskador kunde påvisas. Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common in football, especially in women's football. The higher injury rate is thought to be due to anatomical, biomechanical and hormonal factors. Youth players are at high risk of injury, and in Sweden, the Knee Control (KC) training program has been designed for injury prevention purpose, which reduce the risk of ACL injuries by 64% in female football players (12–17 years). Aim: Investigate whether football coaches in Sweden for youth teams (13–19 years) are aware of and use KC. Also, examine frequency of ACL injuries and investigate whether there was a correlation between such injuries and KC. Method: The study design was quantitative and cross-sectional. Data were collected through a self-constructed questionnaire that was answered by youth football coaches. Results: 85 coaches completed the survey. The majority (97.6%) were aware of KC and most (80.7%) applied it. One third used it at every training session, another at least once/week and the remainder less than once/week. Coaches for boys’ teams had a greater spread on the use of KC. Girls' teams were three times more likely to suffer an ACL injury. A small correlation could be identified between ACL injuries and KC. Conclusion: There was a high level of awareness of KC and coaches used it to varying degrees. Girls' teams are at greater risk of suffering an ACL injury. A small relationship between KC and the frequency of such injuries could be demonstrated