Publikationer från Uppsala Universitet
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Upper-secondary school segregation in stockholm metropolitan area : The relationship between commuting distance and school characteristics
No full textAlthough free school choice policies are often proposed as strategies to decouple residential and school segregation, research has found that they may actually increase segregation. This study investigates an underexplored aspect of these policies: the role of commuting in influencing school segregation patterns. Using Swedish register data from Stockholm Metropolitan Area, we analyse ethnic and socioeconomic segregation across residential neighbourhoods and upper-secondary schools. We examine students' distances to the nearest schools offering their chosen programs and their actual commuting distances in relation to the schools' characteristics. Our findings reveal that students with immigrant backgrounds, despite living closer to the nearest schools offering their chosen programs than native peers, tend to travel longer distances to attend their chosen schools. For native students, choosing nearby schools is associated with selecting more privileged institutions that have higher proportions of native students and higher average income levels. In contrast, students with immigrant backgrounds often travel longer distances to reach schools with characteristics similar to those attended by native students. These results challenge simplistic assumptions about the segregation-reducing effects of free school choice policies and highlight the complex interplay among the uneven distribution of educational opportunities, home-to-school mobility, and school selection strategies
Early versus adult onset of schizophrenia : an examination of premorbid and current IQ
No full textBACKGROUND: Cognitive deficits are core findings in schizophrenia, but whether the severity of impairments is related to the age of onset remains unclear. We hypothesized that early onset schizophrenia (EOS; onset before age 19) is associated with lower IQ compared to adult-onset schizophrenia (AOS; onset from age 19). METHODS: We included 99 adult patients with EOS (age of onset: 15.3 ± 2.8 years), 282 adult patients with AOS (age of onset: 26.5 ± 7.4 years), and 863 adult healthy controls (HC). We assessed current IQ with Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) and estimated premorbid IQ with National Adult Reading Test (NART). RESULTS: Both patient groups had lower current IQ than HC (p < 0.001). Full-scale (p = 0.004), performance (p = 0.003) and verbal (p = 0.011) current IQ were significantly lower in EOS than in AOS, with 5 IQ units difference for all three measures. EOS and AOS did not differ in premorbid IQ, but EOS showed a steeper IQ decline from premorbid levels than AOS (11.4 vs. 8 IQ units, respectively, p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: EOS had lower current IQ than AOS, but did not differ in premorbid IQ, suggesting a larger decline from premorbid IQ levels. This could imply different neurodevelopmental processes underlying cognitive dysfunction related to age of onset in schizophrenia, underscoring the necessity for further inquiry into the mechanisms driving this decline and strategies for its prevention
Global ocean indicators : Marking pathways at the science-policy nexus
No full textOcean knowledge is crucial for shaping policies that enable sustainable development, adaptation, and well-being at all levels, as everyone-either directly or indirectly-depends on the ocean, which today faces escalating threats from climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, pushing us beyond critical planetary boundaries. Ocean indicators are crucial for translating ocean science and data into practical metrics, guidance, and tools informing on the state and health of the ocean that can be directly applied by policymakers, practitioners, and the public. Despite their critical importance, ocean indicators trail behind those for continental areas, limiting effective monitoring and policy integration. Developing reliable, comparable, and regularly updated ocean indicators, backed by a unified international framework, is essential for delivering coherent, actionable insights that can guide global goals and protect the ocean's future. This paper establishes a scientific foundation for ocean indicators through international and multidisciplinary collaboration, presenting defined criteria and a set of pilot indicators for the ocean's physical, biogeochemical, biodiversity, and ecosystem aspects. The proposed framework offers a solid foundation for generating indicators that not only track the ocean state but also provide outputs for application in informing policy and decision-making
Fractional differential problems with numerical anti-reflective boundary conditions from a numerical linear algebra perspective : A computational study with an extensive numerical validation
No full textIn the current work, we propose numerical anti-reflective boundary conditions (BCs) in the context of nonlocal problems of fractional differential type: the numerical linear algebra goal is a O(N log N) complexity of the resulting direct and iterative algorithms, accompanied by a qualitative better approximation, with the mitigation of boundary artifacts. In fact, for showing the quality of the numerical anti-reflective BCs, we compare various types of numerical BCs, including the anti-symmetric ones considered in the case of fractional differential problems for modeling reasons. More in detail, given important similarities between anti-symmetric and anti-reflective BCs, we compare them from the perspective of computational efficiency, by considering non-truncated and truncated versions, and also other standard numerical BCs such as periodic BCs or reflective/Neumann BCs. A short theoretical analysis and several numerical tests, tables, and visualizations are provided and critically discussed. The conclusion is that the truncated numerical anti-reflective BCs perform better, both in terms of low computational cost and accuracy
Molecular dynamics simulations of a hexagonal liquid crystal phase to study drug partitioning and release mechanisms
No full textLiquid crystal nanoparticles (LCNPs), such as hexosomes based on an internal hexagonal phase (HII), enhance lipid nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery by improving drug solubility, stability and absorption. LCNPs can also be tailored for specific biological environments by incorporating non-ester-linker lipids into the HII nanostructure. In this study, we developed an HII model system with a 90:10 phytantriol:farnesol ratio based on experimental data and conducted all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The model remained stable across various water-to-lipid ratios, and the structural effects observed were consistent with prior experimental data. We used this model to examine the localization and interactions of antibiotics vancomycin and clarithromycin. Clarithromycin, being highly lipophilic, associated mainly with the lipid phase, while vancomycin localized at the water-lipid interface due to its amphiphilic nature. An extended HII system with repeating units enclosed in Pluronic F127 polymers was also constructed. Simulations showed that hydrogen bonding between Pluronic F127 and water facilitated water influx into the HII phase, causing interfacial reorganization. To investigate drug release, we performed umbrella sampling simulations. The resulting energy profiles indicated that polymer-water-lipid interactions lowered the energy barrier for vancomycin release compared to clarithromycin. This was confirmed by in vitro release studies, where vancomycin exhibited a higher release rate. Overall, this model provides molecular-level insights into drug loading, partitioning, and release from HII systems, supporting the design of more effective drug delivery formulations
Binary trees with extremal number of maximal independent sets
No full textA binary tree (more precisely, an unrooted binary tree) is a tree in which all internal vertices (i.e., non-leaves) are exactly of degree 3. We give an upper bound and a lower bound for the number of maximal independent sets in binary trees together with a characterization of the extremal binary trees. The binary trees with second largest number of maximal independent sets are also characterized. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Quantitative approaches for spatial metabolomics with isomer differentiation using surface sampling capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry
No full textThe importance of metabolites and their isomeric structures in biological function and dysfunction is increasingly recognized. However, achieving quantitative mapping of metabolites within tissue regions, particularly with isomeric specificity, remains an analytical challenge. This work presents the development of a quantitative surface sampling capillary electrophoresis method for spatial metabolomics with isomeric resolution. Five quantitation strategies were evaluated, with the optimal approach identified as sequential injection of metabolites directly from tissue alongside standards. This methodology was applied to a rat brain tissue section in a proof-of-principle study, enabling quantitative spatial analysis of metabolites, neurotransmitters, and isomeric species. Among the findings, the aromatic amino acids tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan exhibited the most dynamic distributions across four brain regions, while leucine and isoleucine demonstrated distinct spatial profiles, with leucine consistently being the more abundant isomer. This method offers a promising tool for advancing the understanding of spatially resolved biochemical processes underlying biological function and dysfunction.Title in the list of papers of Anastasia Golubova's thesis: Quantitative spatial metabolomics with isomer differentiation using Surface Sampling Capillary Electrophoresis Mass Spectrometry</p
Enhancing photocurrent collection in wide-gap ACIGS solar cells
No full textChalcopyrite solar cells utilising (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 (ACIGS) absorbers have demonstrated cell efficiencies approaching 24% and adjustable band gaps between 1.0 and 1.7 eV, rendering them a promising material for tandem solar cells. The increased band gap obtained by increasing the compositional [Ga]/([Ga] + [In]) ratio has a detrimental impact on the absorber quality, resulting in open circuit voltage, fill factor and short-circuit current below expectations. The latter is due to a poor photocurrent collection, which is particularly evident in reduced external quantum efficiency (EQE), accompanied by substantial losses in the near infrared. This study identifies a previously unrecognised mechanism reducing the photocurrent collection in wide-gap ACIGS solar cells processed on transparent back contact. Manipulations at the ACIGS/CdS interface, particularly KCN etching and variations in ammonia rinsing duration of the absorber, effectively restores both the EQE maximum and the near-infrared response. The observed inverse correlation between doping density and EQE maximum suggests an electron barrier caused by a highly doped p+ layer near the ACIGS/CdS interface, a trend reproduced by drift-diffusion simulations. Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction analyses demonstrate no correlation between ordered vacancy compounds and the photocurrent collection issue. Mitigation strategies significantly improve photocurrent collection and device performance, notably reduced post deposition treatment associated with reduced doping level, thicker CdS buffer layer through extended chemical bath deposition, and absorber annealing after rinsing. The resulting devices with efficiency reaching 12.9% are close to the most efficient semi-transparent wide-gap ACIGS solar cells to date
Hazardous alcohol use among patients with psychiatric disorders : Findings from phosphatidylethanol (PEth) screening in healthcare
No full textIdentifying hazardous alcohol use among patients with psychiatric disorders is important for improving treatment outcomes. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use across 20 psychiatric diagnoses using phosphatidylethanol (PEth) blood sampling. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of PEth samples collected between 2017 and 2023 from a regional Swedish healthcare database, linked to clinician-assessed psychiatric diagnoses. Participants were adults (≥18 years) with a psychiatric disorder (N = 18,240). Hazardous alcohol use was defined as a PEth concentration > 0.30 µmol/L (∼210 µg/L). Marginal risk ratios (RR) were estimated using logistic regression adjusted for sex, age, comorbidity, season, and healthcare setting. In the sample (mean age: 40 years; 58.7 % female), 7.4 % screened positive for hazardous use. The highest prevalence was observed in patients with substance use disorder (12 %, RR: 1.87, 95 % CI: 1.57–2.23) and panic disorder (8.8 %, RR: 1.43, 95 % CI: 1.19–1.70). Lower prevalence was seen in patients with exhaustion syndrome (5.4 %), ADHD (5.0 %), and obsessive–compulsive disorder (4.2 %). Panic disorder remained significantly associated with hazardous use after adjustment. Male sex (RR: 1.79, 95 % CI: 1.58–2.02) and age, with the highest risk observed around 60 years, were both strongly associated with increased risk. Hazardous alcohol use is prevalent among patients with psychiatric disorders when assessed with PEth. Targeted screening, especially among older men and patients with panic disorder, may improve identification and intervention.Correction in: ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS, Volume 172DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108512</p
Advancing the science of consciousness: From ethics to clinical care
No full textSignificant advances in the scientific investigation of the neurobiology of consciousness have been slow to be translated into clinical settings, limited by a lack of generally agreed working definition (e.g., what is consciousness?) and methodology (e.g., how to identify reliable biomarkers/indicators of consciousness? How to improve sensitivity and specificity of the technological identification of consciousness?). In the present paper we aim at proposing potential strategies for reducing the gap between research, clinical practice, and patients’ and their caregivers’ needs regarding disorders of consciousness. By implementing a multidisciplinary (i.e., involving different disciplines) and multiperspective (i.e., involving different stakeholders) approach, the paper focuses on disorders of consciousness: it starts from the review of some of the most promising measures of consciousness from brain activity (i.e., electrophysiology and spectral measures, measures of functional connectivity, complexity-based measures). Next the paper introduces brain responses to illusions as a possible new indicator of consciousness (i.e., a feature that facilitates the attribution of consciousness), and illustrates a possible clinical operationalization of the indicators of consciousness through the case of virtual reality. Finally, the paper analyses a set of urgent ethical issues and describes a model for assessing and dealing with those issues, concluding by elaborating key recommendations for improving the clinical treatment of patients with disorders of consciousness through a better translation of research into clinics