Publikationer från Uppsala Universitet
Not a member yet
127603 research outputs found
Sort by
Restoring landscapes to build common futures : Land redistribution and environmental action in rural Scotland
No full textEcosystem restoration is crucial for reversing environmental degradation, yet contemporary approaches often frame restoration as a technical, science-driven endeavour, neglecting the social and political processes through which communities mobilise for landscape revitalisation. This paper develops the concept of restorative commoning, which we define as a bottom-up creative process in which communities envision and enact new futures for their landscapes in pursuit of collective thriving. We ground this concept in an ethnographic study of Langholm in Scotland, where local residents organised a landmark community buyout of private land, establishing the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve. Through interviews, participant observations, and transect walks, we analyse how residents engaged with restoration not just as an ecological project but as a social, political, and affective act, redefining relationships with place, community, and ecosystems. Our findings reveal how restorative commoning emerges from grassroots mobilisation, historical solidarity, and supportive policy frameworks, particularly land tenure reforms that enable collective ownership. The Langholm case demonstrates that such ownership acts as a catalyst, transforming reactive resistance into proactive reimagination of landscapes. Beyond ecological outcomes, the process nurtures civic revitalisation, challenging dominant paradigms of privatisation and expert-led restoration. We argue that restorative commoning shifts restoration from a return to past conditions to a forward-looking, collective process of socio-ecological change. The study highlights the need for policies that create enabling conditions for community-led restoration, emphasising the interdependence of ecosystem health and social well-being. By centering local agency, affective ties to place, and democratic governance, restorative commoning offers a pathway for more inclusive and sustainable approaches to landscape revitalisation
"It is like he abandoned me in a war" - A qualitative study of relationship distress in parents of children diagnosed with cancer
No full textPurpose: Up to 40 % of parents of children with cancer experience relationship distress; a significantly higher proportion compared to the general population. Despite this elevated risk, there are few in-depth qualitative studies investigating relationship distress in the paediatric oncology context. Therefore, this study aimed to explore how parents of children with cancer experience relationship distress to thereby generate an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon. Method: A sample of 25 parents (17 mothers, 8 fathers) who had experienced relationship distress related to their child's cancer participated in semi-structured interviews exploring relationship dynamics, communication, conflict management, and relational changes following the child's diagnosis. The interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using inductive content analysis. Results: Three categories and nine subcategories were identified. In addition to these, one overarching theme emerged. The first category 'Pressure on the relationship', illustrated factors that placed strain on the couple relationship. The second category 'When unity fails' included parents' experiences of challenges in dealing with the situation together as a couple. The third category 'Fractured togetherness' highlighted relationship deterioration as a result of the cancer experience. The theme 'Fighting together, yet drifting apart' linked the categories by illustrating the process of experiencing joint hardships, of trying to manage these together, but ending up with a wounded relationship. Conclusion: This study contributes with an in-depth understanding of relationship distress in parents of children with cancer. Thereby, it can contribute to the development of currently limited interventions to support parents' couple relationships in paediatric oncology care
Optimization and re-operation of the fission fragment spectrometer VERDI
No full textThe VElocity foR Direct particle Identification (VERDI) spectrometer is a Fission Fragment detection instrument based on the double-energy double-velocity (2E-2v) method. The aim is to determine fission fragment yield distributions with a mass resolution of at least A/Delta A = 100. VERDI features two time-of-flight (TOF) sections, each equipped with a micro-channel plate (MCP) detector for the start time-of-flight determination and up to 31 passivated implanted planar silicon (PIPS) detectors for fragment time-of-flight (TOF) and energy measurement. We report on improvements in the data acquisition and the technical performance of our time pickup and energy detection
Development of the N400 in infancy
No full textIn this longitudinal EEG study, we examined the developmental trajectory of the N400 component using a wordpicture mismatch-paradigm in 18 infants at 10 and 12 months of age. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded and analyzed in three consecutive time windows (400-600 ms, 600-800 ms, 800-1000 ms poststimulus). At 10 months, a significant N400-like effect occurred (400-600 ms) but diminished by 12 months, potentially due to developmental changes or increased stimuli familiarity. No significant correlation emerged between N400 amplitude and parental reports of receptive vocabulary. These results imply that the N400 effect is present already in infancy
Suicide after involuntary psychiatric care : a nationwide cohort study in Sweden
No full textBackground Little is known about the risk of suicide in individuals treated against their will in involuntary psychiatric care (IPC). This population-based study provides a first comprehensive description of suicide among individuals who experienced IPC. Methods We studied all individuals discharged from IPC in Sweden from 2010 through 2020. Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics are reported followed by suicide risk for the complete IPC population and stratified by sex, age, IPC history, and diagnostic category. Crude and adjusted relative risks compared to all individuals discharged from psychiatric in-and outpatient care and the general population were estimated using Poisson regression. Suicide methods, seasonal trends, and geographical variance are also reported. Findings We identified 72 275 patients treated in IPC with a total of 134 514 inpatient care episodes (mean age = 44.8 years, 37 462 [51.8%] males). Of these, 2104 (2.9%) died by suicide over a median follow-up time of 4.4 years (IQR: 1.8-7.5). Suicide decedents were younger, more often male, single, diagnosed with personality and substance use disorders, and had a history of self-harm and IPC, compared to those who did not die by suicide. The absolute risk (crude incidence rate (IR) per 100 000 person-years) for all IPC patients was highest closest to discharge (IR1month = 2941 [2538, 3408]) and decreased thereafter (IR5years = 738 [705, 773]). Suicide risk in IPC patients was elevated relative to psychiatric inpatients (crude IR ratio (IRR)5years = 1.57 [1.48, 1.65]), psychiatric outpatients (IRR5years = 3.77 [3.58, 3.97]), and the general population (IRR5years= 55.52 [52.65, 58.54]). Interpretation We found substantial risk differences in distinct subgroups of IPC patients and an excess suicide risk among IPC patients compared to other clinical populations. These findings warrant further investigation as they could inform clinicians and policy makers regarding potential risk stratification, monitoring, and care. Preventing suicides after IPC should be a priority
Successful Management of Two Consecutive Pregnancies With Maternal-Fetal Phenylketonuria : Lessons From Clinical Practice
No full textPhenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), leading to the accumulation of phenylalanine (Phe) and an increased risk of developmental disorders. Treatment involves a Phe-restricted diet, amino acid supplements, and for a subset of patients, a tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) chaperone. Managing PKU during pregnancy is challenging due to changing protein and energy needs, stricter Phe control, nausea, and unpalatable supplements. In rare cases of simultaneous maternal and fetal PKU, Phe tolerance may increase less throughout gestation, raising the demands on the patient and caregivers. There are few reports and no guidelines on the management of PKU during pregnancies in which both mother and fetus have PKU, hereafter referred to as maternal-fetal PKU (mfPKU). This report outlines our approach for successfully managing two consecutive mfPKU pregnancies. We emphasize a patient-centered approach, focusing on patient education and close collaboration with a multidisciplinary metabolic team. This involves regular monitoring of body weight, blood Phe levels, and calorie intake through an online food diary to tailor individual recommendations for natural protein restriction and amino acid supplements
Political intolerance in comprehensive welfare states : Evidence from Sweden
No full textPrevious research has shown that comprehensive welfare states are effective at bridging ethnic divisions and promoting political tolerance of marginalized groups. Do these results hold up in the face of the great influx of migrants into European welfare states following the 2015–16 refugee crisis? In this case study of Sweden, we map the general level of political tolerance and test various individual-level explanations for it. Based on a survey of about 3500 citizens, our results show that the level of ethnic antipathy in Sweden is low. Other groups, however—such as supporters of the Sweden Democrats, a radical-right party—are widely disliked, as are abortion opponents and anti-vaccinationists. The individual-level explanations we have tested—in connection with threat perceptions, civic and political engagement, and socio-economic factors—turn up mixed results. Our conclusion is that the results we have found reflect something of a liberal-democratic backlash, whereupon a certain kind of political intolerance has become widespread
Navigating Constraints : Activist Strategies in the Vietnamese LGBT+ Movement
No full textIn the past decade, the Vietnamese lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBT+) movement has succeeded in repositioning this population from the stigmatising label of “social evils” to a more positive social representation. Despite the limited space for civil society in this authoritarian environment, Vietnamese activists and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have effectively changed public attitudes, improved visibility, and gained legal recognition for this marginalised community. This study uses qualitative data from interviews with twelve activists and fieldwork observations to explain how activist strategies in this setting align with the “service delivery” function of civil society. By examining how activists have addressed healthcare and education deficits, I demonstrate that activism in authoritarian regimes can be effective when it assists instead of challenges the government. The findings contribute to scholarship on global queer activism by demonstrating how a service delivery approach can achieve social change, highlighting the role of NGOs and international development in this process. Additionally, the findings expose existing challenges that hinder these activists’ efforts, showing how funding dependency and inadequate legal recognition can significantly limit the creativity and autonomy of grassroots activist groups
Solar flare observations with the Radio Neutrino Observatory Greenland (RNO-G)
No full textThe Radio Neutrino Observatory – Greenland (RNO-G) seeks discovery of ultra-high energy neutrinos from the cosmos through their interactions in ice. The science program extends beyond particle astrophysics to include radioglaciology and, as we show herein, solar observations, as well. Currently seven of 35 planned radio-receiver stations (24 antennas/station) are operational. These stations are sensitive to impulsive radio signals with frequencies between 80 and 700 MHz and feature a neutrino trigger threshold for recording data close to the thermal floor. RNO-G can also trigger on elevated signals from the Sun, resulting in nanosecond resolution time-domain flare data; such temporal resolution is significantly shorter than from most dedicated solar observatories. In addition to possible RNO-G solar flare polarization measurements, the Sun also represents an extremely useful above-surface calibration source. Using RNO-G data recorded during the summers of 2022 and 2023, we find signal excesses during solar flares reported by the solar-observing Callisto network and also in coincidence with ∼2/3 of the brightest excesses recorded by the SWAVES satellite. These observed flares are characterized by significant time-domain impulsivity. Using the known position of the Sun, the flare sample is used to calibrate the RNO-G absolute pointing on the radio signal arrival direction to sub-degree resolution. We thus establish the Sun as a regularly observed astronomical calibration source to provide the accurate absolute pointing required for neutrino astronomy
Liquid crystal nanoparticles for oral combination antibiotic therapies : A strategy towards protecting commensal gut bacteria during treatment
No full textAntibiotics are essential for treating infections and reducing risks during medical interventions. However, many commonly used antibiotics lack the physiochemical properties for an efficient oral administration when treating systemic infection. Instead, we are reliant on intravenous delivery, which presents complications outside of clinical settings. Developing novel formulations for oral administration is a potential solution to this problem. We engineered hexosome and cubosome liquid crystal nanoparticles (LCNPs) characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, and could encapsulate the antibiotics vancomycin (VAN) and clarithromycin (CLA) with high loading efficiencies. By rationally choosing stable lipid building blocks, the loaded LCNPs demonstrated excellent resilience against enzymatic degradation in an in vitro gut model LCNP stability is crucial as premature antibiotic leakage can negatively impact the gut microbiota. In screens against the representative gut bacteria Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli, our LCNPs provided a protective effect. Furthermore, we explored co-administration and dual loading strategies of VAN and CLA, and demonstrated effective loading, stability and protection for E. faecalis and E. coli. This work represents a proof of concept for the early-stage development of antibiotic-loaded LCNPs to treat systemic infection via oral administration, opening opportunities for combination antibiotic therapies