Publikationer från Uppsala Universitet
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Emotion regulation-based internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for premenstrual dysphoric disorder : study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Sweden
No full textIntroduction. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a cyclic mood disorder affecting around 2%–5% of women of reproductive age. Pharmacological interventions exist, but many patients with PMDD experience residual symptoms, discontinue medications or refrain from them due to side effects. Thus, non-pharmacological treatments are needed as an alternative or additive treatment strategy. Evidence indicates that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a promising candidate. However, further research is required to establish its efficacy and identify ways to improve the treatment. Specifically, incorporating components targeting emotional and interpersonal dysregulation could theoretically enhance its effects. Furthermore, increasing the generally low accessibility of CBT for PMDD necessitates scalable and cost-effective ways to deliver treatment. The current study aims to evaluate the effects and cost-effectiveness of an internet-delivered CBT (ICBT) intervention for PMDD incorporating skills training in emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. Methods and analysis. The study is a parallel two-group randomised controlled trial with 1:1 allocation to 8 weeks of therapist-guided ICBT or a waitlist control condition. Following recruitment and inclusion, 164 individuals aged 18–45 years who fulfil the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders-5 criteria for PMDD will be randomly assigned to the two groups. Primary outcomes are pretreatment to post-treatment group differences in premenstrual symptoms and their impact on everyday life, as well as psychological and functional impairment during the premenstrual phase. Secondary outcomes include treatment effects on quality of life and difficulties in emotion regulation. Long-term treatment effects will be assessed 6 and 12 months postintervention. Data will be analysed using latent Gaussian process modelling and linear mixed models. The economic evaluation will analyse individual-level societal costs and outcomes between trial arms. Recruitment is expected to begin in February 2025, with study completion anticipated by February 2028. Ethics and dissemination. The study has been approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (2023-00655-01). Results will be disseminated via presentations and publications in international journals and national outlets for clinicians and patients with PMDD
Corporate Social…Responsibility? : Hur ledande modeföretag konstruerar ansvarstagande i kriskommunikation
No full textThis study explores how corporations within the fashion industry, specifically H&M and SHEIN, construct responsibility in their crisis communication in response to CSR-related crises. By examining the strategies used in the communication, as well as how the communication relates to CSR, this study aims to illuminate how these corporations act to maintain legitimacy and adhere to societal norms. Situational Crisis Communication Theory is used in combination with Legitimacy Theory, in order to identify both strategies used on a textual level, as well as the larger context and discourses. Critical Discourse Analysis is used as a method with a three-layer framework. The study analyses four posts and statements each issued by H&M and SHEIN respectively in response to six crises. The results of the study show that the companies construct responsibility in different ways depending on the crisis type, and that they take more responsibility for accidental rather than intentional crises. Further, the companies' crisis communication differs as well. H&M adapts more to the circumstances and recipients of the crisis, thus gaining legitimacy. Meanwhile, SHEIN focuses more on building its status as a socially responsible company, through both accommodating strategies but also by overcoming the criticism received. This study highlights the importance and implications of crisis communication, and how different strategies and implementation of CSR can be used by companies to construct responsibility in a sector where customer demands for transparency are prominent
Targeting Cytokine-Mediated Inflammation in Brain Disorders : Developing New Treatment Strategies
No full textCytokine-mediated inflammation is increasingly recognized for playing a vital role in the pathophysiology of a wide range of brain disorders, including neurodegenerative, psychiatric, and neurodevelopmental problems. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) cause neuroinflammation, alter brain function, and accelerate disease development. Despite progress in understanding these pathways, effective medicines targeting brain inflammation are still limited. Traditional anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory drugs are effective in peripheral inflammatory illnesses. Still, they face substantial hurdles when applied to the central nervous system (CNS), such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and unwanted systemic effects. This review highlights the developing treatment techniques for modifying cytokine-driven neuroinflammation, focusing on advances that selectively target critical cytokines involved in brain pathology. Novel approaches, including cytokine-specific inhibitors, antibody-based therapeutics, gene- and RNA-based interventions, and sophisticated drug delivery systems like nanoparticles, show promise with respect to lowering neuroinflammation with greater specificity and safety. Furthermore, developments in biomarker discoveries and neuroimaging techniques are improving our ability to monitor inflammatory responses, allowing for more accurate and personalized treatment regimens. Preclinical and clinical trial data demonstrate the therapeutic potential of these tailored techniques. However, significant challenges remain, such as improving delivery across the BBB and reducing off-target effects. As research advances, the creation of personalized, cytokine-centered therapeutics has the potential to alter the therapy landscape for brain illnesses, giving patients hope for better results and a higher quality of life
Vast sediment dispersal in an inland sea : detrital zircon geochronology of the lower Cambrian Mickwitzia Sandstone (southern Sweden) indicates a Timanian source
No full textPockets of Ediacaran–Cambrian clastic sedimentary rocks are preserved across Fennoscandia, but the provenance, depositional setting and age of many such deposits remain uncertain. We report the first detrital zircon provenance study of the lowermost sediments deposited on sub-Cambrian bedrock in southern Sweden. We performed 285 ion microprobe U–Pb analyses on zircons from the Mickwitzia Sandstone (File Haidar Formation, Cambrian Series 2). Age peaks at c. 2100, 2000, 1800, 1550, 1500, 1225, 1150 and 950 Ma are consistent with Sveconorwegian and Fennoscandian source rocks, whereas a major peak at c. 550 Ma is attributed to the Timanian orogen to the NE. The youngest dates in the dataset, including multiple consistent dates from single grains, indicate a maximum depositional age of c. 550 Ma. This first documentation of Timanian-aged grains in southern Sweden connects reports of Timanian detritus as far afield as northern Norway, Estonia and even Poland. The Timanian detrital signature across thousands of square kilometres suggests that much of Baltica probably consisted of an extremely low-relief plain over which Timanian-sourced detritus spread extensively during the late Ediacaran and early Cambrian
“Är du förberedd?” : En kvalitativ studie om internationella studenter och japansk kriskommunikation
No full textThis thesis examines how international students residing in Japan experience Japanese earthquake crisis communication and what motivates them to take part in it. In order to identify flaws and possible improvements in the Japanese earthquake crisis communication. International students are a group that differ from other voyagers travelling to Japan. Their long-term stay forces them to face the possible dangers of earthquakes in an extremely earthquake prone country. For these individuals it is crucial to gain access to crisis information to enhance the chances of survival during an earthquake. Drawing upon the Uses and Gratification Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, this study aims to identify what motivates international students to take part in earthquake crisis information and let their experiences of japanese earthquake information be made visible. Methodologically, this paper uses semi-structured interviews with ten international students studying in Japan in order to understand their involvement with crisis communication. The research reveals that international students primarily seek crisis information when an earthquake occurs, relying on media sources they perceive as trustworthy to gather information and make them feel safe. Influences from peers and social networks also play a significant role in their information-seeking behavior. The identified main flaws in the existing crisis communication system in Japan are the universities responsibility and the language. The findings highlight the importance of tailored crisis communication strategies that address the unique needs of international students, ultimately contributing to the development of future communicative strategies which can increase their resilience in the face of earthquakes
Seismic Imaging of Halokinetic Sequences and Structures With High-Resolution, Dual-Element Acquisition, and Processing : Applications to the Gassum Structure in Eastern Jutland, Denmark
No full textUnderstanding the structural intricacies of subsurface halokinetic formations is crucial for various geological applications, including geological capture and storage (geological carbon storage (GCS)). This study focuses on the seismic imaging of the Gassum structure in eastern Jutland, Denmark, employing high-resolution, dual-element acquisition, and processing techniques. The investigation aims to unravel details in the evolution of the salt dome and its implications for GCS potential. High-resolution seismic data processing and interpretation reveals a skewed dome structure with steeper flanks on the western and northern sides, characterized by faults and stratigraphic thinning. The asymmetric growth of the dome suggests uneven salt loading during its genesis, influencing local stress fields and structural development, with evidence of syn-tectonic subsidence that produced salt welds. This is supported by the presence of stratigraphic wedges and an increased depth of imaged horizons within steeper flanks of the dome. A mild piercement of the salt into overlying sediments, onlapping features, and the presence of normal faults that originate from the dome apex and extend radially, all indicate a reactive piercement process in the salt pillow's development stage. This produced an extensional regime in overlying strata, inducing sequence thinning and graben structures. Analysis of reservoir and seal properties unveils adequate conditions for GCS, with a continuous reservoir and thick primary and secondary seals. However, the presence of faults intersecting these formations raises concerns regarding long-term storage stability. Further investigations into reservoir porosity, migration paths, and volumetric analysis are warranted for conclusive GCS assessments
Characteristics That Predict Psoriatic Arthritis by the Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis in Patients With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis 18 Years After Disease Onset
No full textObjective. The purposes of this study were to assess the clinical characteristics of patients with juvenile idiopathicarthritis (JIA) who fulfill the ClASsification criteria for Psoriatic ARthritis (CASPAR) 18 years after disease onset in apopulation-based setting and to identify features likely to predict psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods. Patients with JIA from defined geographic regions of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden with dis-ease onset from 1997 to 2000 were enrolled prospectively and followed up for 18 years. Clinical, laboratory, and hered-ity data for psoriasis were collected. Patients were classified according to the International League of Associations forRheumatology (ILAR) criteria at baseline, and we applied ILAR and CASPAR criteria at 18 years. Logistic regressionwas performed to study the effects of JIA-related characteristics and heredity for psoriasis on being classified for PsA. Results. Among the 510 patients enrolled, 434 participated in the 18-year follow-up, 28 (6.5%) met the ILAR cri-teria, and 41 (9.4%) fulfilled the CASPAR criteria. Patients with wrist or subtalar joint involvement at onset had higherodds of being classified with PsA at 18 years (odds ratio [OR] 3.3, P = 0.02 and OR 12.9, P = 0.01, respectively). Pres-ence of psoriasis, nail abnormalities, or dactylitis showed significant association with development of PsA (OR 20.2,P < 0.001; OR 11.6, P = 0.002; and OR 43.4, P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion. CASPAR criteria identify more patients with PsA compared with ILAR criteria and may better capturethe heterogeneous nature of the disease. Presence of psoriasis and dactylitis at disease onset were the strongest pre-dictors for the development of PsA. Further studies on the utility of CASPAR criteria in patients with JIA are neede
Exploring Outcomes by Ethnicity in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
No full textBackground: Clinical outcome disparities among racial and ethnic groups have been described following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). This study investigated the impact of race and ethnicity on HCT outcomes in a multi-ethnic single-center population. Methods: We analyzed outcomes of 709 allogeneic HCT patients, stratified by racial and ethnic groups, who underwent allogeneic HCT between January 2018 and April 2022. Outcomes examined included overall survival (OS), cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), non-relapse mortality (NRM), and graft-versus-host disease/relapse-free survival (GRFS). Results: No significant differences in OS, CIR, NRM, GRFS, acute GVHD (aGVHD), or chronic GVHD (cGVHD) were observed. Significant differences in age, use of human leukocyte antigen-mismatched donors (HLA-MM), and HCT-CI comorbidity scores >= 3 across racial and ethnic groups were observed. Overall mean age was 58 years, with Black patients having the youngest mean age of 43 (range 22-73) and White patients the highest mean age of 59 (range 18-76) (p < 0.001). HCT-CI score >= 3 was seen in 35.9% of the entire cohort, varying by race and ethnicity: 60.5% in Black, 41.4% in South Asian, 31.5% in White, and 29.0% in East Asian patients (p < 0.001). Utilization of HLA-MM donors (including haploidentical) was 29.2% overall, with highest frequencies in Black (65.1%) and East Asian (45%) patients, and lowest in White patients (20.4%) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Statistically significant differences were observed across self-identified racial and ethnic groups regarding age, HCT-CI >= 3, and the use of HLA-MM donors. However, post-allogeneic HCT outcomes did not differ significantly by race or ethnicity. Larger prospective trials are warranted to validate our findings
Predictive model-based multi-objective optimization with life-long meta-learning for designing unreliable production systems
No full textOwing to the realization of advanced manufacturing systems, manufacturers have more flexibility in improving their processes through design decisions. Design decisions in production lines primarily involve two complex problems: buffer and resource allocation (B&RA). The main aim of B&RA is to determine the best location and size of buffers in the production line and optimally allocate production resources, such as operators and machines, to workstations. Inspired by a real-world case from the marine engine production industry, this study addresses B&RA in high-mix, low-volume hybrid flow shops (HFSs) with feed-forward quality inspection. These HFSs can be characterized by uncertainties in demand, material handling, processing times, and quality control. In this study, the production environment is modeled via discrete-event simulation, which reflects the features of the actual system without requiring unreasonable or restrictive assumptions. To replace the expensive simulation runs, five widely used regressor machine learning algorithms in manufacturing are trained on data sampled from the simulation model, and the best-performing algorithm is selected as the predictive model. To obtain high-quality solutions, the predictive model is coupled with an enhanced non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (En-NSGA-II) that incorporates lifelong meta-learning and features a customized representation and a variable neighborhood search. Additionally, a post-optimality analysis using a pattern-mining algorithm is performed to generate knowledge for allocating buffers and operators based on the optimization results, thus providing promising managerial insights