What’s the matter in education for sustainable development? How sustainability stories make matter as issues or problems

This study engages with how sustainability stories can assign meaning to sustainability matter in different ways. The study contributes to discussions on how to combine facts, norms, and the democratic action competence in pluralistic approaches in Environmental and Sustainability Education. A special focus is put on how co-created sustainability stories can be used to provide, explore, and expand shared experiences of sustainability. The analysis engages with how content is defined and made relevant through stories, how they represent matter as pre-defined problems and solutions or as an invitation to exploration and reinterpretation, and how competences for sustainable development are made visible through the characters. The method used is a holistic narrative content analysis of 21 sustainability stories, co-created by pre-school teachers and their children. Three selected stories exemplify the results and show how some stories manage to move back and forth between on the one hand assembling sustainability matter as concrete problems to be solved, and on the other hand as open-ended issues promoting critical reflection. The main conclusion is that these, promising but yet uncommon, stories best represent pluralistic perspectives, creativity, and democratic action competence.Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council FORMAS [2018-00222]</p

Race in clinical trials in Sweden: How regulatory and medical standards in clinical research trump the post-racial discourse

The post-racial discourse that permeates many Western European countries depicts society as having moved beyond race concepts and classifications. This article focuses on Sweden, a country that, in line with the post-racial thinking, declares race to be an offensive and unscientific concept. The article investigates what happens when this post-racial discourse meets clinical research standards that encourage, if not demand, the collection of data on patient race. Through an analysis of the reporting of patient race in 76 multinational trials with at least one study site in Sweden, and a review of the regulatory and medical standards and trial documents that direct the collection of patient race in trials, we show how race classification is kept intact in trials despite conflicting with post-racial norms and conventions. Notably, our findings diverge from the way racialisation is typically assumed to work in Sweden and related countries. We argue this is possible because the two incompatible understandings of race are distributed (Mol, 2002, The body multiple: Ontology in medical practice, Duke University Press) among different social worlds. The distribution, we propose, is upheld through the paucity of major debate on why and how race classification should be carried out in clinical trials in Europe as this allows contradictions to remain unspoken.Funding Agencies|Vetenskapsradet [2019-03310]</p

Exploring a Wearable Technology for Enhanced Learning : - a design concept

This paper is an explorative interaction design study focusing on the development of a wearable device for enhanced learning of bodily skills. It uses a variation of technology scouting and matchmaking to explore possible technologies related to assistive technology for learning. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people in the concerned fields and analysis of the interviews resulted in insights that could inform the development of the design. Research findings suggest that a wearable learning system that leverages AI to guide and assist learning of bodily skills through a haptic interface could be possible with current technology. The paper proposes a schematic diagram of the system, UX goals and evaluates user attitudes towards such a system. Overall, this design study could serve as a resource for future development of AI-assisted education for activities involving bodily movement.  

Prevalence of denosumab-induced hypocalcemia: a retrospective observational study of patients routinely monitored with ionized calcium post-injection

Summary: We assessed the prevalence of hypocalcemia after denosumab injections in a real-world cohort routinely monitored for calcium during up to 7.5 years of treatment. Among 1096 injections in 242 patients, 6.3% resulted in hypocalcemia, and was independent of the injection number. Severe hypocalcemia was rare (1%). Purpose: To assess the prevalence of and risk factors for hypocalcemia after administration of denosumab in a patient cohort routinely monitored for ionized calcium after each dose. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed denosumab-induced hypocalcemia in a real-world cohort who were routinely followed up with ionized calcium pre- and post-injection (within 31 days after injection) during the period 2011 to 2020. Results: In total, we included data from 1096 denosumab injections in 242 individuals (1–15 injections per patient). The mean age for the first injection was 74 ± 10 years, and 88% were female. Post-injection hypocalcemia occurred after 6.3% of all injections (4.6% mild, 0.6% moderate, and 1.1% severe) and was independent of the number of injections (rate of hypocalcemia varied from 3–8%). Risk factors for hypocalcemia were male sex, severe renal failure, pre-injection hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, hypophosphatemia, and vitamin D insufficiency. Furthermore, older age was not associated with an increased hypocalcemia risk. Conclusions: Denosumab-induced hypocalcemia is a prevalent adverse event, which occurs independently of the number of injections. However, severe hypocalcemia is a rare occurrence, and severe renal failure and nutritional status appear to be important predictive factors. Magnesium and phosphate might add value in the pre-injection risk assessment; however, this observation needs to be confirmed in larger cohorts.Funding: Linkoping University</p

MicroRNA expression in specific segments of the pig periovulatory internal genital tract is differentially regulated by semen or by seminal plasma

microRNAs play pivotal roles during mammalian reproduction, including the cross-talk between gametes, embryos and the maternal genital tract. Mating induces changes in the expression of mRNA transcripts in the female, but whether miRNAs are involved remains to be elucidated. In the current study, we mapped 181 miRNAs in the porcine peri-ovulatory female reproductive tract: Cervix (Cvx), distal and proximal uterus (Dist-Ut, ProxUt), Utero-tubal-junction (UTJ), isthmus (Isth), ampulla (Amp), and infundibulum (Inf) when exposed to semen (natural mating (NM) or artificial insemination (AI-P1)) or to infusions of sperm-free seminal plasma (SP): the first 10 mL of the sperm rich fraction (SP-P1) or the entire ejaculate (SP-E). Among the most interesting findings, NM decreased mir-671, implicated in uterine development and pregnancy loss prior to embryo implantation, in Cvx, Dist-UT, Prox-UT, Isth, and Inf, while it increased in Amp. NM and SP-E induced the downregulation of miRlet7A-1 (Dist-UT, Prox-UT), a regulator of immunity during pregnancy. miR-34C-1, a regulator of endometrial receptivity gene expression, was increased in Dist-UT, UTJ and Amp (NM), in Prox-UT (AI-P1), and in Amp (SPP1). miR-296, a modulator of the inflammatory response and apoptosis, was upregulated in the UTJ (all treatments). NM elicited the highest miRNA activity in the sperm reservoir (UTJ), suggesting that key-regulators such as miR-34c or miR-296 may modulate the metabolic processes linked to the adequate preparation for gamete encounter in the oviduct. Our results suggest that SP should be maintained in AI to warrant miRNA regulation within the female genital tract for reproductive success

Differential Microstructure and Properties of Boron Steel Plates Obtained by Water Impinging Jet Quenching Technique

Soil-working tools in agriculture are made of boron-containing steels with high wear resistance and hardenability. Nevertheless, these tools are subject to high impacts, abrasive wear, and fatigue and are therefore prone to failure. To combine varying levels of properties within one component in as-quenched condition can be beneficial for such products. To obtain this property variation, a component must undergo a complex and controllable cooling. Therefore, the aim of this work is to obtain a microstructure gradient along two 15 mm-thick steel plates in a newly developed test rig by water jet impingement technique to confirm its controllability and flexibility. Furthermore, a quenching simulation model is created for hardness prediction using phase transformation data from a machine learning tool. Microstructure variation is observed using light optical microscopy and the electron backscatter diffraction technique. Mechanical properties are studied through tensile tests and hardness measurements and are also compared with simulation results. The 0.27 mass% C steel sample is obtained in almost fully martensitic state transitioning to a softer ferritic/bainitic condition, while the 0.38 mass% C steel sample results predominantly into a fully hardened martensitic state and slightly shows ferritic and bainitic features along the sample. The quenching simulation model shows promising hardness prediction for both steels. A newly developed impinging jet quenching technique is used for differential quenching of 15 mm-thick boron steel sheets with the aim of obtaining microstructure and property gradients along their lengths. As a result, combinations of differential hardness profiles along with varying hardening degrees are produced and metallurgically characterized through microstructure observations and mechanical tests.Funding Agencies|The present study was financed by Swedenapos;s Innovation Agency Vinnova (grant no. 2017-02281) and by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (grant no. 20201438). [2017-02281]; Swedenapos;s Innovation Agency Vinnova [20201438]; Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth</p

Introducering av Generativ Artificiell Intelligens i Tech Organisationer : Utveckling och utvärdering av ett Proof of Concept för datahantering förstärkt av en Retrieval Augmented Generation Model tillsammans med en Large Language Model för små och medelstora företag inom Tech

In recent years, generative AI has made significant strides, likely leaving an irreversible mark on contemporary society. The launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT 3.5 in 2022 manifested the greatness of the innovative technology, highlighting its performance and accessibility. This has led to a demand for implementation solutions across various industries and companies eager to leverage these new opportunities generative AI brings. This thesis explores the common operational challenges faced by a small-scale Tech Enterprise and, with these challenges identified, examines the opportunities that contemporary generative AI solutions may offer. Furthermore, the thesis investigates what type of generative technology is suitable for adoption and how it can be implemented responsibly and sustainably. The authors approach this topic through 14 interviews involving several AI researchers and the employees and executives of a small-scale Tech Enterprise, which served as a case company, combined with a literature review.  The information was processed using multiple inductive thematic analyses to establish a solid foundation for the investigation, which led to the development of a Proof of Concept. The findings and conclusions of the authors emphasize the high relevance of having a clear purpose for the implementation of generative technology. Moreover, the authors predict that a sustainable and responsible implementation can create the conditions necessary for the specified small-scale company to grow.  When the authors investigated potential operational challenges at the case company it was made clear that the most significant issue arose from unstructured and partially absent documentation. The conclusion reached by the authors is that a data management system powered by a Retrieval model in a LLM presents a potential path forward for significant value creation, as this solution enables data retrieval functionality from unstructured project data and also mitigates a major inherent issue with the technology, namely, hallucinations. Furthermore, in terms of implementation circumstances, both empirical and theoretical findings suggest that responsible use of generative technology requires training; hence, the authors have developed an educational framework named "KLART".  Moving forward, the authors describe that sustainable implementation necessitates transparent systems, as this increases understanding, which in turn affects trust and secure use. The findings also indicate that sustainability is strongly linked to the user-friendliness of the AI service, leading the authors to emphasize the importance of HCD while developing and maintaining AI services. Finally, the authors argue for the value of automation, as it allows for continuous data and system updates that potentially can reduce maintenance.  In summary, this thesis aims to contribute to an understanding of how small-scale Tech Enterprises can implement generative AI technology sustainably to enhance their competitive edge through innovation and data-driven decision-making.

Treatments for hyperemesis gravidarum: A systematic review

IntroductionHyperemesis gravidarum affects 0.3%-3% of pregnant women each year and is the leading cause of hospitalization in early pregnancy. Previous systematic reviews of available treatments have found a lack of consistent evidence, and few studies of high quality. Since 2016, no systematic review has been conducted and an up-to date review is requested. In a recent James Lind Alliance collaboration, it was clear that research on effective treatments is a high priority for both patients and clinicians.Material and methodsSearches without time limits were performed in the AMED, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases until June 26, 2023. Studies published before October 1, 2014 were identified from the review by ODonnell et al., 2016. Selection criteria were randomized clinical trials and non-randomized studies of interventions comparing treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum with another treatment or placebo. Outcome variables included were: degree of nausea; vomiting; inability to tolerate oral fluids or food; hospital treatment; health-related quality of life, small-for-gestational-age infant; and preterm birth. Abstracts and full texts were screened, and risk of bias of the studies was assessed independently by two authors. Synthesis without meta-analysis was performed, and certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. PROSPERO (CRD42022303150).ResultsTwenty treatments were included in 25 studies with low or moderate risk of bias. The certainty of evidence was very low for all treatments except for acupressure in addition to standard care, which showed a possible moderate decrease in nausea and vomiting, with low certainty of evidence.ConclusionsSeveral scientific knowledge gaps were identified. Studies on treatments for hyperemesis gravidarum are few, and the certainty of evidence for different treatments is either low or very low. To establish more robust evidence, it is essential to use validated scoring systems, the recently established diagnostic criteria, clear descriptions and measurements of core outcomes and to perform larger studies. The certainty of evidence according to GRADE (The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) was very low for all treatments of hyperemesis gravidarum except for acupressure in addition to standard care, which showed a possible moderate decrease in nausea and vomiting, with low certainty of evidence.imageFunding Agencies|Statens beredning for medicinsk och social utvardering; Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services (SBU Statens beredning for medicinsk och social utvardering, SBU); Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in Sweden</p

Understanding Skin Cancer Risk and Prevention : with Emphasis on Actinic Keratosis Patients

The rising incidence of skin cancer globally makes it important to emphasize preventive measures that promote sun protection, particularly among individuals with phenotypic predisposition and/or risky sun habits. Actinic keratosis (AK) is the predominant actinic lesion observed in fair-skinned populations, recognized as a sign of actinic skin damage and as an occasional precursor to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).    The aim of this thesis was to explore, from a primary care perspective, how an enhanced understanding of risk factors for skin cancer development can aid in identifying individuals for patient education on prevention and early detection of skin cancer.   Paper I suggests that personalized sun protection advice delivered in person by the GP can result in both short-term and long-lasting improvements in sun protective behaviour. Paper II demonstrated that individuals diagnosed with AK face a significantly elevated risk of developing SCC, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), or malignant melanoma (MM) in the following decade compared to sex- and age-matched controls. Paper III highlighted the fact that the presence of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and to a lesser degree hypertension and Parkinson's disease, independently raises the risk of skin cancer. This underscores the importance of providing tailored preventive guidance to individuals with these conditions. Paper IV showed that both age and male gender were factors found to be associated with an increased risk of developing skin cancer in AK patients while no risk increase was identified for any of the other variables studied.   In conclusion, personalized sun protection advice from general physicians (GPs) can bring about lasting improvements in sun protective behaviour. Reinforcing this advice during medical consultations, such as nevi checks, is important to sustain this effect over a long period. This is encouraging for the accepted practice of giving sun protection advice to patients with MM, SCC and BCC. A diagnosis of AK not only indicates an increased risk of skin cancer but also serves as a readily identifiable criterion for implementing personalized preventive measures. The presence of AK substantially increases the likelihood of developing future skin cancer, even more pronouncedly when combined with specific comorbidities such as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, hypertension, and Parkinson's disease.    Future research should investigate how sun protection advice interacts with other behavioural counselling and evaluate its effectiveness over time. Additionally, exploring other factors influencing skin cancer risk in individuals with AK would facilitate the provision of comprehensive preventive interventions. Den ökande förekomsten av hudcancer globalt gör det viktigt att betona förebyggande åtgärder som främjar solskydd, särskilt bland individer med solkänslig hudtyp och/eller riskfyllda solvanor. Aktinisk keratos är en mycket vanlig typ av hudförändring hos ljushyade personer, välkänd för att vara ett tecken på hudskada orsakad av långvarig solexponering, och som också kan utgöra ett förstadium till skivepitelcancer.   Syftet med denna avhandling var att utforska, ur ett primärvårdsperspektiv, hur ökad förståelse för riskfaktorer för utveckling av hudcancer kan hjälpa till att identifiera individer för patientutbildning om förebyggande och tidig upptäckt av hudcancer, med särskilt fokus på just individer med aktinisk keratos.   Artikel I föreslår att individuellt utformade solskyddsråd som ges personligen av allmänläkare kan resultera i både kortsiktiga och långvariga förbättringar av solskyddsbeteendet. Artikel II visade att individer som diagnostiserats med aktinisk keratos löper en signifikant ökad risk att utveckla någon av de tre viktigaste hudcancertyperna skivepitelcancer, basal-cellscancer eller malignt melanom, under det följande decenniet jämfört med individer i en köns- och åldersmatchad kontrollergrupp. Artikel III påvisade att förekomsten av kronisk lymfatisk leukemi, och i mindre grad högt blodtryck och Parkinsons sjukdom, självständigt ökar risken för hud-cancer. Detta understryker vikten av att ge skräddarsydd förebyggande vägledning till individer med dessa tillstånd. Artikel IV visade att både ålder och manligt kön var faktorer som visade sig vara associerade med en ökad risk att utveckla hudcancer hos patienter med aktinisk keratos, medan ingen riskökning identifierades för någon av de andra variablerna som studerades, såsom antal och storlek på förändringarna.   Sammanfattningsvis kan personliga solskyddsråd från allmänläkare leda till bestående förbättringar av solskyddsbeteendet. Att återupprepa sådana råd i samband med läkarbesök, såsom vid kontroller av hudförändringar, är sannolikt viktigt för att bibehålla denna effekt över tid. Detta ger stöd till den vedertagna strategin att ge solskyddsråd till patienter med hudcancer. Förekomst av aktinisk keratos indikerar inte bara en ökad risk för hudcancer utan kan också ses som ett enkelt identifierbart kriterium för att utforma individanpassade solråd med avseende på framtida hudcancerrisk, då detta avsevärt ökar sannolikheten för att utveckla framtida hudcancer. Risken tycks ännu mer uttalad i kombination med andra samtidiga sjukdomar såsom kronisk lymfatisk leukemi, högt blodtryck och Parkinsons sjukdom.   Framtida forskning bör undersöka hur solskyddsråd samverkar med annan beteenderådgivning och utvärdera dess effektivitet över tid. Att utforska andra faktorer som påverkar risken för hudcancer hos individer med AK skulle dessutom underlätta tillhandahållandet av omfattande förebyggande insatser.

Advances in Additive Manufacturing of Organic Electrochemical Transistors

Technological advances and applications of printed electronic devices rely on novel organic semiconductor (OSC) materials and cutting-edge advanced manufacturing technologies. A growing number of solution- processable organic electronic materials has paved the way towards cost- efficient fabrication techniques, fostering the growth and emergence of printed electronics research in recent decades. Organic semiconductor materials are unique because of mixed ionic and electronic transport of charges that may translate biological signals into electrical ones or vice versa. The organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) is a type of transistor where the active material (channel) is made of an organic mixed ionic-electronic conductor (OMIEC). Since OECTs may serve as organic bioelectronic devices that encompass high ionic and electronic conductivity, they also represent a groundbreaking technology by forming communication channels between living systems and external electronic circuits used for recording. Highly conductive and stable OMIECs, sustainable solvents for ink formulations, bio-based substrates, new device architectures and redefined manufacturing strategies are the keys that unlock highly sensitive OECT-based (bio)sensor devices and OECT-based electronic circuits with high gain and low power consumption.  This dissertation explores and unveils the effects of different additive manufacturing strategies, channel materials, ink formulations and device architectures on the performance and applications of all-printed OECT devices. The key findings of this thesis are summarized in four first-authored scientific journal articles.    In the first article, we redefined the manufacturing approach to create high performance all-printed OECTs exhibiting very short switching times; this approach was further verified by printing OECT-based inverters operating at a frequency beyond 100 Hz and five-stage ring oscillators. In the second article, we developed an all-printed sensor platform by combining highly sensitive OECT and piezoelectric sensor devices on a tattoo paper substrate for seamless integration with the skin, enabling the detection of radial pulse waves. In the third article, a screen printed OECT was integrated into capillary 3D-printed microfluidics with the goal of ion sensing, thereby forming an additively manufactured sensor platform. The fourth article demonstrates, for the first time, vertically stacked accumulation mode pgBTTT-based OECTs manufactured by combining screen and inkjet printing technologies. By selecting a non-toxic and biodegradable solvent (Cyrene) instead of chloroform in the preparation of the pgBTTT-based inkjet ink formulation, we move towards more sustainable OECTs. The resulting all-printed pgBTTT-based OECTs exhibited high figures of merit, short switching times and good operational stability in an ambient environment.   Finally, this dissertation offers insights and perspectives on the rational use of printing technologies, channel materials (p-type), sustainable ink formulations, and device architectures to enable further progress of all-printed OECT-based (bio)sensors, amplifiers and complementary logic circuits for various (bio)electronic applications. Teknologiska framsteg och tillämpningar inom tryckt elektronik är beroende av nya organiska halvledarmaterial och avancerad tillverkningsteknik. Ett stort urval av organiska elektroniska material och kostnadseffektiva additiva tillverkningstekniker har möjliggjort framväxten av forskningsområdet tryckt elektronik under de senaste decennierna. Organiska halvledarmaterial är unika, dels för att de kan processas från lösning, men också på grund av att kombinationen av både jon- och elektrontransport kan användas för att översätta biologiska signaler till elektriska, eller vice versa. En organisk elektrokemisk transistor (OECT) är en typ av transistor där det aktiva kanalmaterialet är baserat på ett organiskt material som leder både joner och elektroner, t.ex. en konjugerad polymer. Tack vare detta kan OECTs användas inom bioelektroniska tillämpningar, som banbrytande teknik för att underlätta kommunikationen mellan levande system och elektronisk mätutrustning.  Organiska halvledare med hög ledningsförmåga och bra stabilitet, miljövänliga lösningsmedel för bläckformuleringar, biobaserade substrat, nya komponentstrukturer och nytänkande kring tillverkningsstrategier är viktiga parametrar för att erhålla hög känslighet i OECT-baserade (bio)sensorer samt OECT-baserade elektroniska kretsar med hög förstärkning och låg effektförbrukning. Denna avhandling syftar till att utforska och förstå hur olika additiva tillverkningsstrategier, material, bläckformuleringar och komponentstrukturer påverkar prestandan hos helt tryckta OECTs, och i vilka tillämpningsområden de kan användas. De viktigaste resultaten av detta arbete sammanfattas i fyra artiklar.    I den första artikeln kombinerade vi två olika tryckteknologier för att skapa högpresterande heltryckta OECTs med korta switchtider; detta tillvägagångssätt verifierades också genom att trycka ringoscillatorer samt OECT-baserade inverterare som kunde drivas vid en frekvens på över 100 Hz. I den andra artikeln utvecklade vi helt tryckta sensorplatt-formar genom att kombinera OECTs med hög känslighet och piezoelektriska sensorer på tatueringspapper, för att skapa bästa möjliga kontakt med huden. Den screentryckta piezoelektriska sensorn användes för att detektera och omvandla mekaniska vibrationer från hjärtslagen till elektriska signaler, som i sin tur användes som insignal till en förstärkarkomponent i form av en tryckt OECT. I den tredje artikeln integrerades en screentryckt OECT i en mikrofluidikkrets, med målet att detektera joner i en additivt tillverkad sensorplattform. Den 3D-skrivna kapillära mikrofluidikkretsen modifierades med skräddarsydda mönster av inkjettryckta hydrofila filmer för att skapa ett automatiserat flöde av flera olika vätskor. Den hydrofila egenskapen bibehölls i minst 6 månader och ingen extern utrustning krävdes för att kontrollera det sekventiella flödet av vätskor.   Den fjärde artikeln visar en pgBTTT-baserad OECT tillverkad genom att kombinera screen- och inkjettryckning. Den organiska halvledande po-lymeren pgBTTT användes som det aktiva kanalmaterialet, vilket resulterade i en anrikningstransistor där de ingående materialen trycktes ovanpå varandra. Dessutom användes ett ofarligt och biologiskt nedbryt-bart lösningsmedel (Cyrene) i det pgBTTT-baserade inkjetbläcket, vilket är ett viktigt steg i arbetet mot mer hållbara elektroniska komponenter.   Sammanfattningsvis tillhandahåller denna doktorsavhandling insikter och perspektiv på användningen av tryckteknik, materialval, hållbara bläckformuleringar och komponentstrukturer för att möjliggöra ytterligare utveckling av helt tryckta OECT-baserade (bio)sensorer, förstärkarkretsar och komplementära logikkretsar för olika (bio)elektroniska applikationer.