163 research outputs found
Conceptualising feminist resistance in the postfeminist terrain
PurposeIn this paper, women entrepreneurs are seen as leaders and women leaders as entrepreneurial, making both groups an easy target of postfeminist expectations, governed by calls to embody the entrepreneurial self. Acknowledging that the entrepreneurial self has its roots in the universal, rational and autonomous subject, which was shaped in a male form during the Enlightenment, the purpose of this study is to conceptualise feminist resistance as a process through which the autonomous subject can be de-stabilised.Design/methodology/approachEmpirically, this study draws on an extensive research project on womenâs rural entrepreneurship that includes 32 in-depth interviews with women entrepreneurs in rural Sweden. This study interpreted expressions of resistance from the women by using an analytical framework the authors developed based on Jonna Bornemarkâs philosophical treatise.FindingsFeminist resistance unfolds as an interactive and iterative learning process where the subject recognises their voice, strengthens their voice and beliefs in a relational process and finally sees themselves as a fully fledged actor who finds ways to overcome obstacles that get in their way. Conceptualising resistance as a learning process stands in sharp contrast to the idea of resistance as enacted by the autonomous self.Research limitations/implicationsThis study helps researchers to understand that what they may have seen as a sign of weakness among women, is instead a sign of strength: it is a first step in learning resistance that may help women create a life different from that prescribed by the postfeminist discourse. In this way, researchers can avoid reproducing women as âweak and inadequateâ.Originality/valueThrough the re-writing of feminist resistance, the masculine entrepreneurship discourse including the notion of the autonomous self is challenged, and a counternarrative to the postfeminist entrepreneurial woman is developed. Theorising resistance as a learning practice enables a more transforming research agenda, making it possible to see women as resisting postfeminist expectations of endless competition with themselves and others
Prognostic Value of Stromal Type IV Collagen Expression in Small Invasive Breast Cancers
Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among women worldwide. Localized breast cancer can be cured by surgery and adjuvant therapy, but mortality remains high for tumors that metastasize early. Type IV collagen is a basement membrane protein, and breach of this extracellular matrix structure is the first step of cancer invasion. Type IV collagen is found in the stroma of many cancers, but its role in tumor biology is unclear. Here, expression of type IV collagen in the stroma of small breast cancers was analyzed, correlated to clinically used prognostic biomarkers and patient survival. The findings were further validated in an independent gene expression data cohort. Tissue samples from 1,379 women with in situ and small invasive breast cancers (Peer reviewe
HÀr gÄr man
Det hĂ€r Ă€r en kvalitativ studie, som syftar till att beskriva gĂ„ngtrafikanters situation i nĂ„gra stadsmiljöer. Mer precist gĂ€ller det att fĂ„ kunskap om förutsĂ€ttningarna för att gĂ„ sett i ett brukarperspektiv och knutet till förutsĂ€ttningarna i miljön. De metoder som har anvĂ€nts Ă€r âdeltagandekarteringâ (participative mapping) och fokusgruppssamtal. FrĂ„gor som belyses Ă€r: varför, var och vart man gĂ„r och hur olika kategorier av fotgĂ€ngare vĂ€ljer att gĂ„, samt vad omgivningen betyder i sammanhanget. Resultatet pekar ut frĂ„gor som utifrĂ„n brukarnas perspektiv framstĂ„r som viktiga, sĂ€rskilt dĂ€r det behövs ytterligare kunskap. Studien har genomförts i LuleĂ„, VĂ€sterĂ„s och Ălmhult. Kartering och fokusgrupper genomfördes med olika kategorier deltagare: VĂ€sterĂ„s: ungdomar 22 september 2010 respektive seniorer 23september 2010, Ălmhult: seniorer respektive ungdomar: 14 oktober 2010 samt förvĂ€rvsarbetande: 3 maj 2011, LuleĂ„: förvĂ€rvsarbetande: 25 oktober 2010 respektive förĂ€ldralediga: 26 oktober 2010. Alla sĂ€tt att fĂ€rdas till fots ingĂ„r i projektet, Ă€ven löptrĂ€ning, men inga rullstolsburna har deltagit i den hĂ€r studien. Alla möjliga anledningar att gĂ„ utomhus ingĂ„r, och variationen Ă€r stor mellan olika grupper och personer. Ungdomarna som intervjuades gĂ„r framförallt av nyttoskĂ€l â till och frĂ„n skolan, trĂ€ningen, bussen, tĂ„get eller cykeln. Men det hĂ€nder att de gĂ„r nĂ€r de trĂ€ffas för att
umgÄs eller gÄr för att motionera. Fritidsintresse och socialt umgÀnge tycks pÄverka ungdomarnas gÄendevanor mer Àn platsen. De intervjuade seniorerna och förvÀrvsarbetarna gÄr av bÄde nyttoskÀl och för rekreation. Seniorernas hÀlsolÀge har stor betydelse. En anledning till att förvÀrvsarbetarna gÄr Àr att skona miljön, en annan Àr att ta sig till jobbet och en tredje Àr att fÄ motion och dÀrmed vÀrna sin hÀlsa.
Livssituationen pÄverkar vad som Àr sÀrskilt viktigt nÀr man gÄr. För ungdomarna Àr det umgÀnge och möjligheten att trÀffa andra. För seniorerna Àr dÀremot jÀmna ytor, belÀggning, underhÄll och god vintervÀghÄllning samt nÀrhet till samhÀllsservice sÀrskilt viktigt.
FörvĂ€rvsarbetarna anger mĂ„nga faktorer som kan variera med gĂ„enderesans syfte. Sammantaget framstĂ„r iden/effektiviteten, nĂ€rheten till hemmet, omgivningens kvalitet, underlaget och tryggheten som viktiga aspekter. Ljus, trygghet och framkomlighet Ă€r sĂ€rskilt viktigt för de förĂ€ldralediga. Vidare föredrar de att gĂ„ rundor istĂ€llet för att gĂ„ samma vĂ€g fram och tillbaka. De förĂ€ldralediga menar att det Ă€r viktigt att det finns gĂ„ngâoch cykelvĂ€gar som Ă€r separerade frĂ„n övrig trafik, inte minst eftersom det Ă€r lĂ€ttare att komma fram med barnvagn dĂ„. PĂ„ GISâkartorna redovisar alla grupper (men de unga i mindre grad) mĂ„nga platser och vĂ€gar dĂ€r omgivningens kvaliteter attraherar till att gĂ„. Ăverlag Ă€r deltagarna nöjda med sin gĂ„endemiljö. Man kommenterar att det finns bra gĂ„ngâ och
cykelvĂ€gar och att miljön Ă€r âfinâ. Samtidigt tas problem upp. Seniorer i VĂ€sterĂ„s och Ălmhult samt förvĂ€rvsarbetare i Ălmhult menar att vintervĂ€ghĂ„llningen Ă€r dĂ„lig, att markbelĂ€ggningar pĂ„ vissa stĂ€llen Ă€r vĂ€ldigt ojĂ€mna och att höga kantstenar gör det svĂ„rt att ta sig fram. Oupplysta,
grusade vĂ€gar uppskattas men det finns ocksĂ„ önskemĂ„l om mer belysning och bĂ€ttre belĂ€ggning pĂ„ till exempel strandpromenader. Möjligheten att trĂ€ffa bekanta bidrar till intresset för att gĂ„ i tĂ€torten. PĂ„ kartorna kan vi se att promenader utan direkta mĂ„l ofta riktar sig utĂ„t mot natur och strĂ€nder Ă€n inĂ„t mot centrum. Olika typer av problem verkar i vissa fall Ă„ldersrelaterade. I Ălmhult uppger ungdomarna att de största problemen Ă€r att bilarna kör för fort utanför skolan. För seniorerna i sĂ„vĂ€l Ălmhult som VĂ€sterĂ„s Ă€r de största problemen snöröjning vintertid och ojĂ€mna gĂ„ngytor som ger vattensamlingar och risk för att snubbla. I Ălmhult saknar seniorerna bra övergĂ„ngstĂ€llen. BĂ„de seniorer och förvĂ€rvsarbetare i Ălmhult ser de tre tunnlarna under jĂ€rnvĂ€gen som problem, de
vet inte vilka regler som gÀller vid passage och upplever att tunnlarna Àr trÄnga och mörka. I VÀsterÄs anser seniorer att det Àr otryggt vid BÀckby centrum kvÀllstid dÄ det samlas mÄnga ungdomar dÀr. Det rÄdet dock delade meningar om frÄn vilken tid pÄ kvÀllen det Àr otryggt. I LuleÄ uppger förvÀrvsarbetarna att nedskrÀpning Àr ett stort problem. De tar Àven upp problem med vintervÀghÄllningen de vintrar dÄ temperaturen pendlar kring nollstrecket. De största problemen som de förÀldralediga tar upp Àr farliga stÀllen dÀr de korsar vÀgar, avsaknad av toaletter, fÄ papperskorgar och att det saknas bÀnkar. Felplacerade gÄngtunnlar tycks vara Àr ett
allmÀnt problem i bostadsomrÄdena i VÀsterÄs och LuleÄ.
Naturen och att det Ă€r âfintâ anses allmĂ€nt vara det bĂ€sta med gĂ„endemiljöerna pĂ„ alla platser.
Ungdomarna i VĂ€sterĂ„s uppger Ă€ndĂ„ att det bĂ€sta med gĂ„endemiljön dĂ€r Ă€r kommunikationen mellan ungdomarna. De tar inte upp nĂ„got om hur det ser ut. I Ălmhult dĂ€remot pratar ungdomarna om NĂ€set vid sjön Möckeln. FörvĂ€rvsarbetarna i bĂ„de Ălmhult och LuleĂ„ tar upp tillgĂ„ngen pĂ„ och gĂ„ngâ och cykelvĂ€gar som det bĂ€sta i sina respektive orter. I Ălmhult Ă€r Ă€ven ânĂ€rheten till alltâ nĂ„got av det bĂ€sta med gĂ„endemiljön. De förĂ€ldralediga liksom de förvĂ€rvsarbetande i LuleĂ„ uppskattar sĂ€rskilt att det finns mĂ„nga vĂ€gar att vĂ€lja pĂ„ och speciellt möjligheten att gĂ„ utmed vatten.
NĂ€r det gĂ€ller samspelet med andra trafikanter tycker ungdomarna att det fungerar bra eller Ă„tminstone helt okej mellan cyklister och gĂ„ende. Seniorerna och de förvĂ€rvsarbetande i Ălmhult Ă€r av annan uppfattning. HĂ€r Ă€r de enkelriktade cykelbanorna i centrum ett bekymmer.
Cyklister cyklar i fel riktning och bilister parkerar pĂ„ cykelbanorna. I VĂ€sterĂ„s menar seniorerna att cyklisterna inte hörs utan plötsligt dyker upp. I LuleĂ„ uppger bĂ„de förvĂ€rvsarbetare och förĂ€ldralediga att mopederna Ă€r ett problem eftersom de kör pĂ„ gĂ„ngâ och cykelbanorna och
vĂ€ldigt fort. NĂ„gra kör utan ljuddĂ€mpare och det skrĂ€mmer barnen. PĂ„ kartorna markeras flera farliga platser med rörig biltrafik (Ălmhult), korsningar med tung trafik (LuleĂ„) och tunnlar med kollisionsrisk med cyklister (Ălmhult). VĂ„r frĂ„ga om vad som skulle kunna pĂ„verka fokusgruppsdeltagarna att gĂ„ mer visar sig vara ganska svĂ„r att svara pĂ„. I VĂ€sterĂ„s föreslĂ„s bland seniorerna att en vacker park skulle kunna attrahera till att gĂ„ mer. I Ălmhult sĂ€ger seniorer att en jĂ€mnare belĂ€ggning i centrum skulle fĂ„ dem att gĂ„ mer. FörvĂ€rvsarbetarna i Ălmhult har olika idĂ©er om hur gĂ„endet kan öka rent allmĂ€nt. HĂ€r kommer förslag om att röja bĂ€ttre kring stigar (genvĂ€gar) i naturen och att satsa mer pĂ„ kultur i den offentliga miljön. Bland de intervjuade förvĂ€rvsarbetarna i LuleĂ„
framkommer att tidsbrist, klimat och lÀttja pÄverkar dem. NÄgon idé om vad som skulle fÄ dem att gÄ mer kommer inte upp. De förÀldralediga uppger att fler snöröjda vÀgar och mer belysning skulle fÄ dem att gÄ mer vintertid.
Utan tvekan Àr fÀrdsÀttet att gÄ viktigt för olika grupper mÀnniskor och i mÄnga sammanhang. Det Àr tydligt att vuxna och Àldre Àr positiva till att gÄ för rekreation, motion och hÀlsa, och att det finns de som tar sig till fots till vardagens nyttomÄl för att samtidigt fÄ motion. Tidsbrist och intresset för hÀlsa kan dÀrför ses som nyckelfaktorer i planering för ett ökat gÄende. Effektivitet och framkomlighet Àr viktigt ibland men ocksÄ möjlighet till möten och att variera vÀg.
Samspelet med andra trafikanter Àr inte sÀllan problematiskt, och en alltför komplicerad miljö kan precis som en mörk och ödslig leda till osÀkerhet och otrygghet. Omgivningens upplevelsevÀrden sÄvÀl som ett jÀmnt underlag att gÄ pÄ Àr nödvÀndiga förutsÀttningar för en i vid mening gÄngvÀnlig miljö
Designing visual management in manufacturing from a user perspective
Many organisations use daily meetings, whiteboards and an information system for employee intra-communication. While Operation Management research is often management centred, Human Centred Design, instead, takes a userâs perspective. This research aims to reflect upon and describe a method, applied in practice in a double case study within manufacturing, on how to (re-)design meetings and visual management boards, and what type of information and key performance indicators are most relevant for the personnel. The paper proposes a lean Kata-improvement inspired design method, which takes the personnelâs perspective on design of daily visual management
Evidence for Presence and Functional Effects of Kv1.1 Channels in ÎČ-Cells: General Survey and Results from mceph/mceph Mice
BACKGROUND:Voltage-dependent K(+) channels (Kv) mediate repolarisation of ÎČ-cell action potentials, and thereby abrogate insulin secretion. The role of the Kv1.1 K(+) channel in this process is however unclear. We tested for presence of Kv1.1 in different species and tested for a functional role of Kv1.1 by assessing pancreatic islet function in BALB/cByJ (wild-type) and megencephaly (mceph/mceph) mice, the latter having a deletion in the Kv1.1 gene. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Kv1.1 expression was detected in islets from wild-type mice, SD rats and humans, and expression of truncated Kv1.1 was detected in mceph/mceph islets. Full-length Kv1.1 protein was present in islets from wild-type mice, but, as expected, not in those from mceph/mceph mice. Kv1.1 expression was localized to the ÎČ-cell population and also to α- and ÎŽ-cells, with evidence of over-expression of truncated Kv1.1 in mceph/mceph islets. Blood glucose, insulin content, and islet morphology were normal in mceph/mceph mice, but glucose-induced insulin release from batch-incubated islets was (moderately) higher than that from wild-type islets. Reciprocal blocking of Kv1.1 by dendrotoxin-K increased insulin secretion from wild-type but not mceph/mceph islets. Glucose-induced action potential duration, as well as firing frequency, was increased in mceph/mceph mouse ÎČ-cells. This duration effect on action potential in ÎČ-cells from mceph/mceph mice was mimicked by dendrotoxin-K in ÎČ-cells from wild-type mice. Observations concerning the effects of both the mceph mutation, and of dendrotoxin-K, on glucose-induced insulin release were confirmed in pancreatic islets from Kv1.1 null mice. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE:Kv1.1 channels are expressed in the ÎČ-cells of several species, and these channels can influence glucose-stimulated insulin release
Landscape Epidemiology of Tularemia Outbreaks in Sweden
Transmission sites of specific Francisella tularensis genotypes were highly localized during natural outbreaks of human tularemia
Phthalate Diesters and Their Metabolites in Human Breast Milk, Blood or Serum, and Urine as Biomarkers of Exposure in Vulnerable Populations
BACKGROUND: Phthalates may pose a risk for perinatal developmental effects. An important question relates to the choice of suitable biological matrices for assessing exposure during this period. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to measure the concentrations of phthalate diesters or their metabolites in breast milk, blood or serum, and urine and to evaluate their suitability for assessing perinatal exposure to phthalates. METHODS: In 2001, 2-3 weeks after delivery, 42 Swedish primipara provided breast milk, blood, and urine samples at home. Special care was taken to minimize contamination with phthalates (e.g., use of a special breast milk pump, heat treatment of glassware and needles, addition of phosphoric acid). RESULTS: Phthalate diesters and metabolites in milk and blood or serum, if detected, were present at concentrations close to the limit of detection. By contrast, most phthalate metabolites were detectable in urine at concentrations comparable to those from the general population in the United States and in Germany. No correlations existed between urine concentrations and those found in milk or blood/serum for single phthalate metabolites. Our data are at odds with a previous study documenting frequent detection and comparatively high concentrations of phthalate metabolites in Finnish and Danish mothers' milk. CONCLUSIONS: Concentrations of phthalate metabolites in urine are more informative than those in milk or serum. Furthermore, collection of milk or blood may be associated with discomfort and potential technical problems such as contamination (unless oxidative metabolites are measured). Although urine is a suitable matrix for health-related phthalate monitoring, urinary concentrations in nursing mothers cannot be used to estimate exposure to phthalates through milk ingestion by breast-fed infants
Diet and body constitution in relation to subgroups of breast cancer defined by tumour grade, proliferation and key cell cycle regulators
BACKGROUND: The general lack of clear associations between diet and breast cancer in epidemiological studies may partly be explained by the fact that breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that may have disparate genetic associations and different aetiological bases. METHOD: A total of 346 incident breast cancers in a prospective cohort of 17,035 women enrolled in the Malmö Diet and Cancer study (Sweden) were subcategorized according to conventional pathology parameters, proliferation and expression of key cell cycle regulators. Subcategories were compared with prediagnostic diet and body measurements using analysis of variance. RESULTS: A large hip circumference and high body mass index were associated with high grade tumours (P = 0.03 and 0.009, respectively), whereas low energy and unadjusted fat intakes were associated with high proliferation (P = 0.03 and 0.004, respectively). Low intakes of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were also associated with high proliferation (P = 0.02, 0.004 and 0.003, respectively). Low energy and unadjusted fat intakes were associated with cyclin D(1 )overexpression (P = 0.02 and 0.007, respectively), whereas cyclin E overexpression was positively correlated with fat intake. Oestrogen receptor status and expression of the tumour suppressor gene p27 were not associated with either diet or body constitution. CONCLUSION: Low energy and low total fat (polyunsaturated fatty acids in particular) intakes, and high body mass index were associated with relatively more malignant breast tumours. Dietary behaviours and body constitution may be associated with specific types of breast cancer defined by conventional pathology parameters and cyclin D(1 )and cyclin E expression. Further studies including healthy control individuals are needed to confirm our results
31st Annual Meeting and Associated Programs of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC 2016) : part two
Background
The immunological escape of tumors represents one of the main ob- stacles to the treatment of malignancies. The blockade of PD-1 or CTLA-4 receptors represented a milestone in the history of immunotherapy. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors seem to be effective in specific cohorts of patients. It has been proposed that their efficacy relies on the presence of an immunological response. Thus, we hypothesized that disruption of the PD-L1/PD-1 axis would synergize with our oncolytic vaccine platform PeptiCRAd.
Methods
We used murine B16OVA in vivo tumor models and flow cytometry analysis to investigate the immunological background.
Results
First, we found that high-burden B16OVA tumors were refractory to combination immunotherapy. However, with a more aggressive schedule, tumors with a lower burden were more susceptible to the combination of PeptiCRAd and PD-L1 blockade. The therapy signifi- cantly increased the median survival of mice (Fig. 7). Interestingly, the reduced growth of contralaterally injected B16F10 cells sug- gested the presence of a long lasting immunological memory also against non-targeted antigens. Concerning the functional state of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), we found that all the immune therapies would enhance the percentage of activated (PD-1pos TIM- 3neg) T lymphocytes and reduce the amount of exhausted (PD-1pos TIM-3pos) cells compared to placebo. As expected, we found that PeptiCRAd monotherapy could increase the number of antigen spe- cific CD8+ T cells compared to other treatments. However, only the combination with PD-L1 blockade could significantly increase the ra- tio between activated and exhausted pentamer positive cells (p= 0.0058), suggesting that by disrupting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis we could decrease the amount of dysfunctional antigen specific T cells. We ob- served that the anatomical location deeply influenced the state of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. In fact, TIM-3 expression was in- creased by 2 fold on TILs compared to splenic and lymphoid T cells. In the CD8+ compartment, the expression of PD-1 on the surface seemed to be restricted to the tumor micro-environment, while CD4 + T cells had a high expression of PD-1 also in lymphoid organs. Interestingly, we found that the levels of PD-1 were significantly higher on CD8+ T cells than on CD4+ T cells into the tumor micro- environment (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions
In conclusion, we demonstrated that the efficacy of immune check- point inhibitors might be strongly enhanced by their combination with cancer vaccines. PeptiCRAd was able to increase the number of antigen-specific T cells and PD-L1 blockade prevented their exhaus- tion, resulting in long-lasting immunological memory and increased median survival
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