Black Feminist Theory and Literature in the Critical Language Classroom: An Interdisciplinary Study of Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred and How It Can Be Used to Engage in Critical Pedagogy in the Swedish Upper Secondary ESL Classroom

The aim of this interdisciplinary study is to consider how teachers of English as a second language (ESL) might engage with critical pedagogy through the use of literature. This is illustrated by, on the one hand, applying a Black feminist lens to Octavia E. Butler’s 1979 science fiction novel Kindred, which is argued to constitute an appropriate novel for upper secondary students to read. On the other hand, the analysis is discussed in the light of the Swedish National Curriculum for the Upper Secondary School and the ESL subject syllabus. The literary analysis is concerned with analyzing the ways in which race intersects with gender in creating women’s experience within the novel, how the female characters are portrayed and what the novel tells the reader about African heritage and African American history and experience. The analysis is then systematically organized using coding method. Using this method, the emerging themes were: The importance of heritage, Racism and sexism intersected and Equality in relationships. The major interpretations include showing how such a systematic analysis can elicit themes that can constitute the basis for a critical pedagogy approach to the teaching of ESL, as well as showing how engaging with critical theory creates a way for teachers to cover a number of the aims expressed in the Swedish National Curriculum for the Upper Secondary School

Newborn screening for presymptomatic diagnosis of complement and phagocyte deficiencies

The clinical outcomes of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are greatly improved by accurate diagnosis early in life. However, it is not common to consider PIDs before the manifestation of severe clinical symptoms. Including PIDs in the nation-wide newborn screening programs will potentially improve survival and provide better disease management and preventive care in PID patients. This calls for the detection of disease biomarkers in blood and the use of dried blood spot samples, which is a part of routine newborn screening programs worldwide. Here, we developed a newborn screening method based on multiplex protein profiling for parallel diagnosis of 22 innate immunodeficiencies affecting the complement system and respiratory burst function in phagocytosis. The proposed method uses a small fraction of eluted blood from dried blood spots and is applicable for population-scale performance. The diagnosis method is validated through a retrospective screening of immunodeficient patient samples. This diagnostic approach can pave the way for an earlier, more comprehensive and accurate diagnosis of complement and phagocytic disorders, which ultimately lead to a healthy and active life for the PID patientsThis work was supported by the Swedish Research Council (VR) and grants provided by the Stockholm County Council (ALF)

Pan-cancer analysis of whole genomes

Cancer is driven by genetic change, and the advent of massively parallel sequencing has enabled systematic documentation of this variation at the whole-genome scale(1-3). Here we report the integrative analysis of 2,658 whole-cancer genomes and their matching normal tissues across 38 tumour types from the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We describe the generation of the PCAWG resource, facilitated by international data sharing using compute clouds. On average, cancer genomes contained 4-5 driver mutations when combining coding and non-coding genomic elements; however, in around 5% of cases no drivers were identified, suggesting that cancer driver discovery is not yet complete. Chromothripsis, in which many clustered structural variants arise in a single catastrophic event, is frequently an early event in tumour evolution; in acral melanoma, for example, these events precede most somatic point mutations and affect several cancer-associated genes simultaneously. Cancers with abnormal telomere maintenance often originate from tissues with low replicative activity and show several mechanisms of preventing telomere attrition to critical levels. Common and rare germline variants affect patterns of somatic mutation, including point mutations, structural variants and somatic retrotransposition. A collection of papers from the PCAWG Consortium describes non-coding mutations that drive cancer beyond those in the TERT promoter(4); identifies new signatures of mutational processes that cause base substitutions, small insertions and deletions and structural variation(5,6); analyses timings and patterns of tumour evolution(7); describes the diverse transcriptional consequences of somatic mutation on splicing, expression levels, fusion genes and promoter activity(8,9); and evaluates a range of more-specialized features of cancer genomes(8,10-18).Peer reviewe

Retrospective evaluation of whole exome and genome mutation calls in 746 cancer samples

Funder: NCI U24CA211006Abstract: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) curated consensus somatic mutation calls using whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), respectively. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, which aggregated whole genome sequencing data from 2,658 cancers across 38 tumour types, we compare WES and WGS side-by-side from 746 TCGA samples, finding that ~80% of mutations overlap in covered exonic regions. We estimate that low variant allele fraction (VAF < 15%) and clonal heterogeneity contribute up to 68% of private WGS mutations and 71% of private WES mutations. We observe that ~30% of private WGS mutations trace to mutations identified by a single variant caller in WES consensus efforts. WGS captures both ~50% more variation in exonic regions and un-observed mutations in loci with variable GC-content. Together, our analysis highlights technological divergences between two reproducible somatic variant detection efforts

Comprehensive analysis of chromothripsis in 2,658 human cancers using whole-genome sequencing

Chromothripsis is a mutational phenomenon characterized by massive, clustered genomic rearrangements that occurs in cancer and other diseases. Recent studies in selected cancer types have suggested that chromothripsis may be more common than initially inferred from low-resolution copy-number data. Here, as part of the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we analyze patterns of chromothripsis across 2,658 tumors from 38 cancer types using whole-genome sequencing data. We find that chromothripsis events are pervasive across cancers, with a frequency of more than 50% in several cancer types. Whereas canonical chromothripsis profiles display oscillations between two copy-number states, a considerable fraction of events involve multiple chromosomes and additional structural alterations. In addition to non-homologous end joining, we detect signatures of replication-associated processes and templated insertions. Chromothripsis contributes to oncogene amplification and to inactivation of genes such as mismatch-repair-related genes. These findings show that chromothripsis is a major process that drives genome evolution in human cancer

Identifiering av unga som riskerar sexuell ohälsa : implementering av en ny metod på ungdomsmottagningar

Background: Young people are at increased risk of sexual ill health in terms of sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy, and sexual violence. There is limited knowledge of evidence-based preventive practices for identification of young people at risk of sexual ill health when in contact with health care.  Aims: The overall aim of this thesis was to generate new knowledge concerning how Swedish youth clinics can work systematically to identify young people at risk of sexual ill health or who have negative sexual experiences. Specific objectives were to develop a risk-assessment model for the identification of youth at risk of contracting chlamydia; to develop and pilot-implement an evidence-informed tool for identifying young people at risk of sexual ill health in terms of sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies, and sexual violence at Swedish youth clinics; and to explore youth clinic visitors’ and staff’s experiences of using that tool.  Methods: The thesis takes a mixed methods approach and includes four studies. First, data from a national sample of sexually active young people, aged 15–24 years (n=6544), were used to develop a risk-assessment model for chlamydia infection. Second, a risk-assessment tool (SEXual health Identification Tool; SEXIT) was developed and pilot-implemented at three youth clinics for 1 month. The tool includes three components: (1) staff training; (2) a questionnaire for youth clinic visitors; and (3) a written guide for staff to support the subsequent dialogue and risk assessment based on the questionnaire. Questionnaire data from visitors (n=268) and staff (n=18) were analysed. Third, youth clinic visitors’ experiences were explored in 20 interviews with visitors (15–24 years) from the participating youth clinics. Fourth, staff’s experiences of working with SEXIT were investigated in four focus group discussions (n=16). Quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data analyses.  Results: The risk-assessment model demonstrated that the distribution of chlamydia is skewed; 38% of cases were estimated to occur among a tenth of the population. Women most at risk of chlamydia were best identified using the variables age, number of sexual partners in the past year, and experience of sex for reimbursement. The corresponding variables for men were age, number of sexual partners, and alcohol use. SEXIT was validated and pilot-implemented at three youth clinics (response rate 86%). Before implementation, all staff perceived a need for more systematic screening for sexual risk-taking and sexual ill health at youth clinics. Youth clinic visitors demonstrated between 0 and 7 parallel risk factors. Staff experienced that using SEXIT systematically increased the consistency and quality of the clinics’ work, and youth clinic visitors reported that the questions were important and not uncomfortable or difficult. The visitors explained that questions in a written format followed by a dialogue initiated by the youth clinic staff enabled disclosure of negative experiences.  Conclusions: The risk-assessment model demonstrates that the number of partners during the past year is the most important risk factor for chlamydia regardless of gender. SEXIT is an acceptable, appropriate, and feasible tool from the perspective of youth clinic staff, youth clinic visitors, and from an implementation point of view. Using the tool systematically may help raise important questions on sexual risk-taking and sexual ill health with youth clinic visitors and identify visitors with multiple risk factors. Being asked the sensitive yet important questions in SEXIT, followed by a respectful and non-judgemental conversation led by the youth clinic staff, has the potential to open up a more in depth and broader dialogue about the visitors’ sexual health. The systematic procedure helps youths feel that they are taken seriously and instils a feeling of trust that enables disclosure of sensitive experiences. From the staff perspective, SEXIT facilitates identification of young people exposed to or at risk of sexual ill health by simplifying and ensuring consistency and quality in their work. Bakgrund: Unga människor löper en ökad risk för sexuell ohälsa i form av sexuellt överförbara sjukdomar, oplanerade graviditeter och sexuellt våld. Sexuell ohälsa förblir dock ofta ouppmärksammad eftersom unga sällan berättar om dessa erfarenheter i kontakt med hälso- och sjukvården och vårdpersonal frågar inte regelbundet om riskutsatthet och negativa sexuella erfarenheter. Det finns tämligen begränsad kunskap om hur vården kan arbeta evidensbaserat för att identifiera unga personer som riskerar sexuell ohälsa så att ytterligare risktagande och ohälsa kan förebyggas.  Syfte: Det övergripande syftet med avhandlingen var att utveckla kunskap om hur svenska ungdomsmottagningar kan arbeta mer systematiskt för att identifiera unga som riskerar sexuell ohälsa eller har negativa sexuella erfarenheter. Delstudiernas specifika syften var: 1) att utveckla en riskbedömningsmodell för identifiering av unga som riskerar klamydia; 2) att utveckla och pilot-implementera en vetenskapligt underbyggd metod för användning på ungdomsmottagningar i syfte att identifiera unga som riskerar sexuell ohälsa; 3) att undersöka ungdomsmottagningsbesökarnas erfarenheter av metoden; samt 4) att undersöka personalens erfarenheter av att arbeta med metoden.  Metoder: Avhandlingen använder både kvantitativa och kvalitativa metoder i en mixad-metod-ansats. Studie I bygger på data från ett nationellt urval av unga, 15–24 år (n=6544), för att utveckla en riskbedömningsmodell för klamydia. I studie II utvecklades en metod (SEXual health Identification Tool; SEXIT) som pilot-implementerades på tre ungdomsmottagningar i Västra Götaland under en månad. SEXIT består av tre delar: utbildning för personal, ett formulär för besökare och en guide för att stödja personal i det efterföljande samtalet och riskbedömningen. Enkätsvar från både besökare (n=268) och personal (n=18) samlades in. I studie III intervjuades 20 unga personer (15–24 år) som besökt en ungdomsmottagning då SEXIT användes. I studie IV hölls fyra fokusgruppsdiskussioner med personal (n=16) från de deltagande ungdomsmottagningarna. Resultat: Riskbedömningsmodellen för klamydia visade att klamydia är ojämnt fördelad bland unga. En tiondel av de unga beräknades stå för 38% av klamydiafallen under en treårsperiod. För kvinnor var de viktigaste riskfaktorerna ålder, antal sexpartners det senaste året och erfarenhet av att ta emot ersättning för sex. Motsvarande för män var antal sexpartners det senaste året samt alkoholkonsumtion. Samtlig personal menade att det fanns ett behov av ett mer systematiskt arbete med att identifiera unga som riskerar sexuell ohälsa på ungdomsmottagningar. Besökarna som besvarade SEXIT uppvisade stor variation i riskutsatthet och angav 0 till 7 parallella riskfaktorer. Personalen bedömde att systematisk användning av SEXIT med alla besökare ökade både kvalitén och jämlikheten i den vård som erbjöds, samt att metoden underlättade bedömningen av riskutsatthet. Besökarna svarade att frågorna i SEXIT var viktiga och varken svåra eller obehagliga att besvara. Vidare ansåg besökarna att formatet med skriftliga frågor med fasta svarsalternativ som besvaras enskilt och följs upp i ett samtal med personalen, möjliggjorde att berätta om negativa erfarenheter som annars kan vara svåra för dem att ta upp i vårdmötet.  Slutsatser: Gruppen unga som löper ökad risk att få klamydia kan identifieras med en riskbedömningsmodell där antalet partners under det senaste året är den enskilt viktigaste riskfaktorn oavsett kön. SEXIT är en välfungerande och uppskattad metod både ur vårdpersonalens och besökarnas perspektiv. Systematisk användning av SEXIT säkerställer att alla besökare får möjlighet att samtala kring sexuellt risktagande och sexuell ohälsa, samt hjälper personalen att uppmärksamma besökare som rapporterar flera parallella riskfaktorer och är i större behov av råd och stöd. Att ställa de potentiellt känsliga men viktiga frågorna i SEXIT, följt av ett respektfullt och icke-dömande samtal som leds av vårdgivaren, har potential att öppna upp för en fördjupad och utökad dialog om besökarens sexuella hälsa. Rutinen att SEXIT erbjuds alla men också är frivilligt att besvara, fick besökarna att känna att ungdomsmottagningen var angelägna om ämnen som också var viktiga för besökarna, men att de samtidigt respekterade besökarnas integritet. Rutinen bidrog till att skapa en känsla av tillit som underlättade att berätta om svåra erfarenheter. Ungdomsmottagningens personal upplever att SEXIT säkerställer kvalitet och kontinuitet i deras arbete och underlättar identifiering av unga som riskerar eller har erfarenhet av sexuell ohälsa. Implementeringen av SEXIT fungerade väl, men försvårades av att det ännu inte är införlivat i befintliga kliniska rutiner såsom journalföring och svårigheter att hinna med SEXIT under drop-in mottagning. Det fanns en viss ambivalens hos kuratorer och psykologer kring att använda SEXIT med samtliga besökare eftersom de är vana vid att individanpassa sina metoder.Funding agencies: Financial support was received from the Healthcare Committee, Region Västra Götaland; the Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden; the Research and Development Centre of Gothenburg and Södra Bohuslän; and Knowledge Centre for Sexual Health, Region Västra Götaland.</p

Comparison Study of the Two Pediatric ATDs: Hybrid III 6-Year-Old and Q6

As a new pediatric dummy family, the Q-family, is suggested for the European childsafety regulations (R44) and the updated EuroNCAP, it needed to be tested andcompared to the older pediatric dummy family, Hybrid III, used in testing at Autolivtoday.In this study, tests were performed with the Q6 and the Hybrid III 6-year-old. Bothdummies were subjected to eight sled tests using a EuroNCAP acceleration pulse. The sled represented the interior of a Volvo V70, with integrated booster cushions mounted onto the car body through a rigid fixture. Standard belt were used for all tests, except one where pretensioning was used. Static tests investigated how the chest deflection on Q6 was affected by the shoulder belt geometry. Large difference in belt interaction was observed between the dummies. The beltslipped off the Hybrid III’s shoulder for all tests except one, while the belt on the Qdummy’swas hard to provoke off the shoulder. The overall kinematic behavior, beforethe belt slipped off the Hybrid III’s shoulder, were similar for both dummies. Differences in chest deflection on the Q6, depending on the belt geometry, were observed in both the dynamic and the static tests; a shoulder belt geometry closer to theneck resulted in minor displacement than a mid-shoulder belt geometry. After testing, five different damages were observed on the Q6.Då en ny familj av barnkrockdockor, Q-familjen, är föreslagen för det europeiskalagkravet som reglerar barnsäkerhet (R44), uppstod ett behov av att testa och jämföradessa mot den äldre familjen av barnkrockdockor som används vid testning på Autoliv idag, Hybrid III. I den här studien utfördes tester på Q6 och Hybrid III 6 år. Båda dockorna utsattes föråtta stycken slädtest i en accelerationspuls enligt EuroNCAP. Släden representerade enVolvo V70 med integrerade barnkuddar som monterats i riggen via en stel fixtur. I alla test utom ett användes standardbälten (i undantagsfallet användes försträckare). Statiska tester gjordes för att undersöka hur Q6 påverkades av olika geometrier på axelbältet. Stora skillnader observerades mellan dockornas bältesinteraktion. Bältet gled av HybridIII:s axel i alla test förutom ett, medan det istället var svårt att provocera av bältet från Q-dockans axel. Innan Hybrid III gled ur bältet var dockornas kinematik liknande. I både statiska och dynamiska tester observerades skillnader i bröstintryckning på Q6, beroende på bältesgeometrin; en geometri där axelbältet var placerat nära nackenresulterade i en mindre intryckning än då axelbältet var placerat mitt på axeln. Efte ravslutad testning upptäcktes fem skador på Q6

Norm critical pedagogy in the second language classroom

English as a second language (ESL) classrooms in Sweden constitute multicultural and social platforms where different language backgrounds and attitudes meet and where norms intersect, are contested and negotiated, creating possibilities for some, but limitations for others. The Swedish National Agency for Education promotes norm critical pedagogy (NCP) as a means to tackle degrading treatment and prevent discrimination in school and in society. NCP posits that restrictive norms, such as heteronormativity, can be challenged in school settings if they are made visible. How teachers approach norms in their classrooms depends on their own awareness of and attitudes to norms. In addition, teachers can feel hesitant to address norm-related issues. Since NCP is a relatively new approach making its way on the Swedish educational arena, promoters of NCP stress the need for more research documenting norm critical teaching practices, especially on how NCP can be approached in specific school subjects, such as ESL. By examining educational steering documents and teacher interviews through discourse analysis and descriptive coding, this qualitative case study yields an insight into the way in which certified ESL teachers might regard and approach norms in the classroom. The results of this study suggest that teachers of ESL can approach norms in a number of ways: by interpreting norm critical pedagogy, solving conflicts and drawing on teachable moments, choosing material, negotiating classroom norms and by learning from reflection. Additionally, this study points to the need for more research such as on successful strategies for implementing NCP in school curricula

Violence and sexual risk taking reported by young people at Swedish youth clinics

Background: Early identification of sexual risk taking and exposure to violence is fundamental when seeking to strengthen young peoples health. The purpose of this study was to study factors associated with sexual risk taking and ill health, as well as to study gender differences, and the associations amongst exposure to multiple forms of violence, sexual risk taking and ill health. Methods:This was a cross-sectional study based on data from 3,205 young people answering a questionnaire belonging to the Sexual health Identification Tool (SEXIT 2.0), during consultations at 12 youth clinics in Sweden. The analyses are based on descriptive statistics and nominal multiple regression analysis. Results: Male, transgender and non-binary youths reported significantly more events of sexual risk taking and ill health compared to women. Those who reported sexual initiation before the age of 15 (OR 2.87, CI 1.81-4.56), three or more sexual partners in the past 12 months (OR 2.68, CI 1.70-4.22) and to have ever experienced an unintended pregnancy (OR 2.29, CI 1.32-3.97) were more than twice as likely to report exposure to physical, emotional and sexual violence.Transgender, non-binary youths and women were more exposed to multiple violence (OR 3.68, 13.50) compared to men. Conclusions:Transgender and non-binary youths are exposed to significantly more violence compared to women and men. Experiences of sexual risk taking and ill health demonstrated strong associations with exposure to multiple violence.Funding Agencies|Jonkoping County Region</p

Gender (in)equality among employees in elder care : implications for health

Introduction: Gendered practices of working life create gender inequalities through horizontal and vertical gender segregation in work, which may lead to inequalities in health between women and men. Gender equality could therefore be a key element of health equity in working life. Our aim was to analyze what gender (in) equality means for the employees at a woman-dominated workplace and discuss possible implications for health experiences. Methods: All caregiving staff at two workplaces in elder care within a municipality in the north of Sweden were invited to participate in the study. Forty-five employees participated, 38 women and 7 men. Seven focus group discussions were performed and led by a moderator. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the focus groups. Results: We identified two themes. "Advocating gender equality in principle" showed how gender (in) equality was seen as a structural issue not connected to the individual health experiences. "Justifying inequality with individualism" showed how the caregivers focused on personalities and interests as a justification of gender inequalities in work division. The justification of gender inequality resulted in a gendered work division which may be related to health inequalities between women and men. Gender inequalities in work division were primarily understood in terms of personality and interests and not in terms of gender. Conclusion: The health experience of the participants was affected by gender (in) equality in terms of a gendered work division. However, the participants did not see the gendered work division as a gender equality issue. Gender perspectives are needed to improve the health of the employees at the workplaces through shifting from individual to structural solutions. A healthy-setting approach considering gender relations is needed to achieve gender equality and fairness in health status between women and men