Does a history of cannabis use influence onset and course of schizophrenia?

Introduction: While evidence strongly supports a causal effect of cannabis on psychosis, it is less clear whether the symptom pattern, clinical course, and outcomes differ in cases of schizophrenia with and without a background of cannabis use. Methods: Analysis of medical records from a longitudinal follow‐up of Swedish conscripts with data on cannabis use in adolescence and subsequent incidence of schizophrenia. One hundred sixty patients with schizophrenia were assessed using the OPCRIT protocol. Cases were validated for diagnosis schizophrenia according to OPCRIT. Results: Patients with a cannabis history (n = 32), compared to those without (n = 128), had an earlier age at onset, a higher number of hospital admissions and a higher total number of hospital days. There was no significant difference in type of onset and clinical symptom profiles between the groups. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the disease burden of schizophrenia is greater in individuals who use cannabis during adolescence. Strengthening evidence on causality and teasing out long‐term effects of pre‐illness cannabis use from continued post‐illness has clinical implications for improving schizophrenia outcomes

Yhteistyössä maailman parasta : Korkeakoulutuksen ja tutkimuksen kansainvälisyyden edistämisen linjausten 2017–2025 seuranta ja kehittäminen

Kansainvälisyyden edistämislinjauksessa tavoitteeksi on asetettu suomalaisen korkeakoulutuksen ja tutkimuksen laadun vahvistaminen ja globaalisti tunnustetun edelläkävijäaseman saavuttaminen vuoteen 2025 mennessä. Opetus ja kulttuuriministeriö asetti korkeakoulutuksen ja tutkimuksen kansainvälisten asioiden foorumin (jatkossa KV-foorumi) kahden vuoden määräajalle 1.1.2018–31.12.2019 seuraamaan ja kehittämään linjausten toteutumista. KV-foorumille asetettiin neljä tehtävää: 1. Seurata korkeakoulutuksen ja tutkimuksen kansainvälisten linjausten toimeenpanoa ja toimintaympäristön muutosta huomioiden muut voimassaolevat, kansalliset ja kansainväliset, korkeakoulutuksen ja tutkimuksen linjaukset; 2. Määritellä kansainvälistymisen tavoitetaso vuodelle 2025 ja kehittää seurantaan indikaattorit; 3. Muotoilla suomalaisen korkeakoulutuksen ja tutkimuksen viestejä kahdenvälisessä ja monenvälisessä kansainvälisessä toiminnassa sekä helpottaa tiedonkulkua korkeakoulujen, tutkimuslaitosten, tutkimusrahoittajien, ministeriöiden ja muiden toimijoiden välillä sekä 4. Toimia myös Team Finland Knowledge -verkoston laajennettuna tukiryhmänä taaten tiedon- ja viestinkulun Suomesta verkostolle ja toisinpäin. KV-foorumi on koostunut erilaisista suomalaisen korkeakoulutuksen ja tutkimuksen verkostoista ja organisaatioista, joilla ei ole ollut aikaisemmin yhteistä foorumia, jossa keskustella kansainvälisyyden edistämisestä. Näin sitä voidaan kutsua ”verkostojen verkostoksi”. KV-foorumin tavoitteena on ollut tuoda yhteen eri toimijat siten, että erilaisista näkökulmista syntyy linjauksia tukevia toimintoja. Lisäksi näin turvataan linjausten toimeenpano kaikilla tasoilla. KV-foorumin raportissa annetaan 17 suositusta varmistamaan korkeakoulutuksen ja tutkimuksen kansainvälisyyden edistämisen linjausten toteutuminen. Suositukset liittyvät niin maakuvaviestintään ja alumnitoimintaan kuin maahantuloon ja jäämiseen liittyviin kysymyksiin, koulutus- ja tiedediplomatian vahvistamiseen, globaaliin vastuunkantoon sekä kestävään kehitykseen

Basal-like phenotype is not associated with patient survival in estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancers

INTRODUCTION: Basal-phenotype or basal-like breast cancers are characterized by basal epithelium cytokeratin (CK5/14/17) expression, negative estrogen receptor (ER) status and distinct gene expression signature. We studied the clinical and biological features of the basal-phenotype tumors determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and cDNA microarrays especially within the ER-negative subgroup. METHODS: IHC was used to evaluate the CK5/14 status of 445 stage II breast cancers. The gene expression signature of the CK5/14 immunopositive tumors was investigated within a subset (100) of the breast tumors (including 50 ER-negative tumors) with a cDNA microarray. Survival for basal-phenotype tumors as determined by CK5/14 IHC and gene expression signature was assessed. RESULTS: From the 375 analyzable tumor specimens, 48 (13%) were immunohistochemically positive for CK5/14. We found adverse distant disease-free survival for the CK5/14-positive tumors during the first years (3 years hazard ratio (HR) 2.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17 to 4.24, p = 0.01; 5 years HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.02 to 3.15, p = 0.04) but the significance was lost at the end of the follow-up period (10 years HR 1.43, 95% CI 0.84 to 2.43, p = 0.19). Gene expression profiles of immunohistochemically determined CK5/14-positive tumors within the ER-negative tumor group implicated 1,713 differently expressed genes (p < 0.05). Hierarchical clustering analysis with the top 500 of these genes formed one basal-like and a non-basal-like cluster also within the ER-negative tumor entity. A highly concordant classification could be constructed with a published gene set (Sorlie's intrinsic gene set, concordance 90%). Both gene sets identified a basal-like cluster that included most of the CK5/14-positive tumors, but also immunohistochemically CK5/14-negative tumors. Within the ER-negative tumor entity there was no survival difference between the non-basal and basal-like tumors as identified by immunohistochemical or gene-expression-based classification. CONCLUSION: Basal cytokeratin-positive tumors have a biologically distinct gene expression signature from other ER-negative tumors. Even if basal cytokeratin expression predicts early relapse among non-selected tumors, the clinical outcome of basal tumors is similar to non-basal ER-negative tumors. Immunohistochemically basal cytokeratin-positive tumors almost always belong to the basal-like gene expression profile, but this cluster also includes few basal cytokeratin-negative tumors

The Expanded Field of Composting

Mitt examensarbete handlar om den tysta protesten mot kemikalierna som finns i våra kläder. Textilindustrin är idag en av de smutsigaste industrier och skadar både naturen och människorna som arbetar där. Genom att arbeta med naturlig färgning och lära mig mer om komposten har jag undersökt möjligheterna att utvinna färg från något som finns mig nära. Materialet jag har färgat är mina gamla missfärgade eller fläckiga kläder som jag sorterat ut från garderoben. Under hösten 2012 gjorde jag en Minor Field Study i Indien, där jag bland annat gick bredvid hantverkare på organisationen Avani för att lära mig mer om färgväxter, recept och rutiner. Jag besökte också symposiet ISEND 2012 i Malaysia, där forskare från hela världen träffades för att bland annat diskutera naturlig färgning, dess roll samt för- och nackdelar med att skala upp metoden på industriell nivå. Mitt arbete består av två delar – min färgundersökning och ett textmaterial jag kallar Färgningsmanifestet där jag tar ett helhetsgrepp om en stor miljöproblematik och syftar att förmedla mina erfarenheter på ett inspirerande sätt

Lokalitet, globalitet och folklighet : Hälsingegårdarna som världsarv

The aim of this essay was to investigate the effects of adopting a site to the UNESCOs World Heritage List. Thefocus laid on the example of the Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland, which was the most recent Swedishadoption. With the question of impact of the World Heritage List in mind, the region of Hälsingland became themain focus. The study was made with particular focus on Gästgivars, a farm located in the municipality ofBollnäs, to which the theory of social life of things was applied. The result of the World Heritage was, in the caseof Gästgivars, an increase of the cultural value and social status.This case study has shown that the impact of the nomination has not been immense, but suggests that longtermeffects can show. The nomination to the World Heritage has led to some small changes in how thefarmhouses are managed, for example an increase of guided tours of a site. Although there were some opinionson how it was handled, World Heritage site recognition is looked upon as something positive. In this studyUNESCO and ICOMOS, in addition to other governing bodies, appeared to be authoritarian in some aspects,mainly when it came to local decisions concerning the World Heritage site. Thus, it has also shown that thoseinstitutions were not the only authoritarians regarding the handling of the site.The adoption of the Decorated Farmhouses could contribute to a feeling of community, or to create asymbol of the region and municipality, or perhaps a feeling of local identity and community. On an economiclevel, the World Heritage designation could contribute to additional income for the region and secondary effects.The case study is not completely a part of the experience industry which shows that cultural economy had littleeffects. Furthermore, the study showed that the adoption of the Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland to theWorld Heritage List can promote the view upon culture in small cities and an alternation of the cultural life.To analyze possible interactions due to a site being added to the World Heritage list has succesfully beenperformed with qualitative methods and interviews. The interviews became the primary material of the study andwas backed by statistics of the number of visitors to a site, some documents, and historical facts

Samverkan inom äldreomsorgen : konstruktiva möten eller tråkiga måsten?

Titel: Samverkan inom äldreomsorgen – Konstruktiva möten eller tråkiga måsten? År 2007 Antal sidor: 35 ________________________________________ Syftet med undersökningen var att undersöka om och hur samverkan mellan arbetsgivare och medarbetare inom äldreomsorgen ger medarbetarna möjlighet att påverka sin arbetsplats och sin arbetssituation samt om det fanns områden inom samverkan som kunde förbättras. Ledarskapet på enheterna är så intimt förknippat med samverkan och medarbetarnas möjlighet till påverkan vilket gjort att även det har fått en roll i denna undersökning. Undersökningen, som bestod av riktade öppna intervjuer, genomfördes med sex respondenter som arbetade på tre olika arbetsplatser. Respondenterna var personer som arbetade i den direkta omvårdnaden som undersköterskor eller vårdbiträden. Arbetsplatserna var särskilda boenden inom äldreomsorgen i en medelstor stad i Mellansverige. Resultatet visade att de flesta respondenterna var nöjda med den samverkan som fanns på arbetsplatsen och att de kände att de hade möjlighet att kunna påverka både sin arbetsplats och sin arbetssituation. Det fanns brister och förbättringsområden inom samverkansarbetet, men på det stora hela så var medarbetarnas intryck positivt. En slutsats jag kan dra av denna undersökning är att samverkan mellan arbetsgivare och medarbetare inom äldreomsorgen fungerar på ett för medarbetarna tillfredställande sätt. Det finns områden som kan och bör förbättras, framförallt när det gäller mer övergripande frågor i verksamheten, men överlag är de flesta medarbetarna nöjda med samverkan som den ser ut i dag

Åldersdiskriminering : - är den svenska arbetsrätten åldersdiskriminerande?

Since several rules of law have a consideration of age, the Swedish labor law collides in many ways with the prohibition of age discrimination.   The employment directives of EU were implemented in the member countries after the shift of the millennium. Sweden was the last member to introduce age as a ground of discrimination in its legislation. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether the Swedish regulations, regarding age discrimination and its application, is compatible with the EU.  The aim is also to investigate what is required to exclude the prohibition of age discrimination. The labor law provisions concerning the retirement age given in 32 a and 33 §§ LAS, priority rules according to 22 § LAS and the collectively agreed holiday benefit, which is regulated according to a worker's age, is to be investigated to see if they actually qualify for the exclusion of the prohibition against age discrimination. Furthermore, the paper intends to describe if the Swedish legislation has taken account of the research available on the subject of "age" and “age discrimination”. In order to fulfill the purpose, the paper is based on a legal dogmatic method.   The content of the essay consists initially of an investigation about the EU employment directive and also about the Swedish legislation on age discrimination. Furthermore the contents describe the above three rules, and what research on the subject suggests.   Comparing of the Swedish anti-discrimination legislation and the EU employment directive, indicates that the Swedish legislation meets the minimum requirements of the directive. The results of the paper indicate that there are a lot of room for exceptions, which makes it difficult to pinpoint where the border between age discrimination and preferential treatment based on age is drawn. 32 a and 33 §§ LAS along with the collectively agreed holiday benefit do not qualify for the exclusion of the prohibition against age discrimination. It is therefore concluded that there are weaknesses in the Swedish legislation, in attempt to exclude the prohibition of age discrimination. The priority rules under 22 § LAS are examples of legitimate distinctions based on age. Furthermore, neither the EU nor the Swedish legislation took account of the research on age and age discrimination.

Lokalitet, globalitet och folklighet : Hälsingegårdarna som världsarv

The aim of this essay was to investigate the effects of adopting a site to the UNESCOs World Heritage List. Thefocus laid on the example of the Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland, which was the most recent Swedishadoption. With the question of impact of the World Heritage List in mind, the region of Hälsingland became themain focus. The study was made with particular focus on Gästgivars, a farm located in the municipality ofBollnäs, to which the theory of social life of things was applied. The result of the World Heritage was, in the caseof Gästgivars, an increase of the cultural value and social status.This case study has shown that the impact of the nomination has not been immense, but suggests that longtermeffects can show. The nomination to the World Heritage has led to some small changes in how thefarmhouses are managed, for example an increase of guided tours of a site. Although there were some opinionson how it was handled, World Heritage site recognition is looked upon as something positive. In this studyUNESCO and ICOMOS, in addition to other governing bodies, appeared to be authoritarian in some aspects,mainly when it came to local decisions concerning the World Heritage site. Thus, it has also shown that thoseinstitutions were not the only authoritarians regarding the handling of the site.The adoption of the Decorated Farmhouses could contribute to a feeling of community, or to create asymbol of the region and municipality, or perhaps a feeling of local identity and community. On an economiclevel, the World Heritage designation could contribute to additional income for the region and secondary effects.The case study is not completely a part of the experience industry which shows that cultural economy had littleeffects. Furthermore, the study showed that the adoption of the Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland to theWorld Heritage List can promote the view upon culture in small cities and an alternation of the cultural life.To analyze possible interactions due to a site being added to the World Heritage list has succesfully beenperformed with qualitative methods and interviews. The interviews became the primary material of the study andwas backed by statistics of the number of visitors to a site, some documents, and historical facts

Av mig är du kommen och konstnär varde ditt namn : En studie om Mathilde Wigert-Österlund och psykisk ohälsa i konsten

The aim of this study was to investigate the connection between an artists mental illness and his or her art and this was made with the artist Mathilde Wigert-Österlund (1873-1943) as an example. Wigert-Österlund was an artist who suffered from mental illness and was a patient at a mental institution during two periods throughout her life. After she became ill, she made textile artworks that have been considered to be products of her illness. To investigate if this is true or not and to understand Wigert-Österlunds means of expression, the study was based on the purpose that with Wigert-Österlund as example investigate the connection between mental illness and creative production and study the artist and the artists role as a social and cultural construction. This was done with the following questions: How did Mathilde Wigert-Österlunds artistic expression change when she became ill? What role did Wigert-Österlund take och recieve in the artistic field? And; what resemblances and differences were there between Wigert-Österlunds artworks and her contemporary textile art? The questions were answered with studies of literature and objects as material, together with a method of material culture. Theory of practice and a theory of the artist role were applied on the material and the results. The analysis shows that Wigert-Österlunds artistic expression primarily changed with her use of other techniques and materials than before and secondarily that she had a slight change in the choice of motif and especially symbols in her work. The works shows that Wigert-Österlund is to be considered as having the role of a melancholic artist due to the theory of the artists role. Her work had no distinct recemblances with the contemporary textile art but shows that she is considered to share habitus and expression with the artist group that were defined as painters. Wigert-Österlund and her textile artcan be considered as unique in the time they were made. The study also reveals that the groups within the field were changeable and that Wigert-Österlund and her variated expression made her belong to separate groups but that she might have identified herself with the one with highest social and cultural status. The study showed that there is a slight connection between mental illness and an artists expression and that an artist can correlate to an artistic role and at the same time be a production of and a construction of the society and its expectations connected to that construction