Psychological aspects in differences/disorders of sex development

Background Sex differentiation depends on a complex set of molecular events. These are at one point initiated by SRY gene expression and involve gene transcription, which in turn can be affected by the prescence or absence of different co-factors, availability of and exposure to sex hormones, presence and sensitivity of steroid receptors that directs growth and development. DSD conditions represent variations in typical sex differentiation with discordance between sex chromosomes, gonads, hormones or genital appearance. Both mechanisms underlying sex differentiation of body, brain, behavior and psychological outcome in many DSD conditions remain understudied. Aim To increase knowledge of outcome in DSD patient groups regarding psychosocial and psychological parameters and contribute to the knowledge on biological factors with impact on sex differences in cognition and gender role behavior. Study I Methods: Psychosocial outcome in men and women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) (n=588) was assessed through registry studies with regards to education, income and participation in work life, dependency on social welfare, marriage and fertility. Patients were compared to controls from the general population matched for age, sex and place of living. Results: Individuals with CAH had less often completed primary education (OR=0.5), had more periods on sick leave (OR=1.7) and had children less often than controls (OR=0.3). Women with CAH were married less often (OR=0.2) and men were married more often than controls (OR=0.4). Women with SW had income in the top 20% more often (OR=2.0) and both men and women with SW had disability pension more often (OR=2.8). Study II Methods: Psychiatric morbidity in women with complete androgen insensitivity (CAIS) (n=20), gonadal dysgenesis (GD) (n=13) and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) (n=21) was assessed through a structured diagnostic interview (MINI-V) and self-report questions, and compared to age matched controls from the population. Results: Psychiatric morbidity was increased for women with CAIS and GD compared with controls from the general population (p=.003) but not in comparison to women with POI. Depression (p=.03) and anxiety disorder diagnoses (p=.003) were increased with an overrepresentation of obsessive compulsive disorder diagnoses (p<.001). Study III and IV Methods: Cognitive abilities in women with CAIS (n=18), XYGD (n=6) and XXGD (n=7) and men with hypospadias (n=89) were assessed using a battery of cognitive tasks that typically yield sex differences and were compared to age matched controls. Results: The cognitive test battery revealed sex differences in the expected directions. Women with CAIS or XYGD performed more similar to female than male controls except on the test of emotion recognition and word fluency where they had lower performance. Women with XXGD outperformed all other groups on the emotion recognition task. There were no differences between men with hypospadias and male controls neither on the cognitive test battery nor the retrospective gender role behavior questions. Men with proximal hypospadias performed slightly lower overall than men with distal hypospadias. Conclusions Psychosocial and psychiatric outcome is impaired in women with DSD and in some aspects for men with CAH. Results from the cognitive study in women with DSD support theories of androgen influence on cognitive abilities but factors related to karyotype may influence emotion recognition. Further studies are warranted particularly regarding mechanisms behind superior performance of women with XXGD on emotion recognition and general cognitive abilities in men with proximal hypospadias

Hur påverkas uppkomsten av renkavle (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.) av olika bearbetningsstrategier under hösten? : How is the emergence of black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.) influenced by different mechanical strategies during the autumn?

Syftet med detta examensarbete var att undersöka hur uppkomsten av renkavle samt fröbanken påverkades av olika mekaniska jordbearbetningsmetoder under hösten. I den experimentella delen av examensarbetet utvärderades ett redan befintligt försök som genomfördes under hösten 2022 med olika bearbetningsmetoder för att bekämpa renkavle. Motivet till detta examensarbete är den växande problematiken kring renkavle som orsakats av dess kraftiga uppförökning, dess förmåga till att bilda en fröbank, samt den ökande resistensutvecklingen i renkavle mot herbicider. De sex olika mekaniska jordbearbetningsmetoderna som jämfördes i detta examensarbete var 1) ett kontrolled med orörd stubb, 2) en tidig och sen ultragrund bearbetning på 1-2 cm djup, 3) en tidig grund bearbetning på 2-3 cm djup, 4) en tidig och sen grund bearbetning på 2-3 cm djup, 5) en djup bearbetning på 15 cm djup och 6) en sen grund bearbetning på 2-3 cm djup. Försöket avlästes under hösten 2022, där antalet uppkomna plantor räknades i fält. Höstens resultat visade att det fanns signifikanta skillnader mellan bearbetningarna. De bearbetningarna som fick flest renkavleplantor att gro på hösten var en tidig och sen grund bearbetning följt av en tidig och sen ultragrund bearbetningen. Det var även den tidiga och sena grunda bearbetningen som skiljde sig signifikant från alla övriga försöksled förutom den tidiga och sena ultragrunda bearbetningen. På hösten var målet att få så många frön som möjligt att gro vilket försöksledet med en tidig och sen grund bearbetning lyckades bäst med. Under våren användes försöket i detta examensarbete genom att det gjordes en fröbanksanalys. I början av mars 2023 togs jordprover i samma försöksfält i de olika försöksleden med mekanisk jordbearbetning. Jordproverna togs på tre olika provtagningsdjup, 0-5 cm, 5-15 cm och 15-25 cm. Odlingslådor med jordproverna placerades därefter i växthus. Under denna period i växthuset räknades och plockades bort antalet uppkomna renkavleplantor efter fyra och sju veckor. Resultatet från vårens fröbanksanalys visade också på signifikanta skillnader. På provtagningsdjupet 0-5 cm fick en djup bearbetning på 15 cm minst antal renkavlefrön att gro. På provtagningsdjupet 5-15 cm var det minsta antalet renkavle i försöksledet med en tidig följt av en sen ultragrund bearbetning. Resultatet från hösten jämfördes även med resultatet från våren i förhoppningen om att kunna se ett samband mellan flest antal uppkomna plantor på hösten skulle ge minst antal uppkomna plantor på våren. Resultatet från jämförelsen påvisade inte något samband. Försöksfältet som användes i detta examensarbete har de tre senaste åren bearbetats genom reducerad jordbearbetning och det har enbart odlats höstgrödor på fältet. Det har påverkat resultatet genom att där redan har funnits en fröbank av renkavle på fältet sedan tidigare. Det visade sig i försöksleden med grunda bearbetningarna där det fanns groningsdugliga renkavlefrön längre ner än 5 cm i jordprofilen trots att de inte bearbetats på djupet. Vädret har troligen inte haft någon större negativ inverkan på de bearbetningar som utfördes tidigt i augusti. Däremot kan den låga nederbörden i oktober och november påverkat de bearbetningar som gjordes senare. Slutsatsen för experimentet var att resultatet visade att det går att påverka både uppkomsten av renkavle och uppförökningen av fröbanken genom olika mekaniska bearbetningsmetoder under hösten. På kort sikt är en tidig djup bearbetning på 15 cm en bra åtgärd, men på lång sikt är det en dålig åtgärd eftersom fröbanken uppförökas. För att inte uppföröka fröbanken och på lång sikt minska renkavle förekomsten, är både en tidig och sen ultragrund bearbetning på 1-2 cm djup och en tidig och sen grund bearbetning på 2-3 cm djup bra åtgärder.The purpose of this project was to investigate how the emergence of black-grass and the soil seed bank was affected by different mechanical strategies during the autumn. In the experimental part of the degree project, an already existing experiment was evaluated that was carried out in the fall of 2022 with different mechanical strategies to control black-grass. The motive for this degree project is the growing problem surrounding black-grass caused by it´s strong propagation, it´s ability to build a seed bank, as well as the increasing development of resistance in black-grass to herbicides. The different mechanical strategies that were compared were a control strategy that was untouched stubble, an early and late ultra-shallow tillage at a depth of 1-2 cm, an early shallow tillage at a depth of 2-3 cm, an early and late shallow tillage at a depth of 2-3 cm, and a deep tillage at a depth of 15 cm. The experiment was assessed in the autumn of 2022, where the number of emerged plants was counted in the field. The result from the autumn showed that there were significant differences between the different strategies. The strategy that caused the most emerged plants in the autumn where the early and late shallow tillage followed by an early and late ultra-shallow tillage. It was also the early and late shallow tillage that differed significantly from all the other strategies except the early and late ultra-shallow tillage. In the autumn, the goal was to get as many seeds as possible to germinate, most geminated seeds were found in the experiment treatment with an early and late shallow tillage. During the spring, the experiment was used in this degree project by doing a soil seed bank analysis. At the beginning of March 2023, soil samples were taken in the same experimental in the different strategies with mechanical tillage. The soil samples were taken on three different sampling depths, 0-5 cm, 5-15 cm and 15-25 cm. The growing tray with the soil sample were then placed in a greenhouse. During the period in the greenhouse the number of newly emerged plants was counted and removed after four and seven weeks. The result from the spring seed bank analysis also showed significant differences. At the sampling depth of 0-5 cm, a deep tillage at a depth of 15 cm caused the least number of black-grass seeds to germinate. At the sampling depth of 5-15 cm, the least number of emerged black-grass was in the early followed by late ultra-shallow tillage. The result from the autumn was also compared with the result from the spring in order to se if the highest number of emerged plants in the autumn gave the least number of emerged plants in the spring. The result of the comparison did not show any relationship. For the last three years, the experimental field has been treated with reduced tillage and only autumn seeded crops have been grown on the field. It has affected the result because it was already a soil seed bank in the field before the experiment started. In the strategies with the shallow tillage, it was shown that it were seeds germinated from soil samples, which were taken at a greater depth than 5 cm, even though it was not tilled in that depth. The weather probably did not have a major negative impact on the tillage that were carried out early in August. However, the low rainfall in October and November may have affected the tillage that was done late. The conclusion of the experiment was that the result showed that it is possible to affect both the emergence of black-grass and the propagation of the seed bank through different mechanical strategies during the autumn. In the short term, an early deep tillage at a depth of 15 cm is a good strategy, but in the long term is a bad strategy because the seed bank is multiplied. In order not to increase the seed bank and in the long term reduce the occurrence of black-grass, both and early and late ultra-shallow tillage at a depth of 1-2 cm and an early and late shallow tillage at a depth of 2-3 cm are good strategies

Att knyta samman konst, kulturhistoria och natur

Denna studie undersöker hur gestaltningsprinciper kan möjliggöra ett samspel mellan konst, kulturhistoria och befintlig natur med syfte att stärka platsens identitet och enhetlighet. Studien har gjorts på Konstens väg i Övertorneå kommun och metoden består av litteraturläsning, platsbesök och analyser. För att bättre förstå platsens identitet har en förstudie gjorts med fokus på platsens olika naturvärden och kulturhistoriska skikt. Gestaltningsprinciper har formulerats baserat på utvalda nyckelvärden. Studien visar hur man kan utvärdera och prioritera olika värden och hur man lyfter fram dem. Idén bakom projektet Konstens väg var att skapa ett konststråk. Men utöver de tre konstverk som redan har köpts in, varav ett inte placerats ut än, finns det ingen konkret plan. Platsen saknar struktur och tydlighet. Arbetet har resulterat i följande tre gestaltningsprinciper; Friluftsliv i panorama, Identitet och tydlighet och Hållbarhet och framtid. Tanken är att låta hela platsens utformning genomsyras av dessa principer. Som ett komplement till gestaltningsprinciperna har 15 platser av intresse längs vägen valts ut. Varje plats beskrivs kort och innehåller idéer om eventuell utformning. Studien är ett försök att skapa ett ramverk som kan bidra med enlighet och identitet. Principerna är avsedda att fungera som riktlinjer för fortsatt planering och design.This study examines how design principles can allow an interaction between art, cultural history and site-specific nature with purpose to strengthen a place's identity and uniformity. The study includes Konstens väg in Övertorneå municipality and has been carried out through reading literature, site visits and analyzes. In order to bring out the identity of Konstens väg, the pilot study examines different values of the local nature and cultural-historical layers. Design principles were formulated based on selected key values. The study has provided many insights into how one may evaluate and prioritize different values and how to highlight those. The idea behind the project Konstens väg was to create a walk involving public art. But apart from three art pieces that already have been bought, where of two have been placed, there is no concrete plan. The site lacks structure and distinctiveness. The work has resulted in three design principles, which are; Outdoor life in panorama, Identity and clarity and Sustainability and future. The idea is to let the entire site be permeated by these principles. As a complement to the designprinciples, 15 places of interest have been selected. Each place comes with a short description and some ideas how they could be designed. This study is an attempt to establish a framework that can provide a sense of uniformity and identity. The principles are intended to serve as guidelines for continued planning and design

Löperska på löpet- En studie av identitetskonstruktioner

The purpose of this essay is to look into how collective identities are constructed and rapidly shifts in the discourse of Abeba Aregawi winning the gold medal for Sweden in the World Championship in Moscow 2013. To investigate how two opposing identities are being constructed I apply discourse analysis and the thesis of Torben Bech Dyrberg on my case. The essence of Dyrbergs theory is that identities are constructed through the logics of difference and equivalence (1997). My conclusion is that two different identities are created in the discourse and that Aregawi shifts between the two. The first is the foreign identity, which is constructed as an opposite to the other identity, the Swedish. Characteristics for the foreign identity in this discourse are religion, against homosexuality, non-individualistic, origin (birthplace) and that they don’t speak Swedish. The Swedish identity gets a meaning through the equivalence chain of individualism, equal sexual rights, the freedom of expressing ones thoughts and secularity. My result is that the Swedish identity is created contrasting to the foreign and that these might be taken for granted and therefore be institutionalized in the future

Digital kränkning på bloggar

The purpose of this essay was to get a better understanding of online harassment on blogs by investigating how the readers see themselves and the people that they meet on blogs. The aim was to discover what kind of factors increased the risk of being harassed online, on blogs. The study was based on a web-survey, which was posted on three blogs, and answered by 218 respondents. The main outcome of this study was that age and in what way the respondents saw their relationship, between themselves and the people they meet on blogs, had a connection with if they felt harassed or not. The older compared to the younger readers might not be familiar to the short communication used on blogs and thereby not able to “read” the norms created on a blog. Thus making it easier to misunderstand what was written and use communication in a way that could be misinterpreted as online harassment. The study also suggests that if you see people you meet on blogs as strangers it is easier to communicate in a harsh way, which could be interpreted as online harassment. If you see the person as a friend it is more likely that you use a nicer way to communicate. Furthermore the study implies that there are different kind of temperaments on blogs, a harsh mood on blogs would increase the risk of online harassment

Att granska granskarna- Kvalitet i revisionsrapporter sett ur ett medborgarperspektiv

I samband med förändrad samhällsstyrning, bland annat i form av flernivåstyre och företagsinspirerade verksamheter, så anser vissa forskare att det demokratiska ansvarsutkrävandet behöver stärkas. Anders Hanberger ger ett förslag som går ut på att de lokala revisionsrapporterna borde utgöra ett informationsunderlag som ger medborgarna möjlighet att utkräva ansvar av politikerna. I uppsatsen analyseras tre revisionsrapporter framtagna på uppdrag av Region Skånes revisorer för att se om dessa håller hög kvalitet sett ur ett medborgarperspektiv, och för att se om rapporterna är lämpliga att använda som informationsunderlag för medborgarna för att dessa ska kunna utkräva ansvar av politikerna. Analysen genomförs med hjälp av ett analysschema som är framtaget av Hanberger med syftet att bedöma kvalitet i utvärderingar ur ett medborgarperspektiv. Slutsatsen är att två av tre rapporter är godkända kvalitetsmässigt utifrån ett medborgarperspektiv medan den tredje inte lever upp till de uppsatta kriterierna. De två rapporterna skulle kunna användas av medborgare för att få informationsunderlag till att utkräva ansvar från politikern. I uppsatsen dras också slutsatsen att bristen med revisionsrapporterna snarare ligger i okunskapen om rapporternas existens och innehåll snarare än deras faktiska innehåll

Suboptimal psychosocial outcomes in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia : epidemiological studies in a nonbiased national cohort in Sweden

Context: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), CYP21A2 deficiency, results in cortisol and aldosterone deficiency and increased production of androgens, with a good genotype phenotype correlation. Objective: To study psychosocial outcomes in relation to clinical severity, CYP21A2 genotype, in men and women. Design: An epidemiological study with a matched cohort control design. Setting: All known CAH patients in Sweden. Participants: 588 patients, >95% with known severity of CAH; 100 controls per patient matched for sex, year and place of birth. Main outcome and measures: Proxies for quality of life were selected: level of education, employment, income, sick-leave, disability pension, marriage and children. Results: Women with salt-wasting (SW) CAH had completed primary education less often (OR 0.3), not explained by neonatal salt-crisis or hypoglycemia since the men did not differ from controls. Men and women in the less severe I172N genotype group were more likely to have an academic education (OR 1.8) SW women were more likely to have an income in the top 20 percentile (OR 2.0 ). Both men and women had more disability pension (OR 1.5) and sick leave (OR 1.7). The men more often had long lasting employment (OR 3.1). Men were more often (OR 1.6) while women were less often married (OR 0.7). Patients had children less often (OR 0.3). Conclusions: This study shows important outcome differences regarding education, employment, marriage and fertility depending on sex and severity of CAH. The mechanisms behind this and the increased risk for sick leave or disability pension in both men and women should be identified to improve medical and psychological care.The Swedish Research CouncilAccepte