Ensam är stark men tillsammans är vi starkare? En teoriprövande studie om kvinnliga parlamentariker

Har kvinnliga ledamöter i Sveriges riksdag någon påverkan på att den politik som förs blir mer fördelaktig för kvinnor i samhället? För att svara på den frågan har vi valt att applicera två teorier, teorin om kritiska massa och representationsteorin, på ändringarna i abortlagstiftningen och resulterande motioner från riksdagens ledamöter. Av de förändringar som skett har tre år varit viktiga för oss, 1974, 1995 och 2007. Genom att gå igenom motioner skrivna under de här åren samt två år innan lagändringarna och titta på de argument som lyfts fram i motionerna - har vi kunnat urskilja mönster som har lett fram till resultatet av vår studie. Vi har komplimenterat vår undersökning av motioner med voteringsdata för att vidare kunna kartlägga om kvinnliga parlamentariker är mer troliga att föra en fördelaktig politik för kvinnor. Vi har kunnat visa på att det finns ett samband mellan teorierna och kvinnliga parlamentarikers effekt på policyområden som påverkar kvinnor

En för alla, alla för en? En teoriutvecklande studie om könstillhörighet hos parlamentariker påverkar den migrationspolitik de för

There is now a body of literature that addresses whether female parliamentarians differ from male parliamentarians in their politics. However, to my knowledge there has not yet been a study that measures if female parliamentarians are more likely to be generous when it comes to immigration policies. In this study I set out to fill this gap by testing if female parliamentarians in the Swedish parliament are more generous regarding immigration than their male colleagues. I do so by examining eight different areas in immigration politics during two years, using Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) indicators to classify different propositions as restrictive or generous. I measure if female parliamentarians are more likely to submit restrictive or generous propositions. By comparing the number of times male parliamentarians submit restrictive or generous propositions to female parliamentarians, I’m able to show that female parliamentarians are more likely to submit generous propositions regarding immigration policies and that male parliamentarians are more likely to submit restrictive propositions. My results also indicate that there has been an increasing amount of restrictive proposition from 2009 to 2017, I discuss whether this development could be caused by a normalization of restrictive attitudes towards immigrants in general

Technical note: evaluation of a spatial optimization model for prostate high dose‐rate brachytherapy in a clinical treatment planning system

BackgroundSpatial properties of a dose distribution, such as volumes of contiguous hot spots, are of clinical importance in treatment planning for high dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR BT). We have in an earlier study developed an optimization model that reduces the prevalence of contiguous hot spots by modifying a tentative treatment plan. PurposeThe aim of this study is to incorporate the correction of hot spots in a standard inverse planning workflow and to validate the integrated model in a clinical treatment planning system. The spatial function is included in the objective function for the inverse planning, as opposed to in the previous study where it was applied as a separate post-processing step. Our aim is to demonstrate that fine-adjustments of dose distributions, which are often performed manually in todays clinical practice, can be automated. MethodsA spatial optimization function was introduced in the treatment planning system RayStation (RaySearch Laboratories AB, Stockholm, Sweden) via a research interface. A series of 10 consecutive prostate patients treated with HDR BT was retrospectively replanned with and without the spatial function. ResultsOptimization with the spatial function decreased the volume of the largest contiguous hot spot by on average 31%, compared to if the function was not included. The volume receiving at least 200% of the prescription dose decreased by on average 11%. Target coverage, measured as the fractions of the clinical target volume (CTV) and the planning target volume (PTV) receiving at least the prescription dose, was virtually unchanged (less than a percent change for both metrics). Organs-at-risk received comparable or slightly decreased doses if the spatial function was included in the optimization model. ConclusionsOptimization of spatial properties such as the volume of contiguous hot spots can be integrated in a standard inverse planning workflow for brachytherapy, and need not be conducted as a separate post-processing step.Funding: Vetenskapsradet (VR) [VR-NT 2019-155 05416]; Cancerfonden (Swedish Cancer Society) [CAN 2017/1029, Pj 211788]</p