Högskolan i Skövde

Denna studie fokuserar på användning och effekt av andetag i audiovisuell science fiction. De mest förstärkande teknikerna inom ljuddesign grundar sig i våra primala instinkter, därför är användningen av andetag ett av de mest effektiva medel för att skapa en metafysisk koppling till åskådaren och grunda de ofta främmande koncepten och scenarierna inom science fiction. Ett förekommande drag för genren är att huvudpersonen befinner sig i en instängd miljö (en dräkt) och de enda tydliga, informativa och auditiva elementen som hörs kommer från insidan av den miljön, vilket naturligt fokuserar publikens uppmärksamhet på karaktärens andning för att dechiffrera deras fysiska och mentala tillstånd. I undersökningen av denna avhandling har nyckelscener från fyra olika science fiction-filmer med liknande cinematiska drag valts ut. En tematisk kvalitativ komparativ analys har utnyttjats för att noggrant analysera dess användning av auditiva andetag, i ackompanjemang av andra former av ljud och musikaliska stycken, för att höja den visuella komponenten av upplevelsen och därmed framkalla dramatiska känslor hos publiken.

As digitalization advances, social media's popularity has dramatically increased, reshaping entertainment and business models. Celebrities and companies have expanded into the digital space, making social media marketing crucial for brands aiming for visibility. Influencer marketing allows companies to reach their target audience through credible influencers, enhancing brand image and creating valuable consumer associations. This bachelor's thesis evaluates the effectiveness of influencer marketing from a consumer perspective and identifies potential risks. It employs qualitative interviews with a diverse group of consumers to explore their views on and reactions to influencer marketing. The study incorporates theories of social proof and brand loyalty to analyze the data. Findings suggest that influencer marketing can be effective but requires precision in execution to build and maintain consumer trust. The thesis concludes with suggestions for further research to explore the long-term effects of influencer marketing on brand value and consumer behavior.

Background: Today's labor market is characterized by constant evolution where the ability of organizations to engage and retain their employees is crucial for long-term success. This study purpose is to explore the impact of employee involvement in decision-making processes on their levels of engagement, with a particular focus on white-collar and blue-collar workers.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze the effect of employee involvement in decision-making processes on workplace engagement, and to investigate any differences in this effect between different job roles.

Method: A quantitative research method was applied, where data was collected through a survey with 142 respondents from various organizational levels and job roles. Data was analyzed using statistical software to determine correlations and patterns.

Results: The results indicate a significant correlation between the degree of employee involvement in decision-making processes and levels of engagement, especially among nonwhite-collar workers. These insights highlight the importance of strategic decision-making processes that promote an inclusive and engaging work environment.

Conclusion: The study shows that increased employee involvement in decision-making processes can lead to higher levels of engagement, which in turn can contribute to greater organizational success. Further research is recommended to examine long-term effects and additional variables.

Metabolic theories in ecology interpret ecological patterns at different levels through the lens of metabolism, typically applying allometric power scaling laws to describe rates of energy use. This requires a sound theory for metabolism at the individual level. Commonly used mechanistic growth models lack some potentially important aspects and fail to accurately capture a growth pattern often observed in insects. Recently, a new model (MGM–the Maintenance-Growth Model) was developed for ontogenetic and post-mature growth, based on an energy balance that expresses growth as the net result of assimilation and metabolic costs for maintenance and feeding. The most important contributions of MGM are: 1) the division of maintenance costs into a non-negotiable and a negotiable part, potentially resulting in maintenance costs that increase faster than linearly with mass and are regulated in response to food restriction; 2) differentiated energy allocation strategies between sexes and 3) explicit description of costs for finding and processing food. MGM may also account for effects of body composition and type of growth at the cellular level. The model was here calibrated and evaluated using empirical data from an experiment on house crickets growing under ad libitum conditions. The procedure involved parameter estimations from the literature and collected data, using statistical models to account for individual variation in parameter values. It was found that ingestion rate cannot be generally described by a simple allometry, here requiring a more complex description after maturity. Neither could feeding costs be related to ingestion rate in a simplistic manner. By the unusual feature of maintenance costs increasing faster than linearly with body mass, MGM could well capture the differentiated growth patterns of male and female crickets. Some other mechanistic growth models have been able to provide good predictions of insect growth during early ontogeny, but MGM may accurately describe the trajectory until terminated growth.

Background

Mental health problems (MHP) are a major public health challenge. Conventional healthcare has shown limitation on reducing MHP and there is a call for offering methods beyond healthcare as well as improve access to healthcare.

Aims

To explore experiences among people having MHP of (i) taking part in existential conversations in groups beyond conventional healthcare and (ii) seeking and receiving conventional healthcare.

Materials and methodsFour focus group interviews were conducted after finishing existential conversations in groups. Data was analyzed following thematic analysis.

Results

The theme Access to a community for exploration and acceptance describes communication through impressions and expressions together with others. A reflective perspective on everyday life, describes re-evaluation through reflection. Within the theme Experiences of healthcare related encounters, referring to the second aim, participants recollected feelings of disconnectedness, difficulties verbalizing MHP and dealing with rigid, standardized measures.

Conclusion

Existential conversations in group may contribute to a more reflected doing in accordance with one’s own values as well as improved mental health literacy. Design and measures within healthcare need to explicitly address MHP and consider individual’s own preferences.

Significance

This study contributes to understanding of coping with MHP in everyday life from an existential perspective.

The purpose of this study was to examine and identify the motivational factors that influence employees' choices in building a career at a fast-food restaurant, specifically McDonald's. The analysis is based on Herzberg's two-factor theory, where both hygiene factors and motivational factors affect job satisfaction. The data collection method consisted of semi-structured interviews with respondents holding various positions and either currently employed or having ended their employment at the time of the study. The results indicate that responsibility and recognition of achievement are the primary factors influencing employees to stay and grow within their roles at a fast-food restaurant. Although not all motivational and hygiene factors are equally emphasized in the study, it provides an understanding of the relationship between motivational factors and hygiene factors consistent with Herzberg's two-factor theory.

Digitization has been acknowledged as a phenomenon that affects society. The Swedish real estate industry has proven to be facing challenges and needs to develop as well as adapt their business models to digital development. Previous research highlights that the development of business models following digitization can be decisive for achieving profitability and competitive advantages. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate and increase the understanding of business model development within the Swedish real estate industry. The theoretical frame explains what a business model consists of and what its main focus is, as well as how digital technology can affect business models through optimization, transformation or development of new business models. Furthermore, what a business model development implies is identified. Next, it is identified which digital technologies are commonly used and which affect the real estate industry. Finally, dynamic capabilities that enable companies to adapt to changing environments and be successful are explained. The theoretical frame has been analyzed with the empirical data to examine, find patterns and increase understanding of how digitization affects the real estate industry´s business model development. In order to analyze previous research with in-depth information, qualitative interviews were carried out with interviewees from the Swedish real estate industry. A strategic selection has been conducted with eight interviews, with seven different real estate companies, then the empirical data has been analyzed using the analysis model developed by the authors. The results of this study indicate how digitization affects business model development by integrating the digitization types big data, networking tools, cloud services, IoT, applications and AI into the business model parts. In the conclusion, it is stated that the digitization types make the business model parts management, purchase, as well as sales and rental more efficient, which meant improved profitability, delivered customer value and competitiveness. This study highlights the fact that digitization´s impact on business model development has led to partnership between real estate companies. In addition, this study demonstrates dynamic capabilities in the real estate industry for development and adaptation to changing environments, which digitization is considered to be.

This research explores player experience in the serious game SamDays, which aims to raise awareness of anxiety disorders. Utilizing Costikyan’s theory of uncertainty, the study investigates how different sources of uncertainty within the game influence player engagement and understanding of the game’s themes. Through semi-structured interviews with participants, qualitative data were collected to gain insights into their experiences and perceptions of the game design. The findings reveal the importance of balancing simplicity and uncertainty in game mechanics to enhance player engagement and empathy toward individuals with anxiety. This research contributes to the broader conversation on serious games, emphasizing their potential as effective educational tools in promoting mental health awareness. Additionally, the study identifies limitations, such as the small sample size, and suggests future research directions, including the need for larger studies and the exploration of diverse player perspectives to enrich the understanding of player experiences in serious games.

Nowadays, the local distribution grids have been facing technical, economic, and regulatory challenges, because of the increased integration of renewable energy sources (RESs) and electrification of vehicles. The traditional solutions to the grid expansion, e.g., to build an additional power line, are utility-centered solutions, i.e., the distribution grid operators (DSOs) are the only party involved to tackle grid issues. The DSOs have to engage grid users with technology providers to develop innovative solutions that tackle one problem and overcome several cost-effectively. This paper presents a holistic solution to optimally control cross-sectoral energy flow between interconnected microgrids (MGs) consisting of different RESs, hydroelectric power plant (HPP) and wind turbines (WTs) to meet electric vehicles (EVs), residential, commercial and industrial demands with the main grid contribution. This issue will provide the advantages of community-based MGs for local energy trading which causes for an active and engaged system, however, an adequate control strategy for proper operation is required. The proposed solution is based on a new interconnection line between two MGs through a multiport converter (MPC) with the techno-economic consideration of newly installed components such as MPC, cables and the required battery energy storage system (BESS). The proposed case study is evaluated under three different conditions e.g., load increment, demand response (DR) and N-1 criterion in separate, interconnect and island modes. The CPLEX solver of GAMS software is employed to solve the mixed-integer linear programming model. The results show that the applied interconnection line for MGs compared to the separated operation mode can decrease the system's total costs, reduce the applied peak to the upstream grid, and enhance the system's reliability under different conditions. Furthermore, the applied solution provides the ability for MGs operation even in island mode under different conditions for a full day (24 h).

This thesis investigates the core elements that create a living world in RPG narrative-based games. A comprehensive literature review identifies key components grouped into categories such as “Geography and Vegetation,” “Effects,” “NPC Visual Attributes,” “NPC Relationship & Routines,” and “NPC Culture and Tribes”. A model is created, and this can help as a starting point for developers who want to create a living world in their game. Using case studies from Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) and Fallout76 (2018), the study examines how these elements contribute to the realism and interactivity of game worlds. Cronbach's Alphareliability measure was used to assess the consistency and authenticity of these elements from multiple raters perspectives. The findings reveal the complexities of creating believable virtual worlds and the varying degrees of agreement among raters. This research enhances the understanding of game design and development, offering insights into crafting immersive and engaging environments. The thesis underscores the importance of detailed environmental and cultural design in developing dynamic and interactive game worlds that enhance player immersion and narrative depth.

Quests är en viktig del av många datorspel, särskilt rollspel. Medan tidigare forskning har fokuserat på verktyg för procedurell generering av uppdrag, utforskar denna studie verktyg för manuellt skapande av quests. Studien undersöker om användbarhetsprinciper för verktyg för att skapa interaktiva digitala narrativ (IDN) kan tillämpas på questdesignverktyg. Studien följer Design Science Research (DSR) ramverket för att utveckla och utvärdera ett verktyg som kan användas för att besvara frågan. Fyra av fem steg i ramverket genomfördes; problemförklaring, kravspecifikation, artefaktutveckling och demonstration. Resultatet blev en förtydligad definition av problemet som artefakten ska lösa, en kravspecifikation som grund för att utveckla questdesignverktyg, själva artefakten och beviset att artefakten kan lösa problemet i ett fall. Studien visar preliminärt att principerna kan fungera för questverktyg och bidrar med en grund och ett metodförslag för framtida studier att referera till vid utvecklingen av verktyg för questdesign.

Denna text handlar om hur äldre spelgrafik och audiodesign påverkar spel, och hur moderna spel använder sig av äldre design för att öka skräckfaktorn på andra sätt än spel som använder helt moderna tekniker. Texten går igenom vad som äldre spel gör som skiljer sig från moderna spel, både i tekniska faktorer som vad datorerna och konsolerna klarade på sin tid som datorer nu inte har som gränser, samt vad olika textförfattare anser är vad som skapar skräck och vad dem tycker äldre grafik har för påverkan i indiespel som skapas nu. I texten jämförs två äldre spel med två nya som inspirerats av äldre design, som därefter analyseras för att se likheter och olikheter mellan dem, i hopp om att i framtiden kunna hjälpa nya spelutvecklare och mer om hur det går att använda äldre design i skräckspel till att skapa nya idéer.

Context: In recent years, microservices have revolutionized the way software is developed, deployed, and managed compared to monolithic architecture. The evolution of microservices has underscored the necessity of container technology. Containers offer an efficient way to encapsulate applications, enabling isolated, scal-able, and consistent environments across various platforms. However, the shift towards containerized environments has also introduced new security challenges and mitigation strategies.

Objective: This research aims to introduce a taxonomy of the main security challenges encountered by container technology and the mitigation strategies to address these security challenges.

Method: This study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of studies related to the security challenges faced by container technology and key success factors. The candidate studies include 18 peer-reviewed scientific articles and one book published between 2018 and 2024. Through this extensive review, the research identifies security risks faced by containers. Additionally, the study explores effective mitigation strategies to address these risks.

Virtual animal violence is a subject that has garnered relatively little attention in the greater discussion of general violence in video games. The subject of virtual animal violence offers avenues for examining moral ambiguities of play from a perhaps novel perspective. This thesis specifically examines the experiences of vegetarians when committing acts of virtual violence towards animals. Vegetarians as a group have historically been overlooked in terms of Games User Research (GUR), as is demonstrated by the small body of research pertaining to them. To study this group, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants. Through inductive content analysis this thesis aimed to deepen our understanding of moral ambiguity and broaden the discussion of video game violence. The analysis showed that vegetarian players experience varied degrees of emotional distress and moral dissonance when harming virtual animals. Themes and concepts were identified that encapsulate what vegetarian players experience with regards to morals and emotion. This thesis concludes that a negative emotional effect on players when harming virtual animals is present. However, it is not significant enough for the player’s overall gaming experience to be seen as negative. The analysis also revealed potential research avenues for future studies.

Background: Colleges and universities have been affected by digitalization, posing challenges for academic institutions and their leaders. The challenges are linked to 'E-leadership,' which means that the leader performs digital leadership and leads from a distance. Challenges include leading employees from a distance, increased workloads, and a disruption in relationships due to lack of physical interaction. Therefore, it becomes relevant to examine the leader's own motivation and how it is influenced by these challenges.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how academic leaders' own motivation is affected by the practice of their digital leadership. By studying this, the present study can contribute to further research on the leader's role in the digital transformation within an academic institution.

Theoretical frame of references: The theoretical frame of references consists of phenomenon of e-leadership and work motivation. Self-determination theory (SDT) is a theory that understands which different types of motivation that motivate an individual. Expectancy theory is a theory that shows what determines whether an individual performs or not.

Method: The study was a qualitative research approach. The study was conducted using Semi-structured interviews that constituted most of the data collection, information also came from documents. The study examined individuals in leadership positions operating at a Swedish university.

Conclusion: The study indicates that academic leaders are driven by internal motivational factors where personal interaction becomes a central part. This poses a challenge for E-leadership. It also demonstrates that the leader's pre-existing knowledge plays a significant role in motivation, and those with higher technical competence exhibit clear patterns of embracing digital leadership. Also emphasizing the importance of organizational support that can assist the leader in these situations, and how the leader's openness och challenge driven side becomes crucial.

Denna studie utforskar hur artificiell intelligens påverkar svårighetsgraden på spel. Detta görs genom att skapa en artefakt i Unity och jämföra implementationen av två AI-grupper, en grundläggande AI-grupp samt en avancerad AI-grupp med samma funktionalitet som den grundläggande men med ett adderat beteende. Efter analysen framkom det att den avancerade AI-gruppen, gruppen som inkluderade ett undvikandebeteende utöver det grundläggande navigeringssystemet, hade lyckats öka svårighetsgraden i artefakten. Resultatet visar på att AI kan användas som ett verktyg för att öka svårighetsgraden i spel. Detta kan i sin tur kan öka potentialen att förbättra spelupplevelsen på de spel där parameterökning används som medel för att öka svårighetsgraden. Avslutningsvis diskuteras vikten av fortsatt forskning inom AI samt spelvårighetshantering och dess potential att ge spelaren en skräddarsydd utmaning genom deras spelupplevelse.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition, which in time damages the patient’s organs. The quick sequence of events that could let a patient’s condition go from stable to severe in a few hours requires physicians to establish an early and accurate diagnosis. The research on new potential biomarkers is in full throttle. miRNA has elevated its potential as a diagnostic biomarker and may be included in a multiple-biomarker panel for sepsis diagnosis. In this project, the aim was first to evaluate if miRSeps-7 could be detected and quantified in human plasma by using the Two-tailed RT-qPCR method. Secondly, to compare the efficiency of two total RNA extraction methods (manual and robotic (Qiacube) extraction). This comparison was based on measuring the Hands-On Time (HOT) and Turnaround Time (TAT) during the extraction processes, along with analyzing the Cq values obtained from the qPCR reactions. Additionally, a QC check was performed on all samples after RNA extraction. No significant differences were discovered between the two extraction methods in terms of time management (e.g. HOT & TAT) nor the quality assessment, with quantification cycles (Cq). The small sample size was a major disadvantage. Amplification was achieved on 7/20 samples with the Two-tailed RT-qPCR. However, it has yet to be confirmed that the amplified product was miRSeps-7. 

In this paper faculty members from the Game Writing undergraduate program at the University of Skövde offer a new lens for understanding the act of game writing as weaving, and game story as tapestry. We share recent curricular innovations from our Game Writing program that reflect this perspective, which is inspired by core concepts from feminist narratology. We approach the concept of the weaver through reflection on narratological traditions and practices of collaborative authorship, and invite all game education disciplines to consider the weaving way of thinking, in contrast with design thinking.

Signalvägen phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt (pi3K/Akt) har en viktig funktion i en rad olika cellulära processer. Signalvägen stimulerar cellen till proliferation och tillväxt samt är involverad i omstrukturering av cytoskelett vid apoptos och cellens överlevnad. Det har vid tidigare forskning påvisats att denna signalväg ofta är muterad vid olika former av cancersjukdomar. Mutation i signalvägen kan leda en överstimulans och cellens apoptosprocess rubbas, ett tillstånd som kallas oncogenes. Pi3K består av en regulatorisk subenhet, p85 samt en katalytisk subenhet, p110. Forskning har påvisat en alternativ gen till p110 kallad p37δ. Denna alternativa gen har Påvisat ha egenskaper som stimulerar tillväxthastigheten hos cellen. p37δ förefaller att ha förmåga att degradera den regulatoriska enheten av proteinkomplexet p85. När p85 degraderas gör den detta tillsammans med p37δ. Därav har en hypotes formats att hela proteinkomplexet p37δ/p85 blir märkt för degradering men under vilka mekanism är fortfarande okänt. I en tidigare opublicerad studie användes en två-hybrid screening med jäst, som påvisar att p37δ binder till proteinet BAG 6, detta protein har förmågan att markera proteiner för degradering. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om tillväxthastigheten påverkas hos celler som uttrycker p37δ när BAG 6 tystas, samt om proteinnivåerna av den regulatoriska subenheten p85 och den alternativa p37δ påverkas. Hypotesen för studien var att BAG 6 proteinet kommer att reducera tillväxthastigheten i celler som uttrycker p37δ i och med tystandet av BAG 6 kommer detta leda till att cellerna förlorar sin kapacitet att degradera p85. I resultatet kan en trend påvisas att tillväxthastigheten hos celler som uttrycker p37δ som behandlats med knockout SiRNA/BAG 6 leder till minskad tillväxthastighet i jämförelse mot kontrollgruppen. I framtida studier kan denna hypotes utvecklas i mer avancerade försök för att utveckla nya behandlingsmetoder för patienter med olika cancerformer som uttrycker denna alternativ gen.

Many people suffer from mental health disorders around the world especially when COVID-19 happened. To combat against ever increasing demand for mental health, there is need to find some kind of alternative, especially when children and adolescent are reluctant to use traditional treatments. The results that this study came to after analysing and drawing conclusions from the other texts is that video games have a very big potential as an alternative for treatment but that it also could be used as a preventative tool too. However, there is need for further investigation and research before starting to use video games in an official setting.

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of patient mortality and is caused by an inflammatory response to infection. Identifying sepsis at an early stage can improve treatment methods and have a major positive impact on health conditions. The aim of this study was to compare two methods of total RNA extraction, manual vs robotic. 

The comparison was done with hands-on time (HOT), turn-around time (TAT) and absolute quantification. The main focus was to extract total RNA including miRNA, miR-Seps3, a candidate for future sepsis diagnosis. The method utilized 100 ul of healthy human blood plasma for manual and robotic extraction method as input volume followed by two-tailed RT-qPCR. 

No significant difference was found in terms of TAT for manual and robotic extraction while a significant difference was found in terms of HOT between two methods of extraction. No significant difference was observed between spiked manual extractions and spiked robotic extraction on the basis of absolute quantification. Amplification in No-Template control (NTC) compromised the reliability of the qPCR-primers by indicating potential contamination or nonspecific amplification. The results from non-spiked extractions were untrustworthy due to NTC amplification. Both methods were effective in extracting total RNA and no significant difference was observed between two methods. Which concludes that each method can be chosen corresponding to the experimental requirements. qPCR assay requires optimization to deal with the issue of NTC amplification. 

Environmental storytelling är ett begrepp som ofta används inom spelindustrin och spelutveckling och innebär i stora drag att kunna skildra ett narrativ genom miljöer med hjälp av de visuella element som kan återfinnas i dem. Tidigare forskning har gjorts kring hur dessa visuella element påverkar människor på både positiva och negativa sätt och även beroende på vilken målgrupp de riktar sig till. Syftet med denna studie är att utveckla på denna forskning och dess hypoteser genom att utforska hur visuella element i spelmiljöer kan tolkas annorlunda beroende på respondenters kulturella tillhörighet och bakgrund. Kopplingar vill även dras från det resultat som studien lett till och diskuteras utifrån perspektivet av game localization. Detta gjordes genom 3 artefakter i form av 3 olika miljöer som hade olika environmental storytelling. Resultatet av de intervjuer som hölls och enkäter som besvarades visade att koncepten av environmental storytelling fungerade och att de framhävde narrativ. Dock var det svårt att dra några generella slutsatser om att respondenterna tolkade miljöerna olika baserat på deras varierande kulturella bakgrund, detta möjligtvis på grund av deltagarnas övergripande globala spridning. Framtida studier inom ämnet hade nyttjats av mer komplexitet i artefakterna samt respondenter med större global spridning.

Enterococcus faecalis is an emerging nosocomial pathogen with a problematic and growing arsenal of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants. While microbial surveillance strategies have been advancing in Western countries, data from other regions remain sparse. This study analyzed the genomes of nine South African E. faecalis isolates from four different provinces, collected between 1964 and 2015. In silico methods revealed limited AMR potential for the isolates sequenced here. However, the nine genomes were considerably diverse, as novel sequence types were identified. When compared to all publicly available E. faecalis genomes (n = 6,450 total genomes), the South African isolates sequenced here were most closely related to a mixture of clinical and environmental isolates from multiple countries. However, the limited number of public genomes, combined with sampling biases and the inherent diversity of E. faecalis, prevented precise determination of the origins of the South African isolates sequenced here. Instead, the relatively large genomic diversity suggests that these isolates are endemic to the region. Overall, this study underscores the importance of increased sampling and sequencing efforts in under-represented world regions, as genomic data from these regions will enhance our understanding of region-specific genetic traits and microbial dissemination, which could guide the development of preventive strategies. 

Background: Large supermarket chains produce weekly advertisements to promote foods and influence consumer purchases. The broad consumer reach of these ads presents an opportunity to promote foods that align with dietary recommendations. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the health quality of supermarkets’ weekly food promotions in a large region of Sweden with attention to more and less advantaged socioeconomic index areas.

Methods: Analysis of weekly advertisements from 122 individual stores, representing seven chains, was carried out in a large region of Sweden from 2–29 March in 2020. Food promotions were divided into categories according to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe’s nutrient profile model, and defined as ‘most healthy’, ‘healthy’, ‘unhealthy’ and ‘most unhealthy’. A mean socioeconomic index was used to classify each store location to determine whether proportions of the ‘most unhealthy’ foods differed between more advantaged and more disadvantaged socioeconomic index areas.

Results: In total, 29,958 food items were analyzed. Two-thirds of promotions belonged to the food groups considered ‘most unhealthy’ and ‘unhealthy’. In the ‘most unhealthy’ food group ‘sugar-rich beverages and foods’ constituted approximately 23.0% of the promotions. Food promotions had 25% increased odds to be from the ‘most unhealthy’ group (odds ratio 1.25, confidence interval 1.17, 1.33) in more disadvantaged socioeconomic index areas. This association could be explained by the supermarket chain the stores belonged to.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that Swedish supermarkets promote a large proportion of unhealthy foods as classified by the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. We also observe that certain national supermarket chains tend to locate their stores in more disadvantaged areas and promote a greater proportion of unhealthy foods in their weekly advertisements compared to the more advantaged areas. There is an urgent need for supermarkets to shift promotions toward healthier food items.

This study highlights the challenges of addressing social sustainability issues in sustainability reporting. Using Brundtland Commission's definition of sustainable development and Elkington's "triple bottom line" concept as a foundation, the study examines the decline incredibility and legitimacy of Swedish pharmacies since the deregulation of the pharmacy market in 2009, particularly in relation to social sustainability issues. The study analyzes how major Swedish pharmacy companies, specifically Apoteket AB and Apotek Hjärtat, have handled social sustainability issues in their sustainability reports for the years 2017, 2020, and 2022, and how this handling has evolved over time. These companies represent the majority of the market share. The study employs qualitative methods, including document analysis and interviews.The results indicate that the treatment of social sustainability issues is inconsistent, with significant challenges in including both qualitative and quantitative data. The lack of transparency and the use of external actors undermine credibility. To improve the treatment of social sustainability issues, companies should set clear goals, increase transparency, and consistently apply standardized frameworks such as Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). This study contributes to a better understanding of sustainability reporting within the pharmacy industry and recommends future studies that include interviews with company representatives and an examination of the regulations set by the Medical Products Agency.

This study examines the design trends and motivations behind male protagonists in Chinese otome games, which are romantic narratives targeting a female audience. The research investigates whether these characters share similar settings and explores the reasons behind these design choices from developers' and players' perspectives. This study offers insights into the relationship between character design and player engagement in Chinese otome games, providing valuable guidance for game developers on creating compelling romantic narratives that resonate with female players.

This thesis explores the application of artificial intelligence, specifically using autoencoder (AE) and variational autoencoder (VAE), for anomaly detection, when dealing with data imbalance. The primary aim is to develop and evaluate models that can predict human errors during the assembly process of engine valves and springs, while addressing research questions on performance enhancement when pretrained models are incorporated into the architecture of convolutional autoencoders, VAEs for anomaly detection, focusing on the utility its latent space for identifying anomalies and identifying the limitations of existing convolutional autoencoder approaches and explore emerging techniques to address these challenges.The literature review identifies several limitations of existing convolutional autoencoder approaches. These limitations include the tendency to focus on local patterns and struggle with capturing long-range dependencies, the reconstruction error metrics, often based on pixel-wise differences, may not align well with human perception, necessitating the exploration of perceptual loss metrics. Furthermore, traditional AEs may overfit the training data, reducing their generalisability and effectiveness in real-world applications. The literature review further explores non-conventional approaches for anomaly detection, including the use of Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) and other advanced techniques, which provide insights into potential improvements and guide future research efforts. These emerging techniques aim to enhance robustness of anomaly detection models, addressing the limitations identified in traditional convolutional autoencoder approaches. The research leverages pre-trained models for the encoder part of the network, specifically MobileNetV2 and InceptionResNetV2, while keeping the decoder architecture consistent and investigates the effectiveness of these models in identifying anomalies and compares their performance with traditional approaches. The results indicate that integrating pretrained models like InceptionResnetV2 and MobileNetV2 into the encoder the architecture improves anomaly detection performance. MobileNetV2 demonstrated the fastest training times, making it a potential practical choice for scenarios requiring quick model updates while VAE with InceptionResnetv2 shows better accuracy. VAEs showed superior performance, with the use of Mahalanobis Distance and Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) as thresholding techniques, yielding high accuracy in identifying anomalies that weren’t distinguished by traditional autoencoders with MSE threshold.

Sepsis presents a complex challenge, requiring detailed investigation into its immunopathology, diagnosis and treatment. Among 258 promising biomarkers for sepsis diagnosis, miRNAs are emerging as valuable components to be incorporated in a multimarker panel for sepsis assessment when assessing bodily fluid samples. The aim of this project was to compare manual and semi-robotic techniques for extracting total RNA, including miRNA, from healthy human blood plasma samples. The comparison focused on hands-on time (HOT), turn-around time (TAT), and the absolute quantification of the candidate miRNA, miR-Seps5. The study utilized two extraction methods to isolate total RNA, including miRNA. The emphasis was on detecting and quantifying the novel candidate miRNA, miR-Seps5, using the Two-Tailed RT-qPCR technique and absolute quantification. This approach effectively amplified synthetic and circulating miR-Seps5 from 100 μl of healthy human blood plasma. No-significant difference was found between two methods of extraction on the basis of TAT and data retrieved from two-tailed RT-qPCR while HOT was significantly lower for semi-robotic extraction method as compared to manual extraction method indicating Qiacube to be a time efficient method. Linear standard curve and melt curve analysis provided insights into the specificity of Two-tailed RT-qPCR assay but unspecified amplification in non-template control (NTC) requires further investigation. The quantified values of miR-Seps5 in both spiked and non-spiked samples showed inconsistency. Considering these inconsistencies, further analysis is required to assess the reliability of the RT-qPCR assay and miR-Seps5 before considering it as a suitable biomarker in a future multimarker panel for sepsis diagnosis.

I dagens samhälle är många enheter uppkopplade, och gör att arkitekturen för sådana enheter mer komplicerad, därför väljer många företag att bygga sin produkt på ett redan komplett system för att säkerställa tillgänglighet. Sådana system erbjuder inte alltid den funktionalitet och flexibilitet som behövs, därför är det ibland ett bättre alternativ att utveckla ett egenutvecklat system. Studien undersöker skillnaden mellan dessa två alternativ som representeras av ett antal artefakter som implementerar teknikerna LWM2M och Web Bluetooth API. Mätningen på artefakterna visar att det finns en minimal skillnad vad gäller prestanda, där LWM2M-klienten i genomsnitt är snabbast, men den största populationen av snabbast responstid utgörs av Web Bluetooth API. En användaranalys visar på olika scenarier där de två alternativen är till fördel beroende på vilka krav som finns. Ytterligare mätningar av andra datatyper och användarupplevelseperspektiv kan vara intressant att följa upp i kompletterande studier.

The City of Stockholm is conducting a scenario planning exercise to explore where potential future office development should be planned: closer to the city centre as in the status quo, in peripheral hubs on the outskirts of the city, or dispersed throughout multiple neighbourhoods. To support this exercise, this paper models these three scenarios using a nested work location and dynamic activity-based scheduling model. Our model predicts that high-income individuals have the highest consumer welfare benefits and are over-represented as workers in all scenarios. Developing more central office space will likely reinforce existing geographical patterns of income inequality in Stockholm; developing peripheral or dispersed office space, especially in the south of the city, will challenge these patterns. However, the model also illustrates a tension between the goals of equity and the environment. By taking advantage of existing transit infrastructure and congestion patterns, more central office development will result in lower vehicle kilometers travelled and lower car mode share for commuting than more peripheral or dispersed development. 

This systematic review explores the role of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and its impact on concentration abilities in individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It looks at attempts to manipulate dopamine levels through pharmacological interventions and assess their efficacy in enhancing cognitive functions. Only articles on the drug methylphenidate (MPH) were found. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), the review examines the neurobiological basis of pharmacological effects. The findings underscore the critical function of dopamine in regulating attention and other executive functions and reinforce the dopamine deficit hypothesis of ADHD. This research highlights the role of the prefrontal cortex and striatum in the manifestation and treatment of ADHD. The results suggest that future research should focus on personalized medication strategies that employ neuroimaging markers. The results call for a broader application of multimodal therapy, integrating pharmacological treatments with behavioral interventions to manage ADHD symptoms and improve cognitive function.

This thesis examines how semiotics embedded with cultural and social meanings influence players' affective experiences in narrative gaming. Through a detailed analysis of the single-player, narrative-driven puzzle game "Clear and Bright," this study explores the intersection of game design and cultural semiotics. "Clear and Bright" integrates specific Chinese historical and social contexts to craft its narrative, presenting unique challenges and opportunities in engaging international audiences. By employing qualitative research methods, including in-depth interviews and questionnaires, this project assesses the impact of culturally relevant semiotics on the emotional engagement of players from diverse backgrounds. The findings aim to contribute to the broader understanding of culturalization in game design, offering insights into how effectively can games convey cultural and emotional depth to a global audience.

The importance of standards, and especially ICT standards, in the IoT domain is widely recognised. Implementations of standard specifications provided as Open Source Software (OSS) promote interoperability and longevity of systems and create conditions for avoiding lock-in, and industrial involvement is important since it can affect community dynamics and will to contribute. The overarching goal of this study is to characterize the industrial leadership and involvement in the LwM2M (Lightweight machine to machine) ecosystem. Specifically, the main focus of the study is on involvement with OSS projects implementing LwM2M elements by individuals who cooperate in projects that implement or use the LwM2M standard in their projects. This can be done by analyzing the commits to the git repository, the bugs issued and commented in the bug-tracking system and the pull requests performed in the project. Techniques will be applied to merge authors using different identities (i.e., different e-mail addresses). By means of identifying the affiliation of those individuals we plan to analyze the involvement of companies in those projects, and thus how they are present in an IoT standard, in this case LwM2M.

Introduction: Digital technology has never been more accessible and more used than now, and the users are becoming younger. More children from the age of two and upwards have their own tablets and mobile phones. As access to technology increases, so also the concern about children’s usage and the consequences that accompany it. The WHO clarifies the need to limit children’s screen time in order to promote a healthy upbringing. Aim: To examine the screen time habits of children ages 0-5 years affecting their health negatively and to identify factors that in turn influence these habits. Method: Structured literature review with and inductive approach consisting of 13 articles. The articles were reviewed, and a qualitative content analysis was conducted. Results: Factors influencing screen time habits are parents and the family’s economic condition. These constituted sub-themes that demonstrate the complexity of the factors influencing children’s screen time habits. The health effects of screen time include language and speech difficulties, sleep, overweight and behavior and development. Conclusion: The study showed that screen time in children aged 0-5 years can negatively impact their health, leading to language and speech difficulties, sleep problems, overweight, as well as behavioral and developmental issues. Parents and the economic aspect were crucial factors influencing children’s screen time habits. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of the digitalized childhood and its influencing factors.

Introduction: Mental ill-health is a globally growing public health problem, around 25 percent of all adolescents’ living with mental ill-health. Mental ill-health in adolescents can have consequences later in life, for example unemployment, exclusion and continued mental illness. To promote mental health, determinants must be identified. The factors that affect adolescents’ mental health change over time, it is therefore important to follow up and analyze these factors. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe some of the factors that affect mental health of adolescents’, aged 13–18. Methods: A literature review was carried out, based on ten scientific articles, gathered from the databases PubMed and PsycINFO. The articles were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The analysis resulted in three themes: biological, psychological and social factors. Furthermore, eight sub-themes were generated: lifestyle habits; state of health; behavior; emotional states and personal characteristics; bullying; digital medias; society, and relationships. Conclusion: The study showed that the most frequently recurring factors in the articles were about relationships (social factor), followed by behavior (psychological factor). Through the study, it emerged that more research should be done on gender differences, as well as psychological factors linked to adolescents’ mental health.

Introduction: People who are exposed to racism in healthcare suffer from a higher degree of ill-health and have a higher risk of developing diseases. This highlights the need to carry out efforts against racism and clarifies the subjects' relevance from a public health perspective. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate methods that counteract racism in health care. The purpose was clarified through research questions about what these methods look like, how outcomes are measured and which factors hinder and promote work against racism in healthcare. Method: The literature review was based on 20 scientific articles. These were analyzed using thematic analysis whereupon the material was coded and categorized into different themes. Results: Three themes emerged during the thematic analysis: teaching and training, practical interaction exercises and communication skills. This was followed by four sub-themes in the form of the opportunity to understand one's own influence, discussion exercises about racism, simulations that highlight injustices and address how interaction takes place. Conclusion: Addressing, drawing attention to and teaching about prejudices linked to racism in healthcare is a fundamental part of methods that counteract the problems in these contexts. Despite the fact that methods for countering racism in healthcare have different starting points and strategies, the literature study showed that addressing ignorance about the subject is a recurring factor in reducing racism in healthcare-related contexts. 

The anthropometric index that best predicts cardiometabolic risk remains inconclusive. This study therefore assessed the prevalence of obesity using six indices and compared their associations with obesity-related cardiometabolic disorders. We determined obesity prevalence according to body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body fat percentage and fat mass index (FMI) using data from the Know Your Heart study (n = 4495, 35–69 years). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) provided predictive values of each index for detecting the presence of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and diabetes. Age-standardised obesity prevalence significantly varied according to anthropometric index: from 17.2% (FMI) to 75.8% (WHtR) among men and from 23.6% (FMI) to 65.0% (WHtR) among women. WHtR had the strongest association with hypertension (AUC = 0.784; p < 0.001) and with a combination of disorders (AUC = 0.779; p < 0.001) in women. In women, WHtR also had the largest AUCs for hypercholesterolaemia, in men–for hypertension, diabetes and a combination of disorders, although not all the differences from other obesity indices were significant. WHtR exhibited the closest association between hypertension and a combination of disorders in women and was non-inferior compared to other indices in men. 

Introduction: The prevalence of stress-related illnesses is increasing in society, with teachers being the professional group that reported the highest number of work-related issues in 2022. The educational sector is facing a paradigm shift; with the increased availability of generative AI, traditional teaching methods are undergoing a transformation, which may impact teachers' working conditions and work environment. Teachers need appropriate conditions and professional development to integrate digital technology effectively. The theoretical frameworks applied were the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu) and the demand-control-support model.

Aim: The aim of the study was to examine how generative AI affected teachers' psychosocial work environment.

Method: A qualitative focus group interview with a deductive approach and content analysis with an inductive approach were employed. Participants were recruited using strategic and snowball sampling methods. A total of four focus group interviews were conducted with 14 participants in total.

Results: The results consisted of six categories: Professional Engagement, Digital Resources, Teaching and Learning, Assessment and Reflection, Learner's Self-Responsibility, and Supporting Learners' Digital Competence, along with 13 associated subcategories, all reflecting the study's aim.

Conclusion: To summarize, the study's results indicate that teachers are in substantial need of common guidelines and digital professional development in the workplace, as they lack support from employers and authorities. Teachers require time and resources to learn about generative AI, as it can lead to time savings and serve as a support tool in their work, thereby reducing their workload.

Honeybee drones’ only known task is to mate with a virgin queen. Apart from their mating behaviour, their ecology has been little studied, especially in comparison to honeybee females. Previous knowledge is primarily based on short-term direct observations at single experimental hives, rarely, if ever, addressing the effect of drones’ genetic origin. Here, Radio Frequency Identification Technology was utilised to gather drone and worker bee lifetime data of Apis mellifera mellifera and Apis mellifera x (hybrid Buckfast) colonies over one mating season (spring and summer) with the ultimate goal to investigate differences at subspecies level. This technique enabled continuous monitoring of tagged bees at the hive entrance and recording of individuals’ movement directions. The results confirmed that spring-born drones survive longer than summer-born drones and that they generally live longer than worker bees. Drones’ peak activity occurred in the afternoon while worker bees showed more even activity levels throughout the day. Earlier orientation flights than usually reported for drones were observed. In summer, mating flights were practiced before reaching sexual maturity (at 12 days of age). Differences were found between Apis m. mellifera and Buckfast drones, where Apis m. mellifera showed later drone production in spring, but significantly earlier first activities outside the hive in summer and a later peak in diurnal activity. Additionally, Apis m. mellifera flew more in higher light intensities and windy conditions and performed significantly longer flights than Buckfast drones. The observed differences in drone ecology indicate the existence of a local adaptation of the native subspecies Apis m. mellifera to environmental conditions in southwestern Sweden.

Driver intention recognition (DIR) methods mostly rely on deep neural networks (DNNs). To use DNNs in asafety-critical real-world environment it is essential to quantify how confident the model is about the producedpredictions. Therefore, this study evaluates the performance and calibration of a temporal convolutionalnetwork (TCN) for multiple probabilistic deep learning (PDL) methods (Bayes-by-Backprop, Monte-Carlodropout, Deep ensembles, Stochastic Weight averaging - Gaussian, Multi SWA-G, cyclic Stochastic GradientHamiltonian Monte Carlo). Notably, we formalize an approach that combines optimization-based pre-trainingwith Hamiltonian Monte-Carlo (PT-HMC) sampling, aiming to leverage the strengths of both techniques. Ouranalysis, conducted on two pre-processed open-source DIR datasets, reveals that PT-HMC not only matchesbut occasionally surpasses the performance of existing PDL methods. One of the remaining challenges thatprohibits the integration of a PDL-based DIR system into an actual car is the computational requirements toperform inference. Therefore, future work could focus on optimizing PDL methods to be more computationallyefficient without sacrificing performance or the ability to estimate uncertainties.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) exhibit sustained elevation incirculating androgens during pregnancy, an independent risk factor linked topregnancy complications and adverse outcomes in offspring. Yet, furtherstudies are required to understand the effects of elevated androgens on celltype-specific placental dysfunction and fetal development. Therefore, aPCOS-like mouse model induced by continuous androgen exposure isexamined. The PCOS-mice exhibited impaired placental and embryonicdevelopment, resulting in mid-gestation lethality. Co-treatment with theandrogen receptor blocker, flutamide, prevents these phenotypes includinggerm cell specification . Comprehensive profiling of the placenta bywhole-genome bisulfite and RNA sequencing shows a reduced proportion oftrophoblast precursors, possibly due to the downregulation of Cdx2expression. Reduced expression of Gcm1, Synb, and Prl3b1 is associated withreduced syncytiotrophoblasts and sinusoidal trophoblast giant cells, impairsplacental labyrinth formation. Importantly, human trophoblast organoidsexposed to androgens exhibit analogous changes, showing impairedtrophoblast differentiation as a key feature in PCOS-related pregnancycomplications. These findings provide new insights into the potential cellulartargets for future treatments.

This qualitative study describes how reflection can be supported by using reflective tools in group education in type 2 diabetes. The changed conditions for living with a long-term illness may lead to increased anxiety and new demands that affect one’s current life situation. The didactic model, ‘The challenge–to take charge of one’s life with long-term illness’, has been developed into ‘Taking responsibility in life with type 2 diabetes–a model for group education in primary care’. Specialized diabetes nurses and dieticians received training, a manual and continuous guidance in applying the model. Reflection diaries, notes and interviews both from the patients and the caregivers were analyzed using a phenomenological hermeneutic method. The results show that using images as reflective tools engages thoughts and feelings in a way that appears to be important for one’s learning in life with a chronic illness. The images contribute to allowing a distance from one’s situation, actions, thoughts and feelings, which seems fruitful for investigating and discovering new ‘things’ about oneself. With the support of reflective tools and guiding questions, reflection is led to a deeper existential level where both caregivers and patients contribute by asking questions that support the reflection process.

Background: Previous research has shown that the Swedish speaking minority in Finland has slightly but significantly better health compared with the Finnish speaking majority. However, a clear explanation for this is lacking. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore differences of perceived health comparing three groups: Swedish speakers with reported dominance of Swedish also in the preceding generation; contemporary Finnish speakers with reported dominance of Finnish in the preceding generation and a group with a reported mixed-language structure of Finnish and Swedish between generations. Individuals and methods: Health and Social Support is an on-going population-based survey initiated in 1998 (N = 64,797), aimed at working-age adults. The present study is based on the 2012 follow-up survey, which included a question on the dominating language (Swedish or Finnish) of the respondents and their parents. The outcome was perceived health, which in this study was dichotomized to very good/good and intermediate/poor/very poor. The statistical analysis was carried with logistic regression, using SAS software. Age, gender and occupational training were included as covariates in the multivariable analysis. Results: This study found that the Swedish-speaking group in Finland report better perceived health compared with the Finnish-speaking group (odds ratio 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.04–1.57, p < 0.001). The health of the mixed language-speaking group fell between the other two groups. Conclusions: The results gave some support to a culturally mediated mechanism for the health advantage of Swedish speakers. Cultural features of Swedishspeaking groups in Finland may also support health promotion of the Finnish-speaking majority.

Modern methods of molecular diagnostics and therapy have revolutionized the field of medicine in recent years by providing more precise and effective tools for detecting and treating diseases. This progress includes a growing exploration of the body's secreted vesicles, known as extracellular vesicles (EVs), for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. EVs are a heterogeneous population of lipid bilayer vesicles secreted by almost every cell type studied so far. They are detected in body fluids and conditioned culture media from living cells. EVs play a crucial role in communication between cells and organs, both locally and over long distances. They are recognized for their ability to transport endogenous RNA and proteins between cells, including messenger RNA (mRNA), microRNA (miRNA), misfolded neurodegenerative proteins, and several other biomolecules. This review explores the dual utilization of EVs, serving not only for diagnostic purposes but also as a platform for delivering therapeutic molecules to cells and tissues. Through an exploration of their composition, biogenesis, and selective cargo packaging, we elucidate the intricate mechanisms behind RNA transport between cells via EVs, highlighting their potential use for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Finally, it addresses challenges and outlines prospective directions for the clinical utilization of EVs.

Mood and anxiety disorders are prevalent in today’s society, underscoring the urgent need for more research into effective methods to ease their symptoms and understand their origins. This systematic review focuses on the impact of cognitive reappraisal strategies on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in individuals with mood and anxiety disorders, expanding on the discoveries from Picó-Pérez and colleagues' (2017) meta-analysis. The review is based on 14 studies of patients with the most common mood and anxiety disorders: depression, social anxiety and general anxiety. Our results revealed that areas dlPFC, vlPFC, dmPFC, OFC, ACC and PCG showed differences in activation. Five of the studies showed more activation in the PFC in patients compared to controls, three showed less activation, one showed both more and less, and the last group of five articles had no difference between groups. Despite finding these differences in activation between patients and controls in areas like the dlPFC, dmPFC, and vlPFC, we still had some difficulties reaching strong conclusions due to the major inconsistencies in the results. Various methodological differences, including the use of different stimuli, reappraisal techniques such as downregulation and upregulation, varying reappraisal conditions, task instructions, and patient backgrounds, contribute to this challenge. Given the complexities involved, it is clear that more research is necessary to enhance our understanding of this intricate subject.