Utbildning har globalt fått en central roll i strävanden efter att skapa hållbar utveckling. Initiativ tagna av såväl Förenta Nationerna som Europeiska Unionen, där utbildning och hållbarhet kopplas samman, vittnar om att frågor som rör miljöförändringar har blivit allt viktigare både på de politiska agendorna och i våra kollektiva, kulturella föreställningsvärldar. Men hur formas begreppet hållbar utveckling när det ska göras undervisningsbart? Vilka framtider möjliggör hållbar utveckling i utbildningssammanhang och vem inkluderas i begreppet? Frågor av kritisk karaktär är ofta frånvarande i tidigare utbildningsforskning som rör hållbar utveckling. Denna avhandling tar sin utgångspunkt i att frånvaron av kritiska frågor kan ses som del i en samtida postpolitisk inramning av miljöfrågor i såväl utbildningssammanhang som i samhället i stort. Studien undersöker hur utbildningsväsendet, som är en central institution i fostrandet av framtidens medborgare, tar sig an frågor som rör miljöförändringar. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur hållbar utveckling formas genom utbildning samt att diskutera hur dessa formationer relateras till idéer om vad utbildning är och vem som ska utbildas. På så vis söker studien också efter sätt att re-politisera hållbar utveckling i utbildningssammanhang. Avhandlingen är tvärvetenskaplig och använder teorier och begrepp från kulturstudier, feministisk teori, politisk teori och utbildningsfilosofi för att studera vad utbildning som relaterar till natur- och miljöfrågor möjliggör. Empiriskt undersöks svenska lärarutbildare, som ansvarar för att utbilda framtidens lärare. Studien ställer frågor om ontologiska, politiska och etiska aspekter av att öppna upp utbildningen för det som ligger bortom mänsklig kontroll och kunskap.

This thesis takes its point of departure in recent criticism directed at the Swedish school system, especially regarding the fact that students with a foreign background do not get the same opportunities or attain the same results as Swedish-born students. The general aim of this thesis is to study and analyse multi-lingual students’ situation from a critical didactic perspective, focusing on content and teaching in Swedish as a Second Language in upper secondary school. The legitimacy of and views on the subject are examined, as well as how the students are selected and categorised. The role that fiction has in the context of the subject is also investigated and discussed. The main sources of inspiration for the theoretical framework of the study have been the works of Nussbaum and Cummins. In addition, theoretical and methodological approaches are drawn from McCormick ́s socio-cultural model, Rosenblatt’s reading forms, as well as Tengberg, and Goodlad’s curriculum theory. The methodology used in this thesis is ethnography as well as curriculum and text analysis. The thesis consists of four articles. Article one, “The secondary school subject of Swedish as a Second Language – is it necessary?” examines the subject from different angles. The second “Swedish and Swedish as A Second Language – two equal subjects?” compares and analyses the two curricula. The third “Reading Fiction in a Second Language Classroom” and fourth “Multilingual Pupils’ Reading of Doctor Glas” consider the role of fiction within the subject, examining how a group of second language learners interpret and discuss the novels and how they interact with each other in relation to the literary texts. Furthermore, the last two studies analyse what forms of reading the students use. The thesis shows that the subject Swedish as a Second Language is still subordinated to the first language subject Swedish, with fewer cognitive challenges, as the aims of the curriculum reveal. Swedish as a Second Language focuses more on linguistic forms, often in isolated contexts, and less on meaning-making, e.g. reading of fiction and personal development. It also indicates that second language learners, in this context, are competent readers, able to understand and make meaning of different novels, use different forms of reading as well as make use of their broad experiences of different cultures in relation to literary texts. Finally, the thesis concludes with a discussion about the content in a future, new and inclusive subject of Swedish that is necessary to develop in today’s multicultural and globalized society.

The development of content in digital games, such as game worlds, quests, levels, 3D-models, and textures, is costly and time consuming. To address this, different approaches to automate the process of creating game content, often referred to as procedural content generation (PCG), has been suggested. However, PCG is a complex task and include challenges such as creating content with variation, coherent style, speed, and correctness. The research in the thesis is concerned with generating game content with the aid of game design patterns, both by establishing models and exploring different methods to generate actual game content for different games. The methods include implementations of evolutionary computation, i.e. a set of search-based approaches that searches for instances of game design patterns on different abstraction levels that make up Super Mario Bros. (SMB) levels and a learning algorithm implementation based on a model (n-grams) of patterns from the original SMB-game. The different generators were evaluated with metrics concerned with the expressive range of the generators and with user tests.

Software product development companies are increasingly striving to become data-driven. The access to customer feedback and product data has been, with products increasingly becoming connected to the Internet, demonetized. Systematically collecting the feedback and efficiently using it in product development, however, are challenges that large-scale software development companies face today when being faced by large amounts of available data. In this thesis, we explore the collection, use and impact of customer feedback on software product development. We base our work on a 2-year longitudinal multiple-case study research with case companies in the software-intensive domain, and complement it with a systematic review of the literature. In our work, we identify and confirm that large-software companies today collect vast amounts of feedback data, however, struggle to effectively use it. And due to this situation, there is a risk of prioritizing the development of features that may not deliver value to customers. Our contribution to this problem is threefold. First, we present a comprehensive and systematic review of activities and techniques used to collect customer feedback and product data in software product development. Next, we show that the impact of customer feedback evolves over time, but due to the lack of sharing of the collected data, companies do not fully benefit from this feedback. Finally, we provide an improvement framework for practitioners and researchers to use the collected feedback data in order to differentiate between different feature types and to model feature value during the lifecycle. With our contributions, we aim to bring software companies one step closer to data-driven decision making in software product development.

The overall objective of this thesis was to investigate patients with TMD-pain and TMD-free controls in three cultures (Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Italy) to determine the influence of culture on and crosscultural differences in pain prevalence and intensity, sensitivity to mechanical and electrical stimulation, pain-related disability for four comorbid pain conditions (back, head, chest, and stomach pain) in the last 6 months, and the type of treatment that patients with TMD pain received. The specific aims were: (i) To determine the frequency of TMD pain in Saudi Arabians (I). (ii) To compare psychophysical responses to mechanical and electrical stimuli in female TMD patients and TMD-free controls, nested within each of three cultures (Saudi, Italian, and Swedish) (II). (iii) To assess pain prevalence and intensity, and pain-related disability associated with comorbid pain conditions by testing for the interaction effect between three different cultures and case-status (III). (iv) To assess the type of treatment that female patients with TMD-pain in three cultures received, and their beliefs about the factors that contribute to and aggravate TMD, as well as the factors that are important to include in TMD treatment (IV). Study (I) material included 325 Saudi Arabian patients (135 males, 190 females) aged 20–40, who were referred to the Specialist Dental Center at Alnoor Specialist Hospital, Makkah and answered a history questionnaire. We offered a clinical examination to patients reporting TMD pain in the last month and assessment according to the Arabic version of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD). Of these patients, 58 (18%) reported TMD pain and 46 underwent clinical examination. All TMD pain patients had a diagnosis of myofascial pain, and 65% had diagnoses of arthralgia or osteoarthritis. The TMD-pain group reported high levels of both headaches/migraines in the last 6 months (93%) differing significantly (P < 0.01) from the TMD-pain-free groups. All pain group were suffering at least from one TMD subdiagnosis The TMD-pain group had high depression and somatization scores but low disability grades on the Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS). Studies (II-IV) compared 122 female cases of chronic TMD pain (39 Saudis, 41 Swedes, and 42 Italians) to equal numbers of agematched TMD-free controls. The study (II) measured pressure pain threshold (PPT) and tolerance (PPTo) over one hand and two masticatory muscles, and electrical perception threshold, electrical pain threshold (EPT), and electrical pain tolerance (EPTo) between the thumb and index fingers. Italian females reported significantly lower PPT in the masseter muscle than the other cultures (P < 0.01) and in the temporalis muscle than Saudis (P < 0.01). Swedes reported significantly higher PPT in the thenar muscle than the other cultures (P = 0.017). Italians reported significantly lower PPTo in all muscles than Swedes (P < 0.01) and in the masseter muscle than Saudis (P < 0.01). Italians reported significantly lower EPTo than other cultures (P = 0.01). TMD cases reported lower PPT and PPTo than TMD-free controls in all three muscles (P < 0.01). Cultural differences appeared in PPT, PPTo and EPTo. Overall, Italian females reported the highest sensitivity to both mechanical and electrical stimulation, while Swedes reported the lowest sensitivity. Mechanical pain thresholds differed more across cultures than did electrical pain thresholds. Cultural factors may influence response to type of pain test. In Study (III), self-report questionnaires assessed back, chest, stomach, and head pain for prevalence, intensity, and interference with daily activities in the last 6 months. Logistic regression assessed binary variables and ANCOVA provided parametric data analysis, adjusting for age and education. Back pain was the only comorbid condition that varied in prevalence across cultures; Headache was the most common comorbid pain condition in all three cultures; the average head pain intensity was lower, however, among Swedes compared to Saudis (P = 0.029). The total number of comorbid conditions did not differ cross-culturally, but the TMD group reported more comorbid conditions compared to TMD-free controls (P < 0.01). For both back and head pain, TMD cases reported higher average pain intensities (P < 0.01) and interference with daily activities (P < 0.01) than TMD-free controls. Among TMD patients, Italians reported the highest pain-related disability (P < 0.01). This study indicates that culture influences the comorbidity of common pain conditions with TMD. The cultural influence on pain expression is reflected in different patterns of physical representation. Study (IV) compared patient characteristics, treatment beliefs, and type of practitioner advice received before referral for TMD treatment. Patients responded to a questionnaire that assessed treatments received, then completed an explanatory model form about their beliefs regarding which factors contribute to and aggravate TMD, and what factors are important for treatment to address. Of the various treatments, Swedes most commonly sought behavioral therapy and Saudis Islamic medicine (P < 0.01). Swedes received acupuncture and occlusal appliance therapy significantly more than Saudis (P < 0.01) or Italians (P = 0.012). Italians were significantly less likely than Saudis and Swedes (P = 0.042) to believe that TMD pain treatment should address behavioral factors. Among Saudi, Italian, and Swedish females with chronic TMD pain, culture did not influence the type of practitioner consulted before visiting a TMD specialist or their beliefs about factors contributing to or aggravating their pain. Overall, the treatments patients received and beliefs about behavioral factors differed cross-culturally. Islamic medicine was fairly common among Saudis and acupuncture was common among Swedes.

The overall aim of this thesis is to develop knowledge of teachingand learning sustainable development in global–local contexts. Theresearch field is global learning for sustainable development (GLSD).Phenomenographic approach and contextual analysis were used asmethods of analysis, and data was collected by Semi-structuredinterviews at secondary and upper secondary schools in Sweden.In Study I, a strategic and systematic literature review was conductedof recent trends and critique to the dominating rhetoric on policy levelconcerning global education and global learning on sustainabilityissues. The complexity represented in GLSD is of global interest toface current challenges. The global–local context and the process forglobal learning were characterised by the learner’s perspective andself-efficacy. The variation of ways in which contextual features wererevealed, affected how participants experienced their own learningglobal learning space. In Study II, empirical investigations were conducted of students’,teachers’, and head teachers’ conceptions of implementation of GLSD.Results indicate that critical knowledge capabilities were needed toact towards sustainability globally. Critical knowledge capabilitiesdeveloped in the processes were to take command and collaborateas a team. Capabilities that were identified as necessary but whichhad not been sufficiently developed were to be prepared, act in atransdisciplinary manner and lead for holistic understanding in thelearning process. Critical knowledge capabilities to handle complexknowledge were characterised by volition, self-directed learning, andknowledge formation. In Study III, a re-analysis was conducted of the data from StudyII. The results shed light on pertinent transition skills in GLSD:(I) transdisciplinary action via knowledge formation in actualpractices, (II) democratic collaborative action via processes ofunderstanding, respectively (III) self-directed learning and independentinitiative. These transition skills, enabling young people to beprepared for unpredictable changes, were perceived as key featuresin developing young people’s capability in an uncertain world. Theydeveloped worldview understanding, and advanced transformationcompetencies including critical reflections upon questions of currentnormativity. In Study IV, collaborative and transdisciplinary teaching with aglobal–local perspective was investigated in a study with teacherscommitted to global learning and sustainable development at anupper secondary school. Two main transdisciplinary teachingapproaches of GLSD were distinguished: Contributing: Assist andTake Part respectively Ownership: Possess and Reconceptualise.The contributing approach was divided into the sub-categories: (I)Disheartened, (II) Supportive, and (III) Complementing teachingapproaches; while the ownership approach comprised (IV) Decisive,and (V) Multi-dimensional teaching approaches. Various dimensions of the results appeared to be relevant forsustainability teaching and learning in global–local contexts, whenconnections between the studies were analysed in relation to the contextand the overarching aims of the thesis. Through transdisciplinaryteaching deep approaches to learning can be developed and Globalteaching for sustainable development (GTSD) could be advanced.Individual and collaborative learning characterised by selfdetermination,responsibility, and social readiness leading to actionemerged as key aspects At a global–local level, there is a growing need to develop competenciesand capabilities for transitions towards sustainability. Conflicts andclimate change are drastically increasing the number of displacedpeople who need transnational education on proactive preventivestrategies, as well as develop to critical knowledge capabilities that can be useful across numerous contexts and in the face of changingcircumstances. Increasingly, also young people need to manage theirown learning processes in self-directed learning, regardless of wherethey are physically or may move in their lifetimes. As established socialstructures struggle to address global challenges, people across theplanet need to be able to organise themselves and to take initiatives.

The biomedical technologies for bone application are employed in millions of patients every year to restore function and aesthetics following trauma, diseases and congenital deformities. They achieved significant advancements in the last decades and have resulted in the development of implants that function for long periods of time. However, some fundamental clinical challenges still remain and are exacerbated by the aging of the population and by the increased life expectancy of the patients.First of all, permanent implants, despite having very high success rates, still face the risk for marginal bone loss and peri-implant osteolysis in some number of cases. Strategies to fasten, to strengthen and to maintain the bone integration of these implants are desired to enhance the implant clinical performances especially in situation of compromised bone. Secondly, the fixation of fractures and the repair of bone defects are required in a large number of clinical situations, where the intrinsic ability of bone to repair itself is limited. A constantly advocated requirement for osteosynthetic devices is the biodegradability, to avoid a second surgery for implant removal or the permanence of the device in the body for long time, with possible adverse effects. However, especially for osteosynthesis devices, materials that possess adequate mechanical properties for load-bearing applications and that biodegrade upon the substitution of new healthy osseous tissue are not yet available. Magnesium (Mg) is a material that offers potential benefits in these clinical issues. Magnesium is a natural component of the human body, which is involved in numerous enzymatic reactions and metabolic processes; thus, it is tolerated at high levels. It has a prominent role in bone homeostasis and bone health in general and it is considered bioactive, osteoconductive and angiogenetic. Therefore it could be applied as a doping agent to permanent implants and bone grafts, to increase their osseointegration. In addition, magnesium is potentially unique in the field of orthopaedic and cranio-maxillofacial surgery because it provides the mechanical properties of metals, although with an elastic modulus closer to that of cortical bone, and at the same time it degrades under physiological conditions in non-toxic by-products. Based on these clinical needs and on these observations, one aim of the current thesis was to explore the effects of the local release of Mg ions directly at the peri-implant sites on the osseointegration of titanium implants in healthy bone and in bone compromised by osteoporosis. In particular, it was of interest to attempt to elucidate the molecular and biochemical pathways that were stimulated in the peri-implant tissues by the presence of Mg ions and to correlate those to biomechanical and histomorphometrical observation. The other aim of this thesis was to characterize in vivo the degradation behaviour of 3 Mg-alloys tailored for biodegradable osteosynthesis devices and their associated bone response. In Study I to IV, the effects of the local release of Mg ions on the osseointegration of titanium implants in both healthy and osteoporotic bone were investigated. Mg ions were loaded into engineered mesoporous titanium dioxide (TiO2) carriers coated onto titanium implants. Mesoporous films acted as reservoir of drugs and bioactive substances and released them directly at the implant interface in a sustained fashion. After surface characterization of the mesoporous carriers with and without Mg ions by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical light interferometry (IFM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), the same types of implants were implanted in animal models.In Study I, Mg-loaded implants were placed in the hind limb of rabbits for 3 weeks and examined with biomechanical analysis and histology. The results suggested that the increased local availability of Mg could accelerate and strengthen the early bone fixation of titanium implants.In Study II, the activation of biological pathways of bone healing and osseointegration of Mg-releasing implants installed in the rabbit tibia model was investigated at the gene level by means of real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) after 3 weeks in vivo. The results found that several osteogenic markers (OC, RUNX-2, IGF-1) were significantly up-regulated in the presence of Mg during the first weeks of healing. This finding was correlated with the histological results, since significantly more threads for the Mg-doped implants were filled with new bone compared to the TiO2 implants without Mg. In Study III, the performance of Mg-loaded implants in bone was studied at a longer healing time of 6 weeks. It was found that the effects of Mg release are prominent in the early healing phases than compared to the later healing, presumably due to the rapid mobilization of the Mg ions from the coatings. In fact, the expression of osteogenic genes in the bone around control implants were dominantly expressed approximately 3 weeks after the dominant expression in the Mg-loaded group. Within the limitation of the observed healing period, no signs of increased inflammation and activation of bone remodelling were triggered by Mg release.In Study IV, the potential benefits of the local administration of Mg ions on implant osseointegration were tested in ovariectomized rats, which mimicked osteoporotic conditions. The presence of Mg-doped implants in osteoporotic subjects induced a significantly faster new bone formation compared to Ti controls and the activation of BMP6, an important anabolic agent that is normally suppressed in osteoporosis. In addition, other osteogenic factors, such as VEGF, were up-regulated in presence of Mg. In Study V, 3 recently developed Mg-alloys intended as temporary materials for osthesynthesis applications were tested in vivo to evaluate their degradation behaviour and the response they elicited in tissues. Mg-2Ag, Mg-10Gd and Mg-4Y-3RE in the form of mini-screws were implanted in the tibia and femur of rats for 4 and 12 weeks. Their degradation rates were investigated by means of high-resolution synchrotron-based micro computed tomography (SRµCT) and by histological sectioning. The tissue reaction to the different materials was analyzed both on histology and on 3D reconstructions of the bone-implant samples. In addition, the chemical composition of the degradation layers was assessed with Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA). Finally, the expression of genes in the tissues in proximity of the mini-screws was investigated by means of qPCR employing a super-array technique.The SRµCT enabled the identification of the degradation layers, the original metal and the bone, thanks to the high spatial and density resolution. The 3-months degradation rates were similar for all materials, but the behaviour of the degradation products differed. The products of Mg-2Ag underwent rapid solubilisation. The rapid loss of sample integrity for this material led to fibrous encapsulation, rather than the desired osseous encapsulation. In the other 2 alloys, the degradation layers deposited in the same shape as the original screws and were mainly stable. That allowed the growth of bone in direct contact with the surfaces of the degradation products and they were osseointegrated at the 3-month healing time. That was confirmed on the histological slides. In addition, the chemical analysis revealed that the degradation products of the alloys were not formed by Mg, but contained Ca, P, C and O in similar amount to the surrounding bone The combination of histological, tomographic and chemical images provided new insight on the nature of the bone-to-implant interface and of the degradation products, which appeared to have great similarities to the host bone. Finally, the analysis of the genes expressed in the peri-implant bone, showed up-regulation of several genes related to osteogenesis around Mg implants compared to Ti ones. In conclusion, this thesis demonstrated that Mg is a suitable doping agent to increase the bone encapsulation of endosseous implants, especially at the early stages of healing and in particular in osteoporotic subjects. That is desirable to shorten the healing period and when early implant loading is considered an option. In addition, Mg-10Gd and Mg-4Y-3RE are biodegradable alloys with a degradation rate and behaviour that is suggested to be suitable for the new bone regeneration and the bone encapsulation.

10ABSTRACTA Shortened Dental Arch (SDA) is defined as a dentition where most posterior teeth are missing. The SDA concept, described by Käyser and co-workers in the 1980s, was developed mainly for elderly and high risk-patients, those with poor general health and those with accumulation of dental problems. It was however, proposed as a treatment option based on individual preferences. The SDA concept suggested that a dentition comprising teeth in the anterior and premolar region might meet the requirements of a functional dentition. The aim of this thesis was to study attitudes towards the Shortened Dental Arch (SDA) concept and to explore the factors affecting prosthodontic decision-making, with a focus on the SDA concept, among Swedish General Dental Practitioners (GDPs).Two different research approaches (quantitative and qualitative) were used: a questionnaire study (Study I and II) and an interview study (Study III and IV). The base in the questionnaire study was made up of 102 responses from a random sample of 189 Swedish GDPs. The sample was taken from the membership register of the Swedish Dental Association. Besides questions about gender, age, years in profession and place of dental education, the questionnaire contained questions about factors to be considered when planning for a prosthetic treatment in an SDA. There were also questions related to risks and benefits of an SDA and various statements concerning the SDA concept. For all items the dentists were asked to mark on a Visual Analogue Scale ranging from 0 to 10 with different anchors for each section. The data was described and analyzed in contingency and frequency tables. The treatment planning statements were subjected to principal component analysis. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to study explanatory patterns regarding the assessment of importance for the variables influencing dentists’ choice of treatment in an SDA. Eleven Swedish GDPs were strategically selected for the interview study, the necessary inclusion criterion being that the participant had to have at least one year of practice to ensure experience of treating dentitions without molar support. The in-depth, semi-structured interviews dealt with treatment considerations relating to two patient cases and the participants’ opinions on pre-formulated statements about the SDA concept. Two authentic patient cases were discussed; initially with complete dental arches, and later a final treatment plan based on an SDA. The cases involved patients with compromised teeth situated mainly in the molar regions. One patient suffered from extensive caries and the other from severe periodontal disease. Qualitative Content Analysis was used to analyze the data. The participants of the questionnaire study received a short description of the SDA as an introduction and the participants of the interview study were given a brief explanation of the SDA concept after discussing the two patient cases. Attitudes towards the SDA and the SDA concept, results and conclusionsThe questionnaire study (I) showed that the Swedish GDPs had a positive attitude towards the SDA concept which they also considered carried few risks. There were small differences in attitudes between different groups of dentists (private practice dentists/dentists employed in the public dental health service and male/female dentists) but vast differences in attitudes among individual practitioners. Female practitioners envisaged a higher risk of impaired oral function, periodontitis and TMD in an SDA than male practitioners. Private practice dentists saw fewer advantages in using the SDA concept compared to Public Dental Health Service dentists in terms of reduced risk of overtreatment, better patient costs, and the patients’ ability to keep their own natural teeth as they aged. The results of the interview study (III) showed that none of the GDPs was familiar with the SDA concept of treatment although two dentists had heard the expression SDA before. Swedish GDPs showed little or no cognizance of the concept and they did not appear to apply it in their treatment planning.Prosthodontic decision-making with a focus on SDA and compromised molars, results and conclusionsThe study with a quantitative approach (II) showed that there were vast individual differences when Swedish GDPs ranked the importance of various patient-related items when planning a treatment in an SDA. The results of a factor analysis showed that dental care delivery system, place of dental education and also attitudinal factors influenced the decision-making process in relation to the SDA. The analysis also indicated that it was possible to capture common dimensions (“technical”, “comfort” and “time”) of decision-making in prosthodontics compared to other decision-making situations. The study with a qualitative approach (IV) showed that preserving a dental arch which included molars appeared to be important to Swedish GDPs. The SDA concept did not seem to have any substantial impact on prosthodontic decision-making in relation to dentitions with compromised molars. The dentist’s experience, as well as the advice of colleagues or specialists, together with etiological factors and the patient’s individual situation, influenced decision-making more than the SDA concept. There was a contradictory relevance between the patient’s age and the need for molar support when considering the SDA, mainly due to the individual patient’s need. These conflicting results in the prosthetic decision-making process require further investigation.

Dry mouth, or oral dryness, is a complex and quite commoncondition, reported with a varying prevalence of 10-80 %, expressed as a physiological deficiency with or without perceived dysfunction. This condition can severely affect oral health, oral function andquality of life.This thesis is based on four studies:Study I is a systematic review of the scientific literature and anevaluation of the quality of the evidence for diagnostic methods used to identify oral dryness. The literature included publications during the time period January 1966 to February 2011.Results and conclusions: The database searches resulted in 224 titles and abstracts. A total of 18 original studies were judged relevant and interpreted for this review. When evaluating the included studies witha quality assessment tool for diagnostic accuracy, many of the studiesexhibited shortcomings. The most common shortcomings were that the patient selection criteria were not clearly described and the test or reference methods were not described in sufficient detail. Seven of the included studies presented their results as a percentage of correct diagnoses. The evidence for the efficacy of clinical methods to assess oral dryness is sparse and improved standards for the reporting ofdiagnostic accuracy are needed in order to assure the methodological quality of studies. Furthermore, a global consensus regarding theterminology of oral dryness is needed in order to facilitate diagnostic procedures, choice of treatment and research design. Salivary dysfunction has mainly been described as being related to low salivary flow rate but the correlation between salivary flow rate and symptoms has shown to be weak. This suggests that not onlyquantity as a parameter, but also qualitative parameters of saliva,are needed to be included as factors of importance in evaluatingthe perception of oral dryness. The protective functions of salivaare performed both through and within the bulk liquid phase ofsaliva, but maybe more implicit through saliva components beingdynamically associated as a thin intermediary film on all surfacesexposed in the oral cavity. For instance, examples of qualitativeprotective functions of surface associated saliva would be the film- forming capacity and rheological characteristics of saliva. Today thereis a lack of clinical diagnostic methods that systematically combine individual’s perception of saliva and tests of protective functions of saliva, which in combination may identify individuals at risk andneed of directed preventive regimens.The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate scientifically reported diagnostic methods in use to identify oral dryness and to exploremethods for clinical monitoring of protective functional characteristicsof salivary films Study II surveyed the occurrence of subjective and objective oraldryness in two populations, one randomly selected group and onedental care-seeking group. The relationship between subjectiveand objective oral dryness to clinical parameters was analyzed and individuals were designated into one of four groups depending onthe occurrence of subjectively described and /or clinically measured oral dryness.Results and conclusions: No association between subjective oraldryness and flow rates of unstimulated and stimulated saliva wasfound in either of the two populations studied. Individuals identified with subjective oral dryness or objective oral dryness presented to a greater extent a history of oral rehabilitation compared to individualswho showed no indications of oral dryness. Results and conclusions: Individuals with subjective oral drynessexhibited lower values for saliva viscosity and elasticity, whencompared to the other groups. Additionally, the amount of salivaassociated to a germanium prism was the lowest measured in thisgroup, even if the total protein concentration was not extremely low. These test results in combination with a moderate decrease in surfacetension after 600 s may be indicative of a lower film forming capacityof saliva from individuals expressing subjective oral dryness.

Regeneration of bone in the oral and maxillofacial region can beachieved with different techniques such as autologous bone grafts,bone substitutes and guided bone regeneration. Guided boneregeneration is defined as creating a space between the bone and itssurrounding tissues, using a barrier that allows new bone to migrateinto the space while preventing other cell types from interfering. Thebarrier material should be biocompatible, have suitable occlusiveproperties and be able to maintain the created space for boneregeneration. A wide range of different materials has been used.The general aim was to evaluate a novel method of guided boneregeneration using designed ceramic space maintaining devices onanimals and humans. An experimental rabbit model was used in studies I, II and III.60 different domes shaped as halfspheres were fixed with titaniumscrews to the skull bone of 30 rabbits. The domes had 5 differentcharacteristics; 1) Dense hydroxyapatite with a moderately roughinner surface (HA rough), 2) Dense hydroxyapatite with a smoothinner surface (HA smooth), 3) Microporous hydroxyapatite with amoderately rough inner surface (HA μ), 4) Dense hydroxyapatite witha moderately rough inner surface and macroscopic holes (HA holes)and 5) Zirconia with a moderately rough inner surface (Zirconia).The domes were left to heal for 12 weeks before the animals wereeuthanized and the results were analysed with histomorphology andmicro-CT. The results revealed that Zirconia with a moderately rough innersurface produced the largest amount of newly formed bone althoughthe results were difficult to interpret as the Zirconia domes weredifficult to X-ray because of the very dense nature of the material.In study IV, 3 patients had bone regeneration treatment with aZirconia barrier. Patient 1 had posterior maxillary bone deficiencyin a transverse direction. Patient 2 had anterior maxillary bonedeficiency in a vertical and transverse direction. Patient 3 hadposterior mandibular bone deficiency in a vertical direction. Basedon individual digital models, Zirconia membranes correspondingto the amount of bone intended to be regenerated were designedand manufactured. The Zirconia membranes, were attached tothe underlying bone with titanium screws and covered with theperiosteum and mucosa. After a mean healing time of 7 months themembranes were removed and dental implants were installed. The results showed new bone regeneration corresponding tothe design of the space maintained. None of the patients had anymajor complications aside from normal postoperative discomfort.According to evaluation with CBCT all patients gained new bone inthe desired and preoperatively planned region.

Kamratbedömning kan ha en positiv effekt på elevers lärande. För att uppnå denna positiva effekt måste elever kunna ge återkoppling till sina kamrater och även ta emot återkoppling från sina kamrater. Elever måste också kunna använda den återkoppling som de får. Återkoppling kan ges på fyra olika nivåer, uppgiftsnivå, processnivå, självregleringsnivå och personnivå. Att använda elever som lärande resurser för varandra, är en av nyckelstrategierna inom formativ bedömning. Fokus på formativ bedömning och användning av den samma har ökat inom skolan. Det, tillsammans med att det inte finns många studier som undersöker formativ bedömning med ett ämnesinnehåll i svensk kontext, är exempel på vad som ligger till grund för studien. Det övergripande syftet med denna studie var att öka kunskapen om hur kamratbedömning genomförs i naturvetenskap på mellanstadiet. Fokus riktades dels mot hur lärare implementerar kamratbedömning, men framförallt mot hur elever ger varandra återkoppling. För att undersöka hur och på vilka nivåer som 11-åriga elever ger varandra återkoppling, genomförde elever kamratbedömning i mindre grupp efter att enskilt ha besvarat uppgifter med ett naturvetenskapligt innehåll. Insamling av data skedde i flera steg. När läraren gav eleverna instruktioner kring bedömningsmatrisen, uppgifterna och den kamratbedömning som de skulle genomföra, observerades och videofilmades detta. Elevernas kamratbedömningssamtal i grupp, videofilmades också. Därefter intervjuades eleverna enskilt. Studiens resultat visade att eleverna fick återkoppling på olika nivåer av sina kamrater. Den återkoppling som var mest förekommande, var på uppgiftsnivå. Det fanns exempel på återkoppling på andra nivåer också i materialet, samt exempel där det inte förekom någon återkoppling alls. När eleverna bedömde varandras svar, fokuserade de på mängden naturvetenskapliga begrepp i kamraternas svar. Slutsatser som dragits utifrån studiens resultat var bland andra att elever behöver träna både på kamratbedömning och på att ge användbar återkoppling, samt att lärare bör vara medvetna om att deras instruktioner är betydelsefulla när det gäller hur kamratbedömningen faller ut. En annan slutsats är att kamratbedömning med ämnesinnehåll, kräver både bedömarfärdighet och ämneskunskap.

Syftet med denna avhandling är att undersöka vilken roll synlighet spelar i skapandet och utmanandet av tillhörighet till politiska gemenskaper. Baserat på en empirisk studie av ryska medier under 2010-talet föreslås ett sätt att teoretiskt begreppsliggöra förhållandet mellan synlighet och tillhörighet, som utgår från idén att vad som blir synligt för en publik och hur, samt vad som blir osynligt, är föremål för ständig politisk reglering och konflikt. Denna teori försöker nå bortom både ett synsätt på tillhörighet som enbart fokuserar på tal och en binär förståelse av synlighet som antingen emancipatorisk eller repressiv. I tre fallstudier undersöker avhandlingen olika aspekter på problematiken kring tillhörighet och synlighet. I varje fall – vilka samtliga fokuserar på konflikter kring specifika tillhörighetsprojekt som utspelar sig i samtida ryska medier – står könade, sexualiserade och etnifierade föreställningar om gemenskapen i centrum för konflikterna. För det första, genom att analysera narrativ i ryska medier om 2013 års förbud mot ”homosexuell propaganda”, visar avhandlingen att eftersom tillhörighetsprojekt vilar på särskilda könade och sexualiserade föreställningar om gemenskapen, strävar de efter att reglera hur ej önskvärda, icke-normativa subjekt blir synliga. Men dessa regleringsförsök innehåller spänningar som kan fungera som utgångspunkt för konflikt. För det andra, genom att studera medienarrativ kring Olympiska spelen i Sotji 2014 visar avhandlingen att spektakulära mediehändelser kan bidra till att avpolitisera specifika föreställningar om gemenskapen genom att göra dem hyper-synliga och få dem att framstå som naturliga och oundvikliga, men sådana händelser kan också fungera som utgångspunkt för återpolitisering. För det tredje, genom att analysera hur den ryska statens narrativ om kriget i Ukraina 2014-15 utmanades, av rysk satir på internet och av medieavslöjandet om hur ryska soldater som dött i Ukraina begravdes i hemlighet, visar avhandlingen att försök att utmana dominerande tillhörighetsprojekt tar sin utgångspunkt i osynlighet och ofta har ett ambivalent förhållande till dominerande narrativ, samtidigt innanför och utanför dem. Avhandlingens centrala argument är att tillhörighetsprojekt som syftar till att (om)forma politiska gemenskaper och deras gränser strävar efter att skapa särskilda synlighetsarrangemang vilka reglerar vad som kan ses och hur det kan ses i offentligheten, liksom vad som inte kan ses. Dessutom, då synlighet inte kan låsas fast blir precis dessa arrangemang utgångspunkter för politisk konflikt. På ett mer analytiskt tillämpbart plan föreslås att politik kring tillhörighet innefattar strävanden att begränsa, utvidga och utmana synlighet

This thesis is an interrogation of the contemporary politics of movement and more specifically, migration politics from the perspective of the agency of design and designing. At the core of this thesis lies a series of arguments which invite design researchers and migration scholars to rethink the ways they work with their practices: that states, in order to make effective their abstract notions of borders, nations, citizenship, legal protection and rights are in dire need of what this thesis coins as material articulations. The way these notions are presented to us is seldom associated with artefacts and artefactual relations. It is of importance therefore, as this thesis argues, to speak of such material articulations as acts of designing. To examine the politics of movement and migration politics from such a perspective, this thesis focuses on practices that shape specific material articulations such as passports, camps and borders. At the same time, it discusses the practices that emerge from these articulations. By doing this, it follows the politics that shape these seemingly mundane artefacts and relations as well as the politics that emerge from them. Consequently, it argues that design and politics cannot be discussed and worked on as two separate fields of knowledge but rather as interconnected fields, as design-politics. This thesis unpacks this claim by focusing specifically on the lived experiences and struggles of asylum seekers, refugees and undocumented migrants as well as rearticulating some of the artefacts and artefactual relations involved in the politics of movement and migration.

The aim of this doctoral thesis is to analyze Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) initiatives from the initiators, sponsors and donor’s perspective through the Scandinavian examples LdB FC For Life in South Africa and Open Fun Football Schools in Moldova. On this basis, it seeks to explore the relationship between rhetoric and practice surrounding both projects. The study is grounded in neo-institutional theory – primarily through the work of John Meyer and Brian Rowan, Nils Brunsson and Mark Suchman. On a general level, neo-institutional theory is suitable when studying the social interaction between organizations and their environments. Given the thesis aim and explicit focus on two SDP organizations it thus becomes appropriate to use. Current study is predominantly based on data constructed through fieldwork in Sweden, Denmark, South Africa and Moldova during a period between 2011 and 2013. The methods used are qualitative ranging from observations to semi-structured interviews. In addition, homepages and documents relating to the two projects have been analyzed. A case study research methodology has been applied and the writing has been inspired by ethnographic fiction. The study shows that there is indeed a discrepancy between theory and practice – that is a gap between intention and implementation meaning initiators, sponsors and donors do not exactly practice what they preach. This inconsistency has been explained by the use of the theoretical concepts of decoupling, moral legitimacy and organizational hypocricy. A common feature of LdB FC For Life and Open Fun Football Schools is that they position themselves as SDP initiatives using sport merely as a means, not an end. This can be illustrated by their objectives, which is to mitigate the spread of HIV/AIDS and create political stability. However, from observations and interviews on site in South Africa and Moldova an opposite picture emerge, namely a strong focus on the development of sport through training and competition. In addition, the empirical findings show that both initiatives serve as a means by which initiators and sponsors can create lucrative advantages on a competitive market. Moreover, the undertaken activities function as a means by which they can be associated with something that the general public considers good, namely social responsibility. Even if both initiatives have good intentions, more research has proven crucial to justify the existence and magnitude of many of today´s SDP programs. This study has aimed to contribute to that discussion, mainly by examining the pros and cons of two specific examples. Consequently, it hopes to fill the parts of a missing gap.

This study investigates the relation between the design activity and entrepreneurial ambition of three academic labs: MIT Senseable City Lab, metaLAB (at) Harvard, and Medea at Malmö University. These labs are positioned at the borderland of academic research, as they operate in connection with external stakeholders (industry, NGOs, government institutions) through, for example, joint strategies of intellectual property management or the creation of start-ups. Various economic and social factors motivate the development of these collaborative spaces including the need for academia to secure alternative sources of funding and the political ambition to incorporate knowledge production into the existing value circuits of the market economy. In these spaces, stakeholders with varying interests, agendas, and power positions interact through what can be conflictual and tense processes. Through the combination of ethnographically inspired methods and a semiotic interpretative framework, the study explores how design practice contributes to value creation in entrepreneurial academic labs. It also focuses on the translation aspect of academic entrepreneurship as emerging from the interrelation of varying and transversal design moves and modes. Spatially dislocated and materially re-articulated within different contexts, the format of the lab actualizes diverse interpretative directions and shifts in meaning relating to multiple stakeholders at certain moments in time. While some moves were pulled toward a linear development process by logic aimed at creating products to be commercialized or publicly showcased, other design moves aimed to preserve complexity and redundancy and retained a high level of openness to external contributions. To varying extents, the three labs also activated and sustained the more ambiguous aspects of design as a translational practice. In a sense, these three academic labs exemplify in-between spaces that, within the context of the design projects studied, articulate a type of translational entrepreneurship which allows multiple stakeholders to retain their divergences while simultaneously building upon their convergences in coordinated action. This translation activity traveled nonlinear routes but was firmly anchored to what was found to be asymmetrical power dynamics and negotiation as well as certain alliances and actively sustained ambiguity.

This thesis focuses on children aged 10-18 years with symptoms of, ordiagnosed with, inflammatory bowel disease (henceforth referred to as IBD).Before the disease can be diagnosed, a child must undergo several procedures,with colonoscopy as an established investigation, including bowel cleansing,which is crucial for the safe examination of the intestine. The prevalence ofpaediatric IBD is increasing worldwide, which will augment the number ofpaediatric colonoscopies. When the recommended laxative polyethylene glycol(PEG) was used for bowel cleansing, the children and their accompanyingparents experienced the procedure as difficult due to the large volume of badtastingPEG. Once IBD is diagnosed, the children must undergo lifelongmedical treatment, which entails several follow-up colonoscopies.Furthermore, IBD is a chronic illness with an unpredictable activity patternthat can have a negative impact on the children’s quality of life. One of theaims of this thesis was to explore a child/child’s perspective of going through acolonoscopy and child’s perspective of living with IBD. A further aim was toinvestigate whether sodium picosulphate (NaPico) can be used as an adequatealternative when the bowel is cleansed prior to colonoscopy in children.Three of the studies were interview studies (Papers I, II, & IV) with childrenand parents as participants. The data from 17 children and 12 parents (PapersI & II) was analysed using content analysis, and a phenomenologicalhermeneutic method was used when 7 children (Paper IV) were interviewed.The children’s experiences prior to colonoscopy (Paper I) were identified asbelonging to an overall theme, A private affair, which could be divided intofour categories: Preparing yourself, Mastering the situation, Reluctantlyparticipating, and Feeling emotional support. The result from the parents’ experiences when their child is undergoing an elective colonoscopy wasstructured into one theme, Charged with conflicting emotions, with threecategories: Being forced to force, Losing one’s sense of being a parent, andStanding without guidance (Paper II). The initial findings from these empirical studies undertaken served as apreparation for another study, aimed at comparing the quality of bowelcleansing using either PEG or sodium picosulphate (NaPico) in relation to thetolerability and acceptance of the laxatives among children and theiraccompanying parents (Paper III). This study was a randomised controlledtrial (RCT) that was conducted as an investigator-blinded study within theDepartment of Paediatrics at a university hospital in Sweden(www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT02009202). A total of 72 children wererandomly placed into one of two groups (PEG or NaPico). The Ottawa BowelPreparation Quality Scale (OBPQS) was used to evaluate the quality of thebowel cleansing. Two different questionnaires were used to evaluate both theacceptability and the tolerability of the laxatives. In total, 67 protocols wereanalysed according to the OBPQS. No significant difference in bowelcleansingquality was detected between the two groups. However, rates ofacceptability and tolerability were significantly higher in the NaPico group than in the PEG group, according to both the children and the parents. Finally, in order to illuminate the meaning of children’s lived experience ofIBD, an interview study with seven children was conducted. The meaning oftheir lived experience of IBD was interpreted as A daily struggle to adapt andto be perceived as normal. This interpretation was discussed in relation toIngmar Pörn’s theory of adaptedness (Paper IV). The findings point to the conclusion that both children’s and parents’perspectives are important, in order to improve the paediatric colonoscopy.The children (10-18 years) with symptoms of, or diagnosed with, IBD werereluctant to talk about their problems, including colonoscopy. However, theywere willing to share their experiences in order to help other children withsimilar problems, or in order to influence and improve paediatric care. Itemerged that both children and parents need to feel confident in their dealingswith healthcare professionals and to feel that healthcare professionals taketheir opinions seriously when preparing the child for colonoscopy. It is also important that the children have the opportunity to choose thebowel-cleansing protocol. NaPico can be recommended as the option forbowel cleansing in children aged 10 years and older. The meaning that can beextracted from the children’s experience of IBD is that they are struggling toadapt and to be perceived as normal. This is a conscious process entailing aconfrontation with various problems, such as ambitions and goals that arehard to achieve, due to reduced abilities resulting from the illness or from aninsufficiently adapted environment.

This dissertation collects four peer-reviewed articles that are published in academic journals. Two of the articles are about the multi-level governance of integration polices, and two study the effects of labour migration policies. The two topics are tied together by an introduction where a common theme of the articles is discussed – the role of the state. Based on the results of my four articles, I argue that the relevance of the state as a unit of analysis is still strong and impossible to ignore if one wants to understand the patterns of migration and the conditions which migrant newcomers face in their countries of residence. When the Swedish labour migration policy was changed, and the veto of the unions and the state (the Employment Service) was abolished, it enabled social networks and market forces to play out more freely, which led to an increase in labour migration. The Swedish 2008 labour migration policy was designed to solve labour shortages. However, the effect of the new law was mainly the creation of new opportunities for migrants to get work permits and visas to Sweden in order to apply for asylum or work in low-skilled jobs in sectors without labour shortages. Thus, state policies do matter, even if not always in the way in which policymakers intend them to. The state has also tightened its grip on local integration policies in both Denmark and Sweden, despite very different overall policies. Where Denmark´s civic integration policies have formed a tighter relationship between the state and the individual, the Swedish way has been to centralise and standardise integration services and reduce local policy autonomy.

Avhandlingen uppmärksammar polisanmälan vid mäns våld mot kvinnor i nära relationer. Studiens syfte är att undersöka kvinnors syn på polisanmälan och deras interaktioner med det straffrättsliga systemet när de tar sig ur mäns våld i nära relationer. Avhandlingens teoretiska ramverk omfattar främst teorier om mäns våld mot kvinnor, kvinnors uppbrott ur våld och organisationer. En kvinna anses ha tagit sig ur våld när hon separerat, frigjort sig emotionellt från mannen, definierar våldet som mäns våld mot kvinnor i nära relationer samt när mannen upphört med våldet. Kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes under 2010 och 2011 med tjugo kvinnor som lämnat en våldsutövande partner. En tematisk analys har genomförts av empirin, som består av 33 intervjuer. Avhandlingen belyser en komplex beslutandeprocess om polisanmälan. Under denna process framstår polisanmälan som alltmer tänkbar i takt med att kvinnan frigör sig från våld – såväl emotionellt, som kognitivt samt genom separation – samtidigt som mannens våld fortsätter. Vid beslutet om polisanmälan tar kvinnan hänsyn till dess förväntade konsekvenser, såväl för hennes möjligheter att ta sig ur våld, som för hennes livssituation i övrigt. Avhandlingen belyser även polisanmälans betydelse för frigörelsen från våld. Resultaten visar att det straffrättsliga systemets gensvar på våldet, i synnerhet rättsprocessens utfall, är central för den betydelse polisanmälan får. Gensvar i form av giltiggörande bemötanden, adekvata skyddsåtgärder, frihetsberövanden och fällande domslut kan underlätta en separation, underlätta förståelsen av våldet samt försvåra för mannen att fortsätta utsätta kvinnan för våld. Och omvänt, gensvar i form av ogiltiggörande bemötanden, otillräckligt skydd och nedläggningsbeslut kan försvåra möjligheten att definiera våldet och göra kvinnan fortsatt åtkomlig för mannens våld. Resultaten tyder på att både våldsutövare och våldsutsatta kan uppfatta rättsprocessens utfall som en signal om vad som är tillåtet respektive otillåtet i samhället, vilket i sin tur kan få konsekvenser för förekomsten av fortsatt våld. Avhandlingen synliggör även olika hinder för att våldsutsatta kvinnor ska få tillgång till rättssystemets skydd, stöd och hjälp. Det omfattar såväl hinder för att kvinnor ska vända sig till rättssystemet, som hinder för att kvinnor som vänt sig dit ska erhålla dess stöd. Avslutningsvis belyser avhandlingen rättssystemets praktiska hantering av våldet, i relation till det jämställdhetspolitiska målet om att mäns våld mot kvinnor ska upphöra. Ett mål rättssystemet fått i uppdrag att medverka till. Resultaten tyder på att samtidigt som rättssystemet genomför satsningar för att motverka mäns våld mot kvinnor i nära relationer, så kan den praktiska hanteringen av våldet ha motsatt verkan, och i förlängningen reproducera könsojämlikhet.

Historical content, historical methods and historical orientation are three aspects that may be included in history education. This study first examines the emphases which are included in formal curricula texts and then those which are included in teacher-made tasks. The results show that the curricula of history education includes historical content, orientation and methods, yet history teachers focus almost exclusively on the historical content. In a second step, this study examines the strategies with which students may process and combine elements from the three emphases of content, orientation and methods. The results provide insight into what strategies the students use and how they process the relationship between historical knowledge, historical methods and historical orientation.

The thesis is focused on an entirely new class of electric power biodevices –self-charging biosupercapacitors, or in other words, charge-storing biofuelcells. The power generating segments of these biodevices rely on differentredox enzymes electrically wired to electrode surfaces. Planar electrodes wereadditionally nanostructured by gold nanoparticles to increase the real surfacearea/enhance enzyme loading. Bilirubin oxidase was used as a cathodicbiocatalyst responsible for oxygen electroreduction, whereas cellobiosedehydrogenase and glucose dehydrogenase were exploited as anodicbioelements catalyzing electrooxidation of glucose. The charge-storingsegments of biosupercapacitors were based on different electroconductingpolymers, including carbon nanotube based nanocomposites, and osmiummodified redox hydrogels. The particular bioelectrodes were characterized indetail using scanning electron and atomic force microscopies, as well asvarious electrochemical techniques. Self-charging biosupercapacitors wereassembled and basic parameters of the biodevices, viz. open-circuit voltages,power and charge densities, and stability, were studied in continuous andpulse operating modes.

A longitudinal study with 400 patients diagnosed with myocardial infarction (MI) was conducted at the Cardiology department at Malmö University hospital in Sweden, between 2002 and 2005. The aim of the project was to identify personality and psychosocial factors, influencing patients’ actions and the prognoses after MI. The five factor model of personality, (measures on Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness), coping strategies, depressive symptoms, the impact on delay seeking emergency care, smoking habits and cardiac health care utilization were studied. This thesis reports the result from four papers. In paper I the aim was to investigate whether maladaptive behaviour in the serial Color Word Test (CWT) alone or in combination with any specific personality dimensions were associated with severity of the MI. The indicators of severity of disease were maximum levels above median of the cardiac biomarkers troponin I and creatine-kinase-MB (CKMB), Q-wave infarctions, and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The findings showed that maladaptive behaviour in combination with low scores on extraversion was associated with higher levels in cardiac biomarkers, following an MI. Another crucial factor for the prognoses and survival after a MI is early arrival to the emergency department and rapid intervention. In paper II we analysed the correlation of personality and psychosocial factors, with the time lag between the onset of coronary symptoms and seeking emergency hospital care. There was no significant conjunction in time delay and personality factors, coping strategies and depression. In paper III we examined whether personality traits, coping strategies and symptoms of depression were related to smoking cessation after an MI. Out of the 149 patients who smoked at baseline, 2 years follow-up data was available on 133 individuals, of these 44% (n=59) still smoked and 56% (n=74) had stopped smoking during the 2 years. Those who still smoked had lower score in the personality factor agreeableness, more lived alone and were unemployed in contrast to those who had stopped smoking. They also had significantly higher coping scores as confrontational behaviour. Finally, in paper IV we examined whether personality factors and depressive symptoms predicted cardiac health care utilization over the first two years after the MI event. Those MI patients showing traits of Neuroticism at baseline had significantly higher utilization at the out-patient cardiac clinic than those without. Individuals with a high score of depressive symptoms at baseline had instead a higher utilization of social workers and telephone contacts over the two year follow-up. In conclusion, we found that the personality factors extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism were factors that had impact on MI severity, smoking cessation and out-patient clinic contacts, while delay in seeking acute care was not affected by personality factors, depression or coping strategies. Maladaptive behaviour and a confronting coping strategy influenced MI severity and smoking cessation 2 years after an MI. Taking personality factors and coping strategies more into consideration when caring for patients in cardiac rehabilitation might be indicated.

The thesis aims at understanding and explaining social work assessment of families with children at risk, at the level of practice, considering social workers' role in their national welfare system.· The thesis embodies four articles and is informed by a comparative perspective between Sweden and Italy. The first three articles are based on a vignette study focusing on social workers' assessment of three cases of children at risk and the fourth article draws on a broad cross-national survey focusing on social workers' perception of power. The comparison shows great similarities in assessment and line of reasoning when it comes to cases involving infants and small children, while differences are more evident when it comes to adolescent behaviour. Italian social workers are in general more oriented to intervene than their Swedish counterparts. However, Swedish social workers perceive that they have greater power towards their · clients than their Italian colleagues. Differences in the assessment at level of practice are only partly explained by national welfare systems. Also local organisational structures, cultural understandings, and the role assumed by professionals in respect.to their mandate, seem to be influencing factors when it comes to soda! workers' assessment of families with children at risk.

Type 2 diabetes is a matter of global concern, and has been shown to have an impact on an individual’s way of living, family, and social life. In addition, there is limited knowledge concerning the life experiences of Thai people with diabetes. The aim of this thesis was to explore the experiences of people with type 2 diabetes who live in partly low socioeconomic suburban areas of Thailand. Both qualitative analyses with 19 women of low socioeconomic status with diabetes and quantitative analyses, including 220 people with diabetes, were conducted in the suburban communities near Bangkok between 2012 and 2015. The thesis consists of the results of four studies described in four papers. In paper I the aim was to explore how Thai women of low socioeconomic status handled their lives with diabetes. The findings showed that the women went through many stages of changes in the process of adaptation in handling their vulnerable situation influenced by diabetes and socioeconomic status. A threatened loss of status was sometimes seen as a barrier to handling their disease, whereas empowerment by one’s family helped them to feel powerful and gave them a sense of hope in living with this disease. Paper II illuminated the life experience of Thai women of low socioeconomic status living with diabetes. The findings revealed that women confronted susceptible feelings such as worrying about an unpredictable future and fears of being a burden to their family. However, they were able to maintain a balance through empowerment via the inner and outer sources of their beliefs. In paper III the aims were to investigate and compare the illness perception and self-management among women and men with diabetes, examine the association between illness perception and self-management, and to investigate the psychometric properties of the translated instruments. Both Thai versions of the measurement tools (the revised illness perception, diabetic version questionnaire and the new revision of the diabetes self-management questionnaire) demonstrated acceptable content validity and reliability, includinginternal consistency, inter-rater, and test-retest reliability. The findings showedthat the illness perception and self-management strategies among the womenand men had similar patterns, except for three aspects of illness perception.Whereas the women more often perceived the consequences of diabetes andfluctuating symptoms, the men felt more confident about efficiency of thetreatment prescribed by the healthcare professionals. Furthermore, the illnessperception, especially the confidence in controlling diabetes by themselves andthe confidence about treatment effectiveness, in both women and men showeda weak possitive association with many aspects of self-management strategies.Paper IV examined the illness perception and self-management of Thai peoplewith diabetes according to their socioeconomic status, as defined by income andeducational level. The participants of the low-income and low-education groupsperceived more negative consequences of diabetes, and the participants in the highincomeand high-education group felt more confident in controlling the diabetesby themselves and were more confident about the treatment effectiveness. Theparticipants in the low-education group perceived more fluctuating symptomsof the disease, and the high-education group showed greater understanding oftheir disease conditions. Furthermore, the participants in the low-education group demonstrated less effective self-care in terms of overall self-management strategiesand physical activity.The Thai people with type 2 diabetes demonstrated an ability to be able toadjust to their life situation and to keep a balance in their minds to continuetheir usual life with the disease. Their experiences of living with diabetes werepartially affected by sex differences and socioeconomic characteristics. It may behelpful to take educational level into consideration when designing specific andproper interventions for people with diabetes in low socioeconomic areas. TheThai sociocultural context, especially in terms of family closeness and Buddhistbeliefs, might also have an effect on the life of people with diabetes.

The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to a deeper understanding of how the national community is reproduced and delineated in relation to class, gender and racialisation. It uses a qualitative methodology and interviews with people chosen to represent an economic margin, and is theoretically informed by Pierre Bourdieu, Beverly Skeggs and others. In interviewees’ accounts about work life and societal change, traces are found regarding how the national community is delineated, and how value for the community is claimed or denied. The main findings are that a national community is connected through the idea of value for the community, and that the dominating ideas concerning this value change over time in accordance with economic, political and discursive processes. Recognition is a condition for access to the labour market and for the right to contribute to the future of the community. The values and the community are not homogenous; there is room for competing values and thus competing ways of recognition. Those with less recognised resources get their value for the community questioned in relation to current hegemonic values. Adaptability to the needs of the labour market in terms of expectations of geographic flexibility and the right attitude are common demands that implicitly presumes economic and social resources. Misrecognition of resources and value also relate to the social process of racialisation. Whiteness can be regarded as the result of recognised national inclusion in a country such as Sweden where the ideal of light skin and blue eyes have gained hegemonic position through history. Class relations as well as male domination over women works through the same mechanisms of misrecognition and excluded

Syftet med föreliggande avhandling är att belysa och diskutera lärares och elevers meningsskapande processer när expressiva dansuppdrag iscensätts i skolämnet idrott och hälsa. Avhandlingen tar avstamp i pragmatismen och genom Deweys transaktionella perspektiv studeras lärares undervisning, elevers lärprocesser och expressiv dans som undervisningsinnehåll i en sammanhållen helhet. I en pedagogisk intervention deltog fyra lärare i ämnet idrott och hälsa samt 68 högstadieelever på en skola. Ett sammanhållet danstema med utgångspunkt i Rudolf Labans rörelseramverk skapades för att uppmärksamma rörelseupplevelser och estetiska uttryck. Multipla metoder i form av videoobservationer av undervisningen, intervjuer med lärarna och elevers narrativ i loggböcker användes för att belysa frågeställningarna från olika håll. Transaktionsbegreppet och praktisk epistemologisk analys (PEA) prövades för analyser av rörelsehandlingar och elevers texter. Begreppet risk användes för analyser av pedagogiska konsekvenser i undervisningen. Resultaten visar att lärarna förändrar sin undervisning och blir pedagoger som skapar förutsättningar för att utforska icke-förutbestämda rörelser i stället för instruktörer av danssteg. Lärarna utvecklar nya vanor som möjliggör nyanserade och differentierade samspel med miljön och förmåga att ta och hantera risker i undervisningen. Ett förändrat undervisningsinnehåll i form av expressiva dansuppdrag ger möjligheter att återinföra estetiska aspekter på rörelser och därigenom sätta fokus på rörelsers innebörd och mening. Lärarna upptäcker nya grupper av elever, de som vanligen inte dominerar idrottsundervisningen. Resultaten visar vidare att normer kring flickor och pojkars rörelser i ämnet idrott och hälsa rubbas när de deltar i expressiva dansuppdrag. Avhandlingen pekar på att kroppsliggörande är ett värdefullt kunnande och att Labans rörelseramverk ger lärare och elever verktyg och språk att tydliggöra lärandet i ämnet idrott och hälsa. Därtill är estetiska lärprocesser betydelsefulla i en kroppslig praktik för att bättre lära känna sig själv och andra. En utforskande undervisning i kombination med expressiva dansuppdrag kan utmana logiker av tävling och rangordning i ämnet idrott och hälsa.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Normally the balance betweencell growth and cell death is strongly controlled. Chronic lymphocytic leukemiais an indolent disease that has a highly variable clinical course and is the mostcommon hematological malignancy amongst adults in the Western countries.The protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 is a key regulator that controls theintracellular phosphotyrosine level in lymphocytes by inhibiting the B cell receptorsignals. We have compared the expression and activity of SHP-1 inchronic lymphocytic leukemia cells from lymph nodes with matched peripheralblood samples. The expression levels of SHP-1 were higher in peripheral blood,but the phosphatase activity in lymph nodes and peripheral blood did not differsignificantly. All cells in the body normally present glycans on the cell surface,which are involved in cellular communication and in processes like cell differentiation,proliferation and infection, including protecting the cells from invadersand in cell-cell contacts. Sialic acid occurs on the terminal end of glycans,and the frequency of sialic acid expression is increased on metastatic cancer cellsand overexpression controls tumor cell growth and cell differentiation. Theavailability of specific antibodies against sialic acid is limited. We have beenscreening sialic acid on cancer cells by using a molecular imprinting polymertechnique. Our results show that sialic acid is expressed on chronic lymphocyticleukemia cell lines at different levels at the plasma membrane. Higher expressionof sialic acid in the more aggressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell lineswas observed. To analyze morphological changes of death cells, digital holographicmicroscopy was used. Digital holographic microscopy is an approachfor label-free non-invasive 3D imaging of cultured cells. We have analyzed celldeath of adherent cancer cells using digital holographic microscopy and developedit to analyze suspension cells by combining this technique with antibodybased microassays. Digital holographic microscopy can be used for cell-deathinduced cell analysis of both adherent cells and suspension cells. This thesistakes us one step further in cancer research as regards developing techniques forscreening circulating cancer cells in blood as well as for individualized treatmentof cancer patients.

BDSM är en akronym för bondage/disciplin, dominans/submission (underkastelse) och sadomasochism som används för att beskriva flera, ofta sexuella, former av beteenden och uttryck, där ett utforskande av makt är centralt. Avhandlingens syfte är att söka förståelse för BDSM som en dynamisk, komplex och kollektiv företeelse. Den fokuserar på hur utövare, genom sina berättelser, ger mening till sina upplevelser och erfarenheter. Avhandlingens teoretiska ramverk innefattar både poststrukturalism och symbolisk interaktionism. Etnografiskt fältarbete genomfördes under 2012 och 2013 i flera BDSM-gemenskaper i Sverige. Fältarbetet omfattar intervjuer, observationer och deltagande på möten, workshops, pub- och klubbkvällar. Totalt intervjuades 29 personer som definierar sig som BDSM-utövare. Avhandlingen visar hur olika synsätt, tolkningar och politisk-ideologiska praktiker har format och strukturerat den sociala verklighet som utgör BDSM av idag. Denna process har ägt rum på olika diskursiva arenor; från medicin och forskning till politisk aktivism, litteratur, film och media. Dominerande diskurser, där makt och våld är centrala, utmanas av motdiskurser, där motstånd till heteronormativa normer och sexualitet är betydande. Utövandet ses som en väg att uppnå känslor av trygghet och tillhörighet. BDSM möjliggör ett utrymme där starka affekter, kroppsliga sensationer, förändrade medvetandetillstånd och spirituella upplevelser kan utforskas och erfaras. Beteenden som i andra situationer betraktas som felaktiga och omoraliska, kan göras moraliskt försvarbara i en BDSM-kontext. Avhandlingen belyser ambivalenser och paradoxer i utövandet, där diskurserna såväl möjliggör som begränsar utövarna.

The overall aim of this thesis was to explore loneliness by identifying associated factors and predictors for loneliness among older people. This research was also undertaken to examine the association between loneliness and healthcare consumption. In addition, the reserach explored the experience of loneliness and evaluated the effects on loneliness, symptoms of depression and life satisfaction of a case management intervention for frail older people.Study I was a quantitative study with a longitudinal design involving persons 78 years or older and drawn from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care. The sample comprised of 828 people at baseline (2001) who were followed-up after three years (n=511, 2004) and six years (n=317, 2007). The sample was divided into two groups, based on if the persons felt lonely or not. Factors such as personality traits, health complaints, self-reported health status and life satisfaction were included for identifying associated factors and predictors for loneliness. Studies II-IV were based on a main study with an experimental design, comprising 153 persons, 65+ years, living at home, with dependency in ADL and repeated contact with the healthcare services. Study II had a cross-sectional design drawn from the baseline assessment (n=153) of the main study. Self-reported data and register data was used to investigate the association between use of healthcare and loneliness, health status and health complaints. Study III had a qualitative design and explored the experience of loneliness by performing interviews with 12 persons (10 women), recruited from the main experimental study. The interviews were analysed by using qualitative content analysis. Study IV was a randomised controlled trial, including 153 persons randomised to an intervention (n=80) or control group (n=73) and evaluated the effect of a case management intervention after six and 12 months.Three outcomes were evaluated in regards to effectiveness; loneliness, symptoms of depression and life satisfaction.

The results in Study I showed that 52 per cent of the sample at baseline felt lonely sometimes or often (mean age 84 years). The strongest associated factor for loneliness was living alone (OR=6.1, 95%, CI=3.8-9.9) and the strongest predictors for loneliness at both follow-ups, at three and six years, was feeling lonely at baseline (OR=7.2, CI=3.9-13.4 and OR=5.4, CI=2.8-10.5). Those associated factors and predictors that were identified were mainly related to psychosocial outcomes. Study II showed that 60 per cent of the frail older participants (mean age 82 years) had experienced loneliness occasionally or more often during the previous year. Those who felt lonely used significantly more outpatient services, including visits at the emergency department, compared to their peers who did not feel lonely (p=0.026). Only depressed mood was found to be independently associated with total use ofoutpatient services (B=7.4, p<0.001). In Study III, the experience of loneliness among frail older people was interpreted in the overall theme “Being in a Bubble” illustrating as being in an ongoing world but excluded because of the participants’ social surroundings and the impossibility to regain losses. The theme “Barriers” illustrated how participants had to face barriers, physical, psychological and social barriers for overcoming loneliness. The theme “Hopelessness” revealed the experience when not succeeding in overcoming the barriers and was characterised by loss of spirit and seeing loneliness as an unchangeable state. The last theme “Freedom” illustrated a positive co-existing dimension of loneliness which offered independence and time for reflection and recharging. Study IV evaluated the effect of a case management intervention for frail older people living at home in regards to loneliness, symptoms of depression and life satisfaction. At baseline, there were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups in regards to the main outcomes or sociodemographic factors. According to intention-to-treat no significant differences were found for any of the outcomes, at any time point between the two groups.

When accounting for complete cases, significant differences in favour of the intervention were found at six months for loneliness (RR=0.5, p=0.028) and life satisfaction (ES=0.4, p=0.028), as well as for depressive symptoms after 12 months (ES=0.5, p=0.035).

Loneliness is fairly common among older people and once the feeling is established, it is likely to stay. Factors related to psychological wellbeing appeared as the major reasons for loneliness. Frail older people tend not to differ in regards to prevalence, compared to older people in general. Frail older people who felt lonely used more outpatient services, including visits to the emergency department compared to their not lonely peers. However, it was not loneliness per se that was found to be associated with use of healthcare but rather depressed mood. The experience of loneliness among frail older people showed that it was a prevalent issue, regardless of intensity and was associated with physical and social losses. Case management for frail older people was not effective in regards to loneliness, symptoms of depression and life satisfaction. Nevertheless, there were indications that case management could be beneficial in terms of these outcomes. 

Loneliness is an important factor that could be associated with lower wellbeing and needs to be actively targeted. Because of the complexity, where single causes are difficult to isolate a comprehensive and individualised approach is recommended. Loneliness can be problematic regardless of intensity and is likely to be unresolved, if left unattended. This implies that appropriate assessments of loneliness and other aspects of psychological wellbeing should be undertaken.

More than 20 years after the end of Lebanon’s civil war (1975-1990), reconciliation remains elusive. A number of factors contribute to this stasis. No agreed-upon historical narrative exists by which Lebanon’s 18 ethnoreligious groups can make sense of the war, and the state has interests – both economic and political – for burying common memories and erasing common spaces. In light of these erasures, the capital Beirut, like much of the country, remains divided along spatial, ideological, and mnemonic lines.

The extant literature has generally considered the perils of what Samir Khalaf (2006) calls Beirut’s “geography of fear.” By contrast, this dissertation considers the city a realm of possibility. “Re-membering Beirut: Performing Memory and Community Across a ‘Postwar’ City,” fuses ethnographic research, analysis, and performative writing to introduce the ide of “re-membering,” a term I use to describe how people engage the residual material of the city-at-war – its textures, tempos, routes, and representations – to render legible the shared pasts and current political claims of historically divided communities. Through case studies including a walking tour, a protest, and street art, I argue for considering the city’s in-between spaces as loci for emergent cross-communal politics, and for movement as both object of analysis and method. The sometimes ephemeral publics that take shape around these performances and practices reconfigure how Beirutis understand themselves in relation to their city and each other, whilc simultaneously revealing the city’s persistent ideological and spatial terrain.

The project contributes to a fuller picture of how people across the Middle East and North Africa (the MENA region) are using urban space and cultural production – in the wake of the Arab revolutions and most urgently in the midst of the ongoing Syrian crisis – to communicate shared pain and dissent, and to mobilize in the face of failing or oppressive political systems. As the region once again divides itself along both old and new fault lines, the study explores the perils of occluding violent histories, as well as the critical role of culture in inter-communal postwar healing.

Constrained by national tests and the mathematics curriculum, teachers have problems finding time for exploratory and hands-on mathematical activities, especially so in classes with a reduced pace of progression, for example because of a large proportion of second-language learners. Could the leisure-time center, where time is not earmarked, provide such opportunities? The conclusion of this thesis is that this can be done, on the condition that designed activities build on the central premise of the leisure-time center: children have the right to choose which activities to engage with. The thesis is interdisciplinary, combining design research, situated cognition/embodied interaction, and pedagogy. The empirical material comes from a design project conducted in collaboration with the Rook, a multicultural school with an integrated leisure-time center. The participating children were 7-9 years old. The games studied were card and board games, especially combinatorial mathematics games (Set and Nim). The situated and embodied approach towards design is reflected in the analysis, which approaches visual artifacts as parts of multimodal communicative scenes with many co-present participants engaged in playing games or solving problems. It is shown that children learn the game through observation and participation, either as players or in non- playing roles. For many games, rules are written in a format that is inaccessible to children. One of the design tasks in the project has been to develop secondary artifacts related to games: graphic guides, conceptual maps, and paper-based exercises that can be used by children without adult support. The premise of the learners’ right to choose has many consequences for the design of learning activities. One is that motivation changes from being a property of the learner to a property of the activity. In order to highlight this difference, this thesis proposes the notions of learnability and learnworthiness to describe those aspects of an activity and its context which make it motivating from the learner’s perspective. The thesis concludes with a discussion of how design can increase the learnability and learnworthiness of a learning activity. Watching the activity being practiced is the most important resource for potential participants to determine its learnability and learnworthiness. The qualities determining the learnworthiness of an activity are reciprocity, mastery, and the potential for closure. Watching a peer successfully solving a task increases the learnability for the observers as well. If problem-solvers think aloud and use their hands to move or point at cards, collaboration and learning by observers is facilitated. Providing games with non-competitive side activities creates opportunities for deliberate practice, and offers a safe entry for children who are reluctant to engage as players.

Zirconium alloys are widely used in the nuclear industry because of their high strength, good corrosion resistance and low neutron absorption cross-section. Zirconium has a strong affinity for hydrogen, however, and if hydrogen concentration builds up, the material will gradually degrade. In one class of such hydrogen caused degradation, called hydride induced embrittlement, hydrogen chemically reacts with zirconium forming one, or several, crystal phases of zirconium hydride. These hydrides play a primary, but sometime not fully understood, role in crack initiation and propagation within these materials. Despite the fact that hydride induced embrittlement in zirconium have been studied for several decades, there are still some unresolved issues. It has been the aim of the research presented in this thesis to provide the research community with new and updated data of the hydrides themselves in order to aid further studies within the field of hydride induced embrittlement in general, and the mechanism of delayed hydride cracking in particular. To that end, the research presented here proceeded, in short, as follows: First, zirconium hydride powder, of well defined hydrogen concentration, was produced from commercial grade zirconium. This powder was subjected to heat treatment and the hydride phases were characterized both in situ and ex situ using neutron, synchrotron X-ray, and conventional laboratory X-ray based diffraction techniques. Next, most of the low-pressure zirconium hydride phases were produced under hydrogen/argon atmosphere from commercial grade zirconium powder. This process was simultaneously monitored and recorded in real time using synchrotron X-ray diffraction. These experiments have produced new data of the behavior of different hydride phases during thermal treatment and in situ hydrogenation. For the first time all commonly reported zirconium hydride phases and the complete transformation between two different hydride phases were recorded with a single experimental arrangement. The phase transformation between δ and ε zirconium hydride was recorded in detail and presented. Finally, the controversial γ zirconium hydride was observed both in situ and ex situ and the preparation route, its crystal structure, and formation mechanisms were analyzed and presented.

Loss of teeth can affect a person’s self-esteem, social life, appearance and oral function. Reconstruction of a missing tooth has scientifically been shown to increase self-esteem and quality of life and to maintain oral function. For many patients a fixed dental prostheses (FDP) is preferred, either tooth- or implant-supported. Improvement and development of all-ceramic materials have made them preferable to other alternatives. However, despite properties of dental ceramics’ well known biocompatibility, good chemical and mechanical, the materials have their weaknesses, such as brittleness and some difficulties with the layering porcelain. Many all-ceramic materials cannot withstand minor flexure; more than 0.1 - 0.3 %, will lead to fracture. Oxide-ceramic, specifically yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (Y-TZP) has become the most commonly used all-ceramic material. This material has the potential to be used for larger restorations. In addition, one of many challenges is to ensure durable zirconia-based restorations in the oral cavity. In the clinical situation, crowns and bridges are supported by a combination of different structures with differing properties, i.e. bone, dentine and enamel. The complexity of the supporting tissues in the oral cavity creates stress patterns in the prosthetic material, which need to be considered when designing a dental restoration. The durability of all-ceramic FDPs is dependent on knowledge of the material and design of the FDPs. In particular the design, shape of the connector and the radius of curvature at the gingival embrasure play a significant role in the load-bearing capacity of FDPs. The overall aim of this thesis is to evaluate design of zirconia-based restorations in relation to achieving increased fracture resistance. Another aim is related to how the choice of material used for supporting tooth analogues in the test set-up and how this influences test results relating to fracture strength of all-ceramic FDPs. Study I evaluates different radii (0.60 and 0.90 mm) of curvature in the embrasure of the connector area and different connector dimensions (2 x 2, 3 x 2 and 3 x 3 mm) and their effects on the fracture resistance of 3-unit all-ceramic FPDs made of Y-TZP. The results show that by increasing the radius of the gingival embrasure from 0.6 to 0.9 mm, the fracture strength for a Y-TZP FPD with connector dimension 3 x 3 mm will increase by 20%. Study II investigated how the choice of material (aluminium, polymer and DuraLay) used for supporting tooth analogues and support complexity influence test results concerning the fracture strength of FDPs made of a brittle material Y-TZP. The outcome of the study demonstrated that Y-TZP FDPs cemented on tooth analogues made of aluminium, with high E-modulus showed a significantly higher load at fracture and a different fracture mode than shown in clinical situations. Study III evaluates how factors as different default settings for connector design of two different CAD/CAM systems and different radii of curvature in the embrasure area of the connector will affect the fracture strength and the fracture mode of 3-unit, i.e. 4-unit allceramic FDPs made from Y-TZP and further to investigate how the number of pontics affect the fracture strength of Y-TZP. The results showed that the most crucial factor for the load-bearing capacity is the design of the radius of the gingival embrasures. Increasing the number of pontics from three to four decreases the load-bearing capacity nearly twice. Study IV investigate and compare the fracture strength and fracture mode in 11 groups of the currently most used multilayer all-ceramic systems for Y-TZP FDPs, with respect to the choice of core material, veneering material area, manufacturing technique (split-file, overpress, built-up porcelains and glass-ceramics), design of connectors and radius of curvature of FDP cores. The results show that the design of a framework is a crucial factor for the load bearing capacity of an all-ceramic FDP. The state-of-the-art designs are preferable, since the split-file designed cores call for a cross-sectional connector area, at least 42% larger, to have the same load bearing capacity as the state-of-the-art designed cores. Analyses of the fracture patterns demonstrated differences between the milled veneers and over-pressed or built-up veneers, where the milled ones showed numerically more veneer cracks whereas the other groups only showed complete connector fractures. All veneering materials/techniques tested were found, with great safety margin to be sufficient for clinical use both anteriorly and posteriorly.

Anterior crossbite with functional shift also called pseudo Class III isa malocclusion in which the incisal edges of one or more maxillaryincisors occlude with the incisal edges of the mandibular incisorsin centric relationship: the mandible and mandibular incisors arethen guided anteriorly in central occlusion resulting in an anteriorcrossbite.Early correction, at the mixed dentition stage, is recommended,in order to avoid a compromising dentofacial condition whichcould result in the development of a true Class III malocclusionand temporomandibular symptoms. Various treatment options areavailable. The method of choice for orthodontic correction of thiscondition should not only be clinically effective, with long-termstability, but also cost-effective and have high patient acceptance, i.e.minimal perceived pain and discomfort. At the mixed dentition stage,the condition may be treated by fixed (FA) or removable appliance(RA). To date there is insufficient evidence to determine the preferredmethod.The overall aim of this thesis was therefore to compare andevaluate the use of FA and RA for correcting anterior crossbitewith functional shift in the mixed dentition, with special referenceto clinical effectiveness, stability, cost-effectiveness and patientperceptions. Evidence-based, randomized controlled trial (RCT)methodology was used, in order to generate a high level of evidence.The thesis is based on the following studies:The material comprised 64 patients, consecutively recruited fromthe Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Sweden and from one Public Dental Health Service Clinicin Malmö, Skane County Council, Sweden. The patients were nosyndrome and no cleft patients. The following inclusion criteria wereapplied: early to late mixed dentition, anterior crossbite affecting oneor more incisors with functional shift, moderate space deficiency inthe maxilla, no inherent skeletal Class III discrepancy, ANB angle>0º, and no previous orthodontic treatment. Sixty-two patients agreedto participate and were randomly allocated for treatment either withFA with brackets and wires, or RA, comprising acrylic plates withprotruding springs. Paper I compared and evaluated the efficiency of the two differenttreatment strategies to correct the anterior crossbite with anteriorshift in mixed dentition. Paper II compared and evaluated thestability of the results of the two treatment methods two years afterthe appliances were removed. In Paper III, the cost-effectiveness ofthe two treatment methods was compared and evaluated by costminimizationanalysis. Paper IV evaluated and compared the patient´sperceptions of the two treatment methods, in terms of perceived pain,discomfort and impairment of jaw function. The following conclusions were drawn from the results:Paper I• Anterior crossbite with functional shift in the mixed dentitioncan be successfully corrected by either fixed or removableappliance therapy in a short-term perspective.• Treatment time for correction of anterior crossbite withfunctional shift was significantly shorter for FA compared toRA but the difference had minor clinical relevance. Paper II• In the mixed dentition, anterior crossbite affecting one ormore incisors can be successfully corrected by either fixedor removable appliances, with similarly stable outcomes andequally favourable prognoses.• Either type of appliance can be recommended. Paper III• Correction of anterior crossbite with functional shift usingfixed appliance offers significant economic benefits overremovable appliances, including lower direct costs formaterials and lower indirect costs. Even when only successfuloutcomes are considered, treatment with removable applianceis more expensive. Paper IV• The general levels of pain intensity and discomfort were lowto moderate in both groups.• The level of pain and discomfort intensity was higher for thefirst three days in the fixed appliance group, and peaked onday two for both appliances.• Adverse effects on school and leisure activities as well asspeech difficulties were more pronounced in the removablethan in the fixed appliance group, whereas in the fixedappliance group, patients reported more difficulty eatingdifferent kinds of hard food.• Thus, while there were some statistically significant differences between patients´ perceptions of fixed and removableappliances but these differences were only minor and seemsto have minor clinical relevance. As fixed and removableappliances were generally well accepted by the patients, bothmethods of treatment can be recommended. Key conclusions and clinical implicationsFour outcome measures were evaluated: -success rate oftreatment, treatment stability, cost-effectiveness and patientacceptance, which is important from both patient and caregiver perspectives. It is concluded that both methods have highsuccess rates, demonstrate good long-term stability and are wellaccepted by the patients. Treatment by removable appliance isthe more expensive alternative. Thus, in the studies on whichthis thesis is based, fixed appliance emerges as the preferredapproach to correction of anterior crossbite with functionalshift in the mixed dentition.

In dentistry and orthopaedic surgery, research to find and developimproved biomaterials is progressing rapidly.Of specific interest is to accelerate bone formation around theimplant surface, which could improve the reliability of the implanteven in patients with compromised situations. Although the surfacemodification of the implant has been proven to certain extent topromote osseointegration, the lack of bone in the patient remains amajor issue and bone augmentation is commonly conducted priorto implant insertion. Synthetic and naturally derived resorbablematerials are commonly used. However, problems such as the lackof optimal mechanical properties or the undesirable materialresorption kinetics still exist and there still remain possibility forimprovement. Clinical approaches for orthopaedic trauma require the use ofnon-resorbable screws, plates and pins made of metallic materialssuch as titanium, cobalt-chrome and stainless steel alloys. Themajor drawback of these materials is the need of implant removalat re-entry. Therefore, the research of bioresorbable materials thatcould withstand the mechanical stresses is an ongoing topic.Based on this clinical reality, the aim of this thesis was toinvestigate the suitability of magnesium (Mg) as a biomaterial forregenerative bone applications. Namely, Mg as a doping materialfor engineered mesoporous titanium implant surfaces (Studies I, IIand III), and as a bioresorbable metal alloy for bone regenerationin bone trauma and bone defects conditions (Study IV).Study I, II, IIIMesoporous titania films produced with evaporation-induced selfassembly(EISA) technique and applied as implant surface coatingsare under investigation as a release system for the controlledadministration of several substances, such as osteoporotic drugs, toenhance early bone anchorage to the implant. Modulating the poresize of such films though the selection of EISA parameters permitsto control the adsorption of such substances into the mesoporousmatrix and their subsequent release into the peri-implant region.Studies I, II and III analysed the effect of Mg incorporation intomesoporous titania coatings towards two cellular models duringearly and later stages of cell activity.Study I characterized the morphology, chemistry, and topographyof mesoporous titania coatings and the effects of Mg-loading onsurface micro- and nano-structures. Mg release was determinedand its effect was evaluated on human foetal osteoblast populations.It was shown that mesoporous films possessed a smoothsurface with pores that faced outward. Mg adsorption did notsubstantially alter the mesoporous surface roughness both atmicro- and nano- levels. Mg was released within 24 hours ofincubation in cell culture conditions, thus its bioactive effect onlyoccurred during initial osteoblasts activity.Study II evaluated the ability of Mg-loaded mesoporous coatings tomodulate multipotent adipose-derived stromal cell differentiationtoward the osteoblast phenotype. The results demonstrated thatMg release had a strong impact on this cellular model, promotingosteoblast marker expression in standard cell culture conditions.Interestingly, Mg significantly promoted the expression of osteopontin,a protein that is essential for early biomaterial-cellosteogenic interaction.In study III, the reagents and EISA parameters in the mesoporousdeposition were varied to generate three mesoporous titaniacoatings with 2-, 6- and 7-nm average pore size, to increase Mgcontent in the interconnected porosity of the films. The effect ofvarious Mg contents released from the three mesoporous structureswas tested on human foetal osteoblasts populations with pre-designedosteogenic PCR arrays and real-time polymerase chainreaction. It was shown that Mg release affected osteogenesis andwas controlled by tuning the pore dimensions of the mesoporousfilms. Increasing pore size by 1 nm (from 6 nm to 7 nm)significantly enhanced the bioactivity of the film without alteringthe surface roughness.Study IVIn orthopaedics Mg alloys has received increasing attention asbioresorbable metals for bone regeneration. However, localizedmaterial degradation is too fast and provokes the premature loss ofmechanical properties, preventing correct cellular development andbone healing in vivo . For this reason, various alloying elements arecombined with high-purity Mg to modulate and optimize degradationbehaviour.Study IV of this thesis investigated the degradation parameters ofMg2Ag, Mg10Gd, and Mg4Y3RE alloys and how the alloysdifferently affect human umbilical cord perivascular cell adhesionand spreading. Mg4Y3RE showed the highest degradation rateand, thereby, the highest trend in increases in pH and osmolality ofthe surrounding fluid. However, both Mg4Y3RE and Mg10Gdallowed cells to better adhere and spread across their degradedsurfaces; in comparison, surface degradation of Mg2Ag was moreaggressive with weak or no visible cellular structures on it.ConclusionsIn summary, the results of the present thesis explored the potentialof Mg for its application in bone tissue regeneration. Titaniumimplant surfaces coated with mesoporous TiO2 thin films andfurther loaded with Mg enhanced bone cell activity and osteoprogenitordevelopment into mature osteoblasts. Thus, mesoporousdeposition followed by Mg loading may be a suitablealternative to existing implant surface treatments.Bioresorbable materials must degrade slowly and uniformly inorder to simulate the tissue healing process. Mg10Gd possessesreduced content of alloying element and a suitable homogenousdegradation pattern in vitro that allows proper adhesion ofundifferentiated cells. Mg10Gd thus represents a biodegradableMg-based material with promising mechanical and biologicalproperties for use in dental and orthopaedic fields.

There are few longitudinal studies of the prevalence of malocclusionsand possible self-correction of malocclusions during the developmentof the dentition. Early intervention might be unnecessary if self-correction of the malocclusion occurs during the transition from theprimary to the permanent dentition. Most studies are cross-sectionaland in those of longitudinal design, the results are inconsistent anddifficult to interpret.Malocclusions may or may not influence the quality of life inchildren and adolescents. Thus, evaluations of the influence ofdifferent malocclusions on quality of life will certainly underpin abroader understanding and knowledge about how malocclusionsaffect the daily life of young patients. This information may also beimportant when it comes to assessing the most appropriate time forstarting orthodontic treatment, not only from a professional pointof view, but also, most importantly, from the patients’ perspective.The overall aim of this thesis was therefore to evaluate theprevalence of malocclusions, and to document changes occurringduring the development of the dentition, from the primary dentitionstage at age 3, through the mixed dentition at age 7, to the earlypermanent dentition at age 11.5 years. Further aims were to reviewthe current state of knowledge about the impact of malocclusionson oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) and to investigatehow malocclusions affect the quality of life in a cohort of children,aged 11.5 years, whose dental care is provided by the Swedish PublicDental Service.

Th is educational design research study contribute s to understanding s about the impact the complex ity in multilingual upper s e condary mathematics classroom s has on attempts to improv e student - to - student interaction s . The research study was carried out in a cyclic process in three cycles as an intervention to give all students the opportunit y to develop their reasoning and communication abilities in mathematics. In the intervention, students in a first year class of the social scien ce program in a n upper secondary school were followed during one semester while they worked in small groups with various problem - solving tasks in mathematics . The intervention included three sets of open problem - solving tasks and three support means in the form of question lists, problem - solving support lists , and various communicative roles. The student s’ interactions were recorded , and interviews were conducted in each cycle . Both the students’ interactions and perceptions about working with mathematics w ere then analy s ed . The research questions were: 1. How did the students’ interactions and perceptions change over time as a result of an intervention to improv e student - to - student interactions? 2. What contribute d to the changes in the students’ interactions an d perceptions when an intervention was provided to improv e student - to - student interactions? 3. What did working with an intervention on improving student - to - student interactions indicate about the complexity in the multilingual upper secondary mathematics classroom? The results showed possibilities for chang ing student - to - student interactions through improving how students listened to each other, built onto each other’s interactions, worked with mathematical questions , and determined what they focused on in gr oupwork. The intervention was developed over the cycles by adapting the tasks and support means according to the results from the previous cycles. Tasks were formulated more openly, groups were arranged so that everyone had the opportunity to speak, and ma thematical questions became an important part of student - to - student interaction s . In the study , two theoretical frameworks were used — Alrø and Skovsmose’s (2004) IC - model and Fuentes’ (2009) framework for analysing student communication. The frameworks we re coordinated and then used to justify choices in the intervention and to analy s e interaction s . Interviews were used to learn mo re about students’ perceptions. Complexity in multilingual upper secondary mathematics classrooms was connected to three perspe ctives : teaching and learning, research , and school development. In the study, complexity from the teaching and learning perspective was discussed concerning how students were given equitable learning opportunities, how language affected attempts to improv e the student - to - student interaction s , and how the students’ interactions and perceptions affected groupwork in mathematics . It proved to be important not to see multilingual students as a homogenous group with special needs simply because they are multili ngual, but rather , to be flexibl e in meet ing the needs of the students. From a r esearch perspective, complexity was discussed in relation to how educational design research and the two theoretical frameworks were used to promote improved student - to - student interaction s in mathematics . Finally, from a school development perspective, complexity concerning generalizations was discussed. This study point ed out the difficulty of making generalizations about promoting improved interaction s. Since many factors aff ected interaction s between students , instead it was considered important to be flexible and study the interaction s and students’ perceptions side - by - side to make changes.

How children create meaning in relation to their physical, social, and cultural worlds can be regarded as a central question, both within the traditional Swedish preschool discourse and within the Reggio Emilia philosophical approach to early childhood educa-tion. In the Reggio Emilia approach, the search for the meaning of life and of the self in life is seen as an essential human necessity (Rinaldi, 2006). In order to be able to capture the search for meaning, pedagogical documentation is recommended as a tool for making children’s learning processes visible and subject to col-lective interpretation and reflection. This documentation is regard-ed as a potential mediator between theory and practice (Dahlberg, Moss & Pence, 1999/2009). In the collective reflection on documentation, discourses about what can be interpreted as children’s meaning making are ex-pressed and negotiated. In turn, these discourses govern how chil-dren’s communicative expressions and actions are interpreted and understood. The different perspectives drawn upon in teachers’ in-terpretation and understanding of documentation produce differ-ent kinds of knowledge about how meaning is created. This may ultimately impact on the opportunities and spaces offered to chil-dren, both in terms of opportunities to act and communicate and in terms of the available ways “to be” in preschool practice. The aim of this study is to analyse the ways teachers talk about how children create meaning and signification in preschool prac-tice, within the context of working with pedagogical documentation. I use Norman Fairclough’s version of critical discourse analysis to discuss and analyse how teachers talk (realization and materializa-tion of discourse) in relation to social practice and educational policy context (Fairclough 1992; 2003; 2010). This contributes to the research field of early childhood education by providing a crit-ical and theoretical analysis of the transmission of philosophy and theory associated with the Reggio Emilia approach through work-ing with pedagogical documentation in a Swedish preschool set-ting. Fairclough’s analytical approach allows the way teachers talk about documentation to be understood as a dialectical lin-guistic realization of overall philosophical, theoretical, and politi-cal ideas and perspectives. The empirical data includes observations of teachers’ discussions of documentation from one preschool department with a Reggio Emilia approach in a larger municipality in southern Sweden. The empirical material consists of field notes and recorded audio. The ethical principles of the Swedish Research Council were kept in mind during data collection. Written consent was obtained from both the participating teachers and the parents whose children are featured in the documentation discussed. The analysis shows that in talking about how children make meaning in preschool practice, a discursive, and not always coher-ent, polyphony emerges. Ideas and discourses collide, are woven together, and are renegotiated. Three overarching themes emerge, which can be understood as reflecting different aspects of chil-dren's meaning making. The themes consist of talking about chil-dren’s interests, experiences, and meaning making in relation to the physical and social environment, materiality, and body. The children are described in diverse and sometimes contradictory ways. However, there is an evident overarching perception of the children as individually meaning making, interest driven, and with an ability to construct and evaluate their own knowledge and truth through an active, individual, and sensual experience of the world. Furthermore, the children are described as interacting with something more often than with someone. In this specific case, the emerging post-humanist or neo-materialist discourse seems to make the interpersonal interaction invisible. The docu-mentation also becomes a communicative link between teacher and child, which replaces communication and exchange of ideas in the immediacy of the moment.

This thesis explores the standardized assessment of students’ scientific literacy by studying test items, frameworks and result reports from the international comparative study Programme for International Student Assessment, PISA. My research concerns the negative trend observed for Swedish students’ results in science reported in international comparisons since 2000. In this thesis, PISA is considered as a specific kind of practice that acts through a certain rationality, which frames how the measurement is constructed and interpreted. The overall aim is to highlight the epistemological and ontological assumptions that are embedded in the assessment of students’ scientific literacy by PISA. Data was constructed by video documentation of collaborative encounters between 21 groups of 15-year-old students and eleven selected items from the PISA scientific literacy assessment. This method enabled an analysis of the students’ reasoning and the difficulties that arose in these encounters. I also conducted a text analysis of selected frameworks and reports produced under the PISA label, analyzing how science and student performance are discursively constructed in these documents. In this thesis, I examine the similarities and differences between two theoretical approaches: one sociocultural and one sociomaterial. Both are used to explore the embedded assumptions of the PISA scientific literacy assessment. The sociocultural perspective focuses on the students’ situated meaning making as they solve the test questions. The sociomaterial perspective finds inspiration in science and technology studies, and takes a performative stance on scientific practice. This thesis has been formed as a hybrid of a compilation thesis and a monograph. It comprises three articles in English, published or still in the process of publication. The measured knowledge in and about science in PISA are based on onto-epistemological assumptions that are connected to science traditions which are mainly monologistic and representational, whereas this thesis proposes a dialogistic and performative stance. One identified assumption is that language is a neutral transmitter of information, which can be unambiguously communicated and translated without losing or gaining new meanings. Another is the assumption of a single unambiguous, primary frame for interpretation of the test questions, and a third that in PISA, science is assumed to be a socially and culturally neutral object for learning. It appears crucial that the students are able, and motivated, to discern and privilege the scientific perspectives and interpretations while engaging with the complexity of the tasks. My analysis suggests that framing the tasks within fictive, everyday situations, as is significant for PISA, contributes to this complexity. Further, the image of science as portrayed in the test items that were studied, risk reproducing stereotypical images of science and scientifically literate people. To PISA, students are mirrors of the school system and even future society. In the analysis of PISA documents, low performers appeared as threats to future society, due to the risk that they would become ineffective citizens. Meanwhile, other studies assert that standardized comparison is a practice that, when frequently repeated, contributes to lower results and an increasing disillusion of low achievers. It is proposed that PISA, rather than to be seen as a knowledge measurement, should be regarded a knowledge actor.

IntroductionWhen an implant is placed in the bone the body responds to thetrauma by encapsulating the implant and its survival depends onthe ability for hard tissue encapsulation. The stability of the implantduring the healing phase is essential to achieve a good result[1]. Biological, physiological and mechanical phenomena affectimplant stability. To achieve sufficient stability during the initialhealing phase the implant has to provide sufficient static interactionwith the bone. The static interaction might affect the biologicalprocesses that in turn affect implant stability. Although, numerousstudies on the effect of dynamic interaction on implant stabilityand bone remodeling exist, the effect of static strain has yetto be clarified.As the healing progresses it may result in bone formation in closecontact with the implant (i.e osseointegration) that stabilizes theimplant. It has been found that implant surface modifications atthe micro level promote osseointegration and that moderatelyroughened implants provide rapid and strong bone response [2, 3].In addition, the application of nanostructures to an implant surfacehas been shown to elicit an initial complex gene response that mayresult in further enhancement in bone formation around the implant[4]. Furthermore the implant surface structure interlocks mechanicallywith the bone that affects the stability of the implant.The implant surface design has to take into account both biologicaland mechanical behavior of the tissues.Materials and methodsTo investigate how implant stability and the biological responseare affected by an induced static load to the bone an in vivo studywas performed. Two types of controlled static loads, excessive andmoderate, were induced by specially designed implants. Two typesof surface structure, turned and blasted, were applied on the implants.The implants were inserted in rabbits and healed for 3-84days before the stability was measured by removal torque.To simulate how the pressure changes, due to biological and mechanicalphenomena, on an implant surface that was subjected toan initial pressure, a constitutive model was developed that wascomprised of visco-elastic, visco-plastic and remodeling components.The pressure on the surface in turn affects the implant stability.To investigate how the biomechanical and the biological responsesare affected by the surface structure an in vivo study and a finiteelement analysis of the theoretical interfacial shear strength wereperformed. In the pre-clinical study, three groups of implants withdifferent nano- and microstructures were compared to an implantwith a control surface structure.The theoretical interfacial strength at different healing times wasestimated by simulating the surface structure interlocking capacityto bone using an explicit finite element method. Simulations wereperformed for different surface structures and for different pressures,simulating visco-elastic and remodeling phenomena.ResultsImplants that induced a moderate bone condensation in the bonehad a significantly higher removal torque value at the implantationtimes of 3-24 days compared to implants that did not induce condensation.The effect the induced moderate bone condensation hadon implant stability decreases over time until the pressure has vanished,which approximately occurred after 28-30 days. Turned implants,placed in tibia, that induced excessive bone condensationresulted in significant increased implant stability at implantationtimes of 3-24 days compared to implants that induced no condensation.However, when they were placed in femur it provided nosignificant difference in removal torque at an implantation time of24 days compared to implants that induced no condensation.The developed constitutive model is able to capture visco-elasticmaterial behavior and remodeling phenomena of cortical bonewhich can be used to simulate how the pressure changes on an implantsurface that is subjected to an initial pressure caused by condensation.The implant nano- and microsurface structure affects the magnitudeof the removal torque value. It was found that implants, withno significant difference in surface roughness parameters (Sa, Ssk,Sdr) on micro level, can present a significant difference in removaltorque value at 4 weeks of implantation time. In addition, it wasalso found that implants with a significant difference in surfaceroughness parameters (Sa, Ssk, Sdr) can present no significant differencein removal torque value at 4 weeks of implantation times. Thedifference may be due to various biological responses from thenano- and microstructure surfaces.The simulated interfacial strength for the different surfaces did notreach the interfacial strength that corresponds to the removaltorque obtained in the in vivo study. Comparing the two surfaces in respect of removal torque ratio, suggests that during the earlyhealing phase the difference is caused by different bone formationrates from biological processes. As the healing progresses the effectof structural interlocking capacity is more pronounced.ConclusionsThe results suggest that increased static strain in the bone not onlycreates higher implant stability at the time of insertion, but alsogenerates increased implant stability throughout the observationperiod of 3-24 days. The proposed constitutive material model consists of three differentcomponents: a visco-elastic component, a visco-plastic componentand a remodeling component. The model captures with goodagreement the experimental behavior of cortical bone during differentlongitudinal loading situations i.e. in vitro stress-strain relationship,in vivo relaxation, in vitro creep and in vivo remodeling.The results of the present study suggest that nano- and microstructurealteration on a blasted implant might enhance the initial biomechanicalperformance, while for longer healing times, the surfaceinterlocking capacity seems to be more important.Simulation of the interfacial shear strength by means of finite elementanalysis seems to be a promising method to estimate the loadbearing capacity of the bone-to-implant interface for different surfacestructures at stable healing conditions i.e. longer healing times.Furthermore, it is a promising method to estimate the implant stabilityfor different magnitudes of condensation.

The concept of health should not be viewed as one-dimensional, but rather a complex interplay between physical, psychological and social factors (WHO, 2014). The Swedish curriculum highlights that the school’s responsibility is to support pupils’ knowledge and promote health. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to consider pupils understanding of and attitudes towards health in the context of the subject Physical Education and Health (PEH) at school. Data was collected through the use of focus groups, questionnaires and epistolary dialog. The pupils’ ways of describing health were analysed through Zygmunt Bauman’s (2008) consuming theory and Thomas Ziehe’s (1986, 1999) concepts of cultural liberation, cultural expropriation, the performance principle and authenticity. The result shows that the pupils in the study had a good level of understanding about health. They described health as a complex concept in physical, psychological and social terms. This understanding of health affected the pupils in different ways. For example a feeling of pleasure was described by pupils who appeared well-grounded and spontaneous, while those who experienced pressure in their daily life expressed feelings of higher expectations regarding their own health practices. PEH teachers need to consider not only knowledge content of the subject area, but also variations of self-image among the pupils in their class, and the impact this can have on the way pupils un-derstand the health messages being taught in the classroom.

Syftet med denna undersökning är att utifrån två fallstudier söka förstå lärarnas betygsättningspraktik i ämnet svenska. Valet av ämnet svenska grundar sig i betygsstatistik som visar att effektstorleken för kön är lika stor som den för föräldrarnas utbildningsbakgrund, vilket är unikt för ämnet. Två svensklärare och deras planering, undervisning, och betygssättning i två åttondeklasser i två olika skolor har studerats i en etnografisk studie. Skolorna skiljer sig åt bland annat vad gäller elevernas socioekonomiska bakgrund. I studien belyses vilket svenskämne som framträder i de olika klassrummen och vilka konsekvenser detta får i betygssättningspraktiken. I analysen av materialet har Basil Bernsteins teorier om makt, styrning och kontroll använts. Skolans sociala sammanhang skapas genom att dominerande strukturer blir pedagogisk praktik, eller med en annan term, lärares undervisning och betygssättning kan förstås som diskursiva praktiker. Eleverna måste behärska skolans och ämnenas koder och regler. Är dessa inte explicita i undervisningen kan resultatet bli att de elever som inte behärskar koder och regler har svårare att nå de högre betygsstegen. Lärarnas upplevelse av diskrepans mellan innehållet i kursplanerna å ena sidan och betygskriterierna/kunskapskraven å andra, kan vara en av förklaringarna till att de språkliga kraven i svenskämnet inte alltid explicitgörs i undervisningen.

Denna fallstudie undersökte elevers perspektiv på när läraren aktivt försökt att förändra undervisningen enligt riktlinjer som föreslagits av Skolverket. Analys av elevernas perspektiv ger tillgång till information som kan fördjupa förståelsen om vad som behövs ifall man ska lyckas med ett förändringsarbete av undervisningspraktiken. Studien utgår från elevernas perspektiv. Den fokuserar på de spänningar som uppstår mellan elevernas tolkningar av den förändrade undervisningen och lärarens intentioner av den då de inte sammanfaller. Spänningarna kan förekomma explicit genom att de är möjliga att uttryckas av eleverna och/eller läraren. Men det finns också spänningar som existerar implicit. Utifrån analys av elevintervjuer synliggörs vissa implicita spänningar. Dessa benämns i studien som potentiella spänningar och utgör ett dolt och omedvetet motstånd hos eleverna mot den nya undervisningspraktiken som läraren försöker att etablera. För att eleverna ska ha möjlighet att acceptera lärarens inbjudan till att delta i den förändrade undervisningspraktiken, krävs en förståelse från både eleverna och läraren att det behöver skapas både nya socio-matematiska normer samt sociala normer i klassrummet. De nya normerna måste aktivt förhandlas och accepteras. För att lyckas med förändringsarbetet behöver läraren både utmana och förstå elevernas uppfattningar av skolmatematik och klassrumsnormer. Medvetenhet om spänningarna blir då en tillgång för utvecklingen av en ny undervisningspraktik.

Det övergripande syftet med avhandlingen är att undersöka det dialektiska förhållandet mellan å ena sidan identitetsskapande processer kring fotbollsklubbar och å andra sidan samhällsförändringar. Ytterst handlar det sålunda om hur fotbollssupportrars identitetsformeringar påverkats av och påverkat historiska, politiska och sociala förändringar i östra Tyskland mellan 1965 och 2015. Avhandlingen bygger på två fundament. Det första är den historiska och sociala kontext som supporterkulturen är en del av. Det handlar om DDR och den så kallade återföreningen av Tyskland och dess historiska och sociala konsekvenser, och, vilket är nog så viktig, min egen förförståelse för och kunskap om dessa företeelser. Det andra fundamentet, vilket kanske är det viktigaste, är de intervjuade östtyska fotbollssupportrarna och deras narrativ om fotbollens roll i detta sammanhang. Avhandlingen är baserad på intervjuer och deltagande observationer genomförda med supportrar till BFC Dynamo, FC Erzgebirge Aue, 1. FC Magdeburg och 1. FC Union Berlin. I avhandlingen utgår jag från tre narrativa nivåer. För det första en narrativ nivå som utgår från de intervjuades personliga erfarenheter och berättelser. För det andra en narrativ nivå som framför allt kopplas till klubbarna, men också till region eller stad och andra fenomen som förknippas med klubben, och därigenom skapar en gemensam identifikation. Slutligen en tredje narrativ nivå som utgår från det hegemoniska, och där dominerande diskurser, makt, ekonomiska och sociala strukturer och förhållanden mellan östra och västra Tyskland är viktiga. Det är framför allt på denna tredje nivå som begreppet diskurs används och knyts till det hegemoniska. Genom att studera hur dessa tre nivåer förhåller sig till varandra i de olika berättelserna synliggörs växelverkan mellan identitetsskapande och olika narrativ. Studien visar att supporterkulturen i DDR kännetecknades av en viss frihet som till en början både uppmuntrades och accepterades av statsmakten i DDR. Med tiden kom emellertid supporterkulturen att uppfattas som ett tilltagande problem. Det är en förklaring till att fotbollen och supporterkulturen i DDR av vissa forskare har tolkats som fora för politiska protester vilka banade väg för DDR:s kollaps och den tyska återföreningen. De intervjuade supportrarnas narrativ bekräftar också att åskådare vid tillfällen artikulerade ett missnöje med situationen i DDR, men att fotbollen och supporterkulturen inte spelade samma politiska roll som den evangeliska kyrkan eller Neues Forum. I avhandlingen visar jag vidare att de intervjuades narrativ ger vid handen att fotbollen och supporterkulturen förlorade i betydelse under die Wende. Nya strukturer och hegemoniska diskurser utmanade etablerade sociala och kulturella praktiker i östra Tyskland. Sammanslagningen av de två tyska fotbollsförbunden resulterade i en underordnad position för de före detta DDR-klubbarna och deras supportrar. En konsekvens av detta var att nation och makt kom att bli viktiga inslag i identitetsskapandet kring fotbollsklubbarna och supporterkulturen efter den tyska återföreningen. Jag åskådliggör i avhandlingen också hur identifikationen med östra Tyskland till viss del har vuxit sig starkare än vad som var fallet under DDR-tiden. Det ojämlika maktförhållandet inom fotbollen mellan östra och västra Tyskland och reaktioner på västtyska fördomar om östtyska fotbollssupportrar är några exempel på situationer som har konstruerat östtyska identiteter efter 1990. Även om supportrarnas narrativ ger uttryck för olika situerade östtyska identiteter är attityderna till den tyska återföreningen överlag positiva. Supporterkulturen i östra Tyskland är ett ovanligt kulturellt fenomen som konstruerar sammanhängande narrativ, vilka binder samman DDR med Förbundsrepubliken. Genom att studera hur dessa narrativ konstrueras har jag undvikit att tolka DDR som en anomali i den tyska historien. På detta sätt bidrar avhandlingen med ny kunskap om och ny förståelse både för supporterkulturen i östra Tyskland och för den tyska återföreningen.