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- Ronquist, Göran, 1971-
(författare)
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Some Characteristics of Human Prostasomes and Their Relationship to Prostate Cancer
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: The secretory epithelial cells of the prostate gland use sophisticated vehicles named prostasomes to relay important information to sperm cells in semen. This prostasome-forming and secretory ability of the epithelial cells is also preserved in poorly differentiated prostate cancer cells. Aim: The aim of this thesis was to examine different characteristics of prostasomes, especially those derived from malignant prostate cells, linked to their potential role in diagnosis and prognostication of prostate cancer. Results: Serum samples of prostate cancer patients contained autoantibodies against seminal prostasomes in a higher concentration than did control sera. These autoantibodies were most frequently directed against 25 prostasome-associated proteins, but no one was prostate specific. Clusterin was one of the most frequently occurring prostasomal proteins. Elevated titers were however seen in both patients´ and control sera. Clusterin turned out to be a major antigen of seminal prostasomes. No prostate specific or prostate cancer specific protein was discovered upon proteomic analysis of prostasomes deriving from malignant cells of vertebral metastases of prostate cancer patients. Human chromosomal DNA was identified in both seminal prostasomes and PC-3 cell prostasomes and strong evidence existed that the DNA was localized inside the prostasomes. Four out of 13 DNA clones of seminal prostasomes featured gene sequences (31%). The corresponding figures for PC-3 cell prostasomes were 4 out of 16 clones (25%). Conclusions: Prostasomes are immunogenic and give rise to serum autoantibodies. The most frequently occurring autoantibodies were directed against 25 prostasomal proteins but none of these was exclusively prostate specific. Thirty different proteins were identified in prostate cancer metastasis-derived prostasomes but none of these proteins was prostate cancer specific. Human chromosomal DNA was identified in prostasomes of both normal and malignant cell origin.
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- Sjödin, Carina, 1964-
(författare)
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User-involved service innovation : Three participating perspectives on co-creation
- 2015
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The involvement of customers and other stakeholders in the innovation process is proposed to be a key success factor and something that makes companies more competitive. As a consequence, more and more organizations alter their innovation strategy accordingly. In order for a company to open up innovation processes, it is vital to foster a practice where there is openness for external ideas and knowledge. However, when external ideas meet internal innovation practices complex organizational situations appear. Creativity, for example, involves co-dependence of other persons’ strategies and actions. New roles for those involved affect hierarchies and knowledge sharing opportunities.This thesis involves three different perspectives of the same process provides an opportunity to study both individual and structural challenges. This research aims to identify on-going challenges for an organization during the transformational processes that adjustment from a traditional product innovation structure to an open service innovation culture implies. This qualitative case study involves two main cases and three supporting cases and aims to understand how users and other external parties, top management and middle managers experience open innovation processes. The results describe interactions between organizations and users or external stakeholders as well as internal interactions within the organization. Top management were dedicated to the idea of increased openness, but detected structural issues to deal with in order to implement user involved innovation. Among middle management, some individual aspects such as attitudes and relational issues matter, as well as organizational structures and practices. Users had mixed opinions about their participation in the process. Favorable experiences, such as benevolence and deepened relationships, were balanced by un-favorable experiences such as incapability and intrusion. Different dimensions of openness regarding open innovation practice are discussed. In this work a relational focus is emphasized. The findings assist managers in their work to create conditions for open innovation. Managers can benefit from this research by getting a better understanding of how different stakeholders’ experience co-creation of value. This is relevant for innovation managers in the process of redesigning innovation processes to understand different aspects of the interactions involved.
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- Thunander Sundbom, Lena, 1970-
(författare)
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The influence of gender and psychological distress on adherence to prescribed medication
- 2014
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: The lack of adherence to drug therapy is a major problem; it can contribute to significant deterioration of disease and increased health-care costs. Improving medication adherence is a big challenge; there is no simple solution to the problem. It is thus essential to improve our knowledge of non-adherence (NA) and its causes.Aims: The aims of the thesis were to study the influence of gender and psychological distress on self-reported, intentional and unintentional non-adherent behaviour, and to investigate the reasons for NA.Methods: A population-based study that included a postal questionnaire was carried out in a cross-section of the general Swedish population (n=7,985, aged 18-84 years). The response rate was 61.1% (n=4,875) and current prescription drug use was reported by 2,802 participants. The questionnaire covered use of prescription drugs, NA to the drug regimens, reasons for NA, economic status, attitudes to drugs, and the presence of somatic or mental problems, and also included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire.Results: The results showed differences in various self-reported non-adherent behaviour patterns and reasons for NA between the genders. In most cases, these remained after controlling for confounders such as socioeconomic factors and attitudes to drugs that are known to differ between women and men. Associations were also found between symptoms of anxiety and/or depression and the presence of intentional or unintentional non-adherent behaviour (with a stronger average association for intentional NA), and between anxiety/depression and some of the reasons given for NA, e.g. adverse drug reactions (ADRs).Conclusions: Although it was not possible to confirm causal relationships, this thesis emphasises the effects of gender and psychological distress on NA. In summary, both gender and anxiety and/or depression influenced non-adherent behaviour and the reasons given for NA. For instance, ADRs seemed to influence the decision not to take the drug as prescribed, especially among women and participants under psychological distress. It is suggested that a deep understanding of the causes of NA and of the impact of gender and psychological distress on the outcomes would help those aiming to improve adherence to prescribed medication.
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