| 1. |
- Erlandsson, Arvid, et al.
(författare)
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Beneficiary effects in prosocial decision making: Understanding unequal valuations of lives
- 2023
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Ingår i: European Review of Social Psychology. - : ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. - 1046-3283 .- 1479-277X.
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- To understand human prosocial behaviour, one must consider not only the helpers and the requesters, but also the characteristics of the beneficiaries. To this aim, this articles reviews research on beneficiary effects in prosocial decision making, which implies that some human lives are valued higher than others. We focus on eight beneficiary attributes that increase willingness to help: (1) Temporal proximity, (2) Young age, (3) Female gender, (4) Misery, (5) Innocence, (6) Ingroup, (7) Identifiability (8) High proportion. We demonstrate that different psychological mechanisms explain different beneficiary effects, that the size and direction of beneficiary effects varies as a function of response mode (separate evaluation, joint evaluation, or forced choice), and outcome measure (attitudes or helping behaviour). We propose that beneficiary attributes differ in their evaluability, justifiability, and prominence, and conclude by discussing theoretical, moral, and applied aspects of beneficiary effects.
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| 2. |
- Hallström, Jonas, Professor, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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University Teachers’ Experiences of Teaching Hands-On Components in Science and Technology in Primary Teacher Education during COVID-19
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Science Teacher Education. - : ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. - 1046-560X .- 1573-1847. ; 34:8, s. 841-860
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Teacher education programs have the dual task of teaching specific subject content while also providing examples of how this content can be taught in schools. This task is especially important, and also problematic, when it comes to technology and science education, where hands-on components such as design/construction exercises, laboratory exercises, and excursions are central epistemic practices. When COVID-19 hit, Swedish universities were forced to change from campus-based teaching to online distance education, termed “emergency remote teaching (ERT).” The present study aims to investigate university teachers’ experiences of how hands-on components in science and technology education worked in the ERT mode that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis was performed with a social semiotics and community of inquiry framework, and shows that both the type of instruction and the subject content were impacted. In particular, the reduced opportunities for students to apply scientific and technical methods and the reduced ability of teachers to determine whether the students had understood their instruction generated new ways of communicating and supporting the students’ learning. Therefore, analysis of meaning making in science and technology online-learning contexts needs to address the topics of the nature of science (NOS) and the nature of technology (NOT). An extended, three-dimensional model of meaning making is suggested.
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| 3. |
- Abbasi, Amir Zaib, et al.
(författare)
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Engagement in educational games and quality of life in early and middle childhood : evidence from a developing country
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42, s. 19386-19400
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Serious games (SGs), are gaining prominence as a tool for early education at home as well as in school settings. Given the mixed effects of gamification on various aspects of users' lives, it is pertinent to study its broader effects on a child's pre-school and school years. Given the lack of consensus on a comprehensive measure that encapsulates these effects on an individual's routine functioning, the present study examined whether various engagement states in SGs use influence a relatively broader measure of users' functioning across significant life domains such as Quality of Life (QoL). It is argued that it would serve scholars, teachers, and parents better to understand the broader implications of SGs on children's overall QoL rather than isolated physiological and behavioral effects. Consequently, utilizing structural equation modeling, results from 335 parents of 2-10-year-olds in a developing country showed that cognitive and behavioral engagement in gamified applications appear to influence the child's QoL, but not affective engagement. Results are discussed in terms of the consequences of using game-based technology for a child's development, with far-reaching academic, personal, physical, and social implications not only for the school-going ages, but also for early teenage years. The results are promising in relation to QoL. The findings indicate the role modern technology plays in improving individuals' lives. The findings provide scholars, parents, and creators of SGs important information for their plan of action regarding children's exposure to SGs and making SGs a frequent aspect of the learning experience early in life.
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| 4. |
- Akhter, Tansim, 1967-, et al.
(författare)
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Plasma levels of arginines at term pregnancy in relation to mode of onset of labor and mode of childbirth
- 2023
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Ingår i: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1046-7408 .- 1600-0897. ; 90:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PROBLEM: The exact biochemical mechanisms that initiate labor are not yet fully understood. Nitric oxide is a potent relaxant of uterine smooth muscles until labor starts, and its precursor is L-arginine. Asymmetric (ADMA) and symmetric (SDMA) dimethylarginines, are potent NO-inhibitors. However, arginines (dimethylarginines and L-arginine) are scarcely studied in relation to labor and childbirth. We aimed to investigate arginines in women with spontaneous (SLVB) and induced (ILVB) term labor with vaginal birth and in women undergoing elective caesarean section (ECS).METHOD OF STUDY: Women at gestational week 16-18 were recruited to the population-based prospective cohort study BASIC at the Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. Plasma samples taken at start of labor were analyzed for arginines, from SLVB (n = 45), ILVB (n = 45), and ECS (n = 45), using Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Between-group differences were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-test.RESULTS: Women with SLVB and ILVB had higher levels of ADMA (p < .0001), SDMA (p < .05) and lower L-arginines (p < .01), L-arginine/ADMA (p < .0001), and L-arginine/SDMA (p < .01, respectively <.001) compared to ECS. However, ILVB had higher ADMA (p < .0001) and lower L-arginine (p < .01), L-arginine/ADMA (p < .0001), and L-arginine/SDMA (p < .01) compared to SLVB. Results are adjusted for gestational length at birth and cervical dilatation at sampling.CONCLUSION: Our novel findings of higher levels of dimethylarginines in term vaginal births compared to ECS give insights into the biochemical mechanisms of labor. These findings might also serve as a basis for further studies of arginines in complicated pregnancies and labor.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Bergh, Robin, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Generalized Prejudice : Lessons about social power, ideological conflict, and levels of abstraction
- 2023
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Ingår i: European Review of Social Psychology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1046-3283 .- 1479-277X. ; 34:1, s. 92-126
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Prejudices tend to come as a package deal; people who are more racist tend to also be more sexist, and so on. Documentations of such attitudinal patterns - generalised prejudice - have a rich history, but the theoretical understanding thereof has been lagging. In recent years, we have seen clear theoretical advancement in the understanding of this phenomenon. We discuss classic premises in this research along with newer research that challenges some of the most ingrained ideas about generalised prejudice. For instance, we discuss research challenging the notions that generalised prejudice is an "us" versus "them" phenomenon, as well as a product of conservative ideology. We further argue that prejudice generalisations need to be studied at different levels of abstraction. Finally, we propose integrative perspectives on generalised and target-specific prejudice, with greater emphasis on processes of generalisation, rather than static generalised prejudice factors.
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| 7. |
- Boi, Roberto, et al.
(författare)
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Podocyte Geranylgeranyl Transferase Type-I Is Essential for Maintenance of the Glomerular Filtration Barrier
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 1046-6673 .- 1533-3450. ; 34:4, s. 641-655
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Significance StatementA tightly regulated actin cytoskeleton attained through balanced activity of RhoGTPases is crucial to maintaining podocyte function. However, how RhoGTPases are regulated by geranylgeranylation, a post-translational modification, has been unexplored. The authors found that loss of the geranylgeranylation enzyme geranylgeranyl transferase type-I (GGTase-I) in podocytes led to progressive albuminuria and foot process effacement in podocyte-specific GGTase-I knockout mice. In cultured podocytes, the absence of geranylgeranylation resulted in altered activity of its downstream substrates Rac1, RhoA, Cdc42, and Rap1, leading to alterations of & beta;1-integrins and actin cytoskeleton structural changes. These findings highlight the importance of geranylgeranylation in the dynamic management of RhoGTPases and Rap1 to control podocyte function, providing new knowledge about podocyte biology and glomerular filtration barrier function.BackgroundImpairment of the glomerular filtration barrier is in part attributed to podocyte foot process effacement (FPE), entailing disruption of the actin cytoskeleton and the slit diaphragm. Maintenance of the actin cytoskeleton, which contains a complex signaling network through its connections to slit diaphragm and focal adhesion proteins, is thus considered crucial to preserving podocyte structure and function. A dynamic yet tightly regulated cytoskeleton is attained through balanced activity of RhoGTPases. Most RhoGTPases are post-translationally modified by the enzyme geranylgeranyl transferase type-I (GGTase-I). Although geranylgeranylation has been shown to regulate activities of RhoGTPases and RasGTPase Rap1, its significance in podocytes is unknown.MethodsWe used immunofluorescence to localize GGTase-I, which was expressed mainly by podocytes in the glomeruli. To define geranylgeranylation's role in podocytes, we generated podocyte-specific GGTase-I knockout mice. We used transmission electron microscopy to evaluate FPE and measurements of urinary albumin excretion to analyze filtration barrier function. Geranylgeranylation's effects on RhoGTPases and Rap1 function were studied in vitro by knockdown or inhibition of GGTase-I. We used immunocytochemistry to study structural modifications of the actin cytoskeleton and & beta;1 integrins.ResultsDepletion of GGTase-I in podocytes in vivo resulted in FPE and concomitant early-onset progressive albuminuria. A reduction of GGTase-I activity in cultured podocytes disrupted RhoGTPase balance by markedly increasing activity of RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 together with Rap1, resulting in dysregulation of the actin cytoskeleton and altered distribution of & beta;1 integrins.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that geranylgeranylation is of crucial importance for the maintenance of the delicate equilibrium of RhoGTPases and Rap1 in podocytes and consequently for the maintenance of glomerular integrity and function. A tightly regulated actin cytoskeleton attained through balanced activity of RhoGTPases is crucial to maintaining podocyte function. However, how RhoGTPases are regulated by geranylgeranylation, a post-translational modification, has been unexplored. The authors found that loss of the geranylgeranylation enzyme geranylgeranyl transferase type-I (GGTase-I) in podocytes led to progressive albuminuria and foot process effacement in podocyte-specific GGTase-I knockout mice. In cultured podocytes, the absence of geranylgeranylation resulted in altered activity of its downstream substrates Rac1, RhoA, Cdc42, and Rap1, leading to alterations of & beta;1-integrins and actin cytoskeleton structural changes. These findings highlight the importance of geranylgeranylation in the dynamic management of RhoGTPases and Rap1 to control podocyte function, providing new knowledge about podocyte biology and glomerular filtration barrier function.
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| 8. |
- Chen, I-Hua, et al.
(författare)
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Psychometric evaluation of fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) among Chinese primary and middle schoolteachers, and their students
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42, s. 12557-12573
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Utilizing a large-scale cross-sectional survey, the present study tested the advanced psychometric properties of Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in specific populations (i.e., primary and middle schoolteachers, and their students). The present study also examined the association between perceived fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress among home-room teachers (i.e., teachers who teach all their students in one classroom all day) and their students. The results among participants (11,134 teachers and 4,335 students) indicated good internal reliability of FCV-19S and excellent factorial validity with a two-factor structure utilizing these specific populations. Furthermore, the multilevel analysis showed that home-room teachers' psychological distress, but not fear of COVID-19, was positively associated with their students. In sum, the FCV-19S is a useful tool to assess the fear of COVID-19 on potentially vulnerable populations (i.e., primary/middle schoolteachers and their students). Future studies are encouraged to use the present study's findings to investigate possible underlying mechanisms for developing effective coping strategies and interventions.
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| 9. |
- Crabb, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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Communication Challenges in Social Board Games
- 2023
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Ingår i: Simulation and Gaming. - 1552-826X .- 1046-8781. ; 54:5, s. 489-507
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Discussion-based communication scenarios are present in many aspects of life. These can range from conversations with friends in a social setting to formal consultation processes and focus groups used by industry and government. However, reliance on speech does not easily permit the fair and equitable involvement of people who face communication-based accessibility challenges. Aim: This work aimed to understand the communication challenges present within social board games, how these challenges arise, and participants’ perceptions of the difficulties these challenges may cause. Method: We conducted four social gameplay sessions to understand what parts of discussion may cause communication challenges and what techniques are commonplace in overcoming these. Results: Our results highlight how group facilitation and conversation pacing are essential in promoting accessibility within discussion-type situations. Our analysis identified four themes that focused on speech and delivery, access strategies, viewing and position, balance of power, and awareness of others. Conclusions: Communication within board game scenarios is a complex area that creates several intersectional accessibility challenges. These challenges can impact how group communication is facilitated, how pacing and delivery relate to overall group understanding, and how an awareness of accessibility is critical in developing inclusive environments.
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| 10. |
- Dåderman, Anna Maria, 1953-, et al.
(författare)
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Leading with a cool head and a warm heart : trait-based leadership resources linked to task performance, perceived stress, and work engagement
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer Nature. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42, s. 29559-29580
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leaders of today need to achieve well in terms of task performance, perceiving low stress, and having high levels of work engagement. One may ask whether trait-based leadership resource factors can be identified and how such resource factors might relate to task performance, perceived stress, and work engagement. Our aim was to test the hypothesis, derived from Hobfoll’s motivational Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, that there are trait-based leadership resource factors, which are differentially correlated to the leaders’ task performance, perceived stress, and work engagement. Leaders (N = 344) aged from 23 to 65 years (M = 49, SD = 8.6; 58% women) completed an online questionnaire including measures of task performance, perceived stress, work engagement, personality traits, trait emotional intelligence, empathy, performance-related self-esteem, compassionate and rational leadership competence, and coping resources for stress. Using exploratory factor analysis, we identified four trait-based leadership resource factors. With Bonferroni adjustment, and controlling for sex, age, number of years in the current managerial position, self-deceptive enhancement, and impression management, only Rational Mastery was significantly positively correlated with task performance. Rational Mastery, Efficient Coping, and Modesty were negatively correlated with perceived stress, and all factors except Modesty, but including the fourth (Good-Heartedness) were positively correlated with work engagement. Organizations striving for sustainable work conditions should support trait-based leadership, which depends not only on a task-oriented resource such as rational mastery, but also on human-oriented resources such as efficient coping, modesty, and good-heartedness, all of them being differentially related to task performance, perceived stress, and work engagement.
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| 11. |
- Felnhofer, A, et al.
(författare)
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Anonymous birth: Biographical knowledge and dyadic coping in adoptive mothers and fathers
- 2023
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Ingår i: CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:4, s. 2719-2732
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Research on adoptive parents of anonymously born children is still scarce. Open issues are (1) examining how much biographical information is available to adoptive parents, (2) considering differences between adoptive mothers and fathers, and (3) understanding what affects their dyadic coping. Hence, this study set out to compare adoptive mothers’ and fathers’ mental health, attachment styles, dyadic coping, and biographical knowledge, and to identify predictors of dyadic coping. 62 mothers and 40 fathers (mean age: 46 years) raising an anonymously born adoptee answered online or paper-pencil versions of the Brief Symptom Inventory, Vulnerable Attachment Style Questionnaire, Dyadic Coping Inventory, Child Behavior Checklist, and a checklist of biographical data. Descriptive analyses showed that biographical knowledge was generally low in adoptive parents. More information was available on the birth mother than the birth father, with letters being the most common memorial. Furthermore, student t-tests revealed few differences: adoptive mothers reported to be more anxious and rated their ability to communicate stress and common dyadic coping as higher than did adoptive fathers. Finally, a hierarchical linear regression identified knowledge of more biographical data, parents’ older age as well as child’s younger age and higher psychopathology scores as predictors of better adoptive parents’ dyadic coping. These findings highlight the difficult task of gathering biographical information whilst maintaining the birth mother’s anonymity. They also stress the need of further research which may inform policies tailored to the specific needs of adoptive parents in the context of anonymous birth.
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| 12. |
- González-Mesa, E., et al.
(författare)
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Assessment of the attitude towards childbirth in health sciences students - development and validation of the questionnaire Cave-St
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42, s. 6086-6095
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this study is to report on the validation process of a questionnaire that explores health science students’ attitudes towards women’s childbirth experiences. This questionnaire can help inform education programs to enhance the quality of woman-professional interactions, and to improve women’s experiences of childbirth. A standardized procedure for the development and validation of the questionnaire included: item development and psychometric pre-validation, Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient calculation, test–retest and item-total correlation for the reliability analysis. Content validity was undertaken by Delphi method with sixteen panelists over two rounds. We determined the factor structure and refined and validated the questionnaire according to the responses of a cohort of 560 students using principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation. Confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken. A 52-items questionnaire CAVE-st: (acronym for cuestionario de actitudes sobre vivencias y experiencias en el parto) was developed and validated. The results of the factor analysis finally revealed four latent dimensions. The questionnaire CAVE-st is a valid and reliable tool to assess health science students’ attitude towards women’s childbirth experiences. Further work to translate and adapt the instrument in other cultures and languages will be undertaken. © 2021, The Author(s).
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| 13. |
- Hose, KS, et al.
(författare)
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TOP2A Expression in Pheochromocytoma and Abdominal Paraganglioma: a Marker of Poor Clinical Outcome?
- 2023
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Ingår i: Endocrine pathology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1559-0097 .- 1046-3976. ; 34:1, s. 129-141
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pheochromocytoma and abdominal paraganglioma (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumors originating from chromaffin cells. Even though only 10–15% of the tumors metastasize, all PPGLs are considered potentially malignant. Topoisomerase 2A (TOP2A) is a protein involved in cell proliferation and has been found to be over-expressed in metastatic PPGL. To provide support whether TOP2A could serve as a prognostic marker, 88 PPGLs (of which 8 metastatic/relapsing) and 10 normal adrenal gland samples were assessed for TOP2A mRNA expression using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and TOP2A immunohistochemistry. Comparisons to clinical parameters connected to metastatic behavior were made, and The Cancer Genome Atlas was used for validation of the results. A significant association between high TOP2A mRNA expression in primary PPGL and subsequent metastatic events (p = 0.008) was found, as well as to specific histological features and clinical parameters connected to metastatic behavior and mutations in SDHB. TOP2A immunoreactivity was calculated as an index of positive nuclei divided by the total amount of nuclei, and this index associated with TOP2A mRNA levels (p = 0.023) as well as the Ki-67 labeling index (p = 0.001). To conclude, TOP2A is a potential prognostic marker as it is frequently elevated in PPGL displaying subsequent metastatic disease, and future studies in larger cohorts are warranted to determine if a TOP2A index as assessed by immunohistochemistry could be a marker of poor outcome. Additionally, elevated levels of TOP2A could indicate a potential actionable event, and future studies with topoisomerase inhibitors would be of interest.
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| 14. |
- Inker, Lesley A., et al.
(författare)
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CKD-EPI and EKFC GFR Estimating Equations: Performance and Other Considerations for Selecting Equations for Implementation in Adults
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. - 1046-6673. ; 34:12, s. 1953-1964
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: New CKD-EPI and EKFC estimated GFR (eGFR) equations usingcreatinine (eGFRcr), cystatin C (eGFRcys) and both (eGFRcr-cys) have sufficientaccuracy for use in clinical practice. A better understanding of the equations, includingtheir performance in race, sex and age subgroups, is important for selection of eGFRequations for global implementation.Methods: We evaluated performance (bias and P30) of equations and methods usedfor equation development in an independent study population comprising 4050participants pooled from 12 studies. The mean (SD) mGFR was 76.4 (29.6)ml/min/1.73 m2, age 57.0 (17.4) years, with 1557 (38%) women and 579 (14%) Blackparticipants.Results: Coefficients for creatinine, cystatin C, age and sex in the CKD-EPI and EKFCequations are similar. Performance of the eGFRcr-cys equations in the overallpopulation (bias 90%) was better than the eGFRcr oreGFRcys equations, with fewer differences among race, sex and age subgroups.Differences in performance across subgroups reflected differences in diversity ofsource populations and use of variables for race and sex for equation development.Larger differences among eGFRcr equations reflected regional population differencesin non-GFR determinants of creatinine.Conclusion: CKD-EPI and EKFC equations are approaching convergence. It is notpossible to maximize both accuracy and uniformity in selecting one of the currentlyavailable eGFRcr equations for implementation across regions. Decisions shouldconsider methods for equation development in addition to performance. Wider use ofcystatin C with creatinine could maximize both accuracy and uniformity of GFRestimation using currently available equations.
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| 15. |
- Israelsson, Pernilla, et al.
(författare)
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NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity improves after primary surgery for high-grade serous ovarian cancer
- 2023
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Ingår i: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1046-7408 .- 1600-0897. ; 89:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Problem: Tumors compromise the patients’ immune system to promote their own survival. We have previously reported that HGSC exosomes play a central role, downregulating NKG2D cytotoxicity. Primary surgery's effect on tumor exosomes and NKG2D cytotoxicity in HGSC patients has not been studied before. The overall objective of this study was to explore the effect of surgery on the exosome-induced impairment of NKG2D cytotoxicity in HGSC.Method of study: Paired pre- and post-operative blood samples were subjected to cell and exosome analyses regarding the NKG2D receptor and ligands, and NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity. Lymphocytes were phenotyped by immunoflow cytometry. Exosomes, isolated by ultracentrifugation, and characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis, transmission and immune electron microscopy and western blot were used in functional cytotoxic experiments. HGSC explant culture-derived exosomes, previously studied by us, were used for comparison.Results: HGSC exosomes from patients’ sera downregulated NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity in NK cells of healthy donors. In a subgroup of subjects, NKG2D expression on CTLs and NK cells was upregulated after surgery, correlating to a decrease in the concentration of exosomes in postoperative sera. An overall significantly improved NKG2D-mediated cytotoxic response of the HGSC patients’ own NK cells in postoperative compared to preoperative samples was noted.Conclusions: Surgical removal of the primary tumor has a beneficial effect, relieving the exosome-mediated suppression of NKG2D cytotoxicity in HGSC patients, thus boostering their ability to combat cancer.
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| 16. |
- Korol, Liliia, et al.
(författare)
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Does young adults' life satisfaction promote tolerance towards immigrants? : The role of political satisfaction and social trust
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:7, s. 5599-5610
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Much prior research relies on the idea that antipathy towards immigrants is primarily driven by natives' perceptions of the threat that immigrants represent to their economic, cultural or national well-being. Yet little is known about whether subjective well-being affects attitudes toward immigrants. This study aimed to examine whether life satisfaction would foster tolerance towards immigrants over time via the indirect influence of political satisfaction and social trust. The sample comprised young native adults (N = 1352; M age = 22.72; SD = 3.1) in Sweden. The results revealed that young adults who were satisfied with important life domains were more likely to extend their satisfaction towards the political system, which consequently resulted in a generalised expectation of trustworthiness and a widening of their circles of trusted others. This then translates into more positive attitudes toward immigrants. The findings provide evidence that it is the causal relationship between political satisfaction and social trust (rather than social trust in itself) which promotes the positive impact of life satisfaction on tolerance towards immigrants. The study highlights that fostering political satisfaction and social trust may play an important role in shaping young people's positive attitudes towards immigrants.
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| 17. |
- Li, Li, et al.
(författare)
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A network analysis of the Internet Disorder Scale-Short Form (IDS9-SF) : A large-scale cross-cultural study in Iran, Pakistan, and Bangladesh
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42, s. 21994-22003
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Internet Disorder Scale-Short Form (IDS9-SF) is a validated instrument assessing internet disorder which modified the internet gaming disorder criteria proposed in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, the relationships between the nine items in the IDS9-SF are rarely investigated. The present study used network analysis to investigate the features of the IDS9-SF among three populations in Bangladesh, Iran, and Pakistan. Data were collected (N = 1901; 957 [50.3%] females; 666 [35.0%] Pakistani, 533 [28.1%] Bangladesh, and 702 [36.9%] Iranians) using an online survey platform (e.g., Google Forms). All the participants completed the IDS9-SF. The central-stability-coefficients of the nine IDS9-SF items were 0.71, 0.89, 0.96, 0.98, 0.98, 1.00, 0.67, 0.79, and 0.91, respectively. The node centrality was stable and interpretable in the network. The Network Comparison Test (NCT) showed that the network structure had no significant differences among Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Iranian participants (p-values = 0.172 to 0.371). Researchers may also use the IDS9-SF to estimate underlying internet addiction for their target participants and further explore and investigate the phenomenon related to internet addiction.
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
- Lin, Yao, et al.
(författare)
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The effect of stereotype threat on females' spatial perspective taking and the mediating role of executive functions
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer Nature. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:6, s. 4979-4990
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Females are considered to be at a disadvantage in spatial perspective taking. In this study, we examined whether stereotype threat negatively affects females' spatial perspective-taking ability and executive functions. Then we explored which components of executive function play a mediating role in the effect of stereotype threat on females' spatial perspective-taking ability. We carried out two experiments. In Experiment 1, female participants in a stereotype threat condition or a control condition completed a spatial perspective-taking test. The results showed that females' spatial perspective-taking ability was reduced by stereotype threat. In Experiment 2, female participants were again assigned to a stereotype threat condition or a control condition; then they were asked to complete tasks measuring three executive functions (inhibition, shifting, and updating), following which they completed the spatial perspective-taking test. Experiment 2 found that stereotype threat decreased inhibition, updating, and spatial perspective-taking performance. The results also showed that only inhibition accounted for the effect of stereotype threat on spatial perspective taking. To sum up, the results from the current study shed new light on the relationship between stereotype threat and spatial perspective-taking ability and explained the relationship from a more detailed perspective.
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| 20. |
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| 21. |
- Mide, M., et al.
(författare)
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Validation of a Swedish translation of the gamblers' beliefs questionnaire
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42, s. 15156-15168
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The 20-item Gamblers' Beliefs Questionnaire (GBQ) is used to identify cognitive distortions commonly had by gamblers. There is a great need for psychometrically validated instruments for both treatment and research purposes in the field of gambling addiction in Sweden. The purpose of this study was to validate a Swedish translation of the GBQ by assessing internal consistency, convergent validity, known-groups validity, the two-factor structure of the GBQ, and scaling success. The GBQ was translated into Swedish (GBQ-SE) and validated in a sample of 402 Swedish speaking women (47.9%) and men (52.1%) between 18-86 years, representing undergraduates, a working population, and people with current or historical gambling problems. The GBQ-SE showed excellent internal consistency and moderate relationships with instruments of problem gambling severity. We also showed that problem gamblers tend to endorse more gambling related distortions than non-problem gamblers by finding a significantly higher level of cognitive distortions in the problem gambler group. We were not able to confirm the two-factor structure in our sample. When assessing scaling success an overlap for eight of twenty of the items between the subscales was found. We conclude that the GBQ-SE is valid as a general instrument of gambling related cognitive distortions. It can be used to aid in treatment planning with gambling addicted clients, to evaluate treatment outcome, and for research purposes.
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| 22. |
- Moreno-Amador, Beatriz, et al.
(författare)
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Body-dysmorphic, hoarding, hair-pulling, and skin-picking symptoms in a large sample of adolescents
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:28, s. 24542-24553
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Few studies have investigated body-dysmorphic, hoarding, hair-pulling, and skin-picking symptoms in adolescents and how they relate to mental health, quality of life, suicide attempts, and non-suicidal self-harm. We used a quota sampling procedure and contacted 100 secondary centres in the Southeast of Spain, of which 34 participated in the study. A sample of 5,345 adolescents (12–18 years) completed dimensional measures of body-dysmorphic, hoarding, hair-pulling, and skin-picking symptoms. The proportion of adolescents with clinically significant symptoms within each symptom type was estimated and associations with other indicators of mental health examined. Clinically significant body-dysmorphic symptoms were reported by 3.7%, hoarding by 0.9%, hair-pulling by 0.7%, and skin-picking by 1.8%. Body-dysmorphic symptoms were more common in girls and in those over 14 years of age. Body-dysmorphic, hoarding, hair-pulling, and skin-picking symptoms were moderately to strongly associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and poor quality of life. Those with significant body-dysmorphic, hoarding, hair-pulling, and skin-picking symptoms were much more likely to have attempted suicide and engaged in non-suicidal self-harm during the last twelve months than those without such symptoms. Body-dysmorphic symptoms showed the strongest associations with internalizing symptoms and poor quality of life. Limitations are the sole use of self-report and a sample from only two regions in Spain, but findings suggest that body-dysmorphic, hoarding, hair-pulling, and skin-picking symptoms are common and impairing during adolescence.
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| 23. |
- Nayeri, Niloofar, et al.
(författare)
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Principles to recover copper-conducting CTR proteins for the purpose of structural and functional studies
- 2023
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Ingår i: Protein Expression and Purification. - : Elsevier BV. - 1046-5928. ; 203
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Transition metals such as copper and zinc are essential elements required for the survival of most organisms, from bacteria to humans. Yet, elevated levels of these elements are highly toxic. The Copper TRansporter protein family (CTRs) represents the only identified copper uptake proteins in eukaryotes and hence serves as key components for the maintenance of appropriate levels of the metal. Moreover, CTRs have been proposed to serve as an entry point into cells of certain cancer drugs and to constitute attractive drug-targets for novel antifungals. Nevertheless, the structure, function, and regulation of the CTRs remain elusive, limiting valuable information also for applied sciences. To this end, here we report procedures to isolate a range of CTR members using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a production host, focusing on three homologs, human CTR1, human CTR2, and Candida albicans CTR. Using forms C-terminally-linked to a protease cleavage sequence, Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), and a His-tag, assessment of the localization, quantification and purification was facilitated. Cellular accumulation of the proteins was investigated via live-cell imaging. Detergents compatible with acceptable solubilization yields were identified and fluorescence-detection size-exclusion-chromatography (F-SEC) revealed preferred membrane extraction conditions for the targets. For purification purposes, the solubilized CTR members were subjected to affinity chromatography and SEC, reaching near homogeneity. The quality and quantity of the CTRs studied will permit downstream efforts to uncover imperative biophysical aspects of these proteins, paving the way for subsequent drug-discovery studies.
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| 24. |
- Nilsson, August Håkan, et al.
(författare)
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Know Thyself! Predicting Subjective Well-Being from personality estimation discrepancy and self-insight
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:28, s. 24302-24311
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Discrepancies in views of the Self are suggested to be negatively related to well-being (Higgins, 1987). In the present study, we used a novel concept, Personality Estimation Discrepancy (PED), to test this classic idea. PED is defined as the computed difference between how one view oneself (Self-Perceived Personality) and a standard Big Five test (IPIP-NEO-30). In a pre-registered (osf.io) UK online study (N = 297; Mage = 37, SD = 14) we analyzed: (1) whether PED would predict Subjective Well-Being (SWB; Harmony in Life, Satisfaction with Life, Positive affect, Negative Affect) and Self-Insight, and (2) whether Self-Insight would mediate the relationship between PED and SWB. The results showed that underestimation of Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Emotional Stability indeed is associated with both high SWB and high Self-Insight. However, these effects mostly disappeared when controlling for the Big Five test scores. Furthermore, Self-Insight largely (42.9%) mediated the relationship between the mis-estimation and SWB. We interpret these finding such that the relationship of mis-estimating one’s personality with SWB and Self-Insight are mostly explained by the Big Five factors, yet the discrepancy is a dependent feature of scoring particularly high or low on certain personality traits.
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| 25. |
- Nilsson, A, et al.
(författare)
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Reasons for dropping out of internet-based problem gambling treatment, and the process of recovery - a qualitative assessment
- 2023
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Ingår i: CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:13, s. 10987-10998
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Problem gambling (PG) is a condition affecting the economy, mental health, and relationships of both the individuals with gambling problems, and concerned significant others (CSOs). While PG is treatable, few individuals with gambling problems seek treatment, and many drop out of treatment. This qualitative study aims to investigate a) the reasons for individuals with gambling problems to drop-out from Internet-based PG treatment, and b) what individuals with gambling problems and CSOs find helpful and unhelpful processes in PG recovery. A total of 16 participants (8 individuals with gambling problems and 8 CSOs) who had participated in an Internet-based PG treatment were interviewed over the telephone in a semi-structured interview. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Drop-out from treatment was one aspect of an overarching theme identified as unstable path to recovery, where alternating periods of progress and setbacks delineate several aspects of PG. Relapses, negative emotions, and changing life circumstances were identified to separately, and in combination, contribute to drop-out. Drop-outs were also explained by participants’ experiences of a reduced need for treatment. Openness and a support from CSOs and peers were identified as themes important for recovery. The results suggest that PG treatments should consider the emotional state, and comorbidities of the patients, in order to reduce drop-out and improve chances of recovery.
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| 26. |
- Peng, Chuanyu, et al.
(författare)
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How servant leadership predicts employee resilience in public organizations : a social identity perspective
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:35, s. 31405-31420
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Through the lens of social identity theory, this work aims to investigate the impact of servant leadership on employee resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore their underlying mechanisms through two types of social identity: organizational identification and professional identity. To test our hypotheses, an online survey was conducted via a large number of 703 employees working in public organizations in southwest China. Results yielded from the structural equation modeling analysis via AMOS (24.0) indicated that the effect of servant leadership on employee resilience was fully mediated by organizational identification and professional identity, respectively. Besides, the association between servant leadership and employee resilience was sequentially mediated from organizational identification to professional identity, and from professional identity to organizational identification. This study provides the first evidence of the predictive effect of servant leadership on employee resilience through organizational identification and professional identity, highlighting the significance of social identity for building and maintaining employees' resilience in coping with challenges posed by COVID-19.
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| 27. |
- Romeo, Marina, et al.
(författare)
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The influence of job crafting on the quality of care provided by nursing home employees : the moderating effect of organizational identification
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42, s. 10613-10628
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Our goal was to analyze the positive effect of job crafting activities involving nursing home employees on their perceived quality of care, and the moderating effect of organizational identification. A two-wave non-experimental design (with an interval of 12 months) was used. The Job Crafting Questionnaire, the Identification-Commitment Inventory, and the Quality of Care Questionnaire (QoC) were administered to 226 nursing home employees in two waves. The results of the hierarchical regression analyses found significant association between job crafting subdimensions and quality of care twelve months later. Organizational identification was shown to play a moderating role in these relationships when analyzing the effect of cognitive crafting. In this sense, the effect of cognitive crafting on quality of care is only found with high levels of identification. The findings highlight the importance of the job crafting dimensions (task, relational and cognitive) when it comes to enhancing quality of care in residential homes for the elderly. This is especially relevant for cognitive crafting among employees with high levels of organizational identification. This research provides managers with guidance when allocating job crafting opportunities aimed at making improvements in quality of care. In this respect, organizations must offer job crafting training to stimulate and support their employees and, on the other hand, managers should encourage employees to craft their jobs, gearing their needs, abilities, and goals to corporate values and competencies.
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| 28. |
- Rosander, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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Is there a blast radius of workplace bullying? Ripple effects on witnesses and non-witnesses
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : SPRINGER. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Substantial evidence points to detrimental effects of workplace bullying on the health, well-being and job attitudes among those exposed. What is less known is how bullying affects their non-exposed colleagues. In this study, we introduce the concept "blast radius of bullying" and use social information processing theory to investigate how bullying impacts targets, witnesses, and non-witnesses. We suggest three mechanisms to understand the impact bullying may have on non-targets: the working environment mechanism, secondary victimization, and emotional contagion. We hypothesized that non-exposed colleagues in groups where bullying exists would feel some impact of bullying, but that it would be smaller for those further away from the point of impact. We also investigated the association between the severity of mistreatment and outcomes for the above-mentioned categories. We used data (n = 2215) from 195 work groups. The results provided evidence for a blast radius of bullying, however, not as far-reaching as hypothesized as only direct observation of mistreatment was associated with negative outcomes. The severity of mistreatment was not associated with the outcomes, whereas the frequency of observation had some impact for witnesses. The study showed that also witnesses may be regarded as "co-victims".
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| 29. |
- Ručević, Silvija, et al.
(författare)
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The role of parental psychopathic traits : longitudinal relations with parenting, child's psychopathy features and conduct problems
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:26, s. 23045-23058
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using cross-lagged model design, the present study is the first one to longitudinally examine whether bidirectional associations between child psychopathy features and negative parenting behaviors remain when controlling for parental psychopathic traits. The relationship between parental and child psychopathology, child conduct problems and parental rejection was assessed in 175 children (80 boys) at the ages 5, 6 and 8. Child psychopathy features and conduct problems at age 5-8 years were assessed using kindergarten/teacher-reported questionnaires, whereas parenting behaviors across all waves and parental psychopathic traits at Wave 1 were assessed using self-reports. Similar to past research, parental psychopathic traits were significantly related to both negative parenting practices and child's psychopathy features. However, although cross-lagged models provided evidence for bidirectional dynamics between child psychopathy features and parenting at all waves, this relationship became non-significant once parental psychopathic traits were entered into the model. These findings provide important new evidence that parental psychopathic personality has an important effect on the relationship between child psychopathy features and parenting practices observed in previous longitudinal studies. Thus, in addition to child psychopathy features, interventions for children with conduct problems should also target parental psychopathy in order to contribute to children's healthy development.
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Somer, Eli, et al.
(författare)
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Reality shifting: psychological features of an emergent online daydreaming culture
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; :42, s. 11415-11427
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Reality shifting (RS) is a trendy mental activity that emerged abruptly following the flare-up of the COVID-19 pandemicin 2020 and seems to be practiced mainly by members of the post-millennial generation. RS, described as the experience ofbeing able to transcend one’s physical confines and visit alternate, mostly fictional, universes, is discussed by many on Internetplatforms. One RS forum boasts over 40,000 members and RS clips on some social media platforms have been viewedover 1.7 billion times. The experience of shifting is reportedly facilitated by specific induction methods involving relaxation,concentration of attention, and autosuggestion. Some practitioners report a strong sense of presence in their desired realities,reified by some who believe in the concrete reality of the alternate world they shift to. One of the most popular alternateuniverses involves environments adopted from the Harry Potter book and film series. We describe the phenomenology ofRS as reported online and then compare it to related phenomena such as hypnosis, tulpamancy, dissociation, immersive andmaladaptive daydreaming, and lucid dreaming. We propose a theoretical model of interactive factors giving rise to RS, andconclude that it is an important, uninvestigated emerging phenomenon and propose future research directions.
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| 32. |
- Söderqvist, Fredrik, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
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Psychometric evaluation of the mental health continuum : short form in Swedish adolescents
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42, s. 2136-2144
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Mental Health Continuum - Short form (MHC-SF) is a self-report measure that has been increasingly used to monitor mental well-being at the population level. The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the psychometric properties of the MHC-SF in a population of Swedish adolescents. First, the evaluation was performed by examining face validity and test-retest reliability obtained in a pre-study. Then using data from the Survey of Adolescent Life in Vestmanland 2020 (n = 3880) we performed confirmatory factor analysis on different factor structures based on theory and previous research. Model-based estimates were calculated for assessing the internal reliability of the factor structure with the best fit. Convergent validity was assessed by bivariate as well as model-based correlations, and test-retest reliability was evaluated by intra-class correlation coefficients. The results show that the MHC-SF is best described with a bifactor model consisting of a dominant general well-being factor and three specific group factors of emotional, social and psychological well-being. Its overall reliability was high to very high, while the reliability of its subscales was low. A practical implication of the latter is that the subcales should not be used on their own because they are more likely to reliably measure the general well-being factor than the specific group factors. Test-retest reliability of the total scale was acceptable, and convergent validity was supported. In conclusion, we consider the Swedish MHC-SF to be a psychometrically sound instrument for monitoring overall mental well-being in Swedish adolescents.
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| 33. |
- Trindade, Inês, 1990, et al.
(författare)
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Behavioural response to illness: development and validation of a self-report measure of illness behaviour avoidance
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:11, s. 9261-9269
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A robust scale capable of assessing illness-related experiential avoidance (EA) in any given medical condition is currency lacking. Further, there is no available measure that assesses EA related to illness behaviours, i.e., actions and/or reactions in relation to feeling unwell that have the purpose of defining one's state of health and obtaining physical or emotional relief from perceived or actual illness. This study intends to fill this significant gap by presenting the development and psychometric test of a measure of EA related to illness behaviour, the Illness Behaviour Avoidance Scale (IBAS). A total of 370 Portuguese adults with chronic illness participated in the study. The structure and validity of the IBAS was tested through an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA; n = 185), a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA; n = 185), and reliability analyses. The IBAS presented a 7-item unifactorial structure, with good global (CMIN/DF = 2.08; CFI = 0.97; TLI = 0.94; SRMR = 0.04; RMSEA = 0.08, p = 0.139) and local adjustments (SRWs 0.56-0.73; SMCs 0.31-0.53). It also presented a good internal consistency (with alpha s = 0.82), and construct and discriminant validity. The IBAS appears to be a significant improvement from the use of previous EA measures in illness contexts. This scale can provide a measurement of whether the behavioural response to any given condition is a manifestation of EA.
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| 34. |
- Wang, Peng Chao, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of Aurora kinase B on polyploidy and decidualization in mouse uterus
- 2023
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Ingår i: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - 1046-7408. ; 90:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Research question: Decidualization is critical to the establishment of mouse normal pregnancy. The fibroblast-like stromal cells in the process form polyploid multinucleated cells. Aurora kinase B (Aurora B) has previously been shown to regulate polyploidy in various cells. However, whether Aurora B regulates the formation of decidual cell polyploidization and its regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. Design:: Establish decidualization model of mouse primary endometrial stromal cells in vitro. Construct pseudopregnancy mouse models and delayed-activation mouse models. Detect Aurora B and polyploidization related genes in mouse uteri treated by Aurora B specific inhibitor Barasertib and CPT. Results:: In this study, we found that Aurora B was strongly expressed in endometrial stromal cells after implantation. Additionally, Aurora B was remarkably up regulated in the stromal cells of oil-induced deciduomoa and in vitro decidualization. As an Aurora B specific inhibitor, Barasertib significantly inhibits the mRNA expression of Prl8a2, a marker of mouse decidualization. Furthermore, the protein levels of p-Plk1, Survivin and p-Cdk1 were inhibited by Barasertib. CPT-induced DNA damage suppressed Aurkb (encodes Aurora B) expression, thus resulting in polyploidization. Conclusion:: Our data shows that Aurora B is expressed in decidual stromal cells of implantation sites and plays a key role for mouse decidualization. The protein of Plk1, Survivn, and Cdk1 may participate in formation of decidual cell polyploidization during mouse decidualization.
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| 35. |
- Zakrisson, Ingrid, 1957-
(författare)
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Women rate the competence of their occupational role higher than men do : Evidence from two different samples
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:17, s. 14542-14554
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gender stereotypes play a potent role in how the work of men and women is perceived and valued. Stereotypes also influence the way people look upon themselves. In the present research, two studies are reported where men and women at work rated the degree of warmth and competence of a person with their own occupation, and how they think people in general would perceive a person in the same occupation. A wider gap between own perceptions and that of people in general was expected for women than for men, as it was assumed that the view of other people’s perceptions would serve as a proxy for stereotype threat for women. Study 1 comprised 449 participants (74 % women) working within the public sector, mainly in social, caring, and education professions, and Study 2 comprised a convenience sample of 189 participants (70 % women) from a variety of sectors and professions. Both studies yielded consistent results; contradictory to what was expected, men and women did not differ in terms of how they thought people in general would perceive the competence of their occupation, instead women rated the competence of their own occupation higher than men did, even after controlling for type of occupation and educational level. Warmth displayed only minor gender differences. The results are discussed in relation to research on counter-reactions against stereotype threat, how the concept of competence could be understood, as well as other possible explanations of the unexpected results.
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| 36. |
- Ågren, Thomas, et al.
(författare)
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The neural basis of Tetris gameplay : implicating the role of visuospatial processing
- 2023
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Ingår i: Current Psychology. - : Springer Nature. - 1046-1310 .- 1936-4733. ; 42:10, s. 8156-8163
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tetris is not only a widely used entertaining computer game, but has been used as a component in emerging psychological interventions targeting dysfunctional mental imagery, e.g., intrusive memories and imagery-based cravings. However, little is known about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these interventions. Tetris gameplay has been hypothesized to disrupt dysfunctional mental imagery (e.g., imagery-based intrusive memories of adverse events) and cravings (e.g., substance use) by taxing visuospatial working memory. In line with this, the present study aimed to characterize brain areas involved in the visuospatial aspects of Tetris gameplay, by controlling for motor activity (button presses) and using gameplay instructions emphasizing mental rotation. Participants (N = 28) received mental rotation instructions and thereafter either played Tetris, or only pressed buttons as if playing Tetris (motor activity), while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Tetris gameplay (when using mental rotation instructions and controlling for motor activity) robustly activated brain areas located in the ventral and dorsal stream, with maximum peak activation in the inferior and mid temporal gyrus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize brain areas specifically associated with the visuospatial aspects of Tetris gameplay, by controlling for motor activity and when using mental rotation instructions. Results demonstrate that engaging in Tetris gameplay recruits an extensive brain circuitry previously tied to visuospatial processing. Thus, findings are consistent with the use of Tetris as an imagery-competing task as one of several components of emerging interventions targeting dysfunctional mental imagery.
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| 37. |
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| 38. |
- Guo, Xiaoxian, et al.
(författare)
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Understand the genomic diversity and evolution of fungal pathogen Candida glabrata by genome-wide analysis of genetic variations
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Methods. - : Elsevier BV. - 1095-9130 .- 1046-2023. ; 176, s. 82-90
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The yeast Candida glabrata, an opportunistic human fungal pathogen, is the second most prevalent cause of candidiasis worldwide, with an infection incidence that has been increasing in the past decades. The completion of the C. glabrata reference genome made fundamental contributions to the understanding of the molecular basis of its pathogenic phenotypes. However, knowledge of genome-wide genetic variations among C. glabrata strains is limited. In this study, we present a population genomic study of C. glabrata based on whole genome re-sequencing of 47 clinical strains to an average coverage of ∼63×. Abundant genetic variations were identified in these strains, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), small insertion/deletions (indels) and copy number variations (CNVs). The observed patterns of variations revealed clear population structure of these strains. Using population genetic tests, we detected fast evolution of several genes involved in C. glabrata adherence ability, such as EPA9 and EPA10. We also located genome structural variations, including aneuploidies and large fragment CNVs, in regions that are functionally related to virulence. Subtelometric regions were hotspots of CNVs, which may contribute to variation in expression of adhesin genes that are important for virulence. We further conducted a genome-wide association study that identified two SNPs in the 5′UTR region of CST6 that were associated with fluconazole susceptibility. These observations provide convincing evidence for the highly dynamic nature of the C. glabrata genome with potential adaptive evolution to clinical environments, and offer valuable resources for investigating the mechanisms underlying drug resistance and virulence in this fungal pathogen. (249 words)
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| 39. |
- Kong, Xiangrui, et al.
(författare)
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Ordinal Analysis Applied to the Results of Positive Matrix Factorization of Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry Data
- 2020
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Ingår i: MethodsX. - : Elsevier BV. - 1046-2023 .- 1095-9130 .- 2215-0161. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As an innovative analytical approach ordinal analysis is applied to positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis outputs to identify the most important species and factors in chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) data. The procedure and outcome of the ordinal analysis facilitate further automated data analysis. Prior to standard PMF analysis, CIMS data were normalized to assure equal comparisons and facilitate the analysis process. The ordinal analysis was applied to the Factor Profiles (FPs) results, where mass numbers m/z are ranked by their FP fractions. Such ranking seeks the most influential compounds leading each factor, and the top m/z can be further investigated, e.g. by peak assignments. Rank maps can be plotted based on the ordinal results where the FPs are converted into a different space, which can potentially be used for cluster analysis. The rank maps provide an additional method for factor identification, especially when time series or other forms of the dataset are difficult to recognize. • Ordinal analysis identifies the most important fingerprint species leading each factor. • Rank map visualizes the features of each factors. • The method can be used as an online approach for source appointments of atmospheric pollutants.
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| 40. |
- Mohammadi, M Rezaa, et al.
(författare)
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Isolation and characterization of microvesicles from mesenchymal stem cells.
- 2020
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Ingår i: Methods. - : Elsevier BV. - 1095-9130 .- 1046-2023. ; 177, s. 50-57
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mesenchymal stem or stromal cells are currently under clinical investigation for multiple diseases. While their mechanism of action is still not fully elucidated, vesicles secreted by MSCs are believed to recapitulate their therapeutic potentials to some extent. Microvesicles (MVs), also called as microparticles or ectosome, are among secreted vesicles that could transfer cytoplasmic cargo, including RNA and proteins, from emitting (source) cells to recipient cells. Given the importance of MVs, we here attempted to establish a method to isolate and characterize MVs secreted from unmodified human bone marrow derived MSCs (referred to as native MSCs, and their microvesicles as Native-MVs) and IFNγ stimulated MSCs (referred to as IFNγ-MSCs, and their microvesicles as IFNγ-MVs). We first describe an ultracentrifugation technique to isolate MVs from the conditioned cell culture media of MSCs. Next, we describe characterization and quality control steps to analyze the protein and RNA content of MVs. Finally, we examined the potential of MVs to exert immunomodulatory effects through induction of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Secretory vesicles from MSCs are promising alternatives for cell therapy with applications in drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and immunotherapy.
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| 41. |
- Shashkova, Sviatlana, 1987, et al.
(författare)
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Correlating single-molecule characteristics of the yeast aquaglyceroporin Fps1 with environmental perturbations directly in living cells
- 2021
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Ingår i: Methods. - : Elsevier BV. - 1095-9130 .- 1046-2023. ; 193, s. 46-53
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Membrane proteins play key roles at the interface between the cell and its environment by mediating selective import and export of molecules via plasma membrane channels. Despite a multitude of studies on transmembrane channels, understanding of their dynamics directly within living systems is limited. To address this, we correlated molecular scale information from living cells with real time changes to their microenvironment. We employed super-resolved millisecond fluorescence microscopy with a single-molecule sensitivity, to track labelled molecules of interest in real time. We use as example the aquaglyceroporin Fps1 in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to dissect and correlate its stoichiometry and molecular turnover kinetics with various extracellular conditions. We show that Fps1 resides in multi tetrameric clusters while hyperosmotic and oxidative stress conditions cause Fps1 reorganization. Moreover, we demonstrate that rapid exposure to hydrogen peroxide causes Fps1 degradation. In this way we shed new light on aspects of architecture and dynamics of glycerol-permeable plasma membrane channels.
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| 42. |
- Shashkova, Sviatlana, 1987, et al.
(författare)
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Correlative single-molecule fluorescence barcoding of gene regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
- 2021
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Ingår i: Methods. - : Elsevier BV. - 1046-2023. ; 193, s. 62-67
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Most cells adapt to their environment by switching combinations of genes on and off through a complex interplay of transcription factor proteins (TFs). The mechanisms by which TFs respond to signals, move into the nucleus and find specific binding sites in target genes is still largely unknown. Single-molecule fluorescence microscopes, which can image single TFs in live cells, have begun to elucidate the problem. Here, we show that different environmental signals, in this case carbon sources, yield a unique single-molecule fluorescence pattern of foci of a key metabolic regulating transcription factor, Mig1, in the nucleus of the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This pattern serves as a ‘barcode’ of the gene regulatory state of the cells which can be correlated with cell growth characteristics and other biological function. © 2020 The Authors
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| 43. |
- Shepherd, J. W., et al.
(författare)
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Molecular crowding in single eukaryotic cells: Using cell environment biosensing and single-molecule optical microscopy to probe dependence on extracellular ionic strength, local glucose conditions, and sensor copy number
- 2021
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Ingår i: Methods. - : Elsevier BV. - 1046-2023. ; 193, s. 54-61
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The physical and chemical environment inside cells is of fundamental importance to all life but has traditionally been difficult to determine on a subcellular basis. Here we combine cutting-edge genomically integrated FRET biosensing to readout localized molecular crowding in single live yeast cells. Confocal microscopy allows us to build subcellular crowding heatmaps using ratiometric FRET, while whole-cell analysis demonstrates crowding is reduced when yeast is grown in elevated glucose concentrations. Simulations indicate that the cell membrane is largely inaccessible to these sensors and that cytosolic crowding is broadly uniform across each cell over a timescale of seconds. Millisecond single-molecule optical microscopy was used to track molecules and obtain brightness estimates that enabled calculation of crowding sensor copy numbers. The quantification of diffusing molecule trajectories paves the way for correlating subcellular processes and the physicochemical environment of cells under stress. © 2020 Elsevier Inc.
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| 44. |
- Jons, Lotta, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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An Agreed Figured World – Conceptualizing Good Physics Teachers in a Finnish University
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Science Teacher Education. - 1046-560X .- 1573-1847. ; 35:1, s. 5-23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study reports findings from an interview study with eleven teacher educators from a physics teacher training program in Finland. They represented the four training environments that students encounter during their education, i.e. the Department of Physics, the Department of Mathematics and Science Education, the Department of General Pedagogy, and the Training School. Drawing on Gee’s theory of figured worlds, our analysis shows that the educators across the four training environments largely maintain the same vision of what the attributes of a “good” physics teacher are. Although working in different settings, the eleven educators appear to be working in concert, each contributing to the development of an agreed professional physics teacher identity for their trainees. The ideal physics teacher was found to be envisioned in terms of a subject expert and a research-based educationalist, whilst at the same time being psychologically fully matured and willing to develop as both a person and a teacher. We identify a number of factors in the Finnish teacher training program that are suggested to contribute to the coherence found. Some of the factors we identify are specific to the Finnish situation, such as teacher status in society, whilst others could potentially be implemented elsewhere, such as dedicated training schools and direct teacher influence in the design of the curriculum.
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