| 1. |
- Falster, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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AusTraits, a curated plant trait database for the Australian flora
- 2021
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In: Scientific Data. - : Nature Portfolio. - 2052-4463. ; 8:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We introduce the AusTraits database - a compilation of values of plant traits for taxa in the Australian flora (hereafter AusTraits). AusTraits synthesises data on 448 traits across 28,640 taxa from field campaigns, published literature, taxonomic monographs, and individual taxon descriptions. Traits vary in scope from physiological measures of performance (e.g. photosynthetic gas exchange, water-use efficiency) to morphological attributes (e.g. leaf area, seed mass, plant height) which link to aspects of ecological variation. AusTraits contains curated and harmonised individual- and species-level measurements coupled to, where available, contextual information on site properties and experimental conditions. This article provides information on version 3.0.2 of AusTraits which contains data for 997,808 trait-by-taxon combinations. We envision AusTraits as an ongoing collaborative initiative for easily archiving and sharing trait data, which also provides a template for other national or regional initiatives globally to fill persistent gaps in trait knowledge.
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| 2. |
- Tjin, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Role strain and COVID-era burden among South Asian caregivers of individuals with brain health conditions and disabilities
- 2022
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In: Alzheimer's and Dementia. - : Wiley. - 1552-5260 .- 1552-5279. ; 18:S8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the conflicting demands placed on caregivers worldwide. Nowhere is this more evident than in South Asia, where cultural norms and a scarcity of long-term care facilities have made the home the locus of caregiving for individuals with brain health conditions and disabilities. A hidden cost of this informal arrangement is the burden experienced by the primary caregiver. This may be exacerbated when traditional caregiving expectations clash with personal aspirations outside the family. Method: The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the conflicting demands placed on caregivers worldwide. Nowhere is this more evident than in South Asia, where cultural norms and a scarcity of long-term care facilities have made the home the locus of caregiving for individuals with brain health conditions and disabilities. A hidden cost of this informal arrangement is the burden experienced by the primary caregiver. This may be exacerbated when traditional caregiving expectations clash with personal aspirations outside the family. Result: The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the conflicting demands placed on caregivers worldwide. Nowhere is this more evident than in South Asia, where cultural norms and a scarcity of long-term care facilities have made the home the locus of caregiving for individuals with brain health conditions and disabilities. A hidden cost of this informal arrangement is the burden experienced by the primary caregiver. This may be exacerbated when traditional caregiving expectations clash with personal aspirations outside the family. Conclusion: Role strain may be a significant driver of burden when the caretaker’s educational and professional potential collide with traditional South Asian family obligations. The burden reported by our respondents suggests that role strain may elevate stress among young, educated caregivers. Our results, therefore, provide indirect evidence concerning the changing economic and socio-cultural context of caregiving in South Asian households.
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| 3. |
- Andersen, Rebecka, et al.
(author)
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De som samhället inte vill se
- 2019. - 1
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In: Utsatthet och ansvar. - Stockholm : Appell Förlag. - 9789198496055 ; , s. 80-92
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)
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| 4. |
- Anna, O'Sullivan, et al.
(author)
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Bereaved Family Members’ Satisfaction with Care during the Last Three Months of Life for People with Advanced Illness
- 2019
-
In: 16th Word Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC). Berlin, May 23-25, Abstract P01-191.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background: Studies evaluating the end-of-life care for longer periods of illness trajectories and in several care places are currently lacking in the Swedish context. Aims: This study explored bereaved family members’ satisfaction with care in several care places, during the last three months of life for people with advanced illness, and associations between satisfaction with care and characteristics of the deceased persons and their family members. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional survey design using the VOICES (SF) questionnaire, descriptive statistics and logistic regression was applied. The sample was 485 family members (age range 20-90 years, 70% women) of persons who died in hospitals in two Swedish health care regions. The deceased persons (age range 27-100) died mainly of circulatory or respiratory diseases, or malignant neoplasm. Results: Of the family members 77, 3% were satisfied with all care received during the last three months of life, when added together and rated as one. The results show variations in care satisfaction between different care places and care services; 87,2 % of the bereaved family members had a high satisfaction with care in hospices, followed by hos- pitals (85,9%), district nurses (68,9%), nursing homes (63,0%), special- ized home care (60,0%) and GPs (55,6%). Spouses were more likely to be satisfied with the care than children or other family members. Family members of deceased persons with cancer were more likely to have a higher satisfaction with the care. A lower satisfaction was more likely if the deceased person or the bereaved family member had a higher edu- cational attainment and a length of illness before death for one year or longer. Conclusions: The satisfaction with care is influenced by the care place/ type of care service, as well as by diagnoses, length of illness, educa- tional attainment and the relationship between the deceased person and the family member.
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| 5. |
- Axfors, Cathrine, et al.
(author)
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Association between convalescent plasma treatment and mortality in COVID-19 : a collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
- 2021
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In: BMC Infectious Diseases. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1471-2334. ; 21:1
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Convalescent plasma has been widely used to treat COVID-19 and is under investigation in numerous randomized clinical trials, but results are publicly available only for a small number of trials. The objective of this study was to assess the benefits of convalescent plasma treatment compared to placebo or no treatment and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19, using data from all available randomized clinical trials, including unpublished and ongoing trials (Open Science Framework, ). Methods: In this collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis, clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform), the Cochrane COVID-19 register, the LOVE database, and PubMed were searched until April 8, 2021. Investigators of trials registered by March 1, 2021, without published results were contacted via email. Eligible were ongoing, discontinued and completed randomized clinical trials that compared convalescent plasma with placebo or no treatment in COVID-19 patients, regardless of setting or treatment schedule. Aggregated mortality data were extracted from publications or provided by investigators of unpublished trials and combined using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman random effects model. We investigated the contribution of unpublished trials to the overall evidence. Results: A total of 16,477 patients were included in 33 trials (20 unpublished with 3190 patients, 13 published with 13,287 patients). 32 trials enrolled only hospitalized patients (including 3 with only intensive care unit patients). Risk of bias was low for 29/33 trials. Of 8495 patients who received convalescent plasma, 1997 died (23%), and of 7982 control patients, 1952 died (24%). The combined risk ratio for all-cause mortality was 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.92; 1.02) with between-study heterogeneity not beyond chance (I-2 = 0%). The RECOVERY trial had 69.8% and the unpublished evidence 25.3% of the weight in the meta-analysis. Conclusions: Convalescent plasma treatment of patients with COVID-19 did not reduce all-cause mortality. These results provide strong evidence that convalescent plasma treatment for patients with COVID-19 should not be used outside of randomized trials. Evidence synthesis from collaborations among trial investigators can inform both evidence generation and evidence application in patient care.
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| 6. |
- Chen, Yaohua Sophie, et al.
(author)
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COVID-19-related loneliness and social isolation in caregivers of people with brain health challenges : The CLIC-Caregiver Global Survey
- 2021
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In: Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association. - : Wiley. - 1552-5279. ; 17
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Prior to COVID-19, >90% of caregivers of people with brain health challenges (dementia, mental ill health, intellectual disability) experienced high levels of distress, burden, loneliness and social isolation. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased these impacts, particularly since these caregivers are often older and physically vulnerable themselves. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to explore coping and caregiver burden, loneliness and social isolation in caregivers of people with brain health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: CLIC-Caregiver was a cross-sectional, online, and global survey (June 2nd - November 15th , 2020) using self-administered questionnaires directed at informal caregivers of people with long-term brain health challenges. The study was embedded within a larger survey of loneliness and social isolation for general public ('Comparing Loneliness and Isolation in COVID-19' (CLIC)), including validated loneliness and isolation tools. Translated into ten different languages such as Arabic, French, Romanian, etc, the survey was disseminated over 100 countries. Respondents were included in the CLIC-caregiver sub-study if they answered yes to the question 'Do you provide care and support to a family member or friend with a long-term or life-limiting health problem or disability (including mental health)'. The CLIC project received the initial global ethical approval from Ulster University. The data were fully anonymized. RESULT: From the CLIC main study, 5243 (25%) identified themselves as caregivers. This proportion varied in different countries, from 12 % in Romania to 65% in France. 2323 (44%) had care recipients with dementia, 1761 with physical conditions (disability or long-term illness), 832 with enduring mental health problems, and 404 with intellectual disability. Measures of caregiver burden, loneliness and social isolation will be compared across geographic regions, sociodemographic factors, and risk factors for poor outcomes sought. Findings will be distributed to relevant stakeholders in the form of a project report, with region and country-specific outcomes. This will support recommendations and actions supporting caregivers of people with brain health challenges. CONCLUSION: This represents the largest, most widespread survey on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregivers of people with long-term conditions to date. It will be an important resource for support agencies and to inform policy.
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| 7. |
- Chen, Yaohua Sophie, et al.
(author)
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COVID-19-related loneliness, social isolation and burden in informal caregivers worldwide
- 2022
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In: Alzheimer's and Dementia. - : Wiley. - 1552-5260 .- 1552-5279. ; 18:S8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Informal caregivers may experience high levels burden. Prior to COVID-19, loneliness and social isolation, and especially the discordance between them, were recognized for rapid aging-related cognitive decline. The COVID-19 has significantly increased social isolation and loneliness in caregivers. Thus, we aimed to explore the variables that were associated with higher care burden among all caregivers and only among caregivers for people living with dementia, and whether the increased burden could be associated with a discrepancy between loneliness and social isolation. Method: ‘Comparing Loneliness and Isolation in COVID-19’ was an online global survey of over 20,000 respondents, including 5243 caregivers across 50 countries with enduring brain or/and physical health conditions. We first used a multilevel modelling to identify risk factors associated with higher burden. Then, we defined profiles of discrepancy between loneliness and social isolation, based on the differences between standardized score on a scale of loneliness and of social connectedness and estimated the association between the discrepancy and higher burden. Result: In our sample, 74% of caregivers were female, 44% were caring for people with dementia, and 22% for people with multiple conditions, including dementia. The most prevalent age group was 60-69 years old. Factors significantly associated with higher care burden were being female, having poorer financial situation, worse mental health during the pandemic, caring for people with dementia or intellectual disabilities, caring in the same home, being diagnosed with COVID, and changes of care abilities. 40% of caregivers consistently reported high level of loneliness and social isolation, 38% reported consistent lower levels of both, and two groups reported discordance (low levels of loneliness and high social isolation in 13%; high levels of loneliness and mild social isolation in 12%). The latter group was at the highest risk of self-reported increased and intense care burden. Conclusion: This represents the largest, most widespread survey on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregivers of people with long-term conditions to date and reflects the importance of capturing the nuances in the relationship between loneliness and social isolation in caregivers. It will be an important resource for support agencies and to inform policy.
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| 8. |
- De La Fuente, Alerie Guzman, et al.
(author)
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Pericytes Stimulate Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cell Differentiation during CNS Remyelination
- 2017
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In: Cell Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-1247. ; 20:8, s. 1755-1764
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The role of the neurovascular niche in CNS myelin regeneration is incompletely understood. Here, we show that, upon demyelination, CNS-resident pericytes (PCs) proliferate, and parenchymal non-vessel-associated PC-like cells (PLCs) rapidly develop. During remyelination, mature oligodendrocytes were found in close proximity to PCs. In Pdgfb(ret/ret) mice, which have reduced PC numbers, oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) differentiation was delayed, although remyelination proceeded to completion. PC-conditioned medium accelerated and enhanced OPC differentiation in vitro and increased the rate of remyelination in an ex vivo cerebellar slice model of demyelination. We identified Lama2 as a PC-derived factor that promotes OPC differentiation. Thus, the functional role of PCs is not restricted to vascular homeostasis but includes the modulation of adult CNS progenitor cells involved in regeneration.
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| 9. |
- O'Sullivan, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Adaptation and validation of the VOICES (SF) questionnaire - for evaluation of end-of-life care in Sweden
- 2018
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. - : Wiley. - 0283-9318 .- 1471-6712. ; 32:3, s. 1254-1260
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: Instruments for evaluating end-of-life care by voicing experiences of family members have previously been lacking in Sweden. The objective of this study was therefore to adapt and validate the VOICES (SF) questionnaire to evaluate quality of end-of-life care in Sweden. The VOICES (SF) [Views of Informal Carers - Evaluation of Services (Short form)] is a questionnaire about bereaved relatives' experiences of care in the last three months of life of a deceased family member.METHODS: This study was performed based on translation and back translation, cross-cultural adaptation and content validation through cognitive interviewing and feedback from professional experts. For the cognitive interviews, a purposeful sample of 35 bereaved family members was recruited from home care, hospital wards and nursing homes. The participants were 13 men and 22 women (age ranged between 20 and 90+, mean age 66), who were relatives of persons who died from life-limiting conditions. The bereaved family members' and the professional experts' concerns were summarised and analysed based on clarity, understanding, relevance, sensitivity and alternative response/wording.RESULTS: The main concerns emerging from the content validation related to the understanding and clarity of some of the questionnaire items', and a few concerns regarding the relevance of different response alternatives or items. Only two of the family members found it emotional to complete the questionnaire, and they still deemed completing it to be important and manageable.SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The VOICES (SF) can be considered as feasible in the Swedish context, provided that cultural adaptation has been achieved, that is translation alone is not enough. The Swedish version will be available for healthcare professionals to use for quality monitoring of the care provided over the last three months in life, and for research, it enables national and cross-national comparisons between different healthcare places and organisations.
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| 10. |
- O'Sullivan, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Bereaved Family Members' Satisfaction with Care during the Last Three Months of Life for People with Advanced Illness
- 2018
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In: Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland). - : MDPI AG. - 2227-9032. ; 6:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Studies evaluating the end-of-life care for longer periods of illness trajectories and in several care places are currently lacking. This study explored bereaved family members' satisfaction with care during the last three months of life for people with advanced illness, and associations between satisfaction with care and characteristics of the deceased individuals and their family members.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used. The sample was 485 family members of individuals who died at four different hospitals in Sweden.RESULTS: Of the participants, 78.7% rated the overall care as high. For hospice care, 87.1% reported being satisfied, 87% with the hospital care, 72.3% with district/county nurses, 65.4% with nursing homes, 62.1% with specialized home care, and 59.6% with general practitioners (GPs). Family members of deceased persons with cancer were more likely to have a higher satisfaction with the care. A lower satisfaction was more likely if the deceased person had a higher educational attainment and a length of illness before death of one year or longer.CONCLUSION: The type of care, diagnoses, length of illness, educational attainment, and the relationship between the deceased person and the family member influences the satisfaction with care.
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| 11. |
- O'Sullivan, Anna
(author)
-
Bereaved family members’ VOICES of support and care during the last three months of life for people with advanced illness
- 2021
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis is in the subject of palliative care within the research field ‘The individual in the Welfare society’. The overall aim was to investigate bereaved family members’ experiences of support and care during the last three months of life for people with advanced illness. It encompasses four studies, in study I theVOICES (SF) (Views of Informal Carers – Evaluation of Services (Short Form))questionnaire was validated, and in studies II-IV a survey design was employed using VOICES (SF). The survey sample consisted of 485 bereaved family members (20-90 years old, 70.7% women) of people who had died in one of four hospitals, in two Swedish healthcare regions, between August 2016 and April 2017. VOICES (SF) was found feasible for use in a Swedish context in study I,however, the construct of some parts in the questionnaire was found not to be optimal when used in studies II-IV. Further development and validation is, therefore, recommended. The care place/care service was central for family members’ experiences of care and support. The importance of that the ill persons received care according to their needs was stressed, but the delivery of the care -with respect, dignity and empathy - was equally important. Most of the family members were satisfied with the care; however, about a fifth were not, indicating a need for improvement. The type of care, diagnosis, length of illness, educational attainment, and the relationship between the deceased person and the family member, influenced the experiences of care. This confirms that there are potential inequalities in care at the end of life. End-of-life communication and the support given to family members was not experienced as optimal. Family members expressed the importance of healthcare staff providing them with clear information, their own difficulties in recognising imminent death, and the value of a follow-up conversation with a healthcare professional who was present at the time of death. This thesis project has provided novel and important knowledge about the content and quality of care during the last few months of life, for all groups with potential palliative care needs, hence contributing to the discourse concerning quality of care at the end of life and placing care at the end of life on the agenda of the Swedish welfare society.
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| 12. |
- O'Sullivan, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Place of care and death preferences among recently bereaved family members : A cross-sectional survey
- 2024
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In: BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. - 2045-435X .- 2045-4368.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: The aim was: (1) to investigate preferred place for end-of-life care and death for bereaved family members who had recently lost a person with advanced illness and (2) to investigate associations between bereaved family members' preferences and individual characteristics, health-related quality of life, as well as associations with their perception of the quality of care that the ill person had received, the ill person's preferred place of death and involvement in decision-making about care.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey with bereaved family members, employing descriptive statistics and multinominal logistic regression analyses.RESULTS: Of the 485 participants, 70.7% were women, 36.1% were ≥70 years old, 34.5% were partners and 51.8% were children of the deceased. Of the bereaved family members, 52% preferred home for place of end-of-life care and 43% for place of death. A higher likelihood of preferring inpatient palliative care was associated with being female and having higher education, whereas a lower likelihood of preferring a nursing home for the place of care and death was associated with higher secondary or higher education. Partners were more likely to prefer hospital for place of care and nursing home for place of death.CONCLUSIONS: Home was the most preferred place for end-of-life care and death. Bereaved people's experiences of end-of-life care may impact their preferences, especially if they had a close relationship, such as a partner who had a higher preference for nursing home and hospital care. Conversations about preferences for the place of care and death considering previous experience are encouraged.
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| 13. |
- O'Sullivan, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Place of care and death preferences among recently bereaved family members: a cross-sectional survey.
- 2024
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In: BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. - 2045-4368.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim was: (1) to investigate preferred place for end-of-life care and death for bereaved family members who had recently lost a person with advanced illness and (2) to investigate associations between bereaved family members' preferences and individual characteristics, health-related quality of life, as well as associations with their perception of the quality of care that the ill person had received, the ill person's preferred place of death and involvement in decision-making about care.A cross-sectional survey with bereaved family members, employing descriptive statistics and multinominal logistic regression analyses.Of the 485 participants, 70.7% were women, 36.1% were ≥70 years old, 34.5% were partners and 51.8% were children of the deceased. Of the bereaved family members, 52% preferred home for place of end-of-life care and 43% for place of death. A higher likelihood of preferring inpatient palliative care was associated with being female and having higher education, whereas a lower likelihood of preferring a nursing home for the place of care and death was associated with higher secondary or higher education. Partners were more likely to prefer hospital for place of care and nursing home for place of death.Home was the most preferred place for end-of-life care and death. Bereaved people's experiences of end-of-life care may impact their preferences, especially if they had a close relationship, such as a partner who had a higher preference for nursing home and hospital care. Conversations about preferences for the place of care and death considering previous experience are encouraged.
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| 14. |
- O'Sullivan, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Support received by family members before, at and after an ill person's death
- 2021
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In: BMC Palliative Care. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-684X. ; 20:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: It is widely recognised, that family members are central to care of people with advanced illness, and that support should be provided to all family members in need thereof. The aim of this study was to investigate family members' experiences of support received during the last three months of life, at the time of death and after the death of a person with advanced illness.METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional survey design was employed, using the VOICES(SF) questionnaire and multiple methods for data analyses. The sample consisted of 485 bereaved family members (aged: 20-90 years old, 70% women) of people who died in hospital between August 2016-April 2017.RESULTS: Of the family members, 58,8% reported they had received enough help and support during the illness, whereas 30,2% had not. Family members' comments about support during the illness were mainly related to care the ill person had or had not received, rather than about support they themselves received. Of all family members, 52,8% reported having had enough support at the time of the ill person's death. Related to support at death, 14,6% reported that the imminence of death was not clear, which was described as having affected their opportunity to be with the dying person at the time of death. Of all, 25,2% had a follow-up conversation after the death, 48% did not and did not want to, and 21% had no follow-up conversation, but would have liked one. A follow-up conversation was described as helpful for the bereavement process, and disappointment was expressed when not receiving support after the death.CONCLUSIONS: Family members' experiences of support were partly related to whether the ill person's care needs were fulfilled. Healthcare staff expressing empathy and respect in the care of dying people and their family members were important for family members' experiences of support. Family members' difficulty recognising that death was imminent and the importance of healthcare staff providing them with clear information were expressed in connection with support at death. Follow-up conversations were valued by family members, especially if with a healthcare professional who was present at the time of death.
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| 15. |
- O'Sullivan, Anna, et al.
(author)
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The influence of care place and diagnosis on care communication at the end of life: Bereaved family members' perspective
- 2021
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In: Palliative and Supportive Care. - 1478-9515 .- 1478-9523. ; 19, s. 664-671
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective To investigate the influence of care place and diagnosis on care communication during the last 3 months of life for people with advanced illness, from the bereaved family members' perspective. Method A retrospective survey design using the VOICES(SF) questionnaire with a sample of 485 bereaved family members (aged: 20-90 years old, 70% women) of people who died in hospital was employed to meet the study aim. Results Of the deceased people, 79.2% had at some point received care at home, provided by general practitioners (GPs) (52%), district nurses (36.7%), or specialized palliative home care (17.9%), 27.4% were cared for in a nursing home and 15.7% in a specialized palliative care unit. The likelihood of bereaved family members reporting that the deceased person was treated with dignity and respect by the staff was lowest in nursing homes (OR: 0.21) and for GPs (OR: 0.37). A cancer diagnosis (OR: 2.36) or if cared for at home (OR: 2.17) increased the likelihood of bereaved family members reporting that the deceased person had been involved in decision making regarding care and less likely if cared for in a specialized palliative care unit (OR: 0.41). The likelihood of reports of unwanted decisions about the care was higher if cared for in a nursing home (OR: 1.85) or if the deceased person had a higher education (OR: 2.40). Significance of results This study confirms previous research about potential inequalities in care at the end of life. The place of care and diagnosis influenced the bereaved family members' reports on whether the deceased person was treated with respect and dignity and how involved the deceased person was in decision making regarding care. Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- O'Sullivan, Anna
(author)
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Undocumented migrants’ access to healthcare in Sweden, and the impact of Act 2013:407
- 2023
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In: Nursing Ethics. - 0969-7330 .- 1477-0989.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Research shows that undocumented migrants have difficulties in accessing healthcare. Act 2013:407 came into force in 2013 and entitled undocumented migrants to healthcare that cannot be deferred. To date, studies about undocumented migrants’ access to care in Sweden and the impact of Act 2013:407 are sparse. Hence, the aim of this study was to describe professionals’ experiences of access to healthcare for undocumented migrants in Sweden and the impact of Act 2013:407.Methods A qualitative design with semi-structured interviews was employed. Nine interviews were carried out in 2015 with nurses at two NGO healthcare centres for undocumented migrants – and an additional seven interviews in 2022 with staff at an NGO healthcare centre for undocumented migrants and personnel at a regional health and medical care administration. Interpretive description was used for the analyses.Ethical considerations Permission to carry out the study was obtained from managers at the participating NGOs and the regional health and medical care administration. Participants received verbal and written information about the study, and informed consent was obtained from all participants.Findings Six categories emerged from the analysis: Changes since the Act was introduced, General problems with healthcare access, Care for undocumented migrants – politics and social economy, Lack of knowledge, ‘Healthcare that cannot be deferred’ and Being an undocumented migrant.Conclusion Undocumented migrants’ social needs are as great as their needs for healthcare. Healthcare staff are burdened with healthcare cost considerations which affect their judgement of care provision and prioritization. Healthcare staff attitudes towards undocumented migrants affect their access to healthcare. Undocumented migrants in need of healthcare are especially vulnerable due to their legal status, being ill and the fear of being reported and deported. To assure undocumented migrants’ access to healthcare and maintain healthcare ethics, the only possible solution is to provide healthcare based on needs.
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| 18. |
- Sailer, Anna, et al.
(author)
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A genome-wide association study in multiple system atrophy
- 2016
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In: Neurology. - 0028-3878. ; 87:15, s. 1591-1598
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: To identify genetic variants that play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple system atrophy (MSA), we undertook a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Methods: We performed a GWAS with >5 million genotyped and imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 918 patients with MSA of European ancestry and 3,864 controls. MSA cases were collected from North American and European centers, one third of which were neuropathologically confirmed. Results: We found no significant loci after stringent multiple testing correction. A number of regions emerged as potentially interesting for follow-up at p < 1 × 10-6, including SNPs in the genes FBXO47, ELOVL7, EDN1, and MAPT. Contrary to previous reports, we found no association of the genes SNCA and COQ2 with MSA. Conclusions: We present a GWAS in MSA. We have identified several potentially interesting gene loci, including the MAPT locus, whose significance will have to be evaluated in a larger sample set. Common genetic variation in SNCA and COQ2 does not seem to be associated with MSA. In the future, additional samples of well-characterized patients with MSA will need to be collected to perform a larger MSA GWAS, but this initial study forms the basis for these next steps.
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| 19. |
- Slater, Kayleigh, et al.
(author)
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High Cysteinyl Leukotriene Receptor 1 Expression Correlates with Poor Survival of Uveal Melanoma Patients and Cognate Antagonist Drugs Modulate the Growth, Cancer Secretome, and Metabolism of Uveal Melanoma Cells
- 2020
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In: Cancers. - : MDPI. - 2072-6694. ; 12:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Simple Summary This research investigates the disease relevance and therapeutic potential of cysteinyl leukotriene receptors in uveal melanoma (UM), a rare eye cancer that often spreads to the liver. Unfortunately, there are no therapies available to stop the spread of UM and patients are often faced with an extremely poor prognosis. We assess whether the cysteinyl leukotriene receptors (CysLT(1) and CysLT(2)) are relevant to the progression of UM. Using UM patient samples, we identified that increased levels of CysLT(1) in tumours is associated with reduced patient survival. Using UM cell lines and zebrafish models, we found that drugs targeting CysLT(1), but not CysLT(2), can alter hallmarks of cancer including cell growth, proliferation, and metabolism. This study is the first to examine the relationship of the CysLT receptors with clinical features of UM. Our data strengthen the importance of CysLT signalling in UM and suggest that antagonism of CysLT(1) may be of therapeutic interest in the disease. Metastatic uveal melanoma (UM) is a rare, but often lethal, form of ocular cancer arising from melanocytes within the uveal tract. UM has a high propensity to spread hematogenously to the liver, with up to 50% of patients developing liver metastases. Unfortunately, once liver metastasis occurs, patient prognosis is extremely poor with as few as 8% of patients surviving beyond two years. There are no standard-of-care therapies available for the treatment of metastatic UM, hence it is a clinical area of urgent unmet need. Here, the clinical relevance and therapeutic potential of cysteinyl leukotriene receptors (CysLT(1) and CysLT(2)) in UM was evaluated. High expression of CYSLTR1 or CYSLTR2 transcripts is significantly associated with poor disease-free survival and poor overall survival in UM patients. Digital pathology analysis identified that high expression of CysLT(1) in primary UM is associated with reduced disease-specific survival (p = 0.012; HR 2.76; 95% CI 1.21-6.3) and overall survival (p = 0.011; HR 1.46; 95% CI 0.67-3.17). High CysLT(1) expression shows a statistically significant (p = 0.041) correlation with ciliary body involvement, a poor prognostic indicator in UM. Small molecule drugs targeting CysLT(1) were vastly superior at exerting anti-cancer phenotypes in UM cell lines and zebrafish xenografts than drugs targeting CysLT(2). Quininib, a selective CysLT(1) antagonist(,) significantly inhibits survival (p < 0.0001), long-term proliferation (p < 0.0001), and oxidative phosphorylation (p < 0.001), but not glycolysis, in primary and metastatic UM cell lines. Quininib exerts opposing effects on the secretion of inflammatory markers in primary versus metastatic UM cell lines. Quininib significantly downregulated IL-2 and IL-6 in Mel285 cells (p < 0.05) but significantly upregulated IL-10, IL-1 beta, IL-2 (p < 0.0001), IL-13, IL-8 (p < 0.001), IL-12p70 and IL-6 (p < 0.05) in OMM2.5 cells. Finally, quininib significantly inhibits tumour growth in orthotopic zebrafish xenograft models of UM. These preclinical data suggest that antagonism of CysLT(1), but not CysLT(2), may be of therapeutic interest in the treatment of UM.
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| 20. |
- Stavrakakis, Ioannis, et al.
(author)
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The teaching of computer ethics on computer science and related degree programmes. a European survey
- 2021
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In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ETHICS EDUCATION. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2364-0006 .- 2363-9997. ; In Press
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Within the Computer Science community, many ethical issues have emerged as significant and critical concerns. Computer ethics is an academic field in its own right and there are unique ethical issues associated with information technology. It encompasses a range of issues and concerns including privacy and agency around personal information, Artificial Intelligence and pervasive technology, the Internet of Things and surveillance applications. As computing technology impacts society at an ever growing pace, there are growing calls for more computer ethics content to be included in Computer Science curricula. In this paper we present the results of a survey that polled faculty from Computer Science and related disciplines about teaching practices for computer ethics at their institutions. The survey was completed by respondents from 61 universities across 23 European countries. Participants were surveyed on whether or not computer ethics is taught to Computer Science students at each institution, the reasons why computer ethics is or is not taught, how computer ethics is taught, the background of staff who teach computer ethics and the scope of computer ethics curricula. This paper presents and discusses the results of the survey.
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| 21. |
- Toldrà Filella, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Detecting harmful algal blooms with nucleic acid amplification-based biotechnological tools
- 2020
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 749
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Harmful algal blooms (HABs) represent a growing threat to aquatic ecosystems and humans. Effective HAB management and mitigation efforts strongly rely on the availability of timely and in-situ tools for the detection of microalgae. In this sense, nudeic acid-based (molecular) methods are being considered for the unequivocal identification of miaoalgae as an attractive alternative to the currently used time-consuming and laboratory-based light microscopy techniques. This review provides an overview of the progress made on new molecular biotechnological tools for microalgal detection, particularly focusing on those that combine a nudeic acid (DNA or RNA) amplification step with detection. Different types of amplification processes (thermal and isothermal) and detection formats (e.g. microarrays, biosensors, lateral flows) are presented, and a comprehensive overview of their advantages and limitations is provided Although isothermal techniques are an attractive alternative to thermal amplification to reach in-situ analysis, further development is still required. Finally, current challenges, critical steps and future directions of the whole analysis process ( from sample procurement to in-situ implementation) are described.
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| 22. |
- Öhlén, Joakim, 1958, et al.
(author)
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Livshjälp, dödshjälp och palliativ vård i livets slut
- 2024
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In: Livshjälp, dödshjälp och palliativ vård. - Stockholm : Svensk sjuksköterskeförening. - 9789185060764 ; , s. 4-15
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Inom vårdprofessionerna och i allmänheten pågår av och till debatt kring eutanasi, det vill säga om det ska vara tillåtet att hjälpa svårt sjuka människor att avsluta sitt liv. Som sjuksköterskor kan vi få frågor och funderingar kring detta i omvårdnaden av svårt sjuka och döende personer. Vi kan också ställas inför situationer där närstående är osäkra och till exempel frågar om inte det är aktuellt med dropp eller sondmat för inte att ”svälta ihjäl”. Därför är det viktigt att vi har kunskap om lagstiftning och begrepp kring eutanasi. Frågor om livets slut, hur livet avslutas, om hjälp och stöd att leva i livets slut och om döds- hjälp är i grunden frågor om värden och etik. Vissa frågor om hur exempelvis livets slut kan vara – eller om förekomst av olika ställningstaganden – kan besvaras empiriskt, men inte värdefrågor om vad som är etiskt försvarbara ställningstaganden. Den här skriften ger exempel på vanligt förekommande termer och begrepp och hur de förändrats över tid, värdekonflikter och dilemman knutna till dödshjälp och livshjälp i livets slut samt empiriska resultat knutet till frågorna.
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