This study examines the theoretical foundations of Nissen’s lists used for identifying giftedness by analysing their alignment with Gagné’s Differentiating Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT). While the lists have shown empirical validity as screening tools in Nordic contexts, their underlying theoretical framework has not been clearly articulated. Using the DMGT as an analytical framework, a qualitative comparative analysis is conducted in which three researchers code items from the student, guardian, and teacher lists in relation to the DMGT’s components, followed by consensus-based discussion. The findings indicate that the lists primarily capture intellectual and intrapersonal characteristics, while other aspects, such as physical abilities, appear to be less emphasised. This partial alignment may suggest a focus on identifying high potential rather than fully developed talent. The study highlights the value of the lists while pointing to the need for further theoretical refinement to support more equitable identification practices.

Advanced systemic mastocytosis (AdvSM), comprising aggressive systemic mastocytosis, mast cell leukemia, and systemic mastocytosis with an associated hematological neoplasm, is a heterogeneous myeloid neoplasm with poor prognosis. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) remains the only potentially curative treatment, yet its benefit across AdvSM subtypes in the era of KIT-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as midostaurin and avapritinib remains unclear. To identify patient subgroups benefiting from allo-HCT and to define prognostic factors for post-transplant survival, we analyzed 631 AdvSM patients from the European Competence Network on Mastocytosis registry, including 69 who underwent allo-HCT. Treatment effects were assessed using time-dependent Cox regression in a transplant-eligible complete-case cohort (n = 419). In this cohort, allo-HCT showed no overall survival (OS) benefit (hazard ratio [HR] 1.21, 95% CI 0.80-1.84; p = 0.37), whereas TKI response emerged as a strong independent predictor of survival (HR 0.42; p<0.001). Subtype-stratified analysis revealed an allo-HCT benefit exclusively in patients with systemic mastocytosis associated with acute myeloid leukemia (n = 30; HR 0.20; p = 0.020). Among the 69 transplanted patients, median OS was 49.6 months with 2-year and 5-year survival of 63% and 46%, respectively. The International Prognostic Scoring System for Mastocytosis (IPSM) at transplantation independently predicted both OS (HR per category 1.68; p = 0.026) and progression-free survival (HR 1.99; p = 0.003), whereas the Mutation-Adjusted Risk Score and diagnostic subtype did not reach statistical significance. Competing risk analysis demonstrated that higher IPSM captured both relapse-related and transplant-related mortality. These findings suggest that the survival benefit of allo-HCT in AdvSM is driven primarily by control of the associated myeloid neoplasm. Accordingly, allo-HCT should be prioritized in patients with SM-AML, whereas TKI-directed strategies may be preferred in other subtypes, with IPSM at transplantation potentially guiding transplant selection and timing.

Introduction

Recurrent pain in children is a common clinical problem. ThisPerspective is based on 35 years of clinical experience andresearch in this area. We present evidence to support ourhypothesis that negative stress induces chronic muscle ten-sion and increased neuromuscular excitability throughout thebody. This has been demonstrated by enhanced startle reflexresponses. Our findings are based on electromyographic re-cordings from several muscle regions previously shown to ex-hibit lower pain thresholds. They also correspond to commonpain locations in children with long-term psychosomatic painassociated with negative stress. We hope that the key steps inthis paper will help clinical colleagues who are presented withsuch cases.

Pollinators, both wild and managed, form diverse associations with plants and microbes which affect the wellbeing of the plants and the pollinators. The method by which these associations are sampled impacts our understanding of the system. The common ways to understand pollinator-plant or pollinator-plant-microbe associations are to observe flower visits of insects, or to collect foraging individuals and identify the pollen and microbes they carry. Honey bees offer a test case for methods of sampling these associations. Hives of managed honey bees host thousands of pollinator individuals together with jointly-collected nectar which is turned into honey. Previous studies have used DNA preserved in honey to infer honey bee associations with plants and microbes. Here, we sampled honey, individual bees while they were foraging, and groups of bees from inside the hive. We identified plants and microbes on the surface of the bees or in the honey using DNA metabarcoding – expecting that bees sampled singly or in groups would reveal a subset of the associations recorded in the communal honey deposits. However, we found that each sample type revealed different aspects of the richness and community composition of plants and microbes encountered by bees. Both honey samples and hive bees had more plant and microbial taxa per sample than samples of individual bees. Though individual bees are subsets of the larger colony, pollen and microbe associations recovered from individual bees did not represent a subsample of associations recovered from groups of hive bees or from honey. Thus, while each sampling technique provides information about honey bee ecology, they are not equivalent. DNA in honey represents time-integrated associations between bees and the surrounding ecosystem; the hive bees provide a snapshot of current colony-level associations, and individual foraging bees capture intraspecific variation in foraging preferences and microbe exposure.

Autonomous trucks are expected to play an important role in future freight transport, but their deployment beyond favorable weather conditions remains an open challenge. Winter roads are especially demanding for semitrailer trucks. Snow and ice reduce tire-road friction, increase stopping distances, limit steering capability, and may lead to vehicle instabilities such as jackknifing or trailer swing. For autonomous driving systems, this means that the vehicle must not only follow a planned trajectory, but also understand when the road surface makes the planned motion unsafe or physically infeasible. 

This thesis studies autonomous motion control of semitrailer trucks in lowfriction conditions. The work focuses on model predictive control, a control framework that uses a vehicle model to predict future motion and optimize steering and acceleration while respecting constraints. A central theme of the thesis is the trade-off between model fidelity and practical applicability. Detailed dynamic models can describe important physical effects, but they may be difficult to use in practice because they require many parameters, additional state estimates, and careful numerical treatment. Simpler kinematic models are easier to use, but may neglect slip-angle and friction effects that become important at higher speeds and on slippery roads. 

The thesis addresses this challenge through four connected studies. First, kinematic and dynamic tractor-semitrailer models are compared for model predictive control. Second, time-optimal lane changes are computed for different friction levels to understand the physical limits of emergency maneuvers. Third, a friction-adaptive nonlinear model predictive controller is developed using an extended kinematic vehicle model and friction-dependent objectives and constraints. Fourth, the controller is evaluated both in simulation and in winter experiments with a full-scale autonomous tractor-semitrailer. 

The results show that friction information is important both for understanding emergency maneuver limits and for designing motion controllers that avoid excessive use of tire forces. In simulations, the proposed controller reduces tireforce demand compared with a more aggressive baseline controller. In realworld double lane-change experiments on snow, it completes the maneuver while a classical tracking-control baseline fails. The thesis therefore demonstrates that friction-adaptive predictive control can improve the safety-relevant behavior of autonomous semitrailer trucks in low-friction conditions. 

The works presented in Soft+Ware: Rethinking Fashion and Textiles emerge primarily from artistic design research at the Swedish School of Textiles, University of Borås, with related perspectives from BFA Fashion Design education. Together, they examine an ongoing shift within fashion and textile design as digital technologies become increasingly entangled with how designers conceive, generate, materialise, and communicate form. Presented at Textil Museet, the exhibition considers how these developments invite renewed reflection on assumptions about fashion, textiles, materiality, and design practice.

Fashion and textile design have historically been closely associated with physical materials, garments, surfaces, and processes of fabrication. Digital software has often supported these practices through visualisation, pattern construction, communication, and manufacturing. The works gathered in Soft+Ware explore how this relationship changes when the digital becomes a creative and investigative medium in its own right.

Through digital images, animation, 3D simulation, digitally fabricated objects, artificial intelligence, and computational approaches to form generation, the exhibition presents practices in which digital processes actively participate in design development. Software environments become sites where forms emerge through simulation, parameters, algorithms, and iterative processes. Digital and physical outcomes may coexist, translate into one another, or remain distinct, raising questions about the materials, methods, and sites through which fashion and textile design can take shape.

The title Soft+Ware points toward this changing relation. “Soft” evokes textiles, bodies, surfaces, tactility, flexibility, and material behaviour, while “Ware” refers to software, hardware, systems, and technological structures. The plus sign draws attention to their encounter and to the increasingly fluid boundaries between physical and computational forms of making.

These developments also challenge familiar assumptions about how designing takes place. Design is often understood as a progression in which an intention is translated into a material outcome. Computational methods introduce other working logics through emergence, iteration, variation, and unpredictability. Parameters can shape form, simulations reveal unforeseen behaviours, artificial intelligence generates material for further interpretation, and digital fabrication translates computational structures into physical matter. Designing consequently develops through relations between intention, system, material, and outcome.

The works in Soft+Ware operate as artistic research propositions through which these relations are investigated in practice. They examine what changes when software becomes a site of material experimentation, when textile expression emerges without conventional textile fabrication, and when fashion is conceived beyond the physical garment as its expected endpoint. Digital technologies thereby provide means for testing disciplinary conventions and exploring alternative approaches to making, materiality, and expression.

These questions also influence design education. Research at the University of Borås feeds into teaching by introducing digital processes as modes of creative inquiry and expanding how students can approach form, materiality, and design development.

Soft+Ware: Rethinking Fashion and Textiles presents digitalisation as an ongoing transformation whose implications continue to unfold. Through works spanning images, simulations, animations, computational processes, and fabricated objects, the exhibition asks how digital technologies are reshaping the materials, methods, expressions, and boundaries of fashion and textile design.

This study investigates the tribological performance of chromium nitride (CrN)-coated polyether ether ketone (PEEK) polymers. CrN coating was deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD) onto two commercially available substrates: neat PEEK and a modified PEEK. The suitability of the coated substrates for tribological applications was evaluated using ball-on-disc tests against stainless-steel (SS) counterparts. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the high thermal stability of the PEEK substrates, ensuring compatibility with low-temperature coating deposition. Microstructural analysis revealed dense and continuous CrN coatings with an average thickness of ~1.5 µm on both substrates. Tribological results of selected PEEK-based polymers showed that under the applied load of 2 N, uncoated PEEK substrates exhibited lower coefficients of friction (COFs) and smoother wear tracks compared with coated samples. In contrast, under the applied load of 4 N, CrN-coated PEEK substrates demonstrated reduced friction and improved stability relative to uncoated PEEK. This behavior is attributed to load-induced tribo-oxidation and the formation of a chromium-oxide-rich tribolayer that stabilized the sliding interface and suppressed adhesive wear. Overall, the results demonstrate that CrN coatings significantly enhance the load-bearing capacity and tribological performance of selected PEEK substrates under applied load of 4 N, highlighting their potential for advanced lightweight engineering applications requiring improved wear resistance.

In this study, guided by a fit with the job and organization perspective, we examine how industry type, gender, and educational level are related to turnover among young managers aged 19–29. We also explore, based on the Job Demands-Resources framework, how young managers perceptions of various work environmental factors are associated with their intentions to leave their jobs. Register and survey data targeting all young managers (N = 2000) in the Swedish private sector were used to conduct comparative analysis between those who had left their position and those who remained. Among those who remained in a managerial position and responded to the survey (N = 395), we also examined the relative associations between a range of work environmental factors and turnover intentions. Overall, our results show that young female managers had a higher turnover rate than their male counterparts. Furthermore, emotional demands and job resources in terms of role clarity, perceived organizational support, and the ability to exert influence were associated with young managers’ turnover intentions. Our study provides new insights into why young managers may leave or remain in their position at an early stage. These findings can inform organizations and strategic human resource management practices, offering guidance on factors to consider for enhancing the retention of tomorrow’s managerial workforce.

Set in the context of digitalisation of working life, this paper examines how Swedish unions respond to digital automation technologies, including robotics and algorithmic management, and how these developments affect job quality. Drawing on power resource theory, we conceptualise knowledge in terms of technical understanding, access to information, and interpretive capacity, as a cross-cutting epistemic capacity that conditions unions' ability to activate power resources. Based on interviews with union representatives across sectors, the findings show that unions seek to influence technological change but face challenges from knowledge asymmetries and external actors, underscoring the importance of epistemic capacity in digitalised workplaces.

The use of studded tires can cause significant wear of road surfaces then also affect the air quality in urban areas. The studs of today’s studded tires are manufactured from hard metal containing cobalt. In this study, we investigated using alternative cobalt-free hard metal studs to reduce particulate emissions in the future. The tireto- road interface is subjected to both impact wear and sliding abrasive wear. The alternative hard metal studs were evaluated in parallel with standard studs using two different laboratory test rigs specially designed for wear and particulate emission testing. Stone materials commonly used in the road tarmacadam were utilized as counter material. The results showed that the cobalt-free studs generated lower particle concentrations and less road wear.

The consideration of local knowledge in assessments and governance of biodiversity and ecosystems is a vital challenge for a just and sustainable future. This requires in-depth consideration of the intricate ways people know, engage with and are affected by natural environments. However, the concept of local knowledge is fluid, and several interpretations are in use, which can complicate constructive engagement. This paper aims to provide a descriptive overview and analytical framework for diverse conceptualisations of local knowledge in biodiversity and ecosystem governance. We focus on two objectives: (i) to describe and critically examine conceptualisations of local knowledge in the scientific and grey literature; and (ii) to develop a set of characteristics that can be used to identify local knowledge. Rather than seeking a single definition, we examine a range of academic interpretations, while extending the discussion to knowledge systems and holders in the nonIndigenous Global North. We analyse differences and similarities between local knowledge and related concepts such as Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Indigenous and Local Knowledge, lay knowledge, scientific knowledge and policy-oriented understandings of local knowledge. We propose a flexible framework to identify and characterise local knowledge in research. The framework combines questions about researchers' motivations and methodological choices with dimensions concerning knowledge holders, locus of knowledge, spatial and temporal dimensions, and modes of knowledge transmission. We emphasise the importance of critically engaging with the concept of knowledge itself to recognise the complementarity of diverse knowledge systems and support more reflexive approaches to local knowledge in biodiversity and ecosystem governance.

Stuck pipe remains a critical challenge in the petroleum industry, often leading to significant non-productive time (NPT) and operational losses. Traditional prevention methods are frequently ineffective due to the high sensitivity to parameter changes and the presence of noisy or incomplete data. This study aims to apply machine learning algorithms to classify and predict stuck pipe incidents using real operational data, enabling early warnings to minimize NPT and reduce operational costs through models trained on both stuck and non-stuck conditions. This study tackled the stuck pipe issue through a two-phase machine learning approach. In the first phase, classification model Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) was employed to classify stuck pipe incidents across drilling and tripping operations in Middle Eastern wells. The second phase focused on forecasting hook load values using a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model, aimed at predicting stuck pipe events in advance. Sequential hook load readings served as inputs to the LSTM, allowing the generation of early warnings during tripping operations. The results of this study illustrate that classification model demonstrated high performance, with accuracy levels ranging from 89% to 97.83%. Their evaluation relied on metrics such as Precision, Recall, F1-Score, Accuracy, Decision Boundaries and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Likewise, the LSTM model showed strong predictive capabilities, achieving 90-97% accuracy based on R & sup2;, Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Mean Squared Error (MSE) values. These results confirm the effectiveness of machine learning in detecting and predicting stuck pipe incidents, enhancing safety and reducing NPT. The developed machine learning algorithms helped to classify the different suck pipe problems, identify, their reasons and ultimately can early predict stuck pipe problems during drilling operations. The proposed approach presents substantial potential for real-time monitoring and proactive drilling risk mitigation.

Although trust is critical for entrepreneurs in all markets, it likely differs in gray markets from that in white or black markets. In this inductive study, we find a coherent configuration of trust mechanisms in a gray market that offers new insights into how entrepreneurs can use their network (i.e., referrals and “lineaging”) and heuristics (i.e., “villageing”) to build trust in new stakeholders when trust formation is challenging and violations are costly. We also offer new insights into the practices for verifying (i.e., impromptu tests and extensive probationary periods) and maintaining (i.e., financial support) trustworthiness, as well as repairing trust.

This exploratory survey study examines the use of accelerative practices among lower secondary physics and chemistry teachers in Finland and Sweden (N = 160), where a longstanding emphasis on educational equality and inclusion has limited attention to the needs of gifted students. Although international research demonstrates strong academic and socio-emotional benefits of acceleration for gifted students, evidence suggests that Nordic schools rarely implement such practices systematically. The present study investigates teachers' experiences with four accelerative approaches relevant to the Nordic context-early entrance, grade skipping, subject-based acceleration, and curriculum compacting-and analyses how these practices shape instructional decision-making in science classrooms. Using a mixed-methods design combining descriptive and inferential statistics with inductive content analysis, the study reveals that acceleration is infrequently used in both countries, though Swedish teachers report higher implementation rates than Finnish teachers. Teachers with prior knowledge of gifted education were more likely to employ accelerative practices across all categories. Teachers reported limited time and material resources as barriers to implementation. The findings illustrate a persistent gap between policy-permitted accelerative opportunities and actual inclusive science education classroom practice, highlighting that meeting the learning needs of gifted students requires strengthened teacher education, policy support, and resource allocation.

We investigate an interface in the transverse field quantum Ising chain connecting an ordered ferromagnetic phase and a disordered paramagnetic phase that are KramersWannier duals of each other. Unlike prior studies focused on non-invertible defects, this interface exhibits a symmetry that combines Kramers-Wannier transformation with spatial reflection. We demonstrate that, under open boundary conditions, this setup gives rise to a discrete Z4 symmetry, encompassing the conventional Z2 Ising parity as a subgroup, while in a closed geometry a non-invertible symmetry emerges. Using the Jordan-Wigner transformation, we map the spin chain onto a solvable quadratic Majorana fermion system. In this formulation, the Z4 symmetry is realized manifestly as a parity-dependent reflection with respect to a Majorana site, in contrast to the conventional reflection which mirrors with respect to the central link of the Majorana chain. Additionally, we construct Majorana strong zero modes that retain the Z4 symmetry, ensure degeneracies of all energy eigenstates, and are robust under generic local symmetrypreserving perturbations of the fermion model, including interactions. Finally, we develop quantum circuit realizations of our model paving the way towards the creation of exact Majorana strong zero modes with digital quantum hardware.

In this paper, an ANN-based model is suggested for the prediction of shear strength of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) beams without transverse reinforcements, and the model is developed directly using Excel software to ensure computational transparency and statistical interpretability, while remaining an empirical data-driven tool. In this study, a comprehensive database including 923 experimental data is collected, prepared and utilized to develop the neural network. Following the completion of the learning process, the ultimate weight and bias for the neural network are obtained. These parameters are employed in the Excel worksheet. With this process, the learned model is converted into a standalone and operational design tool. Sensitivity analysis, which has been performed through a step-by-step and perturbation method, revealed that the beam width (b) is the most influential parameter in the determination of shear strength (33.4%), followed by concrete compressive strength (fc, 17.1%) and effective depth (d, 15.3%). Then, a parametric study is conducted to study the effect of the shear span-to-depth ratio (a/d), longitudinal reinforcement ratio (rho) and fiber aspect ratio (Lf/df) on the shear behavior of the members.

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent among refugees due to their exposure to traumatic events; however, many demonstrate resilience that mitigates its impact. Given the ethnocultural diversity of refugee populations, questions remain regarding whether their symptom presentation aligns with diagnostic and therapeutic frameworks developed in Western contexts. Furthermore, evidence is limited on how resilience relates to PTSD symptom clusters.

Objective: We examined (a) the contribution of PTSD symptom clusters to the overall PTSD construct in traumatized individuals with a refugee background, and (b) the structural relationships between PTSD symptom clusters and psychological resilience.

Method: The study included 267 (61% male) young adults (Mage = 25.21) with a refugee background who had experienced trauma. Questionnaires measured PTSD symptoms, psychological resilience and socio-demographic characteristics. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were utilized.

Results: Hyperarousal, negative alterations in cognition and mood (NACM), and re-experiencing symptom clusters were stronger indicators of PTSD, compared to avoidance symptoms. Additionally, resilience exhibited a stronger association with hyperarousal and NACM than re-experiencing, while its association with avoidance was not significant.

Conclusions: Hyperarousal represents an important symptom cluster within this population, possibly reflecting the impact of migration-related ongoing stressors. The findings also suggest patterns that may be related to ethnocultural differences in symptom expression and coping strategies. Higher resilience is associated with lower PTSD symptoms, but this association is contingent upon the strength of individual PTSD symptom clusters. Further research is warranted to replicate and extend these results.

Highlights: - Explores a historical and civic controversy surrounding Linnaeus’s place in the history of scientific racism through a large-scale classroom intervention in upper secondary history education. - Students show an improved capacity for historical contextualisation. - Students show a better understanding of the ways in which controversial historiographies implicate present and future. - Outcomes suggest that this intervention can help foster a multiperspectival understanding concerning legacies of scientific racism among students.  

Purpose: Prompted by the public debate during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, which challenged Linnaeus’s legacy, this paper examines how Swedish students make sense of Carl Linnaeus’s classification of humans and his alleged role in the history of scientific racism. The purpose is to explore how educational interventions can foster historical understanding and multiperspectival engagement with contested historical figures and controversial issues.  

Design/methodology/approach: The study is organised around a classroom intervention across 11 classrooms. Using qualitative pre- and post-tests, we analysed how students’ knowledge and attitudes developed through activities designed to cultivate a historiographic gaze on Linnaeus’s work and legacy.

Findings: The intervention enhanced students’ knowledge of natural classification and scientific racism, as well as their capacity for historical contextualization. More students came to view Linnaeus as a racist, though this shift did not increase support for removing his monuments.

Practical implications: Findings demonstrate that classroom activities addressing contested historical legacies can foster critical historical thinking without polarising student attitudes, offering perspectives on how we may address sensitive or controversial issues in history education

This article explores how spatial boundaries between paid work, unpaid work, and private life were enacted in Swedish households during the COVID-19 pandemic. Combining gender theory with boundary theory, we analyze how spatial arrangements and gender contract were enacted. The study draws on photo-elicitation interviews (PEIs) conducted twice during the pandemic, allowing participants to visually document their home workspaces and discuss their experiences. This method provided deeper insights into the spatial organization of paid and unpaid work and how couples adapted their living environments to accommodate remote work. Using the concept of gender contracts – social agreements regulating relations between men and women – we identify three contract types: Divided, Fluid, and Shared, each reflecting different degrees of change in gendered work arrangements. Our findings show that increased autonomy in work arrangements has either reinforced or challenged traditional gender norms, depending on household negotiations and resource distribution.

This report presents a practical example of a completed design calibration process applied to a timber structural system. The background is the increasing need for circular construction practices and for methods that can demonstrate whether a building has been designed for future deconstruction and reuse. There is currently no standardised approach for formulating or verifying such requirements. The aim of the study is therefore twofold: to assess the deconstructability and reusability of the structural system in the case building Rotväven, and to provide a concrete basis for discussing whether design calibration can serve as a reliable and transparent method for demonstrating compliance with deconstructability requirements.

The method used is Design Calibration, a structured process combining qualitative and quantitative steps. It includes defining scope and scenarios, assembling an expert team, analysing the intended design, conducting a facilitated workshop to simulate future deconstruction, and evaluating potential modifications. The process results in a verified design, shared knowledge among involved actors, and a plan for deconstruction and reuse.

The results show that the structural system is deconstructable, with one modification identified for future projects and additional areas requiring further investigation. The documentation produced through the process provides a clear account of the design basis, the assessments made, and the decisions taken.

The discussion highlights that design calibration may function both as a tool for developing technical solutions and as a basis for requirement-setting. It also raises questions for further dialogue with industry actors regarding the appropriate scope, content and transparency of documentation used to verify deconstructability and reusability.

This anthology brings together researchers and practitioners from the fields of criminology and crime prevention in a shared ambition: to advance knowledge about the geographies of fear and unsafety and to address questions of where, when, and why people feel unsafe. By combining diverse perspectives, the anthology demonstrates that unsafety is not only about fear of crime, but also about how people experience their everyday environments. Feelings of unsafety emerge through the interaction between the individual, the place, and the social context – and vary depending on time, space, and personal experience. The anthology provides new insights into how fear of crime and unsafety is distributed across places, why some environments are perceived as more unsafe than others, and how different risk factors interact. At the same time, it highlights the challenges involved in measuring fear of crime and unsafety, and in designing effective interventions. For anyone working with, researching, or interested in issues of fear of crime and unsafety, this anthology offers a comprehensive knowledgebase for understanding the transition from geographies of unsafety to geographies of safety.

The editors of the anthology are Karl Kronkvist (Malmö University), Manne Gerell (Malmö University), and Nicklas Guldåker (Lund University/Nordregio). The anthology is published in Swedish.

The report analyses market structure, trade flows, and business conditions, based on statistical data and company interviews. Both sectors are dominated by micro and small enterprises, which face challenges in managing increasing regulatory requirements, especially related to product data and compliance. The findings highlight strong industry support for the policy direction, but also significant uncertainty, resource constraints, and concerns about fair competition, particularly from direct e-commerce imports. Overall, successful implementation will depend on clear, proportionate regulation and effective support and enforcement mechanisms.

Severe mental illness (SMI), such as schizophrenia, is associated with high physical health morbidity, extensive healthcare utilization, and substantial economic costs. This naturalistic study examined changes in resource utilization, measured as direct costs, following a psychosocial health promotion program (MINT) across social services and physical and psychiatric healthcare. Resource utilization patterns for 77 participants were assessed using the Resource Utilization of Mental Illness (RUMI) instrument during the 6-month intervention and a 6-month follow-up. Data were collected on physical and psychiatric care, social services, and contacts with the justice system. We observed significant changes in both costs and patterns of resource utilization. As anticipated, costs related to social services were unchanged. Total costs increased during the intervention period and decreased at follow-up. Costs associated with physical and psychiatric healthcare decreased during the intervention and continued to decrease during follow-up. At a profession-specific level, significant differences were observed in primary care visits: costs associated with physician visits decreased during the intervention and increased at follow-up, whereas costs related to nurse visits increased during both the intervention and follow-up. Overall, these findings suggest that the MINT intervention may modify patients' patterns of resource utilization across services in ways that better align with patients' needs.

Tillgänglighet i landsbygder och mindre tätorter har länge betraktats som en fråga om transporter. När service centraliseras förväntas invånarna resa längre för att nå vård, handel, utbildning och andra samhällsfunktioner. Projektet ”Vänd på tänket för ökad tillgänglighet i glesa geografier" har studerat hur tillgängligheten på landsbygder kan öka genom att i stället låta service och tjänster komma till invånarna.

Forskningsprojektet finansierades av Trafikverket och genomfördes under perioden 2024-2026 i samarbete mellan IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet, Trivector Mobility och VTI – Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut. Triple Access Planning-modellen har fungerat som teoretisk utgångspunkt och projektet bygger på enkätstudier, fallstudier, intervjuer, workshops och samhällsekonomiska analyser av lösningar från olika delar av Sverige. I projektet har tre olika strategier identifierats för att vända på tänket och öka tillgängligheten till service i landsbygder: servicen etableras lokalt, den digitaliseras eller den blir mobil och kommer till invånarna. Exempel på lösningar är allt från hybridbutiker och multifunktionella servicepunkter till fjärrundervisning, digital vård, bokbussar, mobila vårdtjänster eller fritidsverksamheter som flyttar mellan olika orter. När service finns närmare människor minskar behovet av resor.

Samtidigt visar studien att lösningarna ofta skapar fler nyttor än bara ökad tillgänglighet. Färre transporter innebär lägre klimatpåverkan, men lösningarna kan även stärka den sociala sammanhållningen genom att skapa mötesplatser och lokalt engagemang, bidra till arbetstillfällen och göra det lättare att bo kvar i mindre orter. Många av de framgångsrika exempel som beskrivs i rapporten bygger på lokalt engagemang och eldsjälar. Samtidigt visar projektet att ideella krafter inte kan bära utvecklingen ensamma. För att fler ska kunna använda och utveckla vänd- på- tänket-lösningar krävs stödjande strukturer från offentliga aktörer.

Tillgänglighet behöver få större plats i samhällsplaneringen och inte enbart behandlas som en transportfråga. Kommuner och regioner behöver planera för tillgänglighet bredare än transporter och aktivt stödja de aktörer som redan idag bygger framtidens landsbygdsservice. Rekommendationen är också att fler funktioner samlas i lokala servicenoder, att avtal och upphandling används mer strategiskt och att kommuner och regioner avsätter resurser för samverkan med näringsliv och civilsamhälle. En viktig uppgift för Tillväxtverket och andra organisationer som arbetar med att stötta landsbygdsutveckling är att sprida kunskap om nya arbetssätt till fler aktörer. Sist men inte minst behöver regering och riksdag se till att det finns en grundläggande finansiering så att kommuner och regioner kan stötta innovativa lösningar som ökar tillgängligheten i glesa geografier genom att vända på tänket.

Modern artificial intelligence achieves impressive results, but at a high energy cost. Neuromorphic computing seeks to reduce this cost by using brain-inspired principles. Central to this approach are spiking neural networks (SNNs), in which neurons communicate through sparse binary events called spikes. Separately, in signal processing and control theory, state-space models (SSMs) have long offered a systematic description of dynamical systems. More recently, SSMs have re-emerged as powerful deep learning models for processing long sequences, called deep SSMs. Spiking neurons are themselves dynamical systems, yet there has been limited interaction between SNNs and deep SSMs. This thesis brings these two together in a common framework and uses this common framework to explore two research directions.

The first direction asks how neuron models should be designed to capture richer temporal dynamics while remaining computationally efficient. Drawing on tools from SSMs, we propose enrichments along four axes: (i) We generalise neuron models with a single input and a single output channel to multiple input and multiple output channels, widening the bandwidth constrained by binary spikes. (ii) We generalise the reset mechanism, and show that it can stabilise learning even when the underlying linear dynamics are unstable. (iii) We equip neurons with structured, learnable delays that provide direct access to past inputs. (iv) We allow neurons' dynamics to vary over time, enabling them to track signals that switch between operating modes.

The second direction focuses on the mismatch that arises when the temporal resolution of the training data differs from that of the test data. We propose principled, zero-shot adaptation methods that recover the performance lost to this mismatch by adjusting only the neurons' dynamics parameters. We test the methods both in the single-device setting and in a multi-device federated learning framework aggregating models from devices operating at heterogeneous temporal resolutions.

This paper is based on a systematic literature review, with the aim of identifying and discussing what previous research says regarding strategies local, regional and national actors have, to attract, recruit and retain residents and staff to the north of Sweden, Finland and Norway. Being geographically peripheral, grappling with a demographic challenge; with an aging and declining population, at the same time as there are increased work force needs due to the green transition and the changed military presence in the area, this is a clear case of a region with severe skills-supply issues.

A main finding is that the literature is rather limited, only 21 publications of relevance were identified. Three key themes emerged: attracting, recruiting and retaining staff (and residents) in the healthcare sector, immigration as strategy for attracting, recruiting, and retaining residents and staff, and regional and municipal development strategies. Rather few studies examine specific strategies, and even fewer their outcomes. One exception is research on the healthcare sector specifically, where it is found that connecting individuals as early as possible, via initiatives such as internship and decentralized education and training, along with offering good conditions for learning and professional development are key aspects in sustainable strategies for attracting, recruiting and retaining medical staff and residents to work and live in the rural north. Still, more studies are needed, on different levels, where the outcomes of specific strategies are examined. Such studies would contribute with much needed basis for policy makers in making evidence-based decisions regarding staff recruitment and retention.

The thesis uses an ethnographically inspired explorative approach to study history teaching at three different preschools in Sweden. The theoretical strand combines aesthetics in the form of sensitive knowledge with concepts developed from history didactics and Play-Responsive Early Childhood Education and Care theory. The results show how history is re-interpreted and adjusted to Swedish preschool pedagogy, where children between 1 and 6 years participate actively in varying activities related to historical knowledge. The notion of "budding history teaching" was developed to describe and conceptualize the observed teaching practices. The concept encompasses an interdisciplinary subject area regarding the past that uses aesthetics in the form of sensitive knowledge and narrations in planned as well as spontaneous activities. Narrative events, often supported by physical artefacts, served to structure and consolidate joint experiences. During the activities, teachers would use artefacts to stimulate children’s sensations, thereby promoting their imaginary capacities to picture events in the past. In this way, a range of artefacts were used to help children move beyond their lifetime by imagining past events. Additionally, Budding history teaching engages with questions concerning the production and dissemination of historical knowledge.

In sum, the thesis demonstrates that history teaching is being carried out in Swedish preschools with children as young as one year old, even though it is only indirectly acknowledged in the curriculum. It underscores the need for further research into the how, what, and why of history teaching in early childhood education settings. It also argues for the need of professional development among Swedish preschool teachers. Such initiatives should provide both subject knowledge and didactic knowledge, carefully aligned with the preschool pedagogical tradition, to create teaching that is meaningful for children and supports their development.

This report presents the results of a project aimed at evaluating the performance of asphalt pavements incorporating bio‑extended bituminous binders, with a focus on long‑term structural behaviour and surface characteristics. The project focused on bio-extended penetration-graded bitumen containing Tall Oil Pitch (TOP) and a polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) with a biogenic component as alternatives to conventional bituminous binders. Both penetration-graded bitumen and PMB were investigated. 

The experimental program consisted of full‑scale accelerated pavement testing (APT) using a Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS) at the indoor testing facility of the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI), complemented by surface performance monitoring of a walking and cycling path constructed in Sundbyberg, Stockholm. Four full‑scale pavement structures, penetration-graded reference and its bio‑extended variant, as well as PMB reference and PMB with biogenic component, were constructed using asphalt mixtures produced in asphalt plants. The pavement structures were instrumented with asphalt strain gauges (ASGs) and temperature sensors to measure temperatures and tensile strains related to fatigue cracking. Rutting performance was evaluated through repeated loading at test temperatures of 10 °C and 20 °C. 

The APT results showed that the structures incorporating bio-based binders exhibited similar or improved resistance to permanent deformation compared with conventional reference structures, particularly at the elevated temperature of 20 °C. Measured tensile strains at the bottom of the asphalt layers were generally lower or comparable for bio-based variants, indicating favourable fatigue‑related condition. No operational challenges were observed during asphalt production, transportation, or paving, and the biobased mixtures demonstrated good workability and compaction characteristics. 

The walking and cycling path was monitored over a three‑year period to assess surface texture and roughness using Mean Profile Depth (MPD) and International Roughness Index (IRI). The measured values remained within the range of reference data for newly paved paths in Sweden throughout the monitoring period. Overall, the results demonstrate the technical feasibility of bio-based asphalt mixtures as a sustainable alternative for asphalt pavements without compromising performance.

The project "Market Mechanisms for Public Charging of Heavy Vehicles" analyzes how market forces influence the design of charging infrastructure for electric trucks, what prices can be expected, and what might lead to queues. Through analysis using agent-based and equilibrium models, as well as dialogue with the industry, the project shows that the market has not yet found a good equilibrium, and that the parties jointly need to find sound pricing models to achieve low prices while remaining profitable for both sides.A key result is the central role of price in achieving market equilibrium and determining how significant a role public charging will play. Haulers need predictable and low costs, which can be difficult to achieve solely with a spot market. A possible solution is for the market to move toward subscription models and long-term contracts. Today, public charging is mostly used as a supplement to the dominant depot charging in order to extend the vehicles' range during the workday. A reasonable target figure for public charging to be competitive across broad segments is estimated to be around 2.50 SEK/kWh.For charging operators, the utilization rate is crucial. They primarily sell access to capacity rather than energy, since the cost structure is dominated by high fixed grid and hardware costs. Simulations show that dynamic pricing is an effective tool to influence trucks' charging planning and avoid queues. However, this creates a cost uncertainty for logistics companies that replaces the former range anxiety. Advanced route planning systems could be an important solution to reduce this uncertainty.The financial calculation shows that electric trucks require a high annual mileage and, for the time being, government subsidies like the Climate Premium (Klimatpremien) to compensate for purchase prices that are often two to three times higher than for diesel vehicles.In conclusion, the report identifies six areas for further research, including the need to study new business models, booking systems, local energy storage (batteries), policy measures, and how technological shifts such as autonomous vehicles will impact the future charging infrastructure.

The growing demand for large-scale geological hydrogen storage has driven the exploration of resource-efficient methods for repurposing existing underground infrastructure. This study assesses the technical feasibility of converting underground oil storage caverns into lined rock caverns (LRCs) for hydrogen storage and evaluates the material costs associated with two proposed design schemes. Two retrofit schemes were analyzed numerically using parameters derived from an existing LRC demonstration project. The ultimate and maximum operating gas pressures were determined using the uplift failure model, considering cavern burial depth and the mechanical properties of the surrounding rock mass. Structural responses under pressurization were evaluated, followed by a comparative assessment of concrete and steel liner costs. The results indicate that dividing the original cavern into multiple lined sub-caverns separated by concrete pillars improves structural performance and reduces the maximum tensile stress in the steel liner, although tensile-stress concentrations may develop in the concrete pillars. Meanwhile, the proposed Single-cavern scheme offers significantly higher hydrogen storage capacity with lower concrete requirements but a larger steel liner area. A supplementary short-term cyclic thermo-mechanical analysis revealed response-dependent differences from the corresponding static analysis. The static analysis overestimated the maximum tensile stress in the steel liner and the plastic-zone volume in the concrete liner, while underestimating the plastic-zone volumes in the rock-mass and total system. These findings highlight the importance of cyclic thermo-mechanical effects on LRC response while supporting the applicability of static analysis as a preliminary assessment approach, provided that an adequate safety margin is adopted when determining the maximum operating gas pressure. Additionally, in both schemes, the tensile-stress level in the steel liner remains low, suggesting significant potential for liner optimization in material selection and liner thickness. Overall, the results indicate that repurposing oil storage caverns as LRCs is a technically feasible retrofit option, while overall economic feasibility should be further evaluated through life-cycle cost analysis.

The transition towards safe, low-carbon, efficient energy storage and transportation is supported by the development of solid-state ammonia storage systems. Chemisorbents including alkaline earth metal halides (AEMHs), such as strontium chloride (SrCl2), have been studied for ammonia (NH3) sorption and delivery due to their high NH3 uptake. However, the volume expansion/shrinkage of AEMHs during sorption/desorption cycle significantly compromises their practical use. To improve structural stability, structuring additives (zeolites, graphite, metal-organic frameworks) have been studied, but often rely on nonrenewable components or complex fabication techniques, hindering scalability. In this study, microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) wa used as a structuring matrix for SrCl2, forming a highly porous composite called FCSr throuh a simple freeze-casting/drying with varying solid/water ratios. The resulting structure reched a porosity as high as 97% and was characterized by SEM, XMT, and FTIR. FCSr specimens could be loaded up to 90 wt% of SrCl2 salt resulting in a gravimetric NH3 uptake of 43.5 mmol.g−1, with mechanical and structural integrity and sorption kinetics 2.4 times faster than SrCl2 bulk of the same mass. In this study, sorption kinetics benefited from lower-density structures that promoted NH3 diffusion, though increased porosity reduced mechanical strength. A figure of merit analysis revealed that an optimal balance between sorption performance and structural integrity was achieved at 60 wt% of SrCl2 in the structured composite.

Många kommuner arbetar aktivt för att öka andelen hållbara transporter, vilket innebär att fler resor sker med kollektivtrafik, till fots och med cykel. I takt med denna utveckling uppstår fler konfliktytor i trafiksystemet, inte minst i korsningspunkter där bussar i egna körfält möter fotgängare vid oreglerade övergångsställen. Samtidigt är hög framkomlighet och god komfort avgörande för kollektivtrafikens attraktivitet. Det uppstår därmed en målkonflikt mellan att hastighetssäkra passager för att skydda fotgängare och att upprätthålla effektiv busstrafik. I dag saknas nationell praxis för hur dessa korsningar bör utformas, och val av åtgärder baseras ofta på lokal tradition snarare än evidens. Studien syftar därför till att öka kunskapen om hur olika utformningar påverkar trafiksäkerhet och framkomlighet. Undersökningen har genomförts i Malmö och omfattar litteraturgenomgång, analys av olycksdata från STRADA samt kvantitativa fältstudier. Olycksanalysen visar att konflikter mellan buss och oskyddade trafikanter är återkommande; under perioden 2020–2024 registrerades 353 olyckor mellan buss och fotgängare samt 1 474 mellan buss och cykel i kommunen. Tidigare forskning visar samtidigt ett starkt samband mellan fordonshastighet och skaderisk, där 30 km/tim ofta anges som en kritisk gräns för allvarligt krockvåld. Tre oreglerade övergångsställen med busskörfält studerades i fält: ett med Malmögupp, ett med H-gupp och ett utan hastighetssäkring i busskörfältet. Bussarnas hastighet mättes både på referenssträcka och inför övergångsstället, med och utan närvarande fotgängare, samt kompletterades med observation av bromsbeteende. Resultaten visar att vid faktisk fotgängarpassage var medelhastigheten inför övergångsstället likartad för samtliga utformningar, omkring 20 km/tim, och bromsning påbörjades på jämförbara avstånd. Detta indikerar att bussförarna anpassar hastigheten efter situationen oavsett fysisk utformning. Skillnaderna framträder främst när inga fotgängare är närvarande. Malmöguppet medförde längst bromssträcka och lägst hastighet även utan interaktion, följt av H-gupp, medan sträckan utan gupp möjliggjorde en jämnare och högre hastighet utan tydlig inbromsning. Studien visar således att fysiska farthinder i busskörfält har betydande påverkan på busstrafikens framkomlighet och körkomfort i frånvaro av fotgängare, medan skillnaderna i hastighet vid faktisk interaktion är små. Resultaten indikerar att säker hastighetsnivå kan uppnås även utan farthinder, men att platsens kontext och trafikmiljö har stor betydelse. Sammantaget understryker studien behovet av mer evidensbaserade avvägningar mellan trafiksäkerhet och kollektivtrafikens effektivitet i framtida stadsutveckling.  

Ett centralt problem i storskaliga trafikmodeller är den bristande entydigheten i trafikflöden när nätverksutläggning genomförs med flera användarklasser, exempelvis personbilar och tunga lastbilar. Detta innebär att olika utläggningsalgoritmer kan producera skilda lösningar för andelen av respektive fordonsslag på en väglänk, trots att det totala flödet är detsamma, ett fenomen som diskuterats av bland andra Engelson (2019) och INRO (2021). Denna brist på en unik lösning är problematisk eftersom viktiga effektmodeller, till exempel för trafiksäkerhet och emissionsberäkningar, är direkt beroende av den specifika sammansättningen av fordon på vägnätet.

Ecohydraulics requires the integration of diverse skill sets to understand the complex interactions among hydraulic, biological, and ecological processes in aquatic environments, particularly under the influence of natural and anthropogenic change. This article presents findings from a community survey conducted at the 15th International Symposium on Ecohydraulics and Fish Passage (ISE-FP 2024) and compares them to those of a similar survey conducted at ISE 2018, with a particular focus on early-career researchers. We examine demographic trends, perceived challenges within the field, self-assessed competencies across general, technical, and emerging skills and identify training needs, seminar interests, and emerging technologies considered relevant to ecohydraulics. While demographic patterns and disciplinary challenges remain broadly consistent with previous findings, South American and African participation increased. Both early- and senior-career participants report confidence in traditional skills, such as literature review, fieldwork, and numerical modeling, but lower confidence in emerging technologies, including machine learning, uncrewed aerial vehicles, and artificial intelligence. Participants highlight the need for improved training in these technologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and soft skills. These findings underscore the evolving needs of the ecohydraulics community and the importance of adapting education and professional development opportunities to support innovation, inclusivity, and cross-disciplinary engagement.

Under 2024–2025 genomförde Metodgruppens utskott för vägmarkering en ringanalys av två provningsmetoder enligt SS-EN 1871: mjukpunkt och stämpelbelastningsvärde. Provningen utfördes av sex deltagande laboratorier med syftet att studera resultatspridning, metodvariation och att ta fram precisionsdata. Totalt analyserades sex termoplastiska vägmarkeringsmaterial. VTI ansvarade för provförberedelser, statistisk analys och rapportering. 

Samtliga laboratorier genomförde provningar på fyra prover vardera. Underlag om metodtillämpning och utrustning samlades in för att kunna bedöma avvikelser från standarden.

För mjukpunkt visade analysen på generellt god repeterbarhet vilket innebär liten spridning av mätresultat mellan upprepade mätningar utförda av samma laboratorium. Reproducerbarheten varierar mellan olika material vilket tyder på att skillnader mellan laboratorier har inverkan på resultaten.

De materialoberoende måtten visar dock att repeterbarheten är god, medan reproducerbarheten varierar mellan materialen. Ingen tydlig skillnad kunde observeras mellan laboratorier som använde bitumenringar och dem som använde ringar enligt Wilhelmi-metoden, men dataunderlaget är för begränsat för att dra säkra slutsatser om ringtypens påverkan.

För stämpelbelastningsvärde uppvisade resultaten både låg repeterbarhet och låg reproducerbarhet för de flesta material. Även de materialoberoende måtten för metoden gav oacceptabel repeterbarhet och reproducerbarhet.   

Ringanalysen visar att metodtillämpningen varierar avsevärt mellan laboratorier och att det finns behov av harmonisering av både utrustning och provningsrutiner. Resultaten ger en första indikation på metodernas precision och utgör ett viktigt underlag för framtida utveckling av provningspraxis inom vägmarkeringsområdet.

Internet of Things (IoT) devices are increasingly personalized and embedded within individuals' daily lives and enterprise operations. Such devices are often resource-constrained and low-power, and applications relying on those recognize the importance of communication security and privacy. Even in setups relying on resource-constrained IoT devices, many applications require anonymous data exchange. Such applications include, logistics, and monitoring and supervision of individuals' health. This paper presents an approach for implementing Tor-like onion routing within IoT networks, utilizing a stack of communication and security protocols adapted to the constraints of IoT environments. We analyze the challenges of applying onion routing to IoT-based systems with limited computational and energy resources. We present Onion CoAP, a lightweight onion routing solution building on an IoT protocol stack, together with architectural and protocol-level adaptations and optimizations necessary to enable secure and anonymous routing in IoT deployments. Furthermore, we present a formal analysis of the solution to demonstrate guaranteed anonymization properties.

The brain enables organisms to perceive the world, learn from experience, generate complex behavior, and give rise to cognition. Understanding the information processing principles underlying brain computation remains a key challenge in computational neuroscience and cognitive science. Elucidating these principles has the potential to provide a foundation for developing intelligent machines and energy-efficient, scalable, and robust artificial intelligence paradigms.

This thesis investigates neural network models incorporating key brain-like design principles, focusing on unsupervised representation learning and the formation of robust associative memory. While modern deep learning approaches achieve strong performance in representation learning tasks, they rely on backpropagation-based optimization, which lacks biological plausibility and depends on globally coordinated computations. There remains a need for neural network models that can demonstrate complex functionalities while remaining grounded in biological principles.

To address this gap, this thesis develops a class of brain-like models based on the Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network (BCPNN) framework. The proposed models incorporate key brain-like design principles, including localized Hebbian synaptic plasticity, structural plasticity, activity and connection sparsity, and a modular architecture derived from neocortical columnar organization. Furthermore, the models integrate feedforward, recurrent, and feedback connectivity to support both representation learning and associative memory.

This work comprises three main lines of investigation. First, the unsupervised representation learning capabilities of a feedforward model are examined, demonstrating that structured internal representations can be learned directly from unlabeled data using localized synaptic and structural plasticity. Second, the formation of associative memory is studied by integrating recurrent connectivity in the representation learning model, demonstrating robust recall from partial, noisy, or corrupted inputs when tested on pattern completion, prototype extraction, and noise robustness tasks. Third, the framework is extended to spiking neural networks, where neurons communicate via stochastic spike events, and the results show that, through synaptic short-term filtering and appropriate temporal scaling, the spiking models approximate the behavior of their rate-based counterparts while preserving functionality and performance. 

Overall, the results establish that brain-like design principles can support scalable representation learning and robust associative memory, demonstrating a bridge between neuroscience and artificial intelligence within the emerging field of NeuroAI. This work further offers a pathway toward energy-efficient, brain-like neuromorphic systems capable of operating in real-time and in dynamic environments.

As climate change is resulting in more intense and more frequent extreme events of natural hazards, there is a need to study the vulnerability of infrastructure assets considering their condition and the relevant natural and man-made hazards. The GRDR methodology (abbreviation of Gestión de Riesgo de Desastres Regionales; Management of Risk of Regional Disasters) addresses this combination through the development of tools that can be implemented at the regional level. To develop the methodology, case studies have been used to gather feedback from professionals, relevant local performance indicators have been added, and methods to weigh and combine the observations have been developed. At this moment, the methodology has been applied to over 30 case studies in Chile, which are summarized in this article. In addition, the extensibility of the methodology is studied through a case study of the Tambura Bridge in Ecuador. By working towards unifying approaches to consider the effects of a variety of threats to structures in combination with their current condition, methods can be developed that may be adopted more broadly in Latin America.

Domestic hot water production accounts for a substantial share of residential energy demand, and heat recovery from greywater offers a promising route to reducing this consumption through building-integrated thermal systems. This study presents an integrated greywater reuse and heat recovery system utilizing a plate heat exchanger, aimed at reducing freshwater consumption and enhancing energy efficiency in domestic hot water production. Unlike previous studies relying on gravitational drain water heat exchangers, this system employs a plate heat exchanger operating on treated greywater, enabling easier maintenance and reduced fouling risk. The system captures greywater from showers and sinks, treating it for reuse in toilet flushing, while concurrently preheating incoming tap water using residual heat from greywater. The heat exchanger model was validated against high-resolution (1-minute) experimental data from a full-scale residential building, achieving an overall energy recovery error of −1.4%. Using a multi-objective framework combining recursive coordinate descent optimization and a Nash bargaining solution, together with a synthetic ensemble of ten demand years, the system was sized to balance conflicting objectives. A global sensitivity analysis revealed a strong decoupling between energy and water performance, pump flowrates dominating energy savings and buffer tank volume dominating water savings, enabling near-independent optimization of both objectives. The combined optimum achieves 23% net energy savings for domestic hot water production and 92% water savings for toilet flushing (21.4% total water reduction). The sensitivity analysis and sizing methodology provide directly applicable design guidance for building engineers and system integrators working on integrated water and energy recovery.

The stability of the bottom structure and the scientific management of ore drawing are critical to the successful application of the block caving method. In view of the engineering conditions of the Lower Orebody of the Cukaru Peki Copper-Gold Mine operated by Serbia Zijin Copper Doo Bor characterized by great burial depth, high in-situ stress, and large-scale mechanized ore extraction. This study systematically optimizes the layout form and key geometric parameters of the bottom structure through a comprehensive approach combining engineering analogy, theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and orthogonal experimental design. The results indicate that, in terms of the layout at the extraction level, the branching herringbone configuration is the optimal scheme. It not only ensures sufficient overlap of draw zones and stability of the sill pillar, but also better accommodates the efficient operation of electric load–haul–dump (LHD) machines. Regarding key parameter determination, coupled analyses of vertical and planar geometric relationships demonstrate that the optimal vertical distance between the extraction level and the undercut level is 20 m. The spacing of drawpoint crosscuts and drifts is determined to be 32 m and 18 m, respectively. The optimized dimensions of the ore pass are identified as 5.0 m for the lower opening width and 14 m for the upper opening width, which significantly reduce the incidence of drawpoint hang-ups. For the undercutting scheme, an advancing undercut method combined with an inclined narrow-section layout is recommended, with an undercut height of 6 m. Furthermore, numerical simulations reveal the influence of the advanced undercut distance on stress redistribution. It is recommended that a reasonable distance of 30–36 m be maintained between ore pass operations and the advancing undercut front to effectively mitigate structural damage caused by high stress concentrations in the bottom structure. The parameter system established in this study provides a scientific basis for the safe and efficient exploitation of the Cukaru Peki deposit operated by Serbia Zijin Copper Doo Bor and offers important engineering guidance for bottom structure design in similar deep block caving mines.

The densities and viscosities of the three amine-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs), i.e., [EmimCl][MEA], [BmimCl][MEA], and [HmimCl][MEA], mixed with ethanol (EtOH), were measured from 288.15 to 323.15 K, and their enthalpies of mixing were determined at 298.15 and 308.15 K. Negative excess molar volumes across the entire compositional range indicate significant volume contraction and enhanced molecular packing, and their temperature dependence suggests the dominance of packing effects over hydrogen-bonding. Viscosity deviations show a characteristic U-shaped composition dependence, reflecting disruption of the original DES hydrogen-bond network by EtOH. The enthalpy of mixing changes from positive to negative as the DES composition increases, revealing strengthened DES–EtOH interactions. The distinct composition-dependent trends observed for these three (DES + EtOH) systems indicate that variations in alkyl chain length modulate molecular packing and interaction strength, resulting in nonuniform ordering patterns across thermophysical properties. Compared to water, which strongly restructures the DES hydrogen-bond network and produces significant exothermic mixing effects, EtOH exerts a milder structural and thermodynamic impact. This work provides reliable thermodynamic data and mechanistic insight for the design and application of amine-based DESs.

Background and objective Chronic breathlessness is common and often leads to avoidance of symptomprovoking activities. Expectations of breathlessness influence behaviour and symptom perception, but the accuracy of these expectations remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between expected and experienced breathlessness, the moderating role of mental states, determinants of expectation accuracy and the influence of recent symptoms on future expectations.

Methods In this longitudinal study, 83 participants with chronic breathlessness rated expected and experienced breathlessness (on 0-10 numerical rating scales (NRS)) using a mobile ecological momentary assessment app over 7 days. Associations were analysed using linear and mixed regression models.

Results Expected breathlessness was significantly associated with subsequently experienced breathlessness ([3=0.51, 95% CI 0.35-0.68) but was systematically overestimated (mean +/- SD expected 4.7 +/- 1.9 versus experienced 2.9 +/- 1.7; mean absolute difference 2.0 +/- 1.5). Depressive symptoms attenuated the association ([3=0.40, 95% CI 0.23-0.58), whereas anxiety, wellbeing and self-efficacy were not associated with either the strength or the accuracy of expectations. Expected breathlessness for the upcoming week was strongly related to the experience during the study week ([3=0.85, 95% CI 0.61-1.08, R2=0.48), suggesting recent experience shapes expectations more than expectations predict future breathlessness.

Conclusion Individuals with chronic breathlessness overestimated future breathlessness by a mean of 2 NRS points. Indication of depressive symptoms influenced the strength of the association, but accuracy appears unaffected by mental state indicators. These findings highlight the need to address and recalibrate symptom expectations in clinical care.

Purpose: The aim was to describe epidemiology, injury characteristics, in-hospital care and outcome for elderly trauma patients with thoracic injuries within the context of a large national register study.

Methods: Trauma patients aged ≥ 60 years from 2022 to 2024 were identified through the national Swedish Trauma Registry (SweTrau). The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) was used to identify thoracic and other injuries. Data on patient and injury demographics, in-hospital care and outcome in terms of discharge destination and mortality was collected for each patient.

Results: A total of 11,624 patients were included. The median age for all patients was 76 years (range 60-106), and 4617 (40%) were females. A total of 3644 (31%) patients had a thoracic injury registered (TI group). Compared with patients without thoracic injury (NTI), the TI group had higher injury severity (ISS and NISS) and were more physiologically compromised on arrival (lower systolic blood pressure and a higher proportion of patients presenting with circulatory shock (SBP < 90 mmHg). TI patients had more injuries, longer hospital length of stay, required more intensive care and were less often discharged to their home, while 30day mortality did not differ between groups.

Conclusion: Elderly trauma patients with thoracic injuries were more severely injured, required more in-hospital care and could less often be discharged directly to their home, compared to patients without thoracic injury.

Sensor networks increasingly combine exposed sensing nodes, optical communication, photonic hardware, near-sensor inference, and distributed infrastructure monitoring. This changes the security problem from protecting packets alone to establishing device provenance, measurement integrity, link confidentiality and availability, trustworthy inference, physical situational awareness, lifecycle control, and governance. This structured review with documented scoping searches examines security by light: mechanisms in which optical or photonic phenomena directly realize, constrain, compute, or observe a security-relevant function. The review synthesizes screened evidence across photonic roots of trust, visible-light communication and LiFi security, photonic intelligence, reservoir and chaotic photonics, and distributed photonic sensing infrastructure. Searches across arXiv, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and Scopus yielded 228 deduplicated candidate records, of which 187 were retained as core evidence and eight as contextual evidence. To avoid overstating heterogeneous photonic work, retained records were separated into direct security evidence, security-adjacent capability evidence, background/framework evidence, and excluded records. The central result is architectural: light-enabled mechanisms are most defensible when they provide explicit, confidence-rated evidence to conventional security engineering. In this paper, confidence-rated evidence means evidence whose security interpretation is tied to a stated asset, adversary or failure mode, evidence role, validation setting, robustness limits, deployment fit, and reproducibility condition. This avoids treating optical novelty, spatial confinement, analog complexity, or high-dimensional dynamics as assurance by themselves. The paper develops an auditable taxonomy, evidence appraisal rubric, mechanism-family synthesis, integration architecture, maturity analysis, and research agenda for incorporating light-enabled mechanisms into secure sensor-networked systems.

Human-induced climate change significantly impacts human health, with children being particularly susceptible to its impacts. National Adaptation Plans serve as the main framework for countries to establish targets and strategies to tackle the health impacts of climate change. However, child health remains largely neglected in national adaptation planning globally. This study seeks to identify facilitators for the inclusion of child health in adaptation policies through in-depth interviews with researchers and policymakers. We interviewed 18 stakeholders (across 11 countries in 5 continents), representing different geographic locations and income levels, involved in writing National Adaptation Plans. We analyzed verbatim transcripts thematically. In instances where child health components were incorporated, or respondents felt that headway on child inclusion was imminent, three themes most pointedly emerged related to child health inclusion in climate change policies, namely an ability to: Attract Allies (across government sectors and geographic boundaries), Beware Biases (to overcome hesitation about legitimate child needs), and Collaborate with Children. As countries are set to increase their level of ambition and need to both update and create National Adaptation Plans, we hope the ABC framework can guide efforts on how to best incorporate children's health needs into responsive climate change adaptation policies.

The digitalization of industrial operations under Industry 4.0 and beyond has increased reliance on wide-area connectivity across distributed industrial environments. While improving efficiency, this connectivity expands the external attack surface. Internet-wide scanning and reconnaissance tools (e.g., Shodan and Nmap) can identify exposed industrial assets and reveal device information that facilitates vulnerability-driven targeting. Consequently, robust network architectures are required to reduce device exposure and discoverability while providing secure, scalable, and resilient communication.

This thesis addresses these challenges through architectural design and optimization for secure and scalable Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS). It first analyzes industrial device scanners and the security risks associated with active scanning, motivating the adoption of Host Identity Protocol (HIP)-based VPLS (HIPLS) for secure industrial communication. However, traditional HIPLS suffers from scalability limitations as encrypted tunnels, forwarding table entries, and control-plane overhead grow rapidly with the number of participating sites.

To overcome these limitations, this thesis develops a sequence of architectural and optimization solutions for secure VPLS. First, it replaces the full-mesh design with relay-based communication and formulates the Relay Placement Problem (RPP) to determine cost-efficient relay configurations while maintaining connectivity among all participating sites. For this NP-hard problem, a polynomial-time approximation algorithm with a provable performance guarantee is developed. The relay architecture is subsequently extended through Tunnel Relay Nodes (TRNs) and dynamic tunnel scheduling, for which a Lagrangian-relaxation-based algorithm efficiently obtains high-quality feasible solutions under connectivity and capacity constraints. The thesis also addresses the scalability of cryptographic key management by formulating the Key Distribution Center Placement (KDCP) problem and proposing an approximation framework with a provable solution-quality guarantee for distributed KDC deployment. Finally, the underlying trust model of secure VPLS is reconsidered through a Zero Trust architecture based on a multiparty extension of the HIP Base Exchange (HIP-MBEX), reducing customer dependence on trusted provider infrastructure. Evaluations using realistic and real-world network topologies demonstrate considerable reductions in tunnel count, forwarding state, and control-plane signaling, while maintaining bounded path stretch and low latency overhead in the evaluated scenarios.

The proposed algorithmic frameworks for relay and KDCP provide theoretical guarantees on solution quality, ensuring a provably cost-effective VPLS deployment. These contributions offer a dual advantage: they enable service providers to minimize Capital and Operational Expenditures (CAPEX/OPEX) through near-optimal resource utilization, while simultaneously providing customers with a secure, scalable solution for multi-site connectivity. Consequently, this thesis establishes a practical and robust foundation for next-generation industrial networks.

Background: Extubation of patients undergoing general anaesthesia is a shared concern among registered nurse anaesthetists and anaesthesiologists. Although it has been described as complex and unpredictable, knowledge of this critical moment remains limited. Clinical judgment is consistently applied when making crucial decisions regarding patient care. This study aimed to investigate how RNAs and ANs expressed clinical judgment during extubation through noticing, interpreting, responding, and reflecting.

Methods: A qualitative reflexive thematic analysis was conducted, using interviews with registered nurse anaesthetists and anaesthesiologists from university and regional hospitals in Sweden. Triangulation was used to explore the perspectives of registered nurse anaesthetists (n = 20) and anaesthesiologists (n = 17) at extubations. Two datasets, one from focus group interviews with registered nurse anaesthetists and one from individual interviews with anaesthesiologists, were used to triangulate data.

Results: Extubation was described as a dynamic process of clinical judgment, where anaesthesia professionals continuously integrated clinical cues, experience, and situational awareness to ensure patient safety. Multisensory patient-related and situational cues were attended to and integrated to form an initial understanding of the patient’s condition. These cues were interpreted through prior experience and pattern recognition, while responses were shaped by context and often guided by embodied intuition. Reflection both in action and on action supported ongoing adjustment and the development of clinical judgment over time.

Conclusions: During extubation, registered nurse anaesthetists and anaesthesiologists exercised clinical judgment by putting the pieces together, continuously integrating clinical cues, experience, and situational awareness. This process involved multisensory noticing, experience-based interpretation, context-dependent responding often guided by embodied intuition, and ongoing reflection to ensure patient safety. These findings highlight the importance of supporting clinical judgment through experience-based learning, reflective practice, and work environments that enable focused attention during extubation.