Purpose: The purpose of this case-control study was to investigate the associations between maternal serum concentrations of vitamin D early in pregnancy and the occurrence of preterm birth. Methods: The study included 269 women (cases) whose children were born preterm (< 37 gestational weeks [gw]) and 332 women (controls) whose children were born term (≥ 37 gw). Among the cases, 59 were extreme p

We explore whether SAM2, a vision foundation model, can be used for accurate localization of eye image features that are used in lab-based eye tracking: corneal reflections (CRs), the pupil, and the iris. We prompted SAM2 via a typical hand annotation process that consisted of clicking on the pupil, CR, iris and sclera for only one image per participant. SAM2 was found to support better spatial pr

Given the need to mitigate adverse impacts of fossil fuel phase-outs, this thesis investigates whetherjust energy transitions lead to inclusive and place-based outcomes, focusing on the Just EnergyTransition (JET) in South Africa. Using a political economy and procedural justice lens, and drawing oninterviews with key stakeholders, the study explores the inclusivity of decision-making processes in

Climate change, changing weather patterns, and coastal erosion pose significant risks to the Hebridean isles, which are home to a unique habitat and a cultural landscape known as ‘’machair’. The machair is a coastal landform located exclusively in Scotland, with its majority of existence restricted to the western shore of the Outer Hebrides. This unique habitat, shaped by northern Atlantic winds a

The pursuit of economic growth is driving multiple global crises, including climate change, ecologicalcollapse, and rising inequality. As a high-income nation, Australia contributes to these problems, whilealso experiencing their impacts. Degrowth offers a radical alternative, yet remains marginalised in politicaland public debates. This thesis investigates the degrowth movement in Australia throu

Public toilets are recognized by the United Nations as a basic human right, but the Swedish government is currently not fulfilling their duty to ensure right-holders’ equal and universal access to public toilets. Responsibility has then, by default, fallen to local authorities. In the case of Lund, this is the municipality. Adequate sanitation has been identified by some as a vital criteria for wh

This research explores the emerging concept of care infrastructure in the urban periphery of Mexico City, specifically in Iztapalapa, through the lens of urban social sustainability. Based on over 35 semistructured interviews and participant observation, the study analyzes how access to services such as public laundries, take-away food services, and communal spaces contributes to the well-being of

SafeGrowth is a method in urban planning to prevent crime and promote social cohesion. The method was officially introduced in Toronto, Canada in 2001. Toronto and their application of SafeGrowth sparked global interest and in 2020, Drottninghög in Helsingborg, Sweden, decided to apply the method. They became the first city in Europe to apply SafeGrowth. This study explores the application of Safe

Transformation as an adaptation response can help align risk aversion practices with goals of sustainability and social justice. This lies in its ability to drive deep reaching changes in socio-environmental structures through critically examining and restructuring dominant power structures. This thesis applies Pelling et al’s (2015) transformative adaptation framework to a case-study of a technol

As the European Union advances decarbonization and energy independence, aquathermal energy (AE) offers a promising low-carbon solution for decentralized heating and cooling. Yet, AE uptake remains limited. This thesis investigates how social limitations to adaptation (SLAs) shape AE implementation by applying Adger et al.’s (2008) SLA framework—focusing on ethical considerations, knowledge availab

Sustainable development and sustainable urbanism has been receiving an increasingly influential role in urban development throughout the last decades, and many cities label themselves as ‘green’, ‘smart’, and ‘sustainable’. At the same time municipalities have been experiencing increasing economic pressure due to decentralization processes, which has resulted in them carrying a central role in dev

As issues regarding social security and gang violence have risen, safety has become a central concern, both internationally and in Sweden. Several strategies have been developed to counter the possibility of committing crime by changing the urban design and use of public space, including in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. One approach that has emerged from this is Crime Prevention Through

Växjö municipality in southern Sweden has long promoted itself as a frontrunner inenvironmental and climate policy, aiming to become climate neutral by 2030. As the city-continues to grow, this ambition is increasingly challenged by growing mobility demands and-infrastructure developments. This thesis investigates how Växjö works to achieve sustainable-mobility, and how the large-scale road projec

Soil ecosystems are under pressure from a variety of anthropogenic drivers. Yet, we know surprisingly little about the soil biota, which is believed to be the basis of healthy soils. This thesis explores how Danish agricultural advisors work with soil biota to ensure sustainable soil management.Through qualitative interviews, practices, and challenges in caring for soil biota are revealed, uncover

The Azerbaijani city of Shusha stands out as an exemplary place for reconstruction based on the principles of sustainable development in the post-conflict era. This research examines the city of Shusha’s aim of building a sustainable city model from scratch and focuses on two major directions: the transition to solar-based systems in the city’s energy supply and the establishment of a clean transp

The diffusion equation is a partial differential equation that describes how quantities such as heat, particles, or other diffusive substances spread out over time and space. This type of equation can be, at often times, quite challenging to solve analytically. Finding the exact solution is often difficult due to the com- plexity of the functions involved. This thesis focuses on solving the diffus

This thesis investigates the spatial governance challenges arising from the interaction of two policy fields: nature-based solutions (NbS) and urban densification in Lund, Sweden. The study explores multiple areas of interest, these areas are; (1) how actors collaborate within the planning process, (2) which actors pursue NbS and densification, and (3) what challenges and possibilities that exist

The use of public transport has an important role in today's society, in terms of meeting future climate goals. In order to encourage its increased use and to meet future challenges, the importance of human perspectives has increased. Planning for transport equity involves addressing inequalities, prioritizing the needs of vulnerable groups and working towards inclusive and sustainable mobilit