Approximately 7000 rare disorders exist, affecting 2 percent of Canadians and millions of people worldwide. Given that for many rare diseases only one allele is mutated, we hypothesize inducing expression of the remaining wild-type allele may have a therapeutic effect. SMAD3 heterozygosity results in Aneurysms-Osteoarthritis Syndrome (AOS) – an aortic aneurysm disorder also known as Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Type 3. We conducted a screen of FDA-approved compounds and found that 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-CRA) induces SMAD3 in normal human fibroblast cultures. Treatment with therapeutic concentrations of 13-CRA increased SMAD3 mRNA in normal human fibroblasts, patient fibroblasts, wild-type murine vascular smooth muscle cells and Smad3+/- murine vascular smooth muscle cells. Increases in SMAD3 protein were also observed in normal human fibroblasts, patient fibroblasts, and wild-type murine vascular smooth muscle cells. Immunofluorescent imaging revealed the primary site of protein induction to be nuclear. We report here the in vitro induction of SMAD3 mRNA and protein by therapeutic levels of 13-CRA and suggest further investigation of this modality for the treatment of AOS.

The norm shift in mediated scandals A comparative study of how the norm-breaking acts behind a mediated scandal have changed from the 1990s to the 2020s. This study aims to discover how the normbreaking actions described in mediated scandals have changed from the 1990´s to the 2020´s, whilst also analyzing how actors with different attributes, man or woman, are being portrayed in the mediated scandals. The topic was chosen due to the lack of research made on tabloid-articles in the field of mediated scandals. Previous research focuses primarily on scandals including political actors. A fact that this study aims to change. The study uses a theoretical framework of sociological theories by Durkheim and Douglas, which provides the tools nececcary to analyze social norms. The analysis is strengthened by a complementary theory by Lull & Himerman, involving criteria for mediated scandals. These criteria assisted in the selection process of empiricism and in the analysis. The twelve articles, based on four cases composed of two actors, one woman and one man, have been analyzed with an adjusted version of Camilla Gervides critical discourse analysis. The results shows that the journalists' role in mediated scandals have changed since the 1990´s. From sharing their own opinions then, to using experts to exemplify normbreaking behavior today. Beyond that there's also a wide gap between genderdepictons in the material. Women are treated more harshly and are defined as prime examples of bad social movements. Whilst the men, who share many attributes with the women, are treated with a professional distance. These depictions risk creating norms which put unfair expectations on women.

Problemformulering och syfte: Fenomenet cancel culture är något som har växt fram under de senaste åren, och utspelar sig främst på sociala medier. Detta betyder att individer eller grupper av människor tar ett kollektivt beslut att bojkotta den person, företag eller organisation som anses ha gjort något stötande eller oacceptabelt. Cancel culture har blivit enallt mer normal form av social bestraffning. Syftet med studien är att utforska hur Margaux hanterade sin kriskommunikation genom video-skandalen och hur hon bemöter CancelCulture klimatet. Genom att undersöka olika kommunikationsstrategier, respons på kritik, användning av sociala medier och långsiktiga effekter på varumärke och karriär, syftar studien till att ge insikter i hur Cancel Culture påverkar samhället och influencern Margauxliv. Metod och Material: Undersökningen är en kvalitativ innehållsanalys med ett kodschemasom består av fem stycken inlägg från Margaux Dietz Instagram. Där har kommentarerna kodats. Det har även gjorts en transkribering av den dokumentär som släpptes i samband med den kris som uppstod. Huvudresultat: I denna kvalitativa forskning framgår det att kommentarerna på Margauxs Instagram-inlägg visar hur användarnas beteende och reaktioner förändrades under och efter skandalen. Samt hur Margaux använde sig av olika strategier för att hantera sin image.

This study investigates the previously neglected literary phenomenon of game novels, a genre that is part of the increasing significance that games are having in culture. Intermedial studies is one of the principal fields that examines these types of phenomena, which provides perspectives for understanding the interactions between media. Furthermore, it forms the foundation for this study that analyses the relation between the four novels by Drew Karpyshyn (Mass Effect: Revelation, 2007; Mass Effect: Ascension, 2008; Mass Effect: Retribution, 2010) and William C. Dietz (Mass Effect: Deception, 2012), and the Mass Effect Trilogy. Differences and similarities between the media are delineated using semiotic theories, primarily the concepts of modalities of media and transfers of media characteristics. The thesis further investigates the narrative discourse, and narrative perspectives in the novels and how these instances relate to the transferred characteristics of Mass Effect. Ultimately, the commonly transferred characteristic in the novels is the storyworld, which reveals both differences and similarities between the media. Regardless of any differences, the similarities demonstrate a relationship where the novels expand the storyworld.

This study has examined how the celebrities Paolo Roberto and Margaux Dietz were portrayed in the Swedish newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen in connection with their scandals in 2020 and 2022. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether there are gender stereotypes in the way Roberto and Dietz are portrayed in newspapers, and to see what similarities and differences can be observed in the representation of the celebrities in text and image. The theoretical framework of the study is based on framing, theories of gender, theories about scandals and media logic. The method used in the study is a quantitative content analysis. The results show that Dietz was portrayed in a more negative way than Roberto, who was portrayed more neutral. The results also showed that Roberto was primarily discussed from a professional perspective, while Dietz was more often discussed from a private perspective. When the celebrities were represented in images, the results showed that Dietz was more frequently shown smiling and looking into the camera. Based on the results, we can conclude that Roberto and Dietz are portrayed differently in the reporting of their scandals in newspapers, both in text and image. We see that these gender stereotypes that have emerged in previous research largely agree with this study. Through a gender perspective, many of the differences can be linked to the gender stereotypes and structures of masculinity and femininity that have long existed in our society.

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