BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke patients frequently manifest moderate hyperhomocysteinemia. In most published studies, plasma homocysteine was measured at least 1 month after stroke (or the interval was not reported). To determine whether plasma homocysteine concentrations change in the acute phase, we compared acute-phase values with both convalescent-phase and control values. METHODS: Plasma homo

We have made a study by isothermal calorimetry of the heat production response of root and tuber tissue to wounding. Samples with different surface to volume ratios were prepared from carrots, potatoes and swedes (rutabaga) and the overall metabolic heat was measured in closed glass ampoules in a TAM Air isothermal calorimeter. The evaluation was made by assuming that a certain heat production rat

We analyzed a large dataset to quantify adult annual survival probability and remigration intervals for the Tortuguero, Costa Rica green turtle population. Annual survival probability was estimated at 0.85 (95% CI 0.75-0.92) using a recovery model and at 0.85 (95% CI 0.83-0.87) using an open robust design model. The two most common modes of remigration are 2 and 3 years. Annual survival probabilit

This doctoral thesis deals with two closely interconnected phenomena, the adoption and diffusion of innovations. The research aims at developing both the theory of individual adoption decisions and the theory of the diffusion of an innovation in society. Especially how the pricing of an innovation tends to influence adoption and diffusion is focused. Two empirical studies within the telecommunicat

Objective: During heat sterilization and during prolonged storage, glucose in peritoneal dialysis fluids (PDF) degrades to carbonyl compounds commonly known as glucose degradation products (GDPs). Of these, 3,4-dideoxyglucosone-3-ene (3,4-DGE) is the most cytotoxic. It is an intermediate in degradation between 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (5-HMF). We have earlier repor

There is a strong interest in use of `smart polymers' in separation systems. These are polymers which can react on external influence, such as temperature or pH change. With such polymers it is possible from the outside to affect the properties of a separation system. Amphiphilic copolymers show drastic changes in solubility properties, such as self-association and phase separation, at e.g. temper

Popular Abstract in Swedish Med ett stokastiskt fält (random field) kan man matematiskt modellera en yta vars struktur och variationer i större eller mindre utsträckning kan beskrivas som slumpmässiga. Ett typexempel är havsytan. Det finns vissa ''regler'' för hur den kan se ut, men det exakta utseendet hos en viss våg uppfattas som slumpmässigt. Reglerna omfattar bland annat medelnivån, hur vanliIn this thesis the focus is on crossing points in random fields and the probability distributions of various crossing variables in different applications. The crossing points are generalisations to random fields of points of level crossings by stochastic processes. Only crossing events that occur at distinct points in the parameter space are considered, for example stationary points (zero-crossing

Aims Prospective studies of autonomic nerve function are rare. We have followed the progression of autonomic dysfunction in relation to nephropathy over 14 years in Type 1 diabetic patients. Methods Autonomic nerve function was assessed by heart-rate responses to deep breathing (E/I ratio) and tilting (acceleration and brake indices) and by the postural blood pressure reaction in 58 patients, 43

For linear systems with quadratic loss the optimal control is a linear feedback from all the state variables of the system. If all the states are not measurable, it is sometimes possible to construct a suboptimal linear regulator which is almost as good as the full optimal. In this report an algorithm is deduced, which computes a suboptimal strategy when the statistics of the initial state of the

Common to all DMT/OFDM systems is a large peak-to-average ratio (PAR), which can lead to low power efficiency and nonlinear distortion. Tone reservation uses unused or reserved tones to design a peak-canceling signal to lower the PAR of a transmit block. In DMT ADSL systems, the power allocated to these tones may be limited due to crosstalk issues with many users in one twisted pair bundle. This P

In behavioral experiments, the hawkmoth Deilephila elpenor can learn both the color and the position of artificial flowers. When very similar colors are used, moths select the correct color during the first test on a given day, thus using a stimulus strategy, but after repeated rewards, they switch to a place strategy and choose the flower in the position where they received the reward. When dissi

Objective: Reduction of cortisone to cortisol is mediated by 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11 beta HSD1), a putative key enzyme in obesity-related complications. Experimental studies suggest that adipokines, notably leptin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), are of importance for 11 beta HSD1 activity. We hypothesized that the regulation of hepatic preceptor glucocorticoid

89 children from 20 countries adopted to Swedish parents between 1984 and 1988 were tested for the presence of hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV). Sera taken soon after their arrival to Sweden were retrospectively analyzed. Two children, an 18-month-old boy from Poland and an 8-month-old girl from India, were anti-HCV positive. The girl from India had lost the anti-HCV antibodies in sera taken at t

Adsorption of pyridine to TiO2 anatase(1 0 1) surfaces via carboxylic acid and phosphonic acid anchor groups has been investigated using periodic DFT calculations. Stronger adsorption is observed for pyridine-4-phosphonic acid than for pyridine-4-carboxylic acid. Periodic molecular orbitals are visualized, and surface electron transfer properties are interpreted in terms of the orbital mixing. Mor