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Background: Clinical tools to diagnose the early changes of osteoarthritis (OA) that occur in the articular cartilage are lacking. Objectives: We sought to identify and quantify a novel cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) neoepitope in the synovial fluid from the joints of healthy horses and those with different stages of OA. Study design: In vitro quantitative proteomics and assay developm
Objectives: Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of vedolizumab in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, these findings may not reflect the clinical practice. Therefore, we aimed to describe a vedolizumab-treated patient population and assess long-term effectiveness. Materials and methods: Patients initiating vedolizumab between 1 June 2014 and 30 May 2015 were identified through th
This paper analyzes the effect of overlapping Trade blocs on Trade Facilitation. Using the time, documents and costs incurred as trade facilitation indicators, simulations show interesting yet important effects of an increase in Regional Trade Agreements on trade costs. The results suggest that when it comes to increasing regional trade agreements by 1%, costs are associated with an increase via t
The symbolic elite discourse on the safety and viability of using the insecticide DDT for combating malaria in Africa is marked by extreme dissonance. While some positions within the debate on using DDT for malaria prevention are quite nuanced, others are more extreme if not one-dimensional. The ones who tend to hold more nuanced or centrist positions on using DDT for controlling malaria are often
The European Union’s (EU) ‘market-oriented’ approach to renewable energy development risks undermining the ability of individual citizens to meaningfully contribute to, and benefit from, a decentralised, localised, and decarbonised energy system. In spite of the EU’s ambition to involve local communities for co-driving a low-carbon energy transition, there is no comprehensive analysis uncovering t
The low-carbon benefits and emissions savings from circular economy (CE) strategies are not yet well understood, yet are crucial for global development within Planetary Boundaries. Using the mineral fraction of waste incinerator bottom ash (MIBA) as construction material in road construction is one application of a CE strategy that could lead to environmental gains by substituting energy-intensive
In the study of insect neuroanatomy, three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of neurons and neuropils have become a standard technique. As images have to be obtained from whole-mount brain preparations, pigmentation on the brain surface poses a serious challenge to imaging. In insects, this is a major problematic in the first visual neuropil of the optic lobe, the lamina, which is obstructed by the
The claims for the potential of boreal and sub-boreal forests to combat negative effects of climate change have been substantial with over half of Earth’s primary forests found within boreal and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Given the likely occurrence of more extreme climate events in the future, ascertaining a better understanding of how climate effects, such as profound fluctu
Rapid urban growth has brought along various social, economic, and environmental issues, including the expansion of informal settlements – deprived areas lacking proper housing, basic services, and safety. Informal areas, inequalities and exclusion are common features in Nairobi, where more than half of the population is residing in slums. Women are the most vulnerable in this context, struggling
In a changing world order, emerging middle powers from the global South may seek new positions in international societies. Using the United Nations as an international society, this thesis aims to investigate what roles the emerging middle powers, Brazil and South Africa, enact in pursuing permanent seats at the Security Council. This research conducts a qualitative text analysis using official da
The production and use of chemicals has grown exponentially over the past 50 years. Although the knowledge of hazards and risks associated with chemicals towards humans and the environment has increased, we know frightenedly little about how dangerous these might become when part of finished products. Companies now need to be more concerned about which chemicals exist in their products. For the co
Humanitarian crises are becoming more frequent- and increasingly protracted, causing humanitarian actors to be under mounting pressure in their attempts to respond to the increasing amount of people in need. Among else, cash-based programming has been highlighted as part of the solution to this and has been rapidly on the rise as an aid modality among humanitarian actors in the past few years. Whi
Border carbon adjustment is an economic instrument being discussed more frequently as a possible solution to address carbon leakage, which is an issue for many developed countries. Developed countries are showing interest in this instrument to protect domestic industries from carbon leakage to countries that do not tax carbon. There is however concerns from developing countries that border carbon
The Amazon has always been a strategic region because of its rich variety in natural resources. Its global interest is spreading across levels and scales, influenced by the increasing demand for fossil fuels and biodiesel and the threat of climate change. Neoliberal practices continue privatizing and exploiting the Amazon´s resources regardless the Indigenous communities’ interests. These communit
Grooming är ett vedertaget begrepp för det tillvägagångssätt som förövare använder sig av för att ta kontakt med barn, ofta på internet, för att slutligen begå sexuella brott mot barnet. Internetets expansion har på många sätt gett förövare fler tillvägagångssätt att komma i kontakt med barn. En stor andel av barnen i Sverige använder sociala medier, varav många någon gång har blivit kontaktade onGrooming is an established word for the approach that perpetrators are using to contact children, oftentimes over the Internet, ultimately to commit sexual offenses against the child. The expansion of the Internet has in many ways made it easier for perpetrators to approach and contact children. The vast majority of Swedish children use social media, many of whom at some point have been contacted
Behavior and social interactions are key features to determine the phenotype of an organism. Observing behavioral manifestations give insides on a fundamental level of how inner mechanisms work. But how is it possible to predict behavior in a way, such that it can be quantify and analyzed? One traditional strategy is to annotate the behavior by hand. Observing the animals and making notes about th
To stay within our planet’s limits and reach the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, there is an urgent need to rethink our current and dominant systems. This thesis focuses on the food system, in particular, and explores how an overarching turnaround in the way we produce and consume food has the potential to trigger and steer a greater transition towards sustainability. However, this
In this paper, we investigate the long-term post-event stock return performance of companies operating in the IT sector and listed on NASDAQ Stockholm by using 78 mergers and acquisitions deals performed in the 2009 – 2013 period. We apply the event study methodology, focusing on the buy-and-hold abnormal returns approach. Stock return performance is analyzed in comparison to the Swedish general m
This paper aims to examine the arguments proposed by the Obama administration regarding a U.S. military intervention in Syria due to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime in 2013. During his presidency, Obama stated that the He draws a ‘red line’ at the use of chemical weapons against civilians, but the threat proved to be empty a year later when thousands of people were killed in a che
