Why adolescents are using tobacco is a large and complex issue. There are factors on society, group and individual levels that affect the youngsters. The norms and attitudes in their surrounding, as well as the tobacco habits of parents and friends, are important when it comes to affecting adolescents to start using tobacco or abstain from it. Counteracting the use of tobacco requires a combinatio

Background: Acute ischemia of the lower limb is a vascular emergency associated with amputation and death. Patients suffering from acute limb ischemia are usually elderly, and multiple comorbidities are often present. Intra-arterial thrombolysis is, perhaps, the most important minimal-invasive treatment option available today. Although uncontrolled hemorrhage is a dreaded complication, it is consi

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a multifactorial disease, which has made it difficult to resolve its pathophysiology. We investigated processes that could contribute to the development of T2D. In addition to well-known hallmarks of the disease, such as defective insulin secretion, insulin resistance and perturbed glucagon secretion, we aimed to find a possible role for CLOCK genes in the pathogenesis of

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), phthalates, manganese and selenium are ubiquitous in the environment and humans and influence fetal growth and development. Register and biobank based case-control studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between prenatal exposure to these chemicals and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood. The study base comprised children bo

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) is involved in the metabolism of the majority of clinically used drugs. We have studied the CYP mediated metabolism of quinoline 3-carboxamides, a group of synthetic immunomodulators in liver microsomal preparations from various species. Roquinimex, the lead compound, was found to be metabolised by CYPs to hydroxylated and demethylated metabolites. A similar metabolite patter

The aim of this dissertation is to explore the possibilities of an adequate understanding of time by discussing concepts of time (and eternity) as they appear in church texts, theological thinking, and natural science from the Newtonian era to modern physics. Relationality, dynamics, multiplicity, and narrativity are suggested as indispensable dimensions of such an understanding. Inspired by P. R

The aims were to assess the prevalence of ovarian tumors in fertile asymptomatic women and to evaluate the risk of ovarian cancer in women with a history of benign ovarian tumors and endometriosis. In order to search for biomarkers in ovarian tumors, the plasminogen activating (PA) system was studied. A random sample of women 25-40 years old was invited to a transvaginal ultrasonography examinati

This thesis takes its starting point in the large spread and rise in obesity prevalence that have been observed around the world, making obesity an increasing public health concern. The thesis consists of an introductory chapter, which justifies the study of obesity from economic perspectives and puts the subsequent studies in context, and four studies that address obesity from different economic

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is an extremely potent smooth muscle spasmogen well known from the vascular system but also active within the airways. The importance of its proinflammatory and co-mitogenic properties has become increasingly evident, the endothelin system also having been shown to mimic the signal features of asthma, COPD and other pulmonary diseases. The present thesis concerns the role of th

Antineoplastic drugs are commonly used in the medical treatment of cancer and some other diseases. Workplaces e.g. hospital pharmacies and wards where antineoplastic drugs are used are contaminated with these drugs and health care workers are therefore at risk of getting occupationally exposed. Many antineoplastic drugs are classified as carcinogenic and teratogenic to humans. Cyclophosphamide (CP

The susceptibility to mould growth varies between building materials. The factors that most affect mould growth, the relative humidity (RH) and temperature also vary in different parts of buildings. One way of preventing the growth of mould in buildings is therefore to choose building materials that can withstand the expected conditions. It is thus crucial that data are available to allow the corr

The aim of this study is to discuss how ?soliciting? (non-native speakers? requests of native speakers for help in how to express themselves in a foreign language) may play a part in the triggering of SPAs (Séquences Potentiellement Acquisitionnelles or ?learning?teaching sequences?). The beneficial effect of SPAs for learning is still controversial, since no correlation has yet been shown between