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Mucosal infections trigger an inflammatory response that includes the secretion of cytokines and the recruitment of neutrophils to the infected site. This thesis describes studies examining the molecular mechanisms of neutrophil migration to sites of mucosal bacterial infection. Escherichia coli (E. coli) infection of epithelial cell layers stimulates chemokine secretion and chemokine receptor ex
It is a contested question in contemporary theories of religion whether the concept of religion can be defined in a sound way or not. Many theorists maintain that a universal but delimiting definition is impossible. In this study, by contrast, it is argued that a conceptual analysis of religion that holds universally is perfectly possible because the following thesis can be seen as a necessary and
During development, information about the three-dimensional shape and mechanical properties of the body is laid down in the synaptic connectivity of sensorimotor systems through adaptive mechanisms. In spinal reflex systems, this enables the fast transformation of complex sensory information into adequate correction of movements. In this thesis, it is shown, in a computer simulation, that an unsup
Biofilms are compact, sessile microbial communities that attach to surfaces in aqueous environments. In wastewater treatment, they are especially important for removal of phosphorus and nitrogen, which, if released into a receiving water body, can cause severe eutrophication. Mathematical models of biofilms in wastewater are used to understand the underlying processes and to describe and analyze b
The t(6;9) translocation is found in a subset of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is associated with a poor prognosis. The translocation results in the formation of the DEK-NUP214 fusion protein containing almost the entire nuclear protein DEK and two thirds of the nucleoporin NUP214. The molecular mechanisms behind the leukemic conversion of cells expressing the fusion protein DEK-N
Defective insulin secretion is a central feature in diabetes mellitus and results from reduced pancreatic beta-cell mass as well as aberrant beta-cell function. The pathophysiology of diabetes is incompletely known, but a strong hereditary component is suggested. This thesis investigates the genetic and cellular basis for impaired insulin release by employing a number of cell-physiological and bio
This PhD thesis consists of four separate papers. What these papers have in common is that Bayesian Econometrics, in combination with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods, is applied to study various problems in financial economics. The first two papers are further related in that they both deal with portfolio selection and estimation risk, as are the last two papers in that they both deal with
In this thesis we have used P fimbriated E. coli as a model to investigate the mechanisms of bacterial recognition and cell activation by the urinary tract (UT) epithelium. We show that Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) is crucial for the recognition and host response to P fimbriated E. coli. This response was independent of LPS and did not require CD14. TLR4 was abundant on epithelial cells throughout
Antibodies of the IgE isotype play a key role as the allergen recognizer in allergic disease, which today affects as much as a third of the population in the industrialized parts of the world. Despite this crucial role of IgE, our knowledge of IgE repertoires and how we can utilize the information hidden in monoclonal IgE to improve the quality of life of allergic patients, is limited. This thesis
In a long-term prospective follow-up in patients randomized to an ileal or colonic conduit, with implantation of one ureter using antireflux technique and the other without, the fall in the mean total GFR exceeded the expected age-related decline. The fall in the mean separate GFR did not differ between refluxing and antirefluxing anastomosis. Patients with a continent caecal reservoir (antireflux
This thesis describes the development and selected applications of a global vegetation model, BIOME4. The model is applied to problems in high-latitude vegetation distribution and climate, trace gas production, and isotope biogeochemistry. It demonstrates how a modeling approach, based on principles of plant physiology and ecology, can be applied to interdisciplinary problems that cannot be adequa
This project deals with questions related to generic diesel combustion research and optically accessible engines are used to study the combustion process. Images of the combustion are analyzed together with in-cylinder pressure and exhaust gas emission measurements. The results can be divided into two main categories: one about evaluations of optically accessible engines and one about studies of e
It is of at most importance that society reduces its impact on the environment. In the chemical industry the use of renewable resources will play a fundamental role in the transition to more sustainable chemical products. Also industrial biotechnology, i.e. the use of enzymes to convert raw material into valuable chemicals at low temperatures, leads to more sustainable processes. The research pres
A great deal of research is being carried out on the biological production of hydrogen and methane. However, little effort has been devoted to studying the technical and economic feasibility of these processes. The main objective of the work presented in this thesis was to perform techno-economic analyses to improve our understanding of the processes by identifying the bottlenecks, and to provide
Aerosol particles contribute significantly to the global burden of disease, and remain the main source of uncertainty in assessments of human-induced climate change. The microphysical characterization of particles is necessary to understand the roles they play in the detrimental effects of air pollution on human health, and in the energy budget of our planet. Soot particles are especially relevant
Urban traffic involves frequent acceleration and deceleration. During deceleration, the energy previously used to accelerate the vehicle is mainly wasted on heat generated by the friction brakes. If this energy that is wasted in traditional internal combustion engines (ICE) could be saved, the fuel economy would improve. Today there are several solutions to meet the demand for better fuel economy
Slowing the incidence of HIV and STI among young people requires that they change their sexual behaviours. There is evidence that community-based interventions that target multiple levels of influence can be effective. In community mobilization different segments and sectors of a population are directly involved in problem identification and in the design and implementation of programs. The proces
This thesis considers models for describing high energy particle collisions. Existing phenomonological models are modified and new implementations made in order to achive a better description of states with several hard jets. To predict final state hadrons, parton showers are used together with pheonomenological hadronization models. These models describe a wide range of observables, but have the
Major Intrinsic Proteins (MIPs, also called Aquaporins, AQPs) are channel forming membrane proteins. Although initially functionally characterized and named after their water channeling property in human red blood cells, it has become increasingly evident that MIPs are present in all types of organisms and transport a variety of small, uncharged molecules besides water. MIPs have a highly conserve
This doctoral thesis has signal processing of eye-tracking data as its main theme. An eye-tracker is a tool used for estimation of the point where one is looking. Automatic algorithms for classification of different types of eye movements, so called events, form the basis for relating the eye-tracking data to cognitive processes during, e.g., reading a text or watching a movie. The problems with t
