Filtyp
Heart failure is a clinical syndrome characterized by an inability of the heart to meet the metabolic demands of the body. Approximately 1-2% of the population in the western society has the diagnosis, and the 5-year mortality rate is comparable with the common cancer diagnoses. The lack of reliable objective measures of heart failure motivates research in this direction. Blood flow is an essentia
Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and premature death, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. The aim of this thesis was to investigate cardiovascular parameters and adrenergic function in mild PHPT compared to healthy controls subjects before and after curative parathyroidectomy (PTX). Forty-nine patients with mild PHPT (serum calci
Radicular pain is in the majority of cases caused by a disc herniation with a coexisting inflammation. It is characterized by positive neural tension tests, such as the Slump test, and by decreased range of motion (ROM) in the straight leg raising test (SLR) and lumbar flexion (Fingertip-to-floor test[FTF]). This may suggest that improvement in ROM correlates to reduction of self-reported disabili
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a remarkably proficient colonizer of the human respiratory tract. The aim of this thesis has been to characterize currently known, and identify novel, bacterial factors involved in the key processes of colonization and pathogenesis, namely adherence to host tissue and evasion of the host innate immunity. We have shown that the NTHi virulence factor Pr
Around 5% of all cancer cases worldwide are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) which has been established as the cause of cervical cancer and genital warts (condylomas). Cutaneous HPV types have been weakly associated with non-melanoma skin lesions such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and actinic keratosis (AK). We have analyzed skin and genital lesions for presence of HPV-DNA in order to searc
The DEK gene is upregulated in a growing number of cancers and translocated to form the DEK-NUP214 fusion gene in a subset of acute myeloid leukemia. In this thesis, we studied the cellular and molecular functions of the DEK and DEK-NUP214 proteins. We found that the expression of DEK is increased by the leukemia-associated fusion protein NUP98-HOXA9, suggesting that DEK may be a downstream mediat
The MAX II and MAX III synchrotron light sources at MAX-lab provide synchrotron radiation for experiments in a wide variety of research fields. The synchrotron radiation is emitted by ultra-relativistic electrons circulating in electron storage rings. In this thesis the transverse and longitudinal electron beam sizes and the electron beam lifetime limitations in electron storage rings are discusse
This thesis consists of three distinct articles that can be read separately. Each one has been awarded a chapter of its own. The independence of these chapters should not be taken as meaning that they are unrelated. Besides belonging all to the subfield of macroeconomics, they share the common feature of being inherently economic policy oriented. The title of the first article is "Fiscal Policy a
Smooth muscles are components of several physiologically important organs and often involved in disease. Smooth muscle contraction is regulated by variations in intracellular [Ca2+]; increased levels activate the myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) which phosphorylates myosin and initiates contraction. Myosin phosphatase (MLCP) dephosphorylates myosin and promotes relaxation. Several cellular signali
Tumors of bone and soft tissue are common but only constitute 1 % of all malignant tumors. The malignant tumors are often difficult to diagnose due to their rarity and morphological resemblance between subtypes. This makes the diagnostic process challenging. Thus, there is a need for ancillary techniques, such as genetic analyses, not only for diagnostic purposes, but also for obtaining informatio
Transplantation of vital organs is today a widely used treatment when failure of the organ is a fact. To prevent rejection immunosuppresive treatment must be maintained lifelong, unless transplantation is perfomed between identical twins. Many immunosuppresive agents introduced in clinical practice have been benificial in improving graft survival rates, but adverse effects remains a huge problem t
Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies. Its treatment is highly dependent on the presence or absence of metastases. The available invasive and non-invasive modalities for detecting metastases are imperfect. Positron-emission tomography fused with computed tomography (PET/CT) is a non-invasive method for detecting metastases that is presently evaluated for prostate cancer. Fluoride
The underlying question in localization is, where am I? In this thesis a purely image based approach is proposed to solve this problem. In order to create a complete image based system, there are many subproblems that have to be addressed. The localization problem can also be solved in other ways, for example, with a GPS. Two advantages with using images compared to GPS are that no open sky is nee
The identification of infectious agents in cancer has been one of the most rewarding endeavors in cancer research. Currently about 20% of the global cancer burden is linked to an infection. A common characteristic of virus-induced cancer is an increased incidence in immunosuppressed patients, presumably because of impaired host control of virus. Yet non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), the cancer that
AD730® is a new type of nickel-based superalloy, developed by Aubert & Duval, with high temperature properties exceeding conventional superalloys such as Alloy 718. This paper presents the tool life model for this superalloy for the purpose of process optimization and manufacturing cost estimation. The tool life modelling is based on comprehensive machining tests, using the Colding model. The
This paper investigates a methodology for the precise statistical deconvolution of hardness properties within various metallic matrix multiphase materials. The central focus is on accurately characterizing mechanical behaviour in the context of complex materials. To meet these objectives, we implemented an approach involving nanoindentation analyses of the selected materials. This technique allowe
A continuously growing and mutating market with increasing demands on environmental sustainability, illuminated by unraveling environmental threats, highlights the need for greater resource efficiency in modern manufacturing industries. Machining has become pivotal in the pursuit of sustainability given its superior efficiency in manufacturing of metallic products. In theory, the efficiency of a m
Gender equality has been on the development cooperation agenda for more than three decades. Bilateral agencies have developed policies, strategies, methodologies and tools to support achievement of this important goal. Following the Fourth United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 it is important to take stock of the progress that has been made, and identify the changes needed for movi
The aim of the thesis was to study matrix metalloproteinase-26 (MMP-26) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-4 (TIMP-4) in normal, hyperplastic, and malignant endometrium. Most importantnly, both these molecules may be ivolved in the implantation process. Trophoblast tissue from human as well as mouse embryos produces pro-MMP-9. Active MMP-9 (gelatinase B) is a proteolytic enzyme with a bro
