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PHENIX is one of four experiments at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider, RHIC. The high-energy heavy-ion collisions provided by this accelerator offer the possibility to study nuclear matter at high temperature and density. The high multiplicity of particles produced in these collisions puts high demands on detector performance. Providing space points along particle trajectories, the Pad Chamber
To understand the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases we have to consider the problem from different angles. Animal models provide a tool to further understand these complex diseases, as the influence of genetic and environmental factors could be limited. Moreover, modern transgenic techniques have made it possible to study the role of certain genes and gene products in the development of diseases
This thesis deals with the central carbohydrate metabolism and exopolysaccharide (EPS) formation in two different lactic acid bacteria (LAB): Lactobacillus reuteri and Pediococcus parvulus. LAB are traditionally used as starter cultures in the food industry. In general, LAB harbours one glycolytic pathway converting carbohydrates into lactic acid. However, L. reuteri ATCC 55730 was proven to use t
We wanted to improve tendon healing by adding a growth factor. Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) are well known to stimulate bone healing and bone formation. The local environment is of major importance for cell differentiation after a BMP has been added. Cartilage Derived Morphogenetic Proteins (CDMPs) -1, -2 and -3 (BMP 14, 13 and 12 or GDF 5, 6 and 7) form a subgroup in the BMP-family and are
The subject of the thesis is the narratives in medieval mural paintings in southern Scandinavia c 1100-1530. Its aim is to examine their relationship to texts, to the viewer and to the church space, where the viewer looks at the murals. Two different subjects have been chosen for study: S Christopher and the Nativity of Christ. From the corpus of preserved mural paintings with these subjects in so
The gastrointestinal tract has two opposing functions; to absorb nutrients and electrolytes, and to act as a barrier towards hazardous and non-nutritional substances. In the present thesis the barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract was studied in animal models in vivo, in situ and in vitro. Experimentally induced disorders of the intestinal barriers were evaluated in terms of altered inte
Climate projections indicate that Arctic and sub-Arctic regions are facing a significant change in climate during the 21st century. With warmer temperatures precipitation is also expected to increase, and in particular winter precipitation. These changes are likely to have large impacts on the Arctic and subarctic environment, and extensive research has focused on ecosystem-climate interactions in
The global terrestrial carbon cycle plays a pivotal role in regulating the atmospheric composition of greenhouse gases. Currently it is responsible for removing 25-30% of our emissions every year, an important ecosystem service that may not persist in the long term. Global warming tends to decrease the CO2 sink capacity of the world’s oceans and ecosystems leading to a larger fraction of our emiss
In this work a number of theoretical models, describing light propagation in matter, have been applied to and developed for the examination of tissue. The aim was to model the light scattering and absorption in tissue in order to improve the understanding of underlying mechanisms of laser-based diagnostics and treatment modalities utilised for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The models studied
Nanowires have the potential to be a very flexible platform for the design of semiconductor devices. In nanowires it is possible to form crystal structures not found in the bulk materials under normal conditions, and to combine different III-V and group IV materials into axial or radial heterostructures. As quite complex structures can be formed, both intentionally and unintentionally, characteriz
The purpose of this dissertation was to increase - through an empirical investigation - our understanding of early parenthood in relation to children with Down syndrome. My point of departure has been the parents’ life-worlds, and I have developed an accompanying working method. Ten families with newborn infants with Down syndrome were followed through regular home visits during the first year of
The thesis is a bioelectrochemical study of heme enzymes, mainly peroxidases and cellobiose dehydrogenases (CDH). It covers both fundamental and applied aspects, viz. studies of the direct electron transfer and kinetics of enzymes on electrodes, and the development of amperometric enzyme-based biosensors. The kinetics of the direct and mediated electron transfer of a wide range of peroxidases (bo
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) has been used to determine the kinetics of ligand binding to the adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), as well as the oligomerisation and inter- and intramolecular dynamics of the low molecular weight-protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMW-PTP) in solution. NMR spectroscopy is sensitive to dynamic processes on timescales ranging from picoseconds t
Nuclear medicine is based on the radiotracer principle of George de Hevesy and the magic bullet concept by Ehrlich and focuses on the diagnosis, the treatment of diseases and the investigation of normal states within the human body using radiopharmaceuticals. A radiopharmaceutical is an atom or a chemical compound in which one or several atoms are replaced with a radionuclide. Several diagnostic a
For the development of a Single–Ion Hit Facility (SIHF) for living cells irradiation at the Lund Ion Beam Analysis facility (LIBAF), newly developed pre-cell detectors have been investigated. These detectors can determine the number of ions reaching the sample. Central to the thesis is their fabrication and characterization. Two different detectors ’ Design A and Design B’ were fabricated with thi
The purpose of the thesis is to further understand key conceptual and operational challenges that international aid donors, and public and private institutions, face while designing and implementing alternative forms of social housing finance which aim to be inclusive for the urban poor. Based on an in-depth study of the work of the Foundation for the Promotion of Local Development (PRODEL) in thr
The study included 44 Scandinavian individuals with the autosomal recessive inherited Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome. Inclusion criteria were retinal dystrophy plus at least 2 more of the remaining traditional cardinal signs of the syndrome: obesity, polydactyly, hypogenitalism and mental retardation. The study showed that the patients had an early onset of night blindness and a poor visual p
Π-conjugated polymers are an important class of materials which can be used in e.g. photoelectric (solar cells) or electroluminescent (displays) devices. These materials are implemented in a number of applications these days since a lot is already known about them. There is, however, still a lot to learn in order to increase the efficiency and reduce the power consumption of devices. There are man
Today’s requirements of fast, reliable and selective analytical methods with minimal usage of organic solvents have accelerated the development of new, automated extraction techniques. In this thesis recent extraction techniques with emphasis on supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were investigated. Different environmental and industrial applications such a
