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This thesis deals with the process of estimating underwater current from the backscattering signal transmitted from an ultrasonic transducer. The narrowband sinusoidal burst signal is Doppler-shifted due to the current, and this information is converted into current. The traditional mathematical model for this Doppler process is based on the assumption that the backscattering time signal is Gaussi
During the 1990s many of the local authorities have been forced to reduce expenditure on the care of the elderly and people with disabilities, and many organisational changes have been carried out. New problems and their solutions are often related to leadership and management. This dissertation deals with three trends in the development of the organisation: The first trend is a market orientation
The point of departure of this thesis is the rapidly growing research field known as the New Economic Geography (NEG). It consists of four chapters, one introductory chapter and three self-contained theoretical studies. The chapters may be summarised as follows. The first chapter gives a brief account of the NEG. It explains the soaring interest in the location of economic activity, and it review
Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is an effective operations method that successfully decreased the degree of spasticity with long lasting beneficial effects for children with spastic diplegia. Children undergoing SDR are postoperatively in severe pain, a pain related to both the extensive surgical exposure with multilevel laminotomy and the nerve root manipulation. To give an optimal pain relief,
This thesis deals with techniques to model risk in financial markets and consists of four separate essays. The thesis begins with an introduction in chapter one, while chapter two to chapter five contains the four essays. The first essay examines the implication of using various risk measures for portfolio selection. Specifically, three risk measures are examined: variance, Value at Risk (VaR) an
The focus of this dissertation is communication between managers and subordinates in a modern organization. The research questions are concerned with ideas, practices and organizational conditions in relation to leadership communication. My starting point for this study was the change in leadership philosophy that was introduced in many organizations at the beginning of the 1980s. This transforma
Gliomas are neoplasms arising in the central nervous system (CNS), and constitute the most common primary brain tumor. They are classified depending on the grade and morphology, from grade I, pilocytic astrocytoma, to grade IV, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Glioblastomas constitute a great challenge in treatment due to their disseminating nature. Classical treatments such as surgery, radiation th
An elevated plasma level of homocysteine has been suggested as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The objectives of this thesis were to study the influence of renal function on homocysteine levels in patients with coronary artery disease and to explore the association of elevated plasma levels of homocysteine to oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. The effects of pla
The concepts participation and empowerment are frequently used in development projects in the third world. The meaning given to the concepts today signal a normative orientation, marking an alternative, people-centred approach to development. When used in development projects, the concepts demand detailed descriptions. They also demand project implementers, often local NGOs (non-government organis
In this thesis, aspects of the use of cryogenically cooled rare-earth-ion-doped crystals in the fields of quantum optics and quantum information processing are addressed. The experiments and theoretical considerations referred to in this thesis are based on the coherent transient interaction between light and the ions in the crystals. A photon echo experiment has been performed where faint optica
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
This thesis is based on five papers, which all analyse different aspects of splitting schemes when applied to nonlinear parabolic problems. These numerical methods are frequently used when a problem has a natural decomposition into two or more parts, as the computational cost may then be significantly decreased compared to other methods. There are two prominent themes in the thesis; the first con
The availability of short-pulse, high-intensity lasers has opened doors to new areas in atomic and plasma physics. The short pulses (a few femtoseconds), that are available today, enable unprecedented temporal measurements, while the high peak power accessible (several terawatts) allows physicists to study the interaction between light and relativistic plasmas. The aim of this work was twofold: i)
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
One of the major determinants of the final infarct size during an acute coronary occlusion is the size of the myocardium subjected to ischemia. Identification and quantification of this so-called myocardium at risk in the acute phase of ischemia has been difficult in patients with conventional methods, such as myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or electrocardio
Outer membrane vesicles (OMV) have the size of nanoparticles and are released from the outer membrane of most Gram-negative bacteria. The OMV reflect the composition of the bacterial outer membrane, including lipids and virulence factors specific for the pathogen, and are involved in pathogenesis and bacterial survival. Moraxella catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae are Gram-negative bacterial s
This thesis deals with signal processing algorithms for analysis of the electrocardiogram (ECG) during atrial fibrillation (AF). Such analysis can be used for diagnosing patients, and for monitoring and predicting their response to various treatment. The thesis comprises an introduction and five papers describing methods for ECG-based modeling and characterization of AF. Paper I--IV deal with meth
