Filtyp
It is well-known that a majority of breast cancers are hormone-dependent, making endocrine therapy an important adjuvant treatment after surgery. Susceptibility to endocrine treatment is determined by the presence of estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) in the tumors. Tamoxifen is the most well-established endocrine treatment available, inhibiting tumor growth and improving surv
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease, characterized by the accumulation of lipids and fibrous tissue in the wall of medium and large-sized arteries. The characteristic culprit of the disease is the atheroma, or atherosclerotic plaque, a patchy thickening of the arterial wall which affects the lumen, inducing various degrees of stenosis. The rupture of the atherosclerotic plaques, foll
In this thesis we explore and further develop several techniques used in the animal laboratory as well as in the clinical setting. In particular, we expand the understanding and usefulness of plethysmographic techniques in small rodents. Study I shows that the pressure signal from an un-restrained plethysmograph (UP) depends largely on heating and humidification of the inhaled air. This brings int
In this thesis, I have studied nitrogen turnover processes in watermeadows. A watermeadow is a wetland where water infiltrates through the soil of a grassland field. It is hypothesized that infiltration of water through the soil matrix promotes nutrient transformations compared to surface flow of water, by increasing the contact between water, nutrients, soil organic matter and bacteria. I have st
This thesis consists of three self-contained empirical studies on international financial economics. The common economic theme is that all three studies deal with international stock market return and risk. The common econometric theme is that all estimations are performed using simulated annealing, a stochastic optimization algorithm in the Markov Chain Monte Carlo family, in an attempt to solve
Laser based optical diagnostic methods are routinely used in combustion research. Many of the more common approaches are based on illuminating a cross-section of the sample with a thin laser sheet. For example, by targeting an electronic transition in a molecule, its concentration within the plane illuminated by the laser sheet can be deduced. By probing the relative occurrence of an atom or molec
The overall aim of the work was to examine the influence of cervical biomechanical conditions on movement performance, to study musculoskeletal findings accompanying possible cervicogenic dizziness and to evaluate the influence of cervical proprioception on head orientation. Two devices, measuring cervical range of motion, were compared: Myrin, an inclinometer/compass method and Zebris®, a 3-dime
The aims of this work were: 1) to estimate the number of follicles, ovarian volume and power Doppler vascular indices and their changes with age using three-dimensional (3D) transvaginal grey-scale and power Doppler ultrasound in asymptomatic women of fertile age either with natural menstrual cycles or using combined oral contraceptives, and 2) to determine whether tumour vascularity, assessed by
Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to generate further knowledge about prosthetic and orthotic services in developing countries. In particular, the thesis focused on patient mobility and satisfaction with prosthetic and orthotic devices, satisfaction with service delivery, and the views of staff regarding clinical practice and education. Methods: Questionnaires, including QUEST 2.0, were use
Klimatet har varit relativt stabilt under den nuvarande interglaciala epoken (Holocen) som inleddes för ungefär 11 700 år sedan. Genom klimatrekonstruktioner från olika geologiska arkiv såsom iskärnor, sjösediment och torvmossar har det ändå påvisats att snabba förändringar i klimatet har inträffat under denna epok. En sådan tidsperiod inträffade för omkring 2800 år sedan och den är intressant ur Geological archives have shown periods of abrupt climate change in the relatively stable Holocene epoch (last ca. 11 700 years). One of these periods was around 2800 cal BP. Several records, mainly from Europe, reveal a shift towards wetter, cooler and windier conditions. There are, however, indications for a global extent of the climate change. The climate change coincides with a distinct increas
Androgen action plays a pivotal role in male reproductive tract physiology and pathology. The androgen receptor (AR) gene harbors two codon repeat tracts: the CAG and GGN repeats, encoding corresponding amino acid sequences of variable length; the polyglutamine and polyglycine stretches, respectively. Variation in CAG repeat length had been associated with a number of andrological disorders, where
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Despite standard treatment including surgery, radiotherapy and temozolomide (TMZ)-based chemotherapy, the prognosis for GBM patients is dismal, and there is a need for novel treatments. One possible therapeutic treatment modality presented here is immunotherapy, either alone or combined with in
There is a pressing need for compatible Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs), in high quantities and of good clinical quality, to ensure optimal treatment for patients with various blood malignancies. Pluripotent Stem Cells (PSCs) have the potential to be a source for generating HSCs. The indefinite expansion capacity of PSCs, combined with the possibility of creating these cells from patient-specific
Cancer is a genetic disease that arises when a cell acquires unlimited growth potential through a series of mutational events, which target genes essential for normal cell control and maintenance. Breast cancer is one of the most frequent malignancies in women worldwide, and it is characterized by heterogeneous tumor biology, histological subtypes, variable prognosis and variable responsiveness to
The overall aim of the thesis was to describe long-term development of functional outcomes in children with cerebral palsy undergoing selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) combined with physiotherapy and to evaluate measures used in follow-up. Five years after SDR muscle tone was reduced, passive range of motion (PROM) increased in hip, knee and foot, gross motor function measured by the Gross Motor F
Abstract The epidermis is one of our primary interfaces towards the external milieu. Following injury, the physical barrier function of the skin is destroyed and the epidermis is left vulnerable to microbial invasion. Inducible innate immune response mechanisms exist to keep the wound site free from infection, thus allowing the wound to heal and the epidermis to re-establish its barrier function.
Atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid arteries are common in a middle-aged population. When a carotid plaque ruptures it may result in a cerebrovascular event. However, only a minor part of carotid plaques will eventually rupture. Finding those plaques is essential to decide the most appropriate treatment strategy. With non-invasive ultrasound the carotid plaques can be visualized for assessment
NPWT has recently been associated with severe complications and bleeding when used in wounds with exposed blood vessels. The aims of this work were to investigate the mechanisms of action of NPWT and to explore the possibility of using thin plastic discs to protect exposed blood vessels in the wound bed during NPWT. Three different kinds of wounds were created in pigs: 6 cm and 10 cm diameter circ
