It is frequently argued that cannabinoids exert part of their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects via activation of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor located on TRPV1-expressing primary sensory nerve fibres in peripheral tissues. However, we find no evidence of CB1 receptor immunoreactivity on nerve fibres in rat or mouse hindpaw skin and mesenteric artery. The CB1 receptor agonists anandamide and

The present thesis explores alterations in brain morphology in the neurodegenerative disorder of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). With the aim to improve the clinical diagnostics of FTD, we explored the diagnostic potential of measuring morphological alterations in the white matter by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)- MRI, compared with the more commonly used assessment of grey matter thickness and vo

BACKGROUND: The study is part of a collaborative project (Inuendo), aiming to assess the impact of dietary persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) on human fertility. The aims with the present study are to analyze inter-population variations in serum concentrations of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE), to assess inter-popul

This thesis focuses on a small population of non-conventional T lymphocytes, called natural killer T (NKT) cells. NKT cells have many unique features; such as recognition of glycolipids presented by CD1d, expression of NK receptors and rapid production of large amounts of cytokines, such as IL-4 and IFN-gamma,?upon activation. This early and robust cytokine burst is believed to give NKT cells the

Background: There are differences in drug use depending on non-medical factors such as age, gender and socioeconomic status. The combined effect of these factors, with adjustment for multimorbidity, is highly relevant to study to ensure equality in drug use. Objectives: 1. To examine drug use related to age, gender, income and education after adjustment for multimorbidity, in an entire adult popul

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease with a wide range of disease manifestations with respect to severity and magnitude of organ involvement. An increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with the general population causes both morbidity and mortality in SLE patients. Consequently prevention, early detection and treatment of arteriosclerotic manifestations are of high

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of motor disability in children and adolescents with a prevalence of 2-3/1000. CP is characterized by disorders of posture and movement with impairments ranging from mild to severe. The ability to control posture is an important prerequisite for all voluntary movements. A sustained asymmetric posture predisposes to progressive deformities in people with

Asthma and allergies are common diseases in adolescents and have increased during the last few decades. All elite level sports activities result in increased risk of asthma and rhinitis regardless of sport practised. Physical activity is at the same time regarded as a health-promoting factor and is recommended both for the prevention and treatment of diseases. The aim of this study was to explore

The international Technical report , ISO/TR 11079, will soon be due for revision. The report suggests that thermal insulation values from a moving thermal manikin can be used to match requirements specified by the IREQ-method. It is known from prior work that insulation values measured with human subjects can be reduced by up to 70 % from the value measured on a standing thermal manikin. This pape

Abstract The point of departure for this study is the author's experience as educator in a residential home for children (age 6-14) with social-emotional problems, in Italy, between 1980 and 1989. One important element of the pedagogical approach was the use of narratives (personal, of others, of fiction) to prompt children's interest/ motivation to reflect about issues of personal concern. A conv

BACKGROUND: Registry-based randomized clinical trials have emerged as useful tools to provide evidence on the comparative efficacy and safety of different therapeutic strategies. However, it remains unknown whether the results of registry-based randomized clinical trials have a sizable impact on daily clinical practice. We sought, therefore, to describe the temporal trends in thrombus aspiration (

The purpose of this study was to investigate how total body protein and its fraction of body weight (body protein fraction) change in cancer patients during different anti-tumor treatments, and to see if these changes have any clinical significance in the form of prognostic value or correlation with disease course and tumor response. In 84 patients, 28 with lung cancer, 24 with gastrointestinal t

Beginning with the notion that spatial and material qualities of architecture set limits and create conditions for how we make use of it, the overall aim and ambition of this thesis is to develop this notion and to contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationships that are produced between the materiality of architecture and a bodily appropriation of it. To investigate this the thesis esta

Telomeres are the end-structures of linear chromosome which are crucial for maintaining genome integrity. The telomeres prevent the DNA-repair machinery from recognizing the chromosome ends as double-strand breaks and from end-to-end fusions. The telomeres are composed by short repetitive units of TG-rich DNA and associated specialized telomere-binding proteins. Due to that replication only can

Abstract not available

Wilms’ tumor gene 1 (WT1) is a zinc-finger transcription factor that is involved in the development of urogenital organs and mesothelial tissues. It was initially identified as a tumor suppressor gene, based on the observation that somatic inactivation of the gene predispose for development of the pediatric kidney cancer Wilms’ tumor. A role for WT1 in hematopoiesis was suggested based on the fact

Neuroblastoma is a tumor of sympathetic nervous system derivation, mostly afflicting young children. This thesis is focused on a group of receptor proteins for neurotrophic factors, the Trk family, and on N-Myc, a transcription factor, all important in the formation of the sympathetic nervous system as well as in determining neuroblastoma patient outcome. Expression of trkA and trkC is linked to f

Aquaporins constitute a class of membrane proteins that create pores through the lipid bilayer of biological membranes, facilitating the passage of water and other small solutes. Nearly all living organisms possess a more or less intricate set up of aquaporin proteins and the importance of these channels has been implicated in many aspects of health and disease. The aim of the projects summarized