This thesis presents experimental results related to laser plasma accelerators. These rely on very different principles from conventional particle accelerators. They are able to accelerate particles over a very short distance and produce synchrotron x-rays at the same time, potentially providing a compact particle accelerator and x-ray source for many future applications. The laser pulses used in

Vilket lands lag är tillämplig vid gränsöverskridande marknadsföring som riktar sig till Sverige? Den traditionella och i Sverige etablerade effektlandsprincipen innebär att svensk marknadsföringsrätt anses tillämplig på marknadsföring som har effekt här i riket, oavsett i vilket land marknadsföringen har sitt ursprung. I artikeln diskuterar författaren med utgångspunkt i ett avgörande från Markna

The bacterial surface can be thought of as the interface where pathogenic bacteria encounter the human host. Interactions between bacterial surface proteins and human proteins are important determinants of the eventual outcome of infection. A bacterial protein, Protein F1, that binds the human plasma and connective tissue protein fibronectin, was found to reduce the virulence of Streptococcus pyog

Intracellular Ca2+ is a key regulator of vascular contractility, and thereby of blood perfusion and pressure. Ca2+ signals are essential also for cell migration, proliferation and regulation of numerous enzymes. Besides producing vascular contraction smooth muscle cells may also modulate to a synthetic phenotype and proliferate as an initial stage in the atherosclerotic process. In this work we sh

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death and disability in the western world. Its clinical complications include acute myocardial infarction, sudden death and stroke. Thirty to 40 % of all ischemic strokes are caused by a carotid stenosis. The acute clinical event is triggered by an occluding thrombosis and even more frequently by embolization. Besides the degree of stenosis, the structure of

The triggering mechanism in myocardial infarction (MI) and unstable angina involves coronary thrombus formation following plaque rupture. Coagulation is initiated by tissue factor that activates factor VII (FVII), and is inhibited by protein C and its co-factor protein S. Resistance to activated protein C (APC resistance) is a common risk factor for venous thrombosis caused by a mutation in the ge

Glucocorticosteroids (GCS) are potent anti-inflammatory drugs, probably due to inhibitory effects on cytokine production. However, a small number of asthma patients seem GCS-resistant. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-2(IL-2) and IL-4, produced during allergic airway inflammation have been proposed to induce the resistance to GCS. IL-2 and IL-4 also induce GCS resistance in mononucl

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the role of growth factors and the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) system in human endometrial angiogenesis. Growth factors as well as progesterone increased expression of the main inhibitor of uPA (PAI-1) in primary cultures of endometrial stromal cells. EGF, TGF-beta1 and bFGF increased gene transcription whereas progesterone increased mRNA stabili

EG-domstolen har i hög grad utvecklat EG-rätten med stöd av allmänna rättsprinciper som erkänns av medlemsländerna. Man kan lite tillspetsat säga att EG-domstolen har använt rättsprinciperna som styrmedel när den har utvecklat EG-rätten. I denna bok analyseras EG-domstolens användning av allmänna rättsprinciper i en mängd olika situationer. Vilken betydelse har t.ex. rättsprinciperna när EG-domsto

Sphingomyelin (SM) is present both in eucaryotic cells and the diet. Sphingomyelinase (SMase) hydrolyses SM and generates ceramide that has been implicated in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Previously a SMase with alkaline pH optimum was identified in the intestinal tract. The thesis studied the distribution pattern, the species difference and the clinical implicatio

Group A streptococcus (GAS) is one of the most common of bacterial pathogens infecting humans, frequently causing throat and skin infection. Some GAS strains have surface-expressed virulence factors called M proteins that bind human plasminogen with high affinity. Plasminogen is a central component of the human fibrinolytic system, and is bound by an M protein termed PAM through defined binding mo