Primary mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) play a central role in bone marrow (BM) and during haematopoiesis. Yet, the exact phenotype and spatial distribution of primary MSC in the human BM are unknown. Their cultured progeny are promising candidates for clinical applications. MSC cultures however, are heterogeneous and, while critical for clinical applications, their exact composition is not known. W

Diets high in fibre have previously been associated with decreased risk of breast cancer in the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort. Several potent compounds may exist in high-fibre diets that might protect against breast cancer, for example lignans. Plant lignans are converted to enterolactone by the gut microflora and are similar in structure to estrogens. Enterolactone may interact with the estrogen r

Objective: Occupational workload has been associated with an increased risk of osteoarthritis. The objective was to further examine the association between workload and occurrence of osteoarthritis and in particular to study whether heavy workload has similar importance as a causative factor for osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. Methods: In a cohort study, the authors investigated the incidence

Radiotherapy (RT) after mastectomy has been part of the treatment for early breast cancer since the 1940s. The treatment reduces the risk of loco-regional recurrences, but implies risk of late side effects that can begin decades after RT. Aims of the thesis were: - To analyse the long term effects of postmastectomy radiotherapy and systemic treatment for 1100 stage II breast cancer patients in t

A recent population-based, longitudinal study from Finland observed a dose-response association between smoking during pregnancy (SDP) and use of psychotropic medications in exposed children and young adults. However, this association may be confounded by unmeasured familial characteristics related to both SDP and offspring mental health. Consequently, we aim to investigate the effect of SDP by me

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease where improperly cleared apoptotic cells and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) induce an autoimmune response. Complement is crucial to prevent SLE by tailoring immune responses and opsonizing dead cells but may also induce inflammation and tissue damage once the disease is initiated. Complement C1q binds to apoptotic cells and ensures

Children with severe diseases can be provided nutritional support through a gastrostomy if needed. At the Department of Paediatric Surgery in Lund we have used the Video Assisted Gastrostomy (VAG) procedure since 1994 when establishing gastrostomies. In this thesis, children with different diseases, who all had undergone the VAG procedure, were studied in five different clinical studies. Postopera

The adverse effects of drugs in the eye are not easily detected, and the underlying pathogenesis not fully understood. The effects of four different kinds of drugs have been investigated in the rabbit eye, using electroretinography, ocular examination and histochemical methods. Rifabutin is a broad spectrum antibiotic with known ocular adverse effects (corneal opacities, uveitis and vascular ret

Multiple genetic variants have been reliably associated with obesity-related traits in Europeans, but little is known about their associations and interactions with lifestyle factors in South Asians.

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease characterized by a diverse spectrum of clinical presentations ranging from a mild and self-limiting to a severe and systemic disorder. The relationship between inflammation and proteolytic activation in pancreatitis is an elusive issue. The aim of this thesis was to define the influence of platelets and neutrophils as well as their interrelations in re

Previous research on human fear of large carnivores has mainly been based on self-reports in which individual survey items and the objects of fear are measured, so whether a person fears attacks on humans or livestock and pets has not been identified. The objectives of this study were to differentiate between the objects of fear as well as capturing attitudes towards implementation of management a

BackgroundFood habits, nutrient needs and intakes differ between males and females, although few nutritional studies on patients with coeliac disease (CD) have reported results stratified by gender. ObjectivesTo compare energy and nutrient intakes among 13-year olds diagnosed with CD in early childhood with those of a non-coeliac (NC) age- and gender-matched control group, and also with estimated