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Abstract: Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus are closely linked by sharing common risk factors, such as obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. These intermediate risk factors are affected by the joint effects of environment and genetics. Although a multitude of studies aimed to disentangle the effects of gene-environment interactions, many of the published gene-en
BACKGROUND: Identification of risk factors for rapid joint destruction in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be helpful for optimizing treatment, and improving our understanding of destructive arthritis and its mechanisms. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between early RA patient characteristics and subsequent rapid radiographic progression (RRP).METHODS: An incepti
The aim of this thesis was to elucidate developments in epidemiology, clinical manifestations and complications in Chlamydia trachomatis (C.trachomatis) and Mycoplasma genitalium (M.genitalium) infection. In study I the frequencies of non-gonococcal salpingitis, gonococcal salpingitis and ectopic pregnancy (EP) were observed over a period of 28 years and correlated to the prevalence of Neisseria g
This thesis explores the implementation and acceptability of blanket (population-wide coverage of active case finding and prevention) Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) as a preventive measure for leprosy transmission in the Achham district of Sudurpaschim (Far-west) Province in Nepal. Leprosy remains a significant public health concern in Nepal, with persistent challenges in prevention and control e
Given the current societal and political developments in Germany, the visibility and integration of-marginalized is essential to ensure their inclusion in mainstream society. One way of encouraging-contact between majority and marginalized groups is through building social networks, of which-informal and nonformal educational activities play an important part. This thesis examines the-experience o
Aircraft observations of precipitating clouds with cloud top temperatures higher than -38°C have revealed that Secondary Ice Production (SIP) is responsible for presence of majority of ice particles. One such SIP mechanism is fragmentation via collisions between ice particles. The central theme of this study is to understand the dependencies of this SIP mechanism and improve its existing numerical
Forests form the backbone of the European terrestrial carbon sink (State Forest Service & Ministry of Environment, 2018). As the European Union (EU) strives to become climate neutral by 2050, forests are accounted for the natural carbon absorption mechanism (European Commission, n.d.). Currently, the European net land carbon sink is decreasing largely due to forest ageing (Pilli et al., 2022),
The transition from animal-based to plant-based proteins is rapidly increasing because of different concerns about meat consumption, some being the nutritional and environmental effects of meat consumption. During this transition, there needs to be a holistic approach to assessing plant-based food. This master thesis is focused on investigating the nutritional and environmental impact of three pla
Background: The aim of this study was to examine in elderly men a relationship between depressive symptoms, peripheral vascular disease and cerebral blood flow (CBF). Methods: Population-based cohort study started with an examination of 809 men at age 55, followed by the first (age 68ys) and second follow up (age 82ys). 128 survivors were examined at age 82 with Tc-99m-HMPAO-SPECT to estimate CBF,
Intermittent Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)((1-34)) has an established place in osteoporosis treatment, but also shows promising results in models of bone repair. Previous studies have been dominated by closed fracture models, where union is certain. One of the major clinical needs for anabolic therapies is the treatment of open and high energy fractures at risk of non-union. In the present study we th
Popular Abstract in Swedish Under det senaste decenniet har risker med och alternativ till allogent blod (blod från främmande givare) debatterats mycket pga. risken för smitta, allergiska reaktioner, samt starka indicier som talar för att blod från främmande givare kan påverka immunförsvaret hos mottagaren. Därför vill man gärna begränsa mängden tillfört givarblod under kirurgiska ingrepp på barn,In children, it is often desirable to minimize allogenic blood transfusion, and this thesis explores the physiology of an alternative method of managing perioperative blood loss: hemodilution with Ringer´s dextran. Methods Clinical studies: Arterial pressure, superior caval venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) and blood lactate concentration (L) were studied during bone marrow harvesting (BMH) on 23
Our aims were to characterize familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in a Swedish FH population and to further elucidate the clinical expression and treatment response in relation to genotype. Secondly, we wanted to identify gene variants, which may have impact on cholesterol levels in apparently healthy subjects. In the search for sequence alterations in the large LDL receptor gene we introduced and
1. In a correlative study, we investigated the relative importance of fish predation, refuge availability and resource supply in determining the abundance and size distributions of the introduced and omnivorous signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) in lakes and streams. Moreover, the biomass and food selection of predatory fish was estimated in each habitat type and stable isotopes of carbon
Background: Although omic-based discovery approaches can provide powerful tools for biomarker identification, several reservations have been raised regarding the clinical applicability of gene expression studies, such as their prohibitive cost. However, the limited availability of antibodies is a key barrier to the development of a lower cost alternative, namely a discrete collection of immunohist
The complement system, a part of the innate immune system with several links to the adaptive immune system, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The purpose of this thesis was to document and clarify some of these mechanisms. The thesis is based on four papers (I-IV). (I and II) Autoantibodies to the C3 cleaving enzyme complex of the alternative pathway, C3 nephritic facto
Purpose: To assess the additional value of subtraction ictal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) coregistered to MRI (SISCOM) for localization of the epileptogenic zone in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy scheduled for invasive video-EEG (VEEG) before epilepsy surgery by a descriptive study from clinical practice. Methods: Forty-nine consecutive epilepsy patients between Januar
Background: The long-term effect of distal radial fracture malunion on activity limitations is unknown. Between 2001 and 2002, we conducted a prospective cohort study of all patients with distal radial fracture treated with casting or percutaneous fixation in northeast Scania in Sweden. In that original study, the patients completed the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnai
Background: Abdominal obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The aim was to explore the influence of midnight salivary cortisol (MSC), antidepressants and sex on abdominal obesity in type 1 diabetes (T1D). We controlled for physical inactivity, smoking, depression and alexithymia. Methods: Cross sectional study of 190 T1D patients (86 women/104 men, 18-59 years, diabetes duration 1-5
AIMS: The CHA2DS2VASc score is used to evaluate the risk of thromboembolic events in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. We assessed the prognostic yield of CHA2DS2VASc for new-onset atrial fibrillation, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a non-atrial fibrillation population.METHODS: We analysed a population-based cohort of 22,179 middle-aged individuals with (n = 3542) and with
