Background: During wound healing processes fibroblasts account for wound closure by adopting a contractile phenotype. One disease manifestation of COPD is emphysema which is characterized by destruction of alveolar walls and our hypothesis is that fibroblasts in the COPD lungs differentiate into a more contractile phenotype as a response to the deteriorating environment. Methods: Bronchial (centra

Drawing on Security, Territory, Population and The Birth of Biopolitics, this article aims, firstly, to consolidate our understanding of Foucault’s engagement with law by fleshing out his approach to law and by clarifying that he distinguishes between different kinds of law on the basis of the objectives that law serves and the regime of truth that it embodies. Secondly, using this understanding,

Background: Over time, methods for the development of clinical decision support (CDS) systems have evolved from interpretable and easy-to-use scoring systems to very complex and non-interpretable mathematical models. In order to accomplish effective decision support, CDS systems should provide information on how the model arrives at a certain decision. To address the issue of incompatibility betwe

We present a framework based on object orientation with novel principles for how to store, analyze and integrate electrophysiological data. These principles are: (I) Using a Decorator pattern for storing analysis data in an object model, (II) using a Core Classes data structure for integration through mediation in a service bus architecture, and (III) choosing the single unit as the finest structu

In the first part of this thesis discrete time hedging is considered. In paper A an adaptive hedging scheme where the hedge portfolio is re-balanced when the hedge ratios differ by some amount, here denoted eta, is investigated. An expression of the normalized expected mean squared hedging error as eta tends to zero is derived. The result is compared to an earlier result on discrete time hedging o

Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) adsorbed on the InSb(0 0 1)-c(8 x 2) surface has been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Coverages from sub-monolayer to monolayer (ML) have been investigated. The molecules form ordered structures on the reconstructed rows of the surface with the molecular plane parallel to the surface. A change in the electronic s

Homogeneous alcoholic isotropic solutions (L-2 phases) of "complex salts'' of hexadecyltrimethylammonium neutralized by polyacrylate CTAPA(n) (n = 30 or 6000), in the presence of water were examined at 25 degrees C by means of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), rheology and NMR self-diffusion measurements for different n-alcohols (octanol, hexanol and butanol) and at varying water contents. The

The purpose of this study is to further understand the relationship between purchasing strategies practiced by less-powerful buyers and their purchasing power. Drawn on the resource dependency theory, a two-way relationship was predicted where power is both a cause and an effect. The theoretical predictions were then explored in a multiple-case study in the context of vaccine procurement for devel

Open Source Software (OSS) created a paradigm shift within the software engineering field prompting further research to understand how mature, industry grade, software can be produced in an online milieu with distributed and lightly managed developers contributing source code in their free time. The OSS has become also a major revenue generator for many commercial organizations, and has found its

HAMLET (Human alphalactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells), a complex between the partially unfolded alphalactalbumin and oleic acid, was discovered by serendipity when anti-adhesive properties of human milk were examined. HAMLET kills tumor cells but not healthy differentiated cells. Native alphalactalbumin (HLA) can be conveted to HAMLET by a two-step process including: 1) calcium ion removal in

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

A new type of hemispherical electron energy analyzer that permits angle and spin resolved photoelectron spectroscopy has been developed. The analyzer permits standard angle resolved spectra to be recorded with a two-dimensional detector in parallel with spin detection using a mini-Mott polarimeter. General design considerations as well as technical solutions are discussed and test results from the

An acoustic trap with miniaturized integrated transducers (MITs) for applications in non-contact trapping of cells or particles in a microfluidic channel was characterized by measuring the temperature increase and trapping strength. The fluid temperature was measured by the fluorescent response of Rhodamine B in the microchannel. The trapping strength was measured by the area of a trapped particle

In the Brassicaceae plant family, which includes the Arabidopsis and Brassica genera, self-incompatibility (SI) is controlled by genes at the S locus. Using experimental crosses, we studied the pattern of inheritance of S-locus alleles in the wild species Brassica cretica. Four full-sib families were established and unequal segregation of alleles at the SRK SI gene was found in one family. The seg

The incretin - glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) - and the pro-inflammatory cytokine osteopontin are known to have important roles in the regulation of adipose tissue functions. In this work we show that GIP stimulates lipogenesis and osteopontin expression in primary adipocytes. The GIP-induced increase in osteopontin expression was inhibited by the NFAT (the transcription factor

The objective of this study was to explain the contribution of lower extremity muscle activity to gait kinetic and kinematic adaptations for maintaining gait dynamic balance when walking on an inclined icy surface and the biomechanical mechanisms used to counteract slip risk. A two-way factorial experimental design was applied. The two independent variables were the walkway surface (ice and treadm

Background: Therapeutic fluids used in intensive care can have profound effects on coagulation, not only by dilution itself but also by other more complicated interactions. The aim of this in vitro study was to monitor the extent of dilutive coagulopathy induced by the most common therapeutic fluids and to attempt normalization of haemostasis by fibrinogen addition. Methods: 8 patients were re

Detailed understanding of biological systems governing specific mechanisms and pathways is essential in the development of novel disease therapies. Stimulus-secretion coupling in hormone secreting cells is a complex system of pathways that link activation of cellular processes by i.e. nutrients to the release of hormone. Stimulus-secretion coupling in the insulin secreting beta-cell is intensely r