An open European market for goods and services, including transport services, stimulates trade, global competitiveness and economic growth. At the same time, concerns about domestic job security, regulation compliance and the environment have sparked a debate. This report should be considered one of the first modest contributions to the mainly unexplored area of European freight deregulation. Our

A central assumption of theories of the ecology and evolution of immunological defence is that defence has not only benefits (in the form of resistance against parasites), but also costs. The aim of my studies was to investigate the nature and magnitude of costs of the vertebrate immune system, and to examine some of the consequences of these costs. First, I investigated the energetic cost of the

The investigations focus on the neuropeptidepituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide and its effects on airway regulation, with emphasis on smooth muscle relaxation and neutrophil activation and migration. In the nasal mucosa, PACAP-containing nerve fibers were localized invascular smooth muscle and close to seromucous glands. In the lung, PACAP-containing nerve fibers were found close to se

This thesis is concerned with the swelling behavior of polyelectrolyte gels. The thesis can be divided into two parts. Part one deals with the modeling and computer simulation of the gel swelling. The second part contains experimental results from the binding of oppositely charged surfactant to a polyacrylate network and a theoretical model for the swelling in the presence of a "skin" around the g

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

To optimise fitness is a continuous process which assists species survival in changing environments. Choosing an optimal diet is an essential part of the optimisation process and a key element of optimal foraging theory. The relationship between food choice and fitness optimisation has been tested on three ground beetles and several collembolan species by using food items naturally occurring in th

All patients admitted during a four-year period to a comprehensive, cognitive therapy based inpatient rehabilitation program for long-term mentally ill were invited to participate in the present study. A total of 28 patients were included. The patients were at admission and discharge assessed with regard to quality of life, symptoms, global functioning and target complaints. Every five weeks throu

Are there special ways of exerting influence for small states in a complex multi-actor governance system such as the EU? Intergovernmental theories of European integration emphasize great power nota bene the Franco-German axis, but other observers suggest that smaller member states may actually use the EU institutions to their advantage. Based on literature about small states in international rela

Purpose: To compare the visualization of small ischemic brain lesions using diffusion using diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI and conventional imaging, with special regard to diagnostic efficiency. Imaging features of lesions of different ages, diagnostic limitations and technical principles were also investigated. Methods: All studies were performed with the same 1.5 T MR scanner. In the first study t

The incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is increasing. The risk of rupture is related to diameter. However, rupture may occur also in small AAA. To evaluate the size of an aneurysm when related to the predicted normal aortic diameter might be a better predictor of risk. AAA:s, range 40-55 mm were studied in relation to gender. No difference in AAA diameter was found. However, body surfac

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic potentials of four different biochemical markers, serum cobalamin, blood folate, plasma homocysteine and serum methylmalonic acid for diagnosis of cobalamin/folate deficiency in a psychogeriatric population. The second aim was to investigate the relationship between these markers and various clinical and functional parameters of the nervous syst

As the way of communicating and accessing information has changed radically over the past decade so has the way the public libraries operate to reach the citizens. In these times the demands of what a public library should be and offer the visitors have changed. One should have the option to access the digital public library at any given hour of the day, from anywhere in the world and at least

The main aim of the thesis is, first, to present a theoretical and methodological perspective for the study of postmodern theory in historiography; second, to discuss and evaluate earlier research on the subject; and third, to show that historians must be more self-reflexive about their explicit as well as implicit theoretical and philosphical premises. My theoretical and methodological inspiratio

Denna uppsats består av två delar. Den första delen behandlar vad som sker då en likabehandlingsplan på en offentlig myndighet, i detta fall Region Skåne, utökar rättigheter för persongrupper som inte är skyddade enligt lag. Den gör en utblick över internationell rätt och EU-rätt för att söka ytterligare ledning till hur rätten ser ut i ett vidare perspektiv. Då det inte är självklart vad som gä