Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is today considered a novel specific vascular inflammatory biomarker. The general aim of this thesis was to study the role and impact of Lp-PLA2 as cardiovascular (CV) risk marker in an epidemiologic perspective. Specific aims were to explore the cross-sectional association of Lp-PLA2 with traditional CV risk factors, to asses the genetic influence

Background: Patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) are commonly treated with steroid injection into or proximal to the carpal tunnel. However, evidence for its efficacy beyond one month has not been established in randomized placebo-controlled trials. The primary aim of this randomized trial is to assess the efficacy of steroid injection into the carpal tunnel in relieving symptoms

The first objective was to investigate if intracellular and extracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the mouse aorta increase before or after diet-induced lesion formation. The second objective was to investigate if intracellular and extracellular ROS correlates to cell composition in atherosclerotic lesions. The third objective was to investigate if intracellular and extracell

Måltiderna ska lösas intellektuellt, praktiskt och emotionellt. Flera gånger varje dag. Hur hittar unga familjer matinspiration under vardagens tidspress? Och hur klarar de vardagens ”hot spot” mellan 17 och 18? Att handla mat och komponera vardagens måltider är en ständigt pågående problemlösningsprocess. Den som har ansvaret behöver idéer, inte alltid nyskapande och dramatiska, men ändå någon

The use of electron probes for in situ imaging of solution phase systems has been a long held objective, largely driven by the prospect of atomic resolution of molecular structural dynamics relevant to chemistry and biology. Here, we present a nanofluidic sample cell with active feedback to maintain stable flow conditions for pathlengths varying from 45 nm to several 100 nm, over a useable viewing

Human autoimmune diseases such as reumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are believed to develop when self-tolerance mechanisms are failing, with a chronic destructive inflammation as result. To experimentally study autoimmunity, we have used murine models that mimic their human counterparts; experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) – a model for MS, and collagen induced arthr

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of interrelated inflammatory rheumatic diseases with the sub-diagnoses ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), arthritis-associated inflammatory bowel disease (Aa-IBD), undifferentiated SpA (USpA), where stiffness and pain are key symptoms. Insidious onset back pain, morning stiffness, waking up at night, and improvement from exercise are common c

Capacity development for disaster risk reduction is an important process to substantially reduce disaster losses, which threaten sustainable development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. This paper presents seven elements for capacity development for disaster risk reduction that has been applied in practise with noteworthy results. The seven elements are: (1) Terminology, (2

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of antiretroviral therapy (ART) between hospital and health center levels in Ethiopia. METHODS: Medical records of 1709 ART patients followed for 24 months at 2 hospitals and 3 health centers in the Oromia region of Ethiopia were reviewed. Noted outcomes of ART were currently alive and on treatment; lost to follow-up (LTFU); transf

Several studies have investigated the relation between bone mass density and cadmium exposure, but only few studies have been performed on fractures and biomarkers of cadmium. This study analyzed the association between hip fracture risk and cadmium in erythrocytes (Ery-Cd). Prospective samples from the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study's biobank were used for 109 individuals who later in l

Aim: To analyse morbidity and mortality in healthy newborn infants in relation to various routines of post-natal follow-up. Design: cross-sectional study. Setting: maternity care in Sweden. Population: healthy infants born at term between 1999 and 2002 (n = 197 898). Methods: Assessment of post-natal follow-up routines after uncomplicated childbirth in 48 hospitals and data collected from the Swed

Background: The C57BL/6 mouse fed a high fat diet is a common and valuable model in experimental studies of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Different high fat diets are used and in order to determine which diet produces a model most accurately resembling human T2D, they need to be compared head-to-head. Methods: Four different diets, the 60% high fat diet (HFD) and the 58% high fat-high sucrose