This thesis is based on four projects with the overall aim to investigate vitamin K-dependent protein S functions in relation to its structure. The anticoagulant functions of protein S can be divided in three: 1) cofactor for activated protein C (APC), 2) cofactor for tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and 3) APC and TFPI-independent anticoagulant functions. Microparticles might be shed from

Experiments with the new recoil separator, Transactinide Separator and Chemistry Apparatus (TASCA), at the GSI were performed by using beams of Ca-48 to irradiate targets of Pb206-208, which led to the production of No252-254 isotopes. These studies allowed for evaluation of the performance of TASCA when coupled to a new detector and electronics system. By following these studies, the isotopes of

According to our study, based on interviews with households in a residential area in Sweden, uncertainty is a cultural barrier to improved recycling. Four causes of uncertainty are identified. Firstly, professional categories not matching cultural categories—people easily discriminate between certain categories (e.g., materials such as plastic and paper) but not between others (e.g., packaging and

Abstract in Spanish A pesar de que el mercado laboral sueco ha permanecido relativamente intacto durante la crisis económica en los últimos seis años, la integración de personas con capacidad laboral reducida a causa de discapacidades es significativamente menor que la de otros grupos sociales. La legislación sueca sobre discapacidad y trabajo cubre varios aspectos en medidas de integración, antidEven though the Swedish labour market has been more or less intact during the financial crisis in the past six years, persons with reduced working capacity due to disabilities are significantly less integrated in the labour market than other groups in society. Swedish legislation on disability and work provides for a number of different aspects of integrative measures, anti-discrimination and prov

The issue of strengthening local research capacity in Africa is again high on the health and development agenda. The latest initiative comes from the Wellcome Trust. But when it comes to capacity development, one of the chief obstacles that health sectors in the region must confront is the migration of health professionals to countries that offer more lucrative opportunities, like those in western

Arid and semiarid Middle Eastern countries generally, and Syria in particular, face serious water shortage problems and challenges with water sustainability. Climate change, population growth, and economic development play a major role in decreasing available water resources per capita. This, in turn, has great impact on domestic, agricultural, and industrial water use. In this study, marginal and

The relation between mission, religious conversion and identity construction is the subject of my paper. On a concrete level, I discuss the Catholic mission and conversions in Scandinavia from the middle of nineteenth century to the present time. Up to the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), the Catholic Church strongly emphasised its claim to be the only true Church, and as a consequence, all non-C

A high intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs), has been associated with reduced levels of blood pressure (BP). Their antihypertensive action may be due to the reduction of the ω-6/ω-3 ratio and the resulting competitive effect of ω-3 as compared to arachidonic acid (an ω-6 PUFA) as a substrate of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes involved in the production of vasoactive mediators

It has been suggested that intake of fatty fish may protect against both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Hypotheses rest on the high marine omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid+docosahexaenoic acid (EPA+DHA) and vitamin D contents, with possible beneficial effects on immune function and glucose metabolism. Our aim was to investigate, for the first time, fatty fish consumption in relation to the ri

Analysis of in situ and satellite data shows evidence of different regional snow cover responses to the widespread warming and increasing winter precipitation that has characterized the Arctic climate for the past 40-50 years. The largest and most rapid decreases in snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow cover duration (SCD) are observed over maritime regions of the Arctic with the highest precipita

The ability of lyotropic liquid crystals to form intricate structures on a range of length scales can be utilized for the synthesis of structurally complex inorganic materials, as well as in devices for controlled drug delivery. Here we employ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for non-invasive characterization of nano-, micro-, and millimeter scale structures in liquid crystals. The structure is mi

In the present work, platinum and palladium nanoparticles (PtNPs and PdNPs) were decorated on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by a simple thermal decomposition method. The prepared nanohybrids, PtNPs-MWCNTs and PdNPs-MWCNTs, were cast on the surface of spectrographic graphite electrodes and then Phanerochaete chrysosporium cellobiose dehydrogenase (PcCDH) was adsorbed on the

Although COPD is a major disease worldwide there is a perplexing current uncertainty about the nature of this disease. COPI) is characterized at onset and prevalently by the involvement of the lungs and bronchi, but as the disease evolves abnormalities develop in other organs and systems and the question arises: what is the pathogenesis of these respiratory and systemic impairments? Are the altera

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by a chronic inflammation in conducting airways and the alveolar parenchyma. The inflammation, which is a consequence of inhalation of noxious gases like tobacco smoke, has traditionally been thought to be driven by innate immune responses. However, more recent studies have revealed an increase in lymphocyte-rich lymphoid aggregates (LA

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb(-1) of root s = 7 TeV proton-proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions

The Wenlock (middle Silurian) Eramosa Lagerstatte of the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada, is becoming known for its rich and diverse faunas, different preservational styles, and a combination of soft-body preservation associated with shelly body and trace fossils. Sampling for scolecodonts-the jaws of polychaete annelids-has yielded unique material. Hindenites parkheadensis new species is describ

The thesis discusses closed-loop control of the hypnotic and the analgesic components of anesthesia. The objective of the work has been to develop a system which independently controls the intravenous infusion rates of the hypnotic drug propofol and analgesic drug remifentanil. The system is designed to track a reference hypnotic depth level, while maintaining adequate analgesia. This is complicat

In clonal beta-cell lines and islets from different species, a variety of calcium channels are coupled to glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The aim of this study was to identify the voltage-gated calcium channels that control insulin secretion in insulinoma (INS)-1 832/13 cells. The mRNA level of Ca(V)1.2 exceeded that of Ca(V)1.3 and Ca(V)2.3 two-fold. Insulin secretion, which rose tenfold in