To model human neural-cell-fate specification and to provide cells for regenerative therapies, we have developed a method to generate human neural progenitors and neurons from human embryonic stem cells, which recapitulates human fetal brain development. Through the addition of a small molecule that activates canonical WNT signaling, we induced rapid and efficient dose-dependent specification of r

This thesis concerns the role of disability and assistive devices in everyday life among persons with, for instance, impairments related to mobility (e.g. wheelchair users) and bodily shape and configuration (e.g. dysmelia). Assistive devices are seen as both includators (assisting participation and emancipation) and excludators (limiting participation, restraining empowerment, and stigmatizing).

The fatigue crack propagation rate is influenced by various mechanisms at the very vicinity of the crack tip, e.g., local plasticity and/or creep, microcracking, crack branching, and crack closure induced by plasticity and roughness. To study these mechanisms and their influence on crack propagation rate during different loadings, in situ scanning electron microscope studies have been performed. T

Although capacity development has been identified as the means to substantially reduce global disaster losses, it is a challenge for external partners to facilitate the development of sustainable capacities for disaster risk reduction in disaster-prone countries. The purpose of this study is to investigate potential gaps between how leading professionals approach such capacity development and guid

Background: Patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments are used in all medical disciplines to evaluate patients with different diseases and also to follow results after treatments such as surgery. Currently there is no generally accepted and fully validated PRO instrument for the foot and ankle. Aims: To translate the New Zealand Ankle Questionnaire into a Swedish version, [the Self-Reported Foot

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem in Tanzania with limited health care interventions. Objectives: To study the feasibility of using an abuse screening tool for women attending an outpatient department, and describe how health care workers perceived its benefits and challenges. Methods: Prior to screening, 39 health care workers attended training on gender-based violence an

Human melanomas exhibit considerable genetic, pathologic, and microenvironmental heterogeneity. Genetically engineered mice have successfully been used to model the genomic aberrations contributing to melanoma pathogenesis, but their ability to recapitulate the phenotypic variability of human disease and the complex interactions with the immune system have not been addressed. Here, we report the u

This review article describes analytical chemistry beyond green chemistry and all efforts that contribute to a more sustainable development. A background is given on sustainable development and green chemistry. Examples of "greening" strategies for sample preparation, chromatography, and detection are given. Thereafter, the review discusses how and why a method or a solvent could be claimed as bei

Microscopic colitis (MC) is a disease manifested by diarrhoea and is divided into collagenous and lymphocytic colitis. The aetiology is unknown, but auto-immunity is suggested. Auto-antibodies have been only rarely examined in this entity. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of auto-antibodies, and to examine associations between the presence of antibodies and clinical findings.

The intestinal microbiota is vital for shaping the local intestinal environment as well as host immunity and metabolism. At the same time, epidemiological and experimental evidence suggest an important role for parasitic worm infections in maintaining the inflammatory and regulatory balance of the immune system. In line with this, the prevalence of persistent worm infections is inversely correlate

This paper proposes a fast method for detection of indecent video content using repetitive motion analysis. Unlike skin detection, motion will provide invariant features irrespective of race and color. The video material to be evaluated is divided into short fixed-length sections. By filtering different combinations of B-frame motion vectors using adjacency in time and space, one dominant motion v

After abolishing the wealth tax in a number of European countries during recent decades, increasing income and wealth inequality have spurred the discussion of reintroducing a wealth tax in a number of countries. This has refuelled the heated discussion in the popular press about the wealth tax’s merits and harmful effects. The academic community has been considerably quieter on the merits and dis

The “constructivist turn” in International Relations has enhanced our understanding of the power of ideational phenomena such as ideas, norms and identity in world politics . This turn also paved the way for debates on normative power and norm transfer, which have proved to offer fruitful insights into EU normative power and the EU’s identity as an international actor. Exploring the modes of gover

Recension av The Gettysburg Museum.

The Ilerdian Stage was created by Hottinger and Schaub in 1960 to accommodate a significant phase in the evolution of larger foraminifera not recorded in the northern European basins, and has since been adopted by most researchers working on shallow marine early Paleogene deposits of the Tethys domain. One of the defining criteria of the stage is a major turnover of larger foraminifera, marked by

To evaluate polyalkylimide as a possible vitreous tamponading agent. A 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy and posterior vitreous detachment were performed in the right eye of six pigmented rabbits. Approximately 1 ml of viscoelastic gel, polyalkylimide (Bio-AlcamidA (R)) was thereafter injected into the vitreous space. Full-field ERG and intraocular pressure (IOP, Tonopen) was measured pre-and postope