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Natural product chemistry is a main research area in Cameroon, as well as for the division of Bioorganic Chemistry at Lund Institute of Technology. A review of the results obtained recently with Cameroonian medicinal plants shows that a large number of compounds, many with complex structures, have been isolated and characterised, and the work presented in this thesis is part of this effort. Based
The fact that a growing number of pathogens develop resistance against traditional treatment is a growing medical problem. Infections, which until now have been harmless, might turn into life threatening diseases. These problems have led to an intensified search for alternative treatments. Analogs of cell surface glycoconjugates are an alternative. Ideally they prevent the adhesion of the pathogen
Popular Abstract in Swedish Sandstäpp är ett starkt hotat växtsamhälle i Sverige som består av många specialiserade och hotade arter som t.ex. sandnejlika, tofsäxing och sandliljor. Exempel på hur en sandstäpp kan se ut hittas i Figur 1 i den Engelska sammanfattningen. Sandstäpp finns på sandig mark med kalk i ytjorden och ett lågt näringsinnehåll. Den karaktäriseras av ett uppbrutet växttäcke somA number of sandy grassland habitats of interest for biodiversity conservation can be found in Europe. One such habitat is the threatened xeric sand calcareous grassland, which is home to a large number of endangered species. It is characterized by a discontinuous vegetation cover, mainly consisting of stress-tolerant species favoured by nutrient-poor and dry conditions. The xeric sand calcareous
Popular Abstract in Swedish Autoimmuna sjukdomar är tillstånd där vårt immunförsvar angriper den egna kroppen. Det finns ett flertal sådana sjukdomar av vilka jag huvud-sakligen har intresserat mig för rheumatoid artrit (RA) och multipel skleros (MS). De behandlingar som finns för de drabbade är idag främst riktade mot ergonomi, smärtlindring och olika former av immunsupres-sion (tex TNFa antikropThe causes of autoimmune diseases are largely unknown today, but there is evidence supporting a substantial complex genetic influence on many of these diseases as well as environmental factors and chance. In this thesis I have tried to get one step closer to the genetic causes of two autoimmune diseases through their induced counterparts in mice, namely rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple scler
While Botswana since independence has experienced impressive economic growth and development this progress has not been accompanied by economic diversification and endogenous growth. In this article we focus on the colonial period and investigate to what extent the formal sector of Bechuanaland Protectorate (colonial Botswana) had the potential to constitute the basis for a diversification of the
This study examines reproducibility of water and ethanol drop volumes from plastic squeeze dropper bottles, examines the difference in drop volumes between commonly used liquid patch test solutions, and evaluates the volumes of water and ethanol needed to saturate Finn and IQ Chamber filter papers. 2 plastic squeeze dropper bottles recommended for use in patch testing have poor reproducibility com
The combination of nanoparticles and polymers into nanocomposite gels has been shown to be a promising route to creating soft materials with new or improved properties. In the present work, we have made use of Laponite nanoparticles in combination with a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAM)polymer and describe a phenomenon taking place during the polymerization and gelling of this system. The pre
Avian malaria (Plasmodium spp.) and other blood parasitic infections of birds constitute increasingly popular model systems in ecological and evolutionary host-parasite studies. Field studies of these parasites commonly use two traits in hypothesis testing: infection status (or prevalence at the population level) and parasitaemia, yet the causes of variation in these traits remain poorly understoo
Metabolomic screening of fasting plasma from nondiabetic subjects identified alpha-hydroxybutyrate (alpha-HB) and linoleoyl-glycerophosphocholine (L-GPC) as joint markers of insulin resistance (IR) and glucose intolerance. To test the predictivity of alpha-HB and L-GPC for incident dysglycemia, alpha-HB and L-GPC measurements were obtained in two observational cohorts, comprising 1,261 nondiabetic
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and arterial thrombosis have been thought to result from two different mechanisms. Recent data indicate that the two diseases may share some common risk factors, such as the activity of inflammation on haemostasis. In this population-based study we explored whether raised levels of inflammation-sensitive plasma markers (ISPs) increase the risk for venous thromboembolis
Aims: During recent years, two strategies of incretin-based therapy [glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonism and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibition] have entered the market for pharmacological management of type 2 diabetes. A main indication for this therapy is as add-on to on-going metformin therapy in subjects with type 2 diabetes who have insufficient glycaemic control with metf
Objective: The acceptable noise level (ANL) is used to quantify the amount of background noise that subjects can accept while listening to speech, and is suggested for prediction of individual hearing-aid use. The aim of this study was to assess the repeatability of the ANL measured in normal-hearing subjects using running Danish and non-semantic speech materials as stimuli and modulated speech-sp
Popular Abstract in Swedish I avhandlingen presenteras viktiga fenomen i samband med bränder i tunnlar. Detta baseras både på experimentellt och teoretiskt arbete. Tyngdpunkten ligger på de brandförsök i fullskala som genomfördes 2003 i Runehamartunneln i Norge. Under dessa försök mättes brandeffektutvecklingen (HRR), temperaturer, gaskoncentrationer (O2, CO2, CO, HCN och H2O), gashastigheter, strImportant phenomena related to tunnel fires are presented including both experimental and theoretical work. The main focus is on the large-scale fire tests performed in 2003, in the Runehamar tunnel in Norway. During these tests heat release rate (HRR), temperatures, gas concentrations (O2, CO2, CO, HCN, and H2O), velocities, radiation, and smoke were measured. Four tests with a set-up simulating
Serum samples from patients referred for liver biopsy for investigation of suspected chronic liver disease (n = 286) and from healthy middle-aged volunteers (n = 445) were analyzed for markers of exposure to GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV), hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. GBV-C/HGV analyses included GBV-C/HGV PCR for detection of viremia and GBV-C/HGV enzyme-linked immunosorbent
Mild heat treatment of carrot slices as a pre-treatment for frozen storage was accomplished by exposure of slices to radiant heat to maximise thermal exposure of the cells at the surface while preserving the integrity of cells within the slices. Cell damage as a consequence of this treatment on texture was evaluated. Carrot slices treated for 7 s with radiant energy in the far-infrared region from
Popular Abstract in Swedish Nästan alla träd i våra skogar lever i samspel (symbios) med svampar. Många av dessa är ”vanliga” svampar, sådana som vi är vana vid att se och plocka i naturen, (exempelvis soppar, kremlor, riskor, flugsvampar och kantareller) men det finns också de som inte bildar fruktkroppar, eller har fruktkroppar som vi inte ser. Fruktkropparna, de som kan hamna i svampkorgen, är Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition is an environmental problem that can affect plants and microorganisms, which are vital for the terrestrial N and carbon (C) cycles. This thesis has investigated the response of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) to increased N deposition. Ectomycorrhizal fungi form mutualistic interactions with the roots of woody plants, including almost all boreal and temperate forests
