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BACKGROUND The global prevalence of functional constipation is approximately 12%. It is characterized by infrequent complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs), hard or lumpy stools, straining during defecation, and has a negative impact on quality of life (QoL). The probiotic strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) 299v (Lp299v) has been demonstrated to be efficacious in irritable bo
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Health guidelines play a central role in informing clinical practice, public health measures and health policy. But their trustworthiness may be undermined by factors such as insufficient methodological rigor, lack of transparency, conflicts of interest, and inconsistent application of established standards. Existing appraisal tools address selected aspects of guideline
The European pulp and paper industry (PPI) directly emits 31.9 Mton CO2 (2016) and indirectly 12.3 and 5 Mton CO2 from purchased electricity and transport respectively. It also accounts for 68 Mton of biogenic CO2 emissions. The PPI is a mature industry with overall stagnating market demand in the past ten years and relatively high levels of recycling. Forest countries like Sweden and Finland domi
Accurate determination of the genetic diversity present in the HIV quasispecies is critical for the development of a preventative vaccine: in particular, little is known about viral genetic diversity for the second type of HIV, HIV-2. A better understanding of HIV-2 biology is relevant to the HIV vaccine field because a substantial proportion of infected people experience long-term viral control,
Metal contamination of water bodies has attracted global attention owing to its environmental toxicity, abundance and persistence. Metals such as arsenic, cadmium and mercury are of greater concern since they are toxic even at low concentrations. Mercury is present at 1000 times lower concentrations than the other two metals, but still has a negative impact on the environment due to its high trans
Accurate knowledge about the amount and dynamics of terrestrial gross primary productivity is an important component for understanding of ecosystem functioning and processes. Recently a new diagnostic model, Southampton Carbon Flux (SCARF), was developed to predict terrestrial gross primary productivity at regional to global scale based on a chlorophyll index derived from MERIS data. The model aim
Internal combustion engines have been the most used engine design when it comes to vehicle propulsion and transportation. But as the number of vehicles increase, new problems arise as well. Engine emissions such as carbon dioxide that has an effect on a global scale and other harmful emissions that affect on a local scale such as soot and nitrogen oxides are on the rise, forcing the countries to t
Cancer cells reside in a complex microenvironment comprising stromal cells and immune cells embedded in an extracellular matrix (ECM). Early on in tumor progression, cells reach a critical volume beyond which blood supply is impaired, leading to a decrease in oxygen levels (hypoxia) and nutrient supply. This situation triggers a stress response characterized by a metabolic switch to glycolysis, wh
The health and productivity of global land resources are declining, while demand for those resources is increasing. The aim of land degradation neutrality (LDN) is to maintain or enhance land-based natural capital and its associated ecosystem services. The Scientific Conceptual Framework for Land Degradation Neutrality has been developed to provide a scientific approach to planning, implementing a
BackgroundDense Non Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPL) such as chlorinated solvents are common pollutants stemming from different types of industries including dry cleaning facilities, and reports on cases showing serious risk to soil and ground water are frequent on a global scale. DNAPLs are especially problematic as they are denser than water and move down through the groundwater, not always followi
Popular Abstract in Swedish Konkurrensen har ökat markant under 2000-talet med ökad globalisering och hållbarhetstrender. Ständigt pågående teknologiska utvecklingar har medfört att kraven på rätt kvalitet på varor och tjänster har ökat. Tillverkare måste också följa skärpningar inom lagstiftning och krav på spårbarhet. Det har sammantaget lett till att det ställs allt hårdare krav på effektiv förToday’s trends are the ever growing competition with increased globalization and sustainability. Together with ongoing technological developments and the demand for right quality of products and services, this has also resulted in increased demands for legislation and traceability. This development has also had an impact on packaging and Packaging Logistics. This thesis deals with packaging, logis
Power quality is an important issue for the distribution network companies. They must guarantee the electricity supply fulfilling the requirements for the consumers. In this thesis we investigate specifically voltage requirements. We use transformers and tap changers to see how the voltage works in an electric system and we analyze the relationships with other aspects of the system’s performance,
Timber-concrete composite structures were originally developed for upgrading existing timber oors, but during last decades, they have new applications in multistorey buildings. Most of the research performed on these structures has focused on systems in which wet concrete is cast on top of timber beams with mounted connectors. Recently investigations on composite systems were performed at Luleå Un
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocyst stage embryos, and upon differentiation into embryoid bodies (EBs) they recapitulate the genetic, cellular and morphological events occurring in early embryogenesis. Among several signalling pathways and inductive factors, the fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) have been shown to be impor
Human land use changes perturb biogeochemical silica (Si) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. This directly affects Si mobilisation and Si storage and influences Si export from the continents, although the magnitude of the impact is unknown. A major reason for our lack of understanding is that very little information exists on how land use affects amorphous silica (ASi) storage in soils. We have qu
Combustion of fossil diesel is a major environmental problem for both the climate and human health. Renewable diesel fuels have been developed and introduced to the market to reduce the net CO2 emissions. Emission control strategies, such as aftertreatment systems, have been implemented to reduce the health hazardous particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. The overall aim of t
BACKGROUND: Based on clinical and genetic associations, axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are suspected to have a linked pathogenesis. Gut dysbiosis, intrinsic to IBD, has also been observed in axSpA. It is, however, not established to what degree gut dysbiosis is associated with axSpA disease severity. The objective of this study was to compare gut dysbiosis fre
Throughout the last decades, the social responsibility of corporations has undergone significant changes. From revolving around self-regulation, voluntariness, and soft law, the regulatory landscape has expanded to involve harder demands on corporations, such as mandatory sustainability due diligence. This thesis considers these changes as a hardening of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and
BackgroundMolecular subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) with varying prognosis and characteristics have been proposed based on one or two-dimensional studies but are not yet implemented into clinical routine. Epigenetic modifications in cancer cells are independent of sequence variants, directly linked to gene and genome regulation, and thus provide important information to guide subclassificat
Heavy-duty transport is one of the major contributors to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with internal combustion engines (ICEs) expected to remain an important propulsion technology in long-haul applications during the transition to sustainable transport. The use of renewable gaseous fuels such as biogas and hydrogen offers a promising pathway to significantly reduce the climate impact of
