| 1. |
- Berg, Thomas, 1975-
(författare)
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Medical Treatment and Grading of Bell's Palsy
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The main aim of this thesis was to evaluate the effect of prednisolone and valaciclovir in a large number of Bell's palsy patients. The incidence and intensity of pain around the ear, in the face or in the neck during the first two months of palsy, and its prognostic value, was also assessed. We also investigated how study design and choice of analysis method affect the rate of facial recovery. Furthermore, the agreement between the Sunnybrook, House-Brackmann and Yanagihara facial grading systems was evaluated. From May 2001 to September 2007, a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial with 12-month follow-up was performed in patients with Bell's palsy. Of 839 randomised patients, 829 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis; 206 received placebo plus placebo, 210 prednisolone plus placebo, 207 valaciclovir plus placebo, and 206 prednisolone plus valaciclovir. Time to recovery was significantly shorter in the 416 patients who received prednisolone compared with the 413 who did not (p<0.0001). At 12 months, 300 of 416 patients (72%) in the prednisolone group had recovered compared with 237 of 413 patients (57%) in the no prednisolone group (p<0.0001). Valaciclovir was not found to affect time to facial recovery or outcome at 12 months. Prednisolone and/or valaciclovir did not affect the incidence or intensity of pain. Presence of pain at day 11 to 17 indicated a worse prognosis for facial recovery at 12 months. We also found that recovery rates in a Bell's palsy trial are substantially affected by the choice of analysis method and definition of facial recovery. We used weighted Kappa statistics in 100 examinations of patients with facial palsy to assess the agreement between the Sunnybrook, House-Brackmann and Yanagihara scales. The highest agreement was found between the regional Sunnybrook and Yanagihara scales. An evaluative difference between the Sunnybrook and House-Brackmann systems was observed.
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| 2. |
- Barck, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Does nitrogen dioxide affect inflammatory markers after nasal allergen challenge?
- 2005
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Ingår i: American Journal of Rhinology. - : SAGE Publications. - 1050-6586 .- 1539-6290. ; 19:6, s. 560-566
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Exposure to high ambient levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) enhances the bronchial inflammatory reaction to allergen in humans. We tested whether this NO2 effect occurs also in the upper airways. METHODS: Sixteen allergic subjects with rhinitis and mild asthma were exposed at rest to either purified air or 500 microg/m3 NO2 for 30 minutes, followed 4 hours later by a nasal allergen challenge. Nasal lavage was performed before air/NO2 exposure, before allergen challenge, and 1, 4 and 18 hours after allergen challenge. Symptoms were recorded. RESULTS: The percentage of eosinophils and neutrophils, eosinophil cationic protein, and myeloperoxidase were similar after exposure to air + allergen and to NO2 + allergen. We noticed a tendency to increased sneezing the day after exposure to NO2 + allergen. CONCLUSION: The priming effect of an ambient brief NO2 exposure on subsequent allergic response was not noticeable in activation of inflammatory cells and mediators in the upper airways.
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| 3. |
- Cardell, L O, et al.
(författare)
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Genes regulating molecular and cellular functions in noninfectious nonallergic rhinitis.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Allergy. - : Wiley. - 1398-9995 .- 0105-4538. ; 64:9, s. 1301-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chronic noninfectious, nonallergic rhinitis (NINAR) is a complex syndrome with a principally unknown pathophysiology. New technology has made it possible to examine differentially expressed genes and according to network theory, genes connected by their function that might have key roles in the disease.
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| 4. |
- Cornelissen, G, et al.
(författare)
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Black carbon-dominated PCDD/Fs sorption to soils at a former wood impregnation site
- 2008
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Ingår i: Chemosphere. - : Elsevier. - 0045-6535 .- 1879-1298. ; 72:10, s. 1455-1461
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The influence of black carbon (BC) on the sorption of 17 native polychlorinated-p-dibenzodioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) was studied in five soil samples from a sawmill site where wood used to be impregnated with chlorophenol preservatives. The presence of BC caused measured total organic carbon (TOC)-water distribution ratios (KTOC) to be a median factor of 51 (interquartile range 18-68, n = 85) higher than modeled amorphous organic carbon (AOC)-water distribution ratios (KAOC). KTOC was a factor of 73 ± 27 above KAOC for PCDFs (n = 10) and a factor of 20 ± 13 (n = 7) for PCDDs. The reason for this difference is probably that attaining a planar configuration after sorption to BC is less thermodynamically favorable for PCDDs than for PCDFs. BC-water distribution ratios were calculated from KTOC, KAOC and BC contents, and ranged from 109.9 (2,3,7,8-Tetra-CDD) to 1011.5 l kg-1 (Octa-CDF). More than 90% of the PCDD/Fs in the soil was calculated to be BC-sorbed. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC)-water distribution ratios were measured to be in the same order of magnitude as KAOC. This study shows that strong sorption to BC should be included when assessing ecotoxicological risk or modeling transport to groundwater of PCDD/Fs in soil.
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| 5. |
- Ekenbäck, Andreas, et al.
(författare)
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Energetic neutral atom imaging of comets
- 2008
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 35:L05103
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the first computer simulated images of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) produced by charge exchange between solar wind protons and cometary neutrals. Proton bulk flow and temperature from MHD simulations are used along with a model of cometary neutral densities. The emission of hydrogen ENAs from the comet is then calculated using cross sections for the charge exchange collisions. The ENA production rate is integrated along lines of sight to produce an image of the fluxes. We find detection of hydrogen ENAs feasible and most favorable at solar zenith angles between 80 and 130 degrees.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Ekenbäck, Andreas, 1975-
(författare)
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Numerical modelling of ENAs from stellar wind interactions
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) are produced whenever a stellar wind encounters a neutral atmosphere. If a stellar wind proton comes sufficiently close to a neutral a charge-exchange reaction may take place, transforming the proton into an ENA. Unaffected by magnetic and electric fields, ENAs provide an opportunity for global imaging of stellar wind interactions.This thesis presents methods and results of numerical modelling of stellar wind interactions. In particular it treats in depth production of ENAs at comets, Mars and the extrasolar planet HD 209458b.Sufficiently accurate numerical models of stellar wind interactions require extensive computations. Parallel computing has therefore been used throughout the work, both for fluid and particle simulations of space plasmas. This thesis describes the use of a general simulation tool, providing parallel computing for space plasma simulations.The thesis presents estimations of the magnitude and morphology of the ENA production at comets and HD 209458b. It compares the results obtained with observations and analyzes them in the light of ENA production at similar objects. Also, simulated ENA images for Mars were produced and compared to observations.
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| 8. |
- Fellman, Vineta, et al.
(författare)
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One-year survival of extremely preterm infants after active perinatal care in Sweden.
- 2009
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Ingår i: JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 1538-3598 .- 0098-7484. ; 301:21, s. 2225-33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Up-to-date information on infant survival after extremely preterm birth is needed for assessing perinatal care services, clinical guidelines, and parental counseling.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Galli, André, et al.
(författare)
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The tailward flow of energetic neutral atoms observed at Mars
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research. - Washington : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 0148-0227 .- 2156-2202. ; 113
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The ASPERA-3 experiment on Mars Express provides the first measurements of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) from Mars. These measurements are used to study the global structure of the interaction of the solar wind with the Martian atmosphere. In this study we describe the tailward ENA flow observed at the nightside of Mars. After characterizing energy spectra of hydrogen ENA signals, we present composite images of the ENA intensities and compare them to theoretical predictions (empirical and MHD models). We find that the tailward flow of hydrogen ENAs is mainly generated by shocked solar wind protons. Despite intensive search, no oxygen ENAs above the instrument threshold are detected. The results challenge existing plasma models and constrain the hydrogen exospheric densities and atmospheric hydrogen and oxygen loss rates at low solar activity.
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