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- Hellström, Solbritt, 1954-
(författare)
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Att vänja sig till det svenska språket : studier av en individuell skriftspråklig förändring utifrån Olof Bertilssons kyrkobok 1636-1668
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- On the annexation of Jämtland by Sweden in 1645, Danish clergymen were allowed to remain on condition that they officiated in the Swedish language.This dissertation investigates the changes in the written language of one of these Danish clergymen and is based on the parish register kept by the Rev. Olof Bertilsson between 1636 and 1668. The premise for this study is that individual variations and alterations in written language do not occur arbitrarily, but display systematisation and express social consensus. The analytical basis for this approach is derived from Alexander Zheltukhin’s work on orthographic code theory and employs concepts used in sociolinguistics, but also borrows ideas from theories of mixed languages and second-language learning.Between 1636 and 1646 Olof Bertilsson displays a highly stable orthographic code with few variations. Following his attendance at the Riksdag (the Swedish Parlament) in Stockholm in 1647, a distinct change is evident in his orthography. Changes occur quite early in the spelling of some place-names, personal names and important and frequent ecclesiastical terms.A decisive factor in determining when and how change occurs is his access to examples of Swedish texts. In the last decade of his life, an influx of Swedish clergy, increased contacts with Swedish officials and help from young clergymen with a Swedish education, contribute to a predominance of Swedish forms in Olof Bertilsson’s individual orthographic code.
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| 2. |
- Holdstock, Camilla, 1975-
(författare)
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Gastric Bypass in Morbid Obesity : Postoperative Changes in Metabolic, Inflammatory and Gut Regulatory Peptides
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis examines the effect of surgical weight loss on gut and adipose tissue peptides involved in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis in morbidly obese humans. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) is the gold standard operation used for effective long-term weight loss and improved health. The exact mechanisms for this outcome are under investigation.We measured ghrelin, a recently discovered hunger hormone, insulin, adiponectin and leptin along with anthropometry measures in 66 morbidly obese patients prior to and 6 and 12 months after RYGBP. Impressive weight loss occurred postoperatively as did alterations in the peptides. Consistent correlations were found between weight, leptin, ghrelin and insulin. The main findings were low ghrelin concentrations in obesity and an increase after RYGBP.We explored inflammatory proteins C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A and interleukin-6 before and during massive weight loss 6 and 12 months after RYGBP in morbidly obese subjects. The studied proteins declined after surgery and a correlation between CRP and homeostatic model of assessment for insulin resistance, independent of BMI, strongly linked insulin resistance and inflammation. CRP declined most in insulin-sensitive subjects.We examined the excluded stomach mucosa and vagus nerve by measuring gastrin, pepsinogen I (PGI), pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and ghrelin levels during week 1 and year after RYGBP. Ghrelin levels rose with weight loss but declined 24-hours after surgery, like PP, indicating transient vagal nerve damage. Low levels of gastrin and PGI suggest a resting mucosa.We evaluated gut peptides: peptide YY (PYY), glucaogon like peptide-1 (GLP-1), pro-neurotensin (pro-NT) and PP, in lean (young and middle-aged), obese and postoperative RYGBP subjects pre- and postprandially. RYGBP subjects had exaggerated levels of PYY and GLP-1 postprandially and higher basal proNT levels, implying a ‘satiety peptide tone’ that may contribute to the maintenance of weight loss.In summary, RYGBP results in marked weight loss and alterations in gut and adipose tissue peptides involved in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis. These postoperative peptide changes may contribute to impressive weight loss observed after RYGBP.
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| 3. |
- Nilsson, Per, 1967-
(författare)
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Exploring Probabilistic Reasoning : A Study of How Students Contextualise Compound Chance Encounters in Explorative Settings
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis aims at exploring how probabilistic reasoning arises in explorative learning situations that are random in nature. The focus is especially on what learners with scant experience of formal theories of probability do and can do when dealing with compound random situations in which they are offered opportunities to integrate different probabilistic lines of reasoning.Three studies were carried out for the purpose of gaining an understanding of how learners’ probabilistic reasoning is organised and re-organised in explorative, random-dependent situations. In two of the studies 12 to 13 year-old students acted within a dice-game setting, which was based on the total of two dice. The third study examined 14 to 16 year-old students’ ways of dealing with ICT-versions of compound, independent events viewed in a random-dependent ramified structure.To uncover the basis and the content of the students’ reasoning, behaviour has been regarded in terms of intentions. That is, to understand and make sense of the students’ reasoning, their activities have been matched and re-matched with conjectures about their intents to fulfil certain goals.Although the students were acting on the same learning material, the analyses revealed various kinds of probabilistic reasoning among the students. It has been argued that students’ various ways of dealing with chance encounters may be understood and explained with reference to the ways in which they interpret the learning situations. Thus, this thesis suggests that probabilistic reasoning takes form through a process of contextualisation, i.e. through a compound process where the cognitive activity oscillates between interpretations and reflections about context, the focal event and new information that comes into play.This thesis reveals that students, prior to instruction, are able to devise ideas of an underlying probability distribution in the case of compound random phenomena. The students bring into the discussion geometrical and numerical considerations, as well as arguments reflecting principles of the law of large numbers.
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| 4. |
- Bengtsson, Magnus Wilhelm, 1977-
(författare)
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Effects of Orexins, Guanylins and Feeding on Duodenal Bicarbonate Secretion and Enterocyte Intracellular Signaling
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The duodenal epithelium secretes bicarbonate ions and this is regarded as the primary defence mechanism against the acid discharged from the stomach. For an efficient protection, the duodenum must also function as a sensory organ identifying luminal factors. Enteroendocrine cells are well-established intestinal “taste” cells that express signaling peptides such as orexins and guanylins. Luminal factors affect the release of these peptides, which may modulate the activity of nearby epithelial and neural cells.The present thesis considers the effects of orexins and guanylins on duodenal bicarbonate secretion. The duodenal secretory response to the peptides was examined in anaesthetised rats in situ and the effects of orexin-A on intracellular calcium signaling by human as well as rat duodenal enterocytes were studied in vitro.Orexin-A, guanylin and uroguanylin were all stimulants of bicarbonate secretion. The stimulatory effect of orexin-A was inhibited by the OX1-receptor selective antagonist SB-334867. The muscarinic antagonist atropine on the other hand, did not affect the orexin-A-induced secretion, excluding involvement of muscarinic receptors. Orexin-A induced calcium signaling in isolated duodenocytes suggesting a direct effect at these cells. Interestingly, orexin-induced secretion and calcium signaling as well as mucosal orexin-receptor mRNA and OX1-receptor protein levels were all substantially downregulated in overnight fasted rats compared with animals with continuous access to food. Further, secretion induced by Orexin-A was shown to be dependent on an extended period of glucose priming.The uroguanylin-induced bicarbonate secretion was reduced by atropine suggesting involvement of muscarinic receptors. The melatonin receptor antagonist luzindole attenuated the secretory response to intra-arterially administered guanylins but had no effect on secretion when the guanylins were given luminally. In conclusion, the results suggest that orexin-A as well as guanylins may participate in the regulation of duodenal bicarbonate secretion. Further, the duodenal orexin system is dependent on the feeding status of the animals.
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| 5. |
- Emgård, Per, 1951-
(författare)
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External otitis and its treatment : is a group III steroid without antibiotics sufficent therapy? Experimental and clinical studies
- 2005
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- ABSTRACT External otitis and its treatment. Is a group III steroid without antibiotics sufficient therapy? – Experimental and clinical studies Per Emgård, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Umeå and Ystad Hospital, Umeå and Ystad, Sweden External otitis is one of the most common ear, nose and throat (ENT) diagnoses in out-patient clinics. The clinical course of external otitis includes itching, pain, redness, swelling and effusion of the external auditory canal (EAC) with normal tympanic membrane status. The inflammatory condition is often associated with infection by bacteria, e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or skin bacteria such as Staphylococcus species. Fungi are present only in a low percentage of cases and if present Candida albicans infection is the most frequent in northern countries such as Sweden and the UK. Topical therapy is recommended in most countries and dominates the therapy in most studies. Topical drugs used are usually a combination of antibiotics and a steroid. However, external otitis is treated with surprisingly many strategies – eleven different ones in Sweden, for example, and 18 in the UK. The aims of the present studies were to – -establish an animal model, infected and uninfected, suitable for testing various treatment strategies of external otitis; and -perform a clinical study in patients to elucidate whether a group III steroid alone is as efficient for treatment of external otitis as is the commonly used topical drug containing a combination of a steroid and antibiotics. The animal model was established through mechanical irritation of the external ear canal skin of Sprague-Dawley rats. An evaluation scale for characterization of the clinical status of the ear canal was introduced, recording redness, swelling and occurrence of effusion in a standardized way. Specimens of the ear canal skin were analysed by histological techniques. A topical solution of 0.05% bethametasone dipropionate (BD) was compared with a 1% hydrocortisone solution with antibiotics oxytetracycline and polymyxin B added (HCPB), administered in the external otitis model infected or non-infected with bacteria (P. aeruginosa) and a fungus (C. albicans). The same drugs were tested in a randomized parallel-group multi-centre study in 51 patients. The clinical status of the external otitis patients was evaluated on a similar scale as used in the animal model. Early normalization of the ear canal skin status and frequency of relapses during the 6-month follow-up period were used as end-points of the study. The studies showed the following: -An animal model for external otitis, infected or uninfected, could be established. -A new scale for evaluation of the external ear canal status with regard to redness, swelling and occurrence of effusion was introduced for the animal model as well as for the investigations in patients. -Treatment with a group III steroid topical solution without antibiotics was superior to treatment with a group I steroid with antibiotics added in achieving resolution of external otitis. -The effectiveness of the topical drugs in the clinical studies in external otitis patients was similar to that in animal external otitis models. We conclude that a group III steroid solution cures external otitis more effectively than does a solution containing a group I steroid combined with antibiotics, whether infected by bacteria or by fungi. No difference was evident regarding adverse effects. Furthermore, costs favour a solution without any antibiotic components. In view of these observations a group III steroid solution is preferred for remedy of external otitis in the clinical situation. Key words: external otitis, external auditory canal (EAC), animal model, treatment, betamethasone, hydrocortisone, antibiotics, human study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans.
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