The energy sector is in urgent need for carbon-free strategies considering environmental pollutions and climate change impact. Two kinds of solid fuels, biomass and metal particles have been studied in this thesis aiming at CO2 emission reduction or zero carbon emission. Biomass is a renewable and carbon-neutral energy source that provides heat and power through gasification and combustion. Biomas

In this single-center cohort study, we applied a panel of laboratory markers to characterize hemostatic function in 217 consecutive patients that underwent testing for COVID-19 as they were admitted to Linköping University Hospital between April and June 2020. In the 96 patients that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19+), the cumulative incidences of death and venous thromboembolism were 24.0

Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) is widely practiced in preoperative screening. The value of using this test to predict the risk of perioperative bleeding is not well documented in Sweden. In this article, a literature review is performed to determine whether unselected APTT testing can predict abnormal perioperative bleeding. The current literature does not support coagulation screeni

In laboratory medicine, much effort has been put into analytical quality in the past decades, making this medical profession one of the most standardized with the lowest rates of error. However, even the best analytical quality cannot compensate for errors or low quality in the pre or postanalytical phase of the total testing process. Guidelines for data reporting focus solely on defined data elem

In patients with suspected venous thromboembolism (VTE), it is recommended to estimate the pre-test probability of VTE, either by experience or by standardized scoring schemes (e.g. Wells or Geneva score), before performing a D-dimer test [1], [2]. Patients with a low probability or unlikely VTE should have D-dimer performed, and if negative, VTE can be excluded, without further investigations, wh

Der findes flere trombotiske mikroangiopatier, som kan væresvære at adskille ud fra den kliniske præsentation. Mangel på etnyopdaget enzym, a disintegrin and metalloprotease with throm-bospondin type 1 motifs (ADAMTS)-13, kan forårsage trombotisktrombocytopenisk purpura (TTP). Mangel på ADAMTS-13 fører tiløgede koncentrationer af højmolekylære von Willebrand-faktor-former i plasma og fremmer danneThrombotic microangiopathy can be caused by several conditions which are difficult to diagnose from the clinical presentation alone. Deficient enzyme activity of a newly-discovered enzyme, ADAMTS-13, can lead to thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Lack of ADAMTS-13 activity causes increased concentrations of high molecular weight von Willebrand factor forms and increased platelet aggregatio

Dabigatran is an oral, reversible thrombin inhibitor that has shown promising results in large clinical trials. Laboratory monitoring is not needed but the effects on common coagulation assays are incompletely known. Dabigatran was added to plasma from healthy subjects in the concentration range 0-1,000 μg/l and analysed using several reagents for activated thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin

Flerovium (Fl, element 114) is the heaviest element chemically studied so far. To date, its interaction with gold was investigated in two gas-solid chromatography experiments, which reported two different types of interaction, however, each based on the level of a few registered atoms only. Whereas noble-gas-like properties were suggested from the first experiment, the second one pointed at a vola

The need is great for a simple, cheap and readily accessible method for the evaluation of primary hemostasis in work-ups at both out-patient clinics and units caring for surgical or intensive care patients. PFA-100 is a recently introduced instrument for in vitro testing of platelet function. We report experiences from Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo of PFA-100 measurements performed on samples fr

BACKGROUND: Central retinal vein occlusion is a disease that is most common in old people, and often associated with atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes or glaucoma. Since these diseases are much less evident in young people, we wanted to investigate the prevalence of disorders in the most common anticoagulant proteins in a group of young patients with central retinal vein occlusion.METHODS: 3

BACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a factor that predisposes to thrombosis, and the C677T mutation in methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is known to give increased plasma homocysteine. We wanted to investigate if these factors were overrepresented in a group of patients with central retinal vein occlusion.METHODS: 116 patients with a history of central retinal vein occlusion were examin

The prothrombin gene G20210A mutation and the platelet glycoprotein IIIa polymorphism PlA2 have been shown to be associated with thromboembolic disease. We wondered if mutations were overrepresented in patients with central retinal vein occlusion. We studied 129 consecutive patients with a history of central retinal vein occlusion. We analysed for the prothrombin gene G20210A mutation and the plat

A variant in prothrombin (clotting factor II), a G to A transition at nucleotide position 20210, has recently been shown to be associated with the prothrombin plasma levels and the risk of both venous and arterial thrombosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of carriership of this mutation in various populations. We combined data from 11 centres in nine countries, where

C4b-binding protein (C4BP) regulates the classical pathway C3-convertase of the complement system. Human C4BP is composed of seven identical subunits (alpha-chains) and one unique one (beta-chain). Both types of chains contain homologous repeats called complement control proteins (CCPs); the alpha-chain contains eight CCPs and the beta-chain three. Each alpha-chain contains a binding site for C4b

The C4b binding protein (C4BP) functions as a regulator of the complement system by interacting with the activated form of the fourth complement component, C4b. Human C4BP also interacts with the anticoagulant protein S and the serum amyloid P component (SAP). It is composed of seven identical 70-kDa alpha-chains and one 45-kDa beta-chain. The alpha-chain contains a binding site for C4b, whereas t

C4b binding protein (C4BP) regulates the complement system. It also interacts with anticoagulant protein S and with serum amyloid P component. Human C4BP is composed of seven identical 70-kDa alpha-chains and one 45-kDa beta-chain. The binding site for C4b is located on the alpha-chain, whereas the beta-chain binds protein S. Nothing is known about the structure and function of bovine C4BP. No com