Acknowledgements

This work was carried out at the Department of Anesthesiology and at the Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Nordland Central Hospital, at the Institute of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, and at the Institute of Community Medicine and at the Institute of Medical Biology, University of Tromsø, during the years 1991-1995.

I wish to express my gratitude to Jan Holt, with the Department of Pediatrics, who stimulated my interest in this field when we together discovered the fascinating features of this genetic disease on-duty.

Special thanks to Lars Vorland for taking the initiative of bringing the University personnel in Tromsø together to help prepare the way for this thesis. Meeting with the University and the University Hospital of Tromsø represented by Per Arne Andresen, Lisbeth Tranebjærg and Bjørn Straume has been very challenging. Bjarne Østerud and Jan Ole Olsen spent 24 labour-intensive hours at my hospital and virtually transformed the bloodbank to a research laboratory for one experimental study. Thanks to them.The study has been supported by grants from the University of Tromsø and "Medisinsk Forskning i Nordland".
I am in debt to Harald Thidemann Johansen at the Department of Pharmacy, who very early became interested in this project. I have benfitted from his expertise, enjoyed his support and friendship. I also extend my thanks to Nils Ove Hoem, for patiently guiding me through the use of helpful computer programs, as did my friend Jan Foss. Adam Babinski, Tove Sigstad Karlsrud and Øygunn Gaudesen have also provided interesting results from the laboratory.

The unfailing support of my colleagues at the Department of Anaesthesiology has made it possible for me to complete these studies, and they also participated on one paper, as they helped me collect blood from placentas at any hour, day or night. A special thanks to the head of my Department, Sven William Nissen, for creating an atmosphere of encouragement. His concern for practical issues has been fundamental to my work. I have also greatly appreciated Erling Saltrøe's reflections and the support from the Administration of my hospital and from the Computer Department.

I am sincerely grateful to my supervisor Tom Eirik Mollnes, whose brilliant ideas, impressive thoroughness, ever lasting optimism, daily presence and warm support has brought this work forth. It has been a privilege to work with him. Fortunately, new projects are already emerging from this collaboration. I have deeply appreciated our conversations during world wide travels on our way to complement meetings, as I have enjoyed his toasted cheese-sandwiches, usually served at our very late hours Colloquiums. Most of all I appreciate his friendship. Bente Falang Hoaas, Grethe Bergseth and Tone Reitstad have performed excellent laboratory work.

The support from my wife Trine, and my children Gunnar, Sofie and Espen have been invaluable. Thank you for your patience.

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