Solution scanning as a key policy tool: identifying management interventions to help maintain and enhance regulating ecosystem services

The major task of policy makers and practitioners when confronted with a resource management problem is to decide on the potential solution(s) to adopt from a range of available options. However, this process is unlikely to be successful and cost effective without access to an independently verified and comprehensive available list of options. There is currently burgeoning interest in ecosystem services and quantitative assessments of their importance and value. Recognition of the value of ecosystem services to human well-being represents an increasingly important argument for protecting and restoring the natural environment, alongside the moral and ethical justifications for conservation. As well as understanding the benefits of ecosystem services, it is also important to synthesize the practical interventions that are capable of maintaining and/or enhancing these services. Apart from pest regulation, pollination, and global climate regulation, this type of exercise has attracted relatively little attention. Through a systematic consultation exercise, we identify a candidate list of 296 possible interventions across the main regulating services of air quality regulation, climate regulation, water flow regulation, erosion regulation, water purification and waste treatment, disease regulation, pest regulation, pollination and natural hazard regulation. The range of interventions differs greatly between habitats and services depending upon the ease of manipulation and the level of research intensity. Some interventions have the potential to deliver benefits across a range of regulating services, especially those that reduce soil loss and maintain forest cover. Synthesis and applications: Solution scanning is important for questioning existing knowledge and identifying the range of options available to researchers and practitioners, as well as serving as the necessary basis for assessing cost effectiveness and guiding implementation strategies. We recommend that it become a routine part of decision making in all environmental policy areas.

Protein oligomers studied by solid-state NMR the case of the full-length nucleoid-associated protein histone-like nucleoid structuring protein

Members of the histone-like nucleoid structuring protein (H-NS) family play roles both as architectural proteins and as modulators of gene expression in Gram-negative bacteria. The H-NS protein participates in modulatory processes that respond to environmental changes in osmolarity, pH, or temperature. H-NS oligomerization is essential for its activity. Structural models of different truncated forms are available. However, high-resolution structural details of full-length H-NS and its DNA-bound state have largely remained elusive. We report on progress in characterizing the biologically active H-NS oligomers with solid-state NMR. We compared uniformly ((13)C,(15)N)-labeled ssNMR preparations of the isolated N-terminal region (H-NS 1-47) and full-length H-NS (H-NS 1-137). In both cases, we obtained ssNMR spectra of good quality and characteristic of well-folded proteins. Analysis of the results of 2D and 3D (13)C-(13)C and (15)N-(13)C correlation experiments conducted at high magnetic field led to assignments of residues located in different topological regions of the free full-length H-NS. These findings confirm that the structure of the N-terminal dimerization domain is conserved in the oligomeric full-length protein. Small changes in the dimerization interface suggested by localized chemical shift variations between solution and solid-state spectra may be relevant for DNA recoginition.

THE IMPACT OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN ON SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Tässä työssä tutkitaan ohjelmistoarkkitehtuurisuunnitteluominaisuuksien vaikutusta erään client-server –arkkitehtuuriin perustuvan mobiilipalvelusovelluksen suunnittelu- ja toteutusaikaan. Kyseinen tutkimus perustuu reaalielämän projektiin, jonka kvalitatiivinen analyysi paljasti arkkitehtuurikompponenttien välisten kytkentöjen merkittävästi vaikuttavan projektin työmäärään. Työn päätavoite oli kvantitatiivisesti tutkia yllä mainitun havainnon oikeellisuus. Tavoitteen saavuttamiseksi suunniteltiin ohjelmistoarkkitehtuurisuunnittelun mittaristo kuvaamaan kyseisen järjestelmän alijärjestelmien arkkitehtuuria ja luotiin kaksi suunniteltua mittaristoa käyttävää, työmäärää (komponentin suunnittelu-, toteutus- ja testausaikojen summa) arvioivaa mallia, joista toinen on lineaarinen ja toinen epälineaarinen. Näiden mallien kertoimet sovitettiin optimoimalla niiden arvot epälineaarista gloobaalioptimointimenetelmää, differentiaalievoluutioalgoritmia, käyttäen, niin että mallien antamat arvot vastasivat parhaiten mitattua työmäärää sekä kaikilla ominaisuuksilla eli attribuuteilla että vain osalla niistä (yksi jätettiin vuorotellen pois). Kun arkkitehtuurikompenttien väliset kytkennät jätettiin malleista pois, mitattujen ja arvoitujen työmäärien välinen ero (ilmaistuna virheenä) kasvoi eräässä tapauksessa 367 % entisestä tarkoittaen sitä, että näin muodostettu malli vastasi toteutusaikoja huonosti annetulla ainestolla. Tämä oli suurin havaitu virhe kaikkien poisjätettyjen ominaisuuksien kesken. Saadun tuloksen perusteella päätettiin, että kyseisen järjestelmän toteutusajat ovat vahvasti riippuvaisia kytkentöjen määrästä, ja näin ollen kytkentöjen määrä oli mitä todennäköisemmin kaikista tärkein työmäärään vaikuttava tekijä tutkitun järjestelmän arkkitehtuurisuunnittelussa.

Gas exchange, phisiological indexes and ionic accumulation in Annona emarginata (Schltdl.) H. Rainer seedlings in nutrients solution

"Araticum-de-terra-fria" (Annona emarginata (Schltdl.) H. Rainer) has been consider a good alternative in rootstock production for the main commercial Annonaceae species. Although this species develops in different soil and climate conditions, there is no understanding by the physiological responses of this species at different nutritional levels. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different ionic strengths on development of vegetative species known as "Araticum-de-terra-fria". It was evaluated in seedlings grown in different ionic strengths (25% I, 50% I, 75% I and 100% I) of the complete nutrient solution Hoagland and Arnon (1950) nº 2, for 140 days, the following characteristics: Gas Exchange (CO2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, internal CO2 concentration, transpiration rate, water use efficiency, Rubisco carboxylation efficiency); Vegetative growth characteristics (diameter, leaf number, dry matter); Physiological Indexes (leaf area ratio, specific leaf area, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, leaf weight ratio) and Ionic Accumulation (nutrients leaf analysis). Seedlings grown under 50% I showed the highest values of Leaf CO2 assimilation rate, water use efficiency, carboxylation efficiency, growth, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate and ionic accumulation in the total dry matter. So it is concluded that "Araticum-de-terra-fria" seedlings grown under intermediate nutrient concentrations of complete nutrient solution Hoagland and Arnon (1950) nº 2, explored more adequately their physiological potential that justify their adaptation in different nutritional conditions and allow reducing the amount of mineral nutrition of seedlings production.

Characterization of nutrient deficiency in Hancornia speciosa Gomes seedlings by omitting micronutrients from the nutrient solution

Hancornia speciosa Gomes (Mangaba tree) is a fruit tree belonging to the Apocynaceae family and is native to Brazil. The production of seedlings of this species is limited by a lack of technical and nutritional expertise. To address this deficiency, this study aimed to characterize the visual symptoms of micronutrient deficiency and to assess growth and leaf nutrient accumulation in H. speciosa seedlings supplied with nutrient solutions that lack individual micronutrients. H. speciosa plants were grown in nutrient solution in a greenhouse according to a randomized block design, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of a group receiving complete nutrient solution and groups treated with a nutrient solution lacking one of the following micronutrients: boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and molybdenum (Mo). The visual symptoms of nutrient deficiency were generally easy to characterize. Dry matter production was affected by the omission of micronutrients, and the treatment lacking Fe most limited the stem length, stem diameter, root length, and number of leaves in H. speciosa seedlings as well as the dry weight of leaves, the total dry weight, and the relative growth in H. speciosa plants. The micronutrient contents of H. speciosa leaves from plants receiving the complete nutrient solution treatment were, in decreasing order, Fe>Mn>Cu>Zn>B.

Railway Wagon Market Analysis and New Multi-Purpose Wagon Solution for Freight Transports - Finnish Manufacturing Perspective

Rautateillä käytettävät tavaravaunut ovat vanhenemassa hyvin nopeasti; tämä koskee niin Venäjää, Suomea, Ruotsia kuin laajemminkin Eurooppaa. Venäjällä ja Euroopassa on käytössä runsaasti vaunuja, jotka ovat jo ylittäneet niille suositeltavan käyttöiän. Silti niitä käytetään kuljetuksissa, kun näitä korvaavia uusia vaunuja ei ole tarpeeksi saatavilla. Uusimmat vaunut ovat yleensä vaunuja vuokraavien yritysten tai uusien rautatieoperaattorien hankkimia - tämä koskee erityisesti Venäjää, jossa vaunuvuokraus on noussut erittäin suosituksi vaihtoehdoksi. Ennusteissa kerrotaan vaunupulan kasvavan ainakin vuoteen 2010 saakka. Jos rautateiden suosio rahtikuljetusmuotona kasvaa, niin voimistuva vaunukysyntä jatkuu huomattavan paljon pidemmän aikaa. Euroopan ja Venäjän vaunukannan tilanne näkyy myös sitä palvelevan konepajateollisuuden ongelmina - yleisesti ottaen alan eurooppalaiset yritykset ovat heikosti kannattavia ja niiden liikevaihto ei juuri kasva, venäläiset ja ukrainalaiset yritykset ovat olleet samassa tilanteessa, joskin aivan viime vuosina tilanne on osassa kääntynyt paremmaksi. Kun näiden maanosien yritysten liikevaihtoa, voittoa ja omistaja-arvoa verrataan yhdysvaltalaisiin kilpailijoihin, huomataan että jälkimmäisten suoriutuminen on huomattavan paljon parempaa, ja näillä yrityksillä on myös kyky maksaa osinkoja omistajilleen. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kehittää uuden tyyppinen kuljetusvaunu Suomen, Venäjän sekä mahdollisesti myös Kiinan väliseen liikenteeseen. Vaunutyypin tarkoituksena olisi kyetä toimimaan monikäyttöisenä, niin raaka-aineiden kuin konttienkin kuljetuksessa, tasapainottaen kuljetusmuotojen aiheuttamaa kuljetuspaino-ongelmaa. Kehitystyön pohjana käytimme yli 1000 venäläisen vaunutyypin tietokantaa, josta valitsimme Data Envelopment Analysis -menetelmällä soveliaimmat vaunut kontinkuljetukseen (lähemmin tarkastelimme n. 40 vaunutyyppiä), jättäen mahdollisimman vähän tyhjää tilaa junaan, mutta silti kyeten kantamaan valitun konttilastin. Kun kantokykyongelmia venäläisissä vaunuissa ei useinkaan ole, on vertailu tehtävissä tavarajunan pituuden ja kokonaispainon perusteella. Simuloituamme yhdistettyihin kuljetuksiin soveliasta vaunutyyppiä käytännössä löytyvässä kuljetusverkostossa (esim. raakapuuta Suomeen tai Kiinaan ja kontteja takaisin Venäjän suuntaan), huomasimme lyhemmän vaunupituuden sisältävän kustannusetua, erityisesti raakaainekuljetuksissa, mutta myös rajanylityspaikkojen mahdollisesti vähentyessä. Lyhempi vaunutyyppi on myös joustavampi erilaisten konttipituuksien suhteen (40 jalan kontin käyttö on yleistynyt viime vuosina). Työn lopuksi ehdotamme uuden vaunutyypin tuotantotavaksi verkostomaista lähestymistapaa, jossa osa vaunusta tehtäisiin Suomessa ja osa Venäjällä ja/tai Ukrainassa. Vaunutyypin tulisi olla rekisteröity Venäjälle, sillä silloin sitä voi käyttää Suomen ja Venäjän, kuten myös soveltuvin osin Venäjän ja Kiinan välisessä liikenteessä.

Use of the Flixene vascular access graft as an early cannulation solution.

OBJECTIVE: The primary end points of this study were safety and efficacy of early cannulation of the Flixene graft (Maquet-Atrium Medical, Hudson, NH). Secondary end points were complications and patency. METHODS: This is a prospective single-center nonrandomized study. Study data included patient characteristics; history of vascular access; operative technique; interval between implantation and initial cannulation; complications; and patency at 1 month, 3 months, and every 6 months. Patency rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Between January 2011 and September 2013, a total of 46 Flixene grafts were implanted in 44 patients (27 men) with a mean age of 63 years. The implantation site was the upper arm in 67% of cases, the forearm in 11%, and the thigh in 22%. Seven grafts were never cannulated during the study period. Of the remaining 39 grafts, 32 (82%) were successfully cannulated within the first week after implantation, including 16 (41%) on the first day. The median interval from implantation to initial cannulation was 2 days (interquartile range, 1-3 days). The median follow-up was 223.5 days (interquartile range, 97-600 days). Five hematomas occurred, but only one required surgical revision. Primary assisted and secondary patency rates were 65% and 86%, respectively, at 6 months and 56% and 86%, respectively, at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that cannulation of the Flixene graft within 1 week after implantation is safe and effective. Early cannulation avoids or shortens the need for a temporary catheter. One-year patency rates appeared to be comparable to those achieved with conventional grafts, but long-term follow-up and randomized controlled studies will be needed to confirm this finding.

Solution equilibria of cytosine- and guanine-rich sequences near the promoter region of the n-myc gene that contain stable hairpins within lateral loops

Cytosine-and guanine-rich regions of DNA are capable of forming complex structures named i-motifs and G-quadruplexes, respectively. In the present study the solution equilibria at nearly physiological conditions of a 34 -bases long cytosine-rich sequence and its complementary guanin e-rich strand corresponding to the first intron of the n-mycgene were studied. Both sequences , not yet studied, contain a 12 - base tract capable of forming stable hairpins inside the i-motif and G-quadruplex structures, respectively ...

Architectural characterization of a delta-front reservoir analogue combining ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography: Roda Sandstone (Lower Eocene, Graus-Tremp basin, Spain)

Three-dimensional reconstruction of reservoir analogues can be improved combining data from different geophysical methods. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) data are valuable tools, since they provide subsurface information from internal architecture and facies distribution of sedimentary rock bodies, enabling the upgrading of depositional models and heterogeneity reconstruction. The Lower Eocene Roda Sandstone is a well-known deltaic complex widely studied as a reservoir analogue that displays a series of sandstone wedges with a general NE to SW progradational trend. To provide a better understanding of internal heterogeneity of a 10m-thick progradational delta-front sandstone unit, 3D GPR data were acquired. In addition, common midpoints (CMP) to measure the sandstone subsoil velocity, test profiles with different frequency antennas (25, 50 and 100MHz) and topographic data for subsequent correction in the geophysical data were also obtained. Three ERT profiles were also acquired to further constrain GPR analysis. These geophysical results illustrate the geometry of reservoir analogue heterogeneities both depositional and diagenetic in nature, improving and complementing previous outcrop-derived data. GPR interpretation using radar stratigraphy principles and attributes analysis provided: 1)tridimensional geometry of major stratigraphic surfaces that define four units in the GPR Prism, 2) image the internal architecture of the units and their statistical study of azimuth and dips, useful for a quick determination of paleocurrent directions. These results were used to define the depositional architecture of the progradational sandbody that shows an arrangement in very-high-frequency sequences characterized by clockwise paleocurrent variations and decrease of the sedimentary flow, similar to those observed at a greater scale in the same system. This high-frequency sequential arrangement has been attributed to the autocyclic dynamics of a supply-dominated delta- front where fluvial and tidal currents are in competition. The resistivity models enhanced the viewing of reservoir quality associated with cement distribution caused by depositional and early diagenetic processes related to the development of transgressive and regressive systems tracts in igh-frequency sequences.

Medical nutrition in oncology : potential solution for managing malnutrition in cancer patients in Switzerland

The objective of this study is to: - Describe the cancer related complications, prevalence and economic burden of cancer; - Provide the review of the studies that have been done until now proving that specialized nutrition; can improve quality of life (QoL), shorten the length of hospital stay and reduce overall cost of patients care; - Describe different types of specialized nutritional support and tools/ guidelines used for nutritional screening; - Justify the use of specialized nutrition as an integral part of cancer treatment [Author, p. 6] [Contents] 3. General overview of cancer. 4. Specialized nutritional support and nutritional screening. 4.4 European guidelines for nutritional screening [Screening tools: Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST); Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002); Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)]. 5. Implementation of nutritional support in Swiss hospitals as an integral part of oncology treatment. 5.1 Nutritional guidelines used in Switzerland. 5.2 Status of prevention of malnutrition in cancer patients in Swiss hospitals. 5.3 Malnutrition in Swiss hospitals: medical costs and potential economies. 5.4 Recommendations for implementation of nutritional guidelines and nutritional support in Swiss hospitals.

Combining Customer Requirements and Modularity in Complete Tap Water Solution

This thesis studies forming a complete solution concept for tap water systems in project business environment. The aim of the study is to find tools and means for the target company to determine the scope of their tap water solution offering and to research what kind of organizational capabilities and resources are needed to supply such system solutions. With the help of literature, the characteristics of systems selling and project business and thematics of systems integration and integrated solutions are examined, and the significance of modularity and customer requirements in the given operational environment is discussed. After this, a checklist tool for customer requirements management is developed for the tap water system along with a module allocation method. The study proposes that with the checklist and module allocation the technical specifications can be extensively and innovatively defined for the system. The tools developed are a part of a complete tap water solution concept, which suggests that integrated solutions might constitute possibilities for the company to outperform its competitors when the traditional business methods of the industry are becoming obsolete.

One pot obtention of a tetrabutylammonium hydroxide solution for ironporphyrin-OH- interaction studies in organic solvents

In this work we report the obtention of a tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) solution in acetonitrile in a one pot process in order to study the interaction ironporphyrinOH- in non-aqueous systems. All the reactions were carried out under dry argon atmosphere to prevent the contamination of the solution with CO2, which leads to the formation of (TBA)2CO3.