In-situ comparison of the NOy instruments flown in MOZAIC and SPURT

Two aircraft instruments for the measurement of total odd nitrogen (NOy) were compared side by side aboard a Learjet A35 in April 2003 during a campaign of the AFO2000 project SPURT (Spurengastransport in der Tropopausenregion). The instruments albeit employing the same measurement principle (gold converter and chemiluminescence) had different inlet configurations. The ECO-Physics instrument operated by ETH-Zürich in SPURT had the gold converter mounted outside the aircraft, whereas the instrument operated by FZ-Jülich in the European project MOZAIC III (Measurements of ozone, water vapour, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides aboard Airbus A340 in-service aircraft) employed a Rosemount probe with 80 cm of FEP-tubing connecting the inlet to the gold converter. The NOy concentrations during the flight ranged between 0.3 and 3 ppb. The two data sets were compared in a blind fashion and each team followed its normal operating procedures. On average, the measurements agreed within 7%, i.e. within the combined uncertainty of the two instruments. This puts an upper limit on potential losses of HNO3 in the Rosemount inlet of the MOZAIC instrument. Larger transient deviations were observed during periods after calibrations and when the aircraft entered the stratosphere. The time lag of the MOZAIC instrument observed in these instances is in accordance with the time constant of the MOZAIC inlet line determined in the laboratory for HNO3.

Informing operational flood management with ensemble predictions: lessons from Sweden.

This paper highlights some communicative and institutional challenges to using ensemble prediction systems (EPS) in operational flood forecasting, warning, and civil protection. Focusing in particular on the Swedish experience, as part of the PREVIEW FP6 project, of applying EPS to operational flood forecasting, the paper draws on a wider set of site visits, interviews, and participant observation with flood forecasting centres and civil protection authorities (CPAs) in Sweden and 15 other European states to reflect on the comparative success of Sweden in enabling CPAs to make operational use of EPS for flood risk management. From that experience, the paper identifies four broader lessons for other countries interested in developing the operational capacity to make, communicate, and use EPS for flood forecasting and civil protection. We conclude that effective training and clear communication of EPS, while clearly necessary, are by no means sufficient to ensure effective use of EPS. Attention must also be given to overcoming the institutional obstacles to their use and to identifying operational choices for which EPS is seen to add value rather than uncertainty to operational decision making by CPAs.

Re-creation of heathland on improved pasture using topsoil removal and sulphur amendments: edaphic drivers and impacts on ericoid mycorrhizas

Understanding the factors that drive successful re-creation and restoration of lowland heaths is crucially important for achieving the long-term conservation of this threatened habitat type. In this study we investigated the changes in soil chemistry, plant community and interactions between Calluna vulgaris and symbiotic ericoid mycorrhizas (ERM) that occurred when improved pasture was subjected to one of three treatments (i) acidification with elemental sulphur (ii) acidification with ferrous sulphur (iii) removal of the topsoil. We found that the soil stripping treatment produced the greatest reduction in available phosphate but did not decrease soil pH. Conversely, acidification with elemental sulphur decreased pH but increased availability of phosphate and potentially toxic cations. The elemental sulphur treatment produced plant communities that most closely resembled those on surrounding heaths and acid grasslands. The most important driver was low pH and concomitant increased availability of potentially toxic cations. Plant community development was found to be little related to levels of available soil phosphate, particularly at low pH. The elemental sulphur treatment also produced the best germination and growth of C. vulgaris over 4–5 years. However, this treatment was found to inhibit the development of symbiotic relationships between C. vulgaris and ERM. This may affect the long-term persistence of re-created vegetation and its interactions with other components of heathland communities.

Treatment of Zygomatic Arch Fracture With Lag Screws

Zygomatic arch fractures often occur as part of a zygoma fracture or Le Fort type III fractures of the maxillary. Isolated fractures of the zygomatic arch comprise around 10% of all zygoma fractures. The main etiologic factors are traffic accidents, falls, assaults, and sport accidents. Treatment may involve minimally invasive surgical procedures for slightly dislocated fractures or surgery with more extensive access for large dislocations of bone segments. This article reports the case of a 41-year-old male victim of physical aggression to the face with a steel sickle with an exposed, unstable fracture of the zygomatic arch. The patient underwent general anesthesia, and after the reduction of the fractures, the bone segments were fixed with 2.0-mm screws.

Fabrication and integration of planar electrodes for contactless conductivity detection on polyester-toner electrophoresis microchips

In this report, we describe the microfabrication and integration of planar electrodes for contactless conductivity detection on polyester-toner (PT) electrophoresis microchips using toner masks. Planar electrodes were fabricated by three simple steps: (i) drawing and laser-printing the electrode geometry on polyester films, (ii) sputtering deposition onto substrates, and (iii) removal of toner layer by a lift-off process. The polyester film with anchored electrodes was integrated to PT electrophoresis microchannels by lamination at 120 degrees C in less than 1 min. The electrodes were designed in an antiparallel configuration with 750 mu m width and 750 gm gap between them. The best results were recorded with a frequency of 400 kHz and 10 V-PP using a sinusoidal wave. The analytical performance of the proposed microchip was evaluated by electrophoretic separation of potassium, sodium and lithium in 150 mu m wide x 6 mu m deep microchannels. Under an electric field of 250 V/cm the analytes were successfully separated in less than 90 s with efficiencies ranging from 7000 to 13 000 plates. The detection limits (S/N = 3) found for K+, Na+, and Li+ were 3.1, 4.3, and 7.2 mu mol/L, respectively. Besides the low-cost and instrumental simplicity, the integrated PT chip eliminates the problem of manual alignment and gluing of the electrodes, permitting more robustness and better reproducibility, therefore, more suitable for mass production of electrophoresis microchips.

Produktion, skador och grenegenskaper hos 10-årig tall i ett kombinerat förbands- och avkommeförsök : Volume production, damages and branch properties in a 10-year old combined spacing and progeny trial of Scots pine

A Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) progeny trial was established in 1990, in the southwestern part of Sweden. The offspring was from 30 plus trees. The trial is located on abandoned agricultural land and has a single tree block design with a variation in spacing. The trial has been damaged by voles. At a tree age of ten years, growth, damages and branch properties were estimated. An analysis of variance on height, diameter and stem volume shows significant difference between spacing and progenies as well as interactions between these factors. As indicated by a better annual height increment and fewer and thinner branches at each whorl the densest spacing has the highest potential to produce quality logs.There were also differences between progenies in growth and quality traits. Some progenies combined good growth and branch characters with low mortality, straight stems and few damages. Other progenies had superior volume production.

Dynamic whole system testing of combined renewable heating systems : the current state of the art

Objective: For the evaluation of the energetic performance of combined renewable heating systems that supply space heat and domestic hot water for single family houses, dynamic behaviour, component interactions, and control of the system play a crucial role and should be included in test methods. Methods: New dynamic whole system test methods were developed based on “hardware in the loop” concepts. Three similar approaches are described and their differences are discussed. The methods were applied for testing solar thermal systems in combination with fossil fuel boilers (heating oil and natural gas), biomass boilers, and/or heat pumps. Results: All three methods were able to show the performance of combined heating systems under transient operating conditions. The methods often detected unexpected behaviour of the tested system that cannot be detected based on steady state performance tests that are usually applied to single components. Conclusion: Further work will be needed to harmonize the different test methods in order to reach comparable results between the different laboratories. Practice implications: A harmonized approach for whole system tests may lead to new test standards and improve the accuracy of performance prediction as well as reduce the need for field tests.

Familjemedlem till person med psykossjukdom : bemötande och utanförskap i psykiatrisk vård

This thesis focused on the situation of family members of persons with psychotic illness, particular on their experience of the approach of the healthcare professionals and of their feelings of alienation regarding the professional care of their family member. A further aim was to explore how siblings who have participated in a support group for siblings experienced their situation. A questionnaire was developed that enabled the aims of this thesis to be investigated (I). Seventy family members from various parts of Sweden participated, and data were collected via the questionnaire developed in study I (II-III). Thirteen siblings who previously had participated in a support group participated in follow-up focus groups interviews (IV). The questionnaire developed was shown to be reliable and valid in these studies (I). In many cases, the participants had experienced an approach from professionals that indicated that they did not experience openness, confirmation and cooperation, and that they felt powerless and socially isolated in relation to the care. There was also found to be a certain degree of association between how the participants experienced the approach and whether they felt alienation (II). The majority of the participants considered openness, confirmation, and cooperation to be important aspects of professional’s approach. The result also identified a low level of agreement between the participants’ experience and what they considered to be significant in the professional’s approach (III). The findings revealed the complexity of being a sibling of an individual with psychotic illness. Participating in a support group for siblings can be of importance in gaining knowledge and minimizing feelings of being alone (IV). Although the psychiatric care services in Sweden have been aware of the importance of cooperating with family members, the results indicated that there is a need for further research in this area.

English-medium instruction in Sweden : Perspectives and practices in two upper secondary schools

This thesis presents English-medium instruction (EMI) in the Swedish context, focusing on perspectives and practices in two schools. The research question is as follows: How and why is EMI offered, chosen, and practiced in the Swedish upper secondary school today? The aim is to explore the status of the educational option, the reasons for offering EMI to stakeholders, the stakeholders’ beliefs about and goals of EMI, and the implementation of EMI in the classroom. A survey of all upper secondary schools in Sweden was conducted to ascertain the spread of content teaching through a foreign language. The educational context was studied from an ecological perspective using methods based in linguistic ethnography. Language alternation, academic language, and language hierarchy were all considered. Interviews were analysed for content; and classroom language use was analysed for language choice and function. The concepts of affordance and scaffolding together with translanguaging were key. The de facto policies of the micro contexts of the schools were examined in light of the declared national policy of the macro context of Sweden. The results indicate that the option in Swedish schools has not increased, and also tends to only be EMI—not Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) or instruction through other languages. EMI is offered for prestige, an international profile, marketing potential and personal interest. EMI students are academically motivated and confident, and see the option as “fun”. 100% EMI in the lessons is not the goal or the practice. Translanguaging is abundant, but how language alternation is perceived as an affordance or not differs in the two schools. One focuses on how the languages are used while the other focuses on how much each language is used. In conclusion, the analysis suggests that a development of definitions and practices of EMI in Sweden is needed, especially in relation to language policy and language hierarchy.

Learning by Reading : A literature study on the use of authentic texts in the EFL upper elementary classroom

The English language is widely used throughout the world and has become a core subject in many countries, especially for students in the upper elementary classroom. While textbooks have been the preferred EFL teaching method for a long time, this belief has seemingly changed within the last few years. Therefore, this study looks at what prior research says about the use of authentic texts in the EFL upper elementary classroom with an aim to answer research questions on how teachers can work with authentic texts, what the potential benefits of using authentic texts are and what teachers and students say about the use of authentic texts in the EFL classroom. While this thesis is written from a Swedish perspective, it is recognized that many countries teach EFL. Therefore, international results have also been taken into consideration and seven previous research studies have been analyzed in order to gain a better understanding of the use of authentic texts in the EFL classroom. Results indicate that the use of authentic texts is beneficial in teaching EFL. However, many teachers are still reluctant to use these, mainly because of time constraints and the belief that such texts are too difficult for their students. Since these findings are mainly focused on areas outside of Sweden, additional research is needed before conclusions can be drawn on the use of authentic texts in the Swedish upper elementary EFL classroom.

Authentic Texts in English Language Teaching : An empirical study on the use of and attitudes towards authentic texts in the Swedish EFL upper elementary classroom

International assessments indicate that Swedish students achieve high results in reading, writing and understanding English. However, this does not mean that the students display oral proficiency, despite an emphasis on functional and communicative language skills in the current English Syllabus. While a previous literature study by this researcher has shown that authentic texts are a way to increase these skills, most of the results shown are from an international viewpoint. Thus an empirical study was conducted within Sweden with the aim to examine the use of authentic texts in the Swedish EFL upper elementary classroom. Twelve teachers have answered a questionnaire on how they use authentic texts in their language teaching, as well as their opinions about these as a teaching tool. Additionally, 37 students have answered a questionnaire on their attitudes about authentic texts. Results indicate that all of the teachers surveyed see authentic texts as an effective way to increase students’ communicative competence and English language skills; however, only a few use them with any frequency in language teaching. Furthermore, this seems to affect the students’ attitudes, since many say that they read authentic texts in their free time, but prefer to learn English out of a textbook at school. These findings are based on a small area of Sweden. Therefore, further research is needed to learn if these opinions hold true for the entire country or vary dependent upon region or other factors not taken into consideration in this study.

Genotoxic and mutagenic effects of permethrin in mice: Micronuclei analysis in peripheral blood erythrocytes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Application of X-ray technique in nondestructive evaluation of eucalypt wood

X-rays were initially used for the inspection of special-purpose wood pieces for quantitative evaluation properties of different species. X-ray densitometry has had its use expanded ill dendroclimatology of Picea engelmannii trees. Subsequent laboratories developed applications of X-ray densitometry for environmental, wood science and technology, and related areas. This paper describes the basic methodology of X-ray densitometry applied to the eucalypt wood analysis, as well its presenting the results of applications in three areas: (i) evaluation of wood biodegradation by white rot fungi, (ii) detection of sapwood and heartwood, and (iii) determination of the effect of management oil wood properties. The wood decayed by white rot fungi was detected by X-ray densitometry with it decreasing wood density due to the biodegradation of cell wall components. The sapwood and heartwood of eucalypts were separated in response to the attenuation of X-rays, reflected by the wood anatomical structure and chemical composition. Also, Ill eucalypt trees after the application of irrigation and i characteristic wood density profiles were detected. Ill addition, the significant potential of X-ray densitometry for eucalypt wood research and analysis is discussed.

Cytoplasmic RNA and nuclear changes detected cytochemically during the degeneration of salivary glands of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) (Acari, Ixodidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Exposure of young rats to high estrogen doses leads to degeneration of elongated spermatids

Single high doses of estrogen (35 mg/kg body weight) were administered to young rats aiming to exacerbate its effects on germ cell populations. The short-term (1 week) and medium-term (7 weeks) consequences of this estrogenic treatment (ET) on the testis were evaluated using light and electron microscopies, quantitative methods and TUNEL reaction. Short-term ET led to 50% atrophy of the testis, however, in the medium term the gonado-somatic index was recovered. No histopathological alterations were found at seminiferous epithelium except for short-term severe degeneration of elongated spermatids (EL) and low frequency of these cells in both time intervals. Two morphologically distinct patterns of degeneration were observed: (1) clusters of EL which were TUNEL-negative and exhibited bizarre appearance and nuclear fragmentation, (2) isolated apoptotic EL within the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells (SC). Both degenerative phenomena were more frequent in stages III - VIII of seminiferous cycle, whereas at stages I and II only coiling of flagellum was observed. One week after ET, small amounts of EL were detected in stages IX - XII, suggesting spermiation failure. Signs of functional SC damage such as an accumulation of myelin-like inclusions in their cytoplasm were observed in the short but not medium-term. However, the apoptotic rates still remained five times higher and the number of elongated spermatids was three-fold lower. Our data indicate that exposure to a high dose of estrogen around puberty has stage-specific effects on the testis and causes massive degeneration of elongated spermatids. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.