| 1. |
- Spolaor, A., et al.
(författare)
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Seasonality of halogen deposition in polar snow and ice
- 2014
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 14, s. 9613-9622
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The atmospheric chemistry of iodine and bromine in Polar regions is of interest due to the key role of halogens in many atmospheric processes, particularly tropospheric ozone destruction. Bromine is emitted from the open ocean but is enriched above first-year sea ice during springtime bromine explosion events, whereas iodine emission is at- tributed to biological communities in the open ocean and hosted by sea ice. It has been previously demonstrated that bromine and iodine are present in Antarctic ice over glacial– interglacial cycles. Here we investigate seasonal variability of bromine and iodine in polar snow and ice, to evaluate their emission, transport and deposition in Antarctica and the Arc- tic and better understand potential links to sea ice. We find that bromine and iodine concentrations and Br enrichment (relative to sea salt content) in polar ice do vary seasonally in Arctic snow and Antarctic ice. Although seasonal vari- ability in halogen emission sources is recorded by satellite- based observations of tropospheric halogen concentrations, seasonal patterns observed in snowpack are likely also in- fluenced by photolysis-driven processes. Peaks of bromine concentration and Br enrichment in Arctic snow and Antarc- tic ice occur in spring and summer, when sunlight is present. A secondary bromine peak, observed at the end of summer, is attributed to bromine deposition at the end of the polar day. Iodine concentrations are largest in winter Antarctic ice strata, contrary to contemporary observations of summer maxima in iodine emissions. These findings support previous observations of iodine peaks in winter snow strata attributed to the absence of sunlight-driven photolytic re-mobilisation of iodine from surface snow. Further investigation is required to confirm these proposed mechanisms explaining observa- tions of halogens in polar snow and ice, and to evaluate the extent to which halogens may be applied as sea ice proxies.
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| 2. |
- Elmendorf, Sarah C., et al.
(författare)
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Global assessment of experimental climate warming on tundra vegetation : heterogeneity over space and time
- 2012
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Ingår i: Ecology Letters. - : Wiley. - 1461-023X .- 1461-0248. ; 15:2, s. 164-175
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Understanding the sensitivity of tundra vegetation to climate warming is critical to forecasting future biodiversity and vegetation feedbacks to climate. In situ warming experiments accelerate climate change on a small scale to forecast responses of local plant communities. Limitations of this approach include the apparent site-specificity of results and uncertainty about the power of short-term studies to anticipate longer term change. We address these issues with a synthesis of 61 experimental warming studies, of up to 20 years duration, in tundra sites worldwide. The response of plant groups to warming often differed with ambient summer temperature, soil moisture and experimental duration. Shrubs increased with warming only where ambient temperature was high, whereas graminoids increased primarily in the coldest study sites. Linear increases in effect size over time were frequently observed. There was little indication of saturating or accelerating effects, as would be predicted if negative or positive vegetation feedbacks were common. These results indicate that tundra vegetation exhibits strong regional variation in response to warming, and that in vulnerable regions, cumulative effects of long-term warming on tundra vegetation and associated ecosystem consequences have the potential to be much greater than we have observed to date.
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| 3. |
- Brämming, Mats, et al.
(författare)
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BOS vessel vibration measurement for foam level detection
- 2011
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Ingår i: ISIJ International. - : Iron and Steel Institute of Japan. - 0915-1559 .- 1347-5460. ; 51:1, s. 71-79
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the BOS process liquid slag together with dispersed metal droplets, solid particles and process gases form an expanding foam. Certain process conditions may lead to excessive foam growth, forcing foam out through the vessel mouth, an event commonly known as 'slopping'. Slopping results in loss of valuable metal, equipment damage and lost production time. In the early 1980s a system for foam level and slopping control was installed at SSAB's steel plant in Luleå, a system based on the correlation between BOS vessel vibration in a narrow low frequency band and foam development. The technique, in this case with an accelerometer mounted on the trunnion bearing housing, soon showed its usefulness, for example when adapting existing lance patterns to a change in oxygen lance design from a 3-hole to a 4-hole nozzle. Estimating the actual foam height in the BOS vessel was of great importance in the recently completed RFCS funded research project "IMPHOS" (Improving Phosphorus Refining). Based on the earlier positive experiences, it was decided to further develop the vessel vibration measurement technique. Trials on an industrial size BOS vessel type LD/LBE have been carried out, this time with a tri-axial accelerometer mounted on the vessel trunnion. FFT spectrum analysis has been used in order to find the frequency band with best correlation to the foam level development. The results show that there is a correlation between vessel vibration and foam height that can be used for dynamic foam level and slopping control. © 2011 ISIJ.
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| 4. |
- Lundgren, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
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PTFE bypass to below-knee arteries : distal vein collar or not? A prospective randomised multicentre study
- 2010
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Ingår i: European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1078-5884 .- 1532-2165. ; 39:6, s. 747-754
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundPatency and limb salvage after synthetic bypass to the arteries below-knee are inferior to that which can be achieved with autologous vein. Use of a vein collar at the distal anastomosis has been suggested to improve patency and limb salvage, a problem that is analysed in this randomised clinical study.MethodsPatients with critical limb ischaemia undergoing polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) bypass to below-knee arteries were randomly either assigned a vein collar or not in two groups – bypass to the popliteal artery below-knee (femoro-popliteal below-knee (FemPopBK)) and more distal bypass (femoro-distal bypass (FemDist)). Follow-up was scheduled until amputation, death or at most 5 years, whichever event occurred first.ResultsIn the FemPopBK and in the FemDist groups, 115/202 and 72/150 were randomised to have a vein collar, respectively. Information was available for 345 of 352 randomised patients (98%).At 3 years, primary patency was 26% (95% confidence interval (CI) 18–38) with a vein collar and 43 (33–58) without a vein collar for femoro-popliteal bypass and 20 (11–38), and 17 (9–33) for femoro-distal bypass, respectively. The corresponding figures for limb salvage were 64 (54–75) and 61 (50–74) for femoro-popliteal bypass, and 59 (46–76) and 44 (32–61) for femoro-distal bypass with and without a vein collar, respectively. Log-rank-test for the whole Kaplan–Meier life table curve showed no statistically significant differences with or without vein collar primary patency: p = 0.0853, p = 0.228; secondary patency: p = 0.317, p = 0.280; limb salvage: p = 0.757, p = 0.187 for FemPopBK and FemDist, respectively. The use of a vein collar did not influence patency or limb salvage.ConclusionThis study failed to show any benefit for vein collar with PTFE bypass to a below-knee artery.
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| 5. |
- Naghavi, N., et al.
(författare)
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Buffer layers and transparent conducting oxides for chalcopyrite Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2) based thin film photovoltaics : Present status and current developments
- 2010
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Ingår i: Progress in Photovoltaics. - : Wiley. - 1062-7995 .- 1099-159X. ; 18:6, s. 411-433
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the present contribution is to give a review on the recent work concerning Cd-free buffer and window layers in chalcopyrite solar cells using various deposition techniques as well as on their adaptation to chalcopyrite-type absorbers such as Cu(In,Ga)Se-2, CuInS2, or Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2). The corresponding solar-cell performances, the expected technological problems, and current attempts for their commercialization will be discussed. The most important deposition techniques developed in this paper are chemical bath deposition, atomic layer deposition, ILGAR deposition, evaporation, and spray deposition. These deposition methods were employed essentially for buffers based on the following three materials: In2S3, ZnS, Zn1-xMgxO.
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| 6. |
- Venkatesan, Meera, et al.
(författare)
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Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter and multidrug resistance 1 genes : parasite risk factors that affect treatment outcomes for P. falciparum malaria after artemether-lumefantrine and artesunate-amodiaquine.
- 2014
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Ingår i: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene. - : American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. - 1476-1645 .- 0002-9637. ; 91:4, s. 833-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Adequate clinical and parasitologic cure by artemisinin combination therapies relies on the artemisinin component and the partner drug. Polymorphisms in the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (pfcrt) and P. falciparum multidrug resistance 1 (pfmdr1) genes are associated with decreased sensitivity to amodiaquine and lumefantrine, but effects of these polymorphisms on therapeutic responses to artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) have not been clearly defined. Individual patient data from 31 clinical trials were harmonized and pooled by using standardized methods from the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network. Data for more than 7,000 patients were analyzed to assess relationships between parasite polymorphisms in pfcrt and pfmdr1 and clinically relevant outcomes after treatment with AL or ASAQ. Presence of the pfmdr1 gene N86 (adjusted hazards ratio = 4.74, 95% confidence interval = 2.29 - 9.78, P < 0.001) and increased pfmdr1 copy number (adjusted hazards ratio = 6.52, 95% confidence interval = 2.36-17.97, P < 0.001 : were significant independent risk factors for recrudescence in patients treated with AL. AL and ASAQ exerted opposing selective effects on single-nucleotide polymorphisms in pfcrt and pfmdr1. Monitoring selection and responding to emerging signs of drug resistance are critical tools for preserving efficacy of artemisinin combination therapies; determination of the prevalence of at least pfcrt K76T and pfmdr1 N86Y should now be routine.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Björkman, Christer, et al.
(författare)
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Food Conditioning Affects Expression of Insect Resistance in Diploid Willows (Salix spp.)
- 2013
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Ingår i: American Journal of Plant Sciences. - : Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.. - 2158-2742 .- 2158-2750. ; 4, s. 48-52
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The high energy quota and versatility of use make willows (Salix spp.) attractive as bioenergy crops. Insect defoliation constitutes a threat to the profitability of willow growers. Hitherto, the breeding for resistance against the main insect pests has been hampered by the fact that all known resistant willow clones are polyploids, and existing molecular breeding tools work most effectively for diploids. Here, we firstly report diploid willows highly resistant to the main insect defoliator, the leaf beetle (Phratora vulgatissima), offering new opportunities for breeding resistance. Leaf bee-tles exposed to three resistant clones (two S. purpurea one S. eriocephala) laid three to 27 times fewer eggs than fe-males on a susceptible S. viminalis clone. Secondly, we show that beetles laid significantly more eggs on resistant clones if they were fed the susceptible clone prior to the oviposition monitoring test compared to when they pre-fed on resistant clones. Nevertheless, the differences observed between resistant and susceptible clones were pronounced in all cases. The food conditioning effect means that small differences in resistance among clones may be undetected.
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| 9. |
- Björkman, Ingeborg, et al.
(författare)
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The Swedish A(H1N1) vaccination campaign : Why did not all Swedes take the vaccination?
- 2013
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Ingår i: Health Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-8510 .- 1872-6054. ; 109:1, s. 63-70
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundIn Sweden, a mass vaccination campaign against the influenza A(H1N1) 2009 resulted in 60% vaccination coverage. However, many countries had difficulty in motivating citizens to be vaccinated. To be prepared for future vaccination campaigns, it is important to understand people's reasons for not taking the vaccination.ObjectiveThe aim of this qualitative study was to explore motives, beliefs and reactions of individuals with varying backgrounds who did not get vaccinated.Data and methodsThe total 28 individuals participating in the interviews were permitted to speak freely about their experiences and ideas about the vaccination. Interviews were analysed using a Grounded Theory approach. The strength of participants' decisions not to be vaccinated was also estimated.FindingsPatterns of motives were identified and described in five main categories: (A) distinguishing between unnecessary and necessary vaccination, (B) distrust, (C) the idea of the natural, (D) resisting an exaggerated safety culture, and (E) injection fear. The core category, upholding autonomy and own health, constitutes the base on which the decisions were grounded.ConclusionA prerequisite for taking the vaccine would be that people feel involved in the vaccination enterprise to make a sensible decision regarding whether their health will be best protected by vaccination.
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| 10. |
- Björkman, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluating the enemies hypothesis in a clover-cabbage intercrop : effects of generalist and specialist natural enemies on the turnip root fly (Delia floralis)
- 2010
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Ingår i: Agricultural and Forest Entomology. - : Wiley. - 1461-9555 .- 1461-9563. ; 12:2, s. 123-132
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The relative importance of the resource concentration hypothesis and the enemies hypothesis was investigated for the turnip root fly Delia floralis in a cabbage-red clover intercropping system compared with a cabbage monoculture. Delia floralis egg densities were measured as well as the activity-densities of generalist predators in a field experiment during two growing seasons. In the second year, a study of egg predation with artificially placed eggs was conducted, in addition to a predator exclusion experiment, to estimate total predation during the season. Parasitization rates were estimated from samples of pupae. Delia floralis oviposition was greater in the monoculture during both years. The predator activity-densities differed between treatments and study years. The known natural enemies of Delia spp., Bembidion spp. and Aleochara bipustulata showed a strong response to a cultivation system with higher activity-densities in the monoculture. The response, however, appeared to be caused primarily by habitat preferences and not by D. floralis egg densities. The reduction in the number of D. floralis pupae in the intercropping may be explained by a disruption in oviposition behaviour caused by the presence of clover because neither predation, nor parasitization rates differed between cultivation systems.
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