| 1. |
- Halme, P., et al.
(author)
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Challenges of ecological restoration : Lessons from forests in northern Europe
- 2013
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In: Biological Conservation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3207 .- 1873-2917. ; 167, s. 248-256
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The alarming rate of ecosystem degradation has raised the need for ecological restoration throughout different biomes and continents. North European forests may appear as one of the least vulnerable ecosystems from a global perspective, since forest cover is not rapidly decreasing and many ecosystem services remain at high level. However, extensive areas of northern forests are heavily exploited and have lost a major part of their biodiversity value. There is a strong requirement to restore these areas towards a more natural condition in order to meet the targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Several northern countries are now taking up this challenge by restoring forest biodiversity with increasing intensity. The ecology and biodiversity of boreal forests are relatively well understood making them a good model for restoration activities in many other forest ecosystems. Here we introduce northern forests as an ecosystem, discuss the historical and recent human impact and provide a brief status report on the ecological restoration projects and research already conducted there. Based on this discussion, we argue that before any restoration actions commence, the ecology of the target ecosystem should be established with the need for restoration carefully assessed and the outcome properly monitored. Finally, we identify the most important challenges that need to be solved in order to carry out efficient restoration with powerful and long-term positive impacts on biodiversity: coping with unpredictability, maintaining connectivity in time and space, assessment of functionality, management of conflicting interests and social restrictions and ensuring adequate funding. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
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| 2. |
- Urpelainen, S., et al.
(author)
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FINEST:A high performance branch-line for VUV photon energy range gas phase studies at MAX-lab
- 2010
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In: AIP Conference Proceedings. - : AIP. - 0094-243X. - 9780735407824 ; 1234, s. 411-414
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present a dedicated beamline branch for high flux and ultra-high resolution (R>100000) gas and vapor phase studies in the vacuum-ultra-violet (VUV) region of light on the undulator beamline I3, located on the 700 MeV MAX-III storage ring. The mechanical and optical design of the branch-line, the differential pumping setup as well as performance characteristics are presented.
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| 3. |
- Asfaw, Habtom D., et al.
(author)
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Nanosized LiFePO4-decorated emulsion-templated carbon foam for 3D micro batteries : a study of structure and electrochemical performance
- 2014
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In: Nanoscale. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2040-3364 .- 2040-3372. ; 6:15, s. 8804-8813
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this article, we report a novel 3D composite cathode fabricated from LiFePO4 nanoparticles deposited conformally on emulsion-templated carbon foam by a sot-gel method. The carbon foam is synthesized via a facile and scalable method which involves the carbonization of a high internal phase emulsion (polyHIPE) polymer template. Various techniques (XRD, SEM, TEM and electrochemical methods) are used to fully characterize the porous electrode and confirm the distribution and morphology of the cathode active material. The major benefits of the carbon foam used in our work are closely connected with its high surface area and the plenty of space suitable for sequential coating with battery components. After coating with a cathode material (LiFePO4 nanoparticles), the 3D electrode presents a hierarchically structured electrode in which a porous layer of the cathode material is deposited on the rigid and bicontinuous carbon foam. The composite electrodes exhibit impressive cyclability and rate performance at different current densities affirming their importance as viable power sources in miniature devices. Footprint area capacities of 1.72 mA h cm(-2) at 0.1 mA cm(-2) (lowest rate) and 1.1 mA h cm(-2) at 6 mA cm(-2) (highest rate) are obtained when the cells are cycled in the range 2.8 to 4.0 V vs. lithium.
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| 4. |
- Asfaw, Habtom Desta, 1986-, et al.
(author)
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Nanosized LiFePO4-decorated emulsion-templated carbon foam for 3D micro batteries : a study of structure and electrochemical performance
- 2014
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In: Nanoscale. - Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2040-3364 .- 2040-3372. ; 6:15, s. 8804-8813
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this article, we report a novel 3D composite cathode fabricated from LiFePO4 nanoparticles deposited conformally on emulsion-templated carbon foam by a sol–gel method. The carbon foam is synthesized via a facile and scalable method which involves the carbonization of a high internal phase emulsion (polyHIPE) polymer template. Various techniques (XRD, SEM, TEM and electrochemical methods) are used to fully characterize the porous electrode and confirm the distribution and morphology of the cathode active material. The major benefits of the carbon foam used in our work are closely connected with its high surface area and the plenty of space suitable for sequential coating with battery components. After coating with a cathode material (LiFePO4nanoparticles), the 3D electrode presents a hierarchically structured electrode in which a porous layer of the cathode material is deposited on the rigid and bicontinuous carbon foam. The composite electrodes exhibit impressive cyclability and rate performance at different current densities affirming their importance as viable power sources in miniature devices. Footprint area capacities of 1.72 mA h cm−2 at 0.1 mA cm−2 (lowest rate) and 1.1 mA h cm−2 at 6 mA cm−2(highest rate) are obtained when the cells are cycled in the range 2.8 to 4.0 V vs. lithium.
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| 5. |
- Co, Michelle, 1975-, et al.
(author)
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Degradation effects in the extraction of antioxidants from birch bark using water at elevated temperature and pressure
- 2012
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In: Analytica Chimica Acta. - : Elsevier BV. - 0003-2670 .- 1873-4324. ; 716, s. 40-48
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Experiments with birch bark samples have been carried to enable a distinction between extraction and degradation effects during pressurised hot water extraction. Two samples, E80 and El 80, contained birch bark extracts obtained after extraction at 80 and 180 degrees C for up to 45 min, respectively. Two other samples, P80 and P180, were only extracted for 5 min at the two temperatures and were thereafter filtered and hydrothermally treated at 80 and 180 degrees C, respectively. During the latter treatment, samples were collected at different times to assess the stability of the extracted compounds. An offline DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay, as well as a high performance liquid chromatographic separation coupled to an electrochemical detector, were used to determine the antioxidant capacity of the processed samples. The results obtained with the different techniques were compared to assess the yield of the extraction and degradation processes. In addition, an online hyphenated system comprising high performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode-array; electrochemical; and tandem mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-DAD-ECD-MS/MS) was used to study the compositions of the extracts in more detail. The results for the samples processed at 80 degrees C showed that the extraction reached a steady-state already after 5 min, and that the extracted compounds were stable throughout the entire extraction process. Processing at 180 degrees C, on the other hand, gave rise to partly degraded extracts with a multitude of peaks in both the diode array and electrochemical detectors, and a higher antioxidant capacity compared to for the extracts obtained at 80 degrees C. It is concluded that HPLC-DAD-ECD is a more appropriate technique for the determination of antioxidants than the DPPH assay. The mass spectrometric results indicate that one of the extracted antioxidants, catechin, was isomerised to its diastereoisomers; (+)-catechin, (-)-catechin, (+)-epicatechin, and (-)-epicatechin.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Pålhagen, S. E., et al.
(author)
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Interim analysis of long-term intraduodenal levodopa infusion in advanced Parkinson disease
- 2012
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In: Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0001-6314 .- 1600-0404. ; 126:6, s. e29-e33
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background - This interim 12-month analysis is a part of an open-label, observational, prospective study on health outcomes and cost impact of levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG, Duodopa) in Parkinson disease (PD). The specific aim was to investigate clinical and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) effects in routine care. Methods - Unified PD rating scale (UPDRS) was the primary efficacy measurement. PD QoL questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39) assessed HRQoL. Subjects were assessed at baseline, andgt;= 3 months after surgery, and then every 3 months. Results - Twenty-seven treatment-naive subjects when started with LCIG showed a decrease in UPDRS score that was statistically significant throughout the year: UPDRS total score (mean +/- SD), baseline = 52.1 +/- 16.1, N = 27, month 0 (first visit; at least 3 months after permanent LCIG) = 43.1 +/- 16.7, N = 27, P = 0.003; month 12 = 42.5 +/- 22.6, n = 25, P = 0.017. PDQ-39 results also showed a tendency for improvement: PDQ-39 (mean +/- SD), baseline = 33.6 +/- 10.8, N = 27, month 0 = 27.1 +/- 11.8, N = 27, P = 0.001; 12 months = 28.8 +/- 12.8, n = 23, P = 0.126. Conclusions - LCIG provides functional improvement beginning at first visit that is sustained for 12 months.
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