| 11. |
- Brennan, R.M., et al.
(författare)
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Strains of Epstein-Barr virus infecting multiple sclerosis patients
- 2010
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Ingår i: Multiple Sclerosis Journal. - : SAGE Publications. - 1352-4585 .- 1477-0970. ; 16:6, s. 643-651
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Both epidemiological and experimental studies have indicated that the ubiquitous herpesvirus Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) plays a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Some features of MS epidemiology, such as the decline in risk among migrants from high to low MS prevalence areas, suggest the presence of variant EBV strains that increase MS risk. The objective of this study was to investigate whether genetic variability in EBV is associated with MS. Genes encoding for two EBV antigens (EBNA1 and BRRF2) were sequenced in EBV isolates from 40 MS patients and a similar number of control subjects. These viral antigens were chosen for analysis because they are known to stimulate atypical immune responses in MS. Extensive sequence polymorphism was observed within the EBNA1 and BRRF2 genes in isolates from both MS patients and controls. Interestingly, several single nucleotide polymorphisms within the EBNA1 gene, and one within the BRRF2 gene, were found to occur at marginally different frequencies in EBV strains infecting MS patients versus controls. Although this study does not find a simple causal relationship between EBV strains and the occurrence of MS, the existence of haplotypes that occur at different frequencies in MS patients versus controls may provide an area for future study of the role of EBV strain variation in multiple sclerosis.
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| 12. |
- Kim, S. W., et al.
(författare)
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Evaluations of NOx and highly reactive VOC emission inventories in Texas and their implications for ozone plume simulations during the Texas Air Quality Study 2006
- 2011
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 11:22, s. 11361-11386
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Satellite and aircraft observations made during the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study (TexAQS) detected strong urban, industrial and power plant plumes in Texas. We simulated these plumes using the Weather Research and Forecasting-Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model with input from the US EPA's 2005 National Emission Inventory (NEI-2005), in order to evaluate emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the cities of Houston and Dallas-FortWorth. We compared the model results with satellite retrievals of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) columns and airborne in-situ observations of several trace gases including NOx and a number of VOCs. The model and satellite NO2 columns agree well for regions with large power plants and for urban areas that are dominated by mobile sources, such as Dallas. How-ever, in Houston, where significant mobile, industrial, and inport marine vessel sources contribute to NOx emissions, the model NO2 columns are approximately 50 %-70 % higher than the satellite columns. Similar conclusions are drawn from comparisons of the model results with the TexAQS 2006 aircraft observations in Dallas and Houston. For Dallas plumes, the model-simulated NO2 showed good agreement with the aircraft observations. In contrast, the model-simulated NO2 is similar to 60 % higher than the aircraft observations in the Houston plumes. Further analysis indicates that the NEI-2005 NOx emissions over the Houston Ship Channel area are overestimated while the urban Houston NOx emissions are reasonably represented. The comparisons of model and aircraft observations confirm that highly reactive VOC emissions originating from industrial sources in Houston are underestimated in NEI-2005. The update of VOC emissions based on Solar Occultation Flux measurements during the field campaign leads to improved model simulations of ethylene, propylene, and formaldehyde. Reducing NOx emissions in the Houston Ship Channel and increasing highly reactive VOC emissions from the point sources in Houston improve the model's capability of simulating ozone (O-3) plumes observed by the NOAA WP-3D aircraft, although the deficiencies in the model O-3 simulations indicate that many challenges remain for a full understanding of the O-3 formation mechanisms in Houston.
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| 13. |
- Reisin, E. R., et al.
(författare)
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Traveling planetary wave activity from mesopause region airglow temperatures determined by the Network for the Detection of Mesospheric Change (NDMC)
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics. - : Elsevier BV. - 1364-6826 .- 1879-1824. ; 119, s. 71-82
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The global distribution of traveling planetary wave (PW) activity in the mesopause region is estimated for the first time from ground-based airglow measurements. Monthly and total mean climatologies of PW power are determined from rotational temperatures measured at 19 sites from 78 degrees N to 76 degrees S which contribute to the Network for the Detection of Mesospheric Change (NDMC). Wave power is expressed as the standard deviation of nocturnal mean temperature around the seasonal temperature variation. The results from 20 degrees N confirm the SABER traveling PW proxy by Offermann et al. (2009, J. Geophys. Res. 114, D06110) at two altitudes. Most sites between 69 degrees S and 69 degrees N show total mean traveling PW activity of about 6 K, and only some high latitude sites have considerably higher activity levels. At the two tropical sites, there is practically no seasonal variation of PW activity. At 70% of the midlatitude sites, the seasonal variation is moderate for most of the year, but it is quite appreciable at all high latitude sites. Results about traveling PW activity at 87 km and 95 km available from several sites signal similar behavior at both altitudes. The total mean climatological results here obtained have further been used to separate the traveling PW contribution from the superposition of wave types contained in OH rotational temperature fluctuations measured by the SCIAMACHY instrument on Envisat. A narrow equatorial wave activity maximum is probably caused by gravity waves, while a tendency towards greater activity at higher northern latitudes may be due to stationary planetary waves.
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| 14. |
- Brodie, Juliet, et al.
(författare)
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The future of the northeast Atlantic benthic flora in a high CO2 world
- 2014
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 4:13, s. 2787-2798
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seaweed and seagrass communities in the northeast Atlantic have been profoundly impacted by humans, and the rate of change is accelerating rapidly due to runaway CO2 emissions and mounting pressures on coastlines associated with human population growth and increased consumption of finite resources. Here, we predict how rapid warming and acidification are likely to affect benthic flora and coastal ecosystems of the northeast Atlantic in this century, based on global evidence from the literature as interpreted by the collective knowledge of the authorship. We predict that warming will kill off kelp forests in the south and that ocean acidification will remove maerl habitat in the north. Seagrasses will proliferate, and associated epiphytes switch from calcified algae to diatoms and filamentous species. Invasive species will thrive in niches liberated by loss of native species and spread via exponential development of artificial marine structures. Combined impacts of seawater warming, ocean acidification, and increased storminess may replace structurally diverse seaweed canopies, with associated calcified and noncalcified flora, with simple habitats dominated by noncalcified, turf-forming seaweeds.
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| 15. |
- Hodnebrog, O., et al.
(författare)
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Impact of forest fires, biogenic emissions and high temperatures on the elevated Eastern Mediterranean ozone levels during the hot summer of 2007
- 2012
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 12:18, s. 8727-8750
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The hot summer of 2007 in southeast Europe has been studied using two regional atmospheric chemistry models; WRF-Chem and EMEP MSC-W. The region was struck by three heat waves and a number of forest fire episodes, greatly affecting air pollution levels. We have focused on ozone and its precursors using state-of-the-art inventories for anthropogenic, biogenic and forest fire emissions. The models have been evaluated against measurement data, and processes leading to ozone formation have been quantified. Heat wave episodes are projected to occur more frequently in a future climate, and therefore this study also makes a contribution to climate change impact research. The plume from the Greek forest fires in August 2007 is clearly seen in satellite observations of CO and NO2 columns, showing extreme levels of CO in and downwind of the fires. Model simulations reflect the location and influence of the fires relatively well, but the modelled magnitude of CO in the plume core is too low. Most likely, this is caused by underestimation of CO in the emission inventories, suggesting that the CO/NOx ratios of fire emissions should be re-assessed. Moreover, higher maximum values are seen in WRF-Chem than in EMEP MSC-W, presumably due to differences in plume rise altitudes as the first model emits a larger fraction of the fire emissions in the lowermost model layer. The model results are also in fairly good agreement with surface ozone measurements. Biogenic VOC emissions reacting with anthropogenic NOx emissions are calculated to contribute significantly to the levels of ozone in the region, but the magnitude and geographical distribution depend strongly on the model and biogenic emission module used. During the July and August heat waves, ozone levels increased substantially due to a combination of forest fire emissions and the effect of high temperatures. We found that the largest temperature impact on ozone was through the temperature dependence of the biogenic emissions, closely followed by the effect of reduced dry deposition caused by closing of the plants' stomata at very high temperatures. The impact of high temperatures on the ozone chemistry was much lower. The results suggest that forest fire emissions, and the temperature effect on biogenic emissions and dry deposition, will potentially lead to substantial ozone increases in a warmer climate.
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| 16. |
- Hommel, R., et al.
(författare)
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Chemical ozone loss and ozone mini-hole event during the Arctic winter 2010/2011 as observed by SCIAMACHY and GOME-2
- 2014
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Chemistry And Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 14:7, s. 3247-3276
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Record breaking loss of ozone (O-3) in the Arctic stratosphere has been reported in winter-spring 2010/2011. We examine in detail the composition and transformations occurring in the Arctic polar vortex using total column and vertical profile data products for O-3, bromine oxide (BrO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), chlorine dioxide (OClO), and polar stratospheric clouds (PSC) retrieved from measurements made by SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging Absorption SpectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartography) onboard Envisat (Environmental Satellite), as well as total column ozone amount, retrieved from the measurements of GOME-2 (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment) on MetOp-A (Meteorological Experimental Satellite). Similarly we use the retrieved data from DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) measurements made in Ny-Alesund (78.55 degrees N, 11.55 degrees E). A chemical transport model (CTM) has been used to relate and compare Arctic winter-spring conditions in 2011 with those in the previous year. In late winter-spring 2010/2011 the chemical ozone loss in the polar vortex derived from SCIAMACHY observations confirms findings reported elsewhere. More than 70% of O-3 was depleted by halogen catalytic cycles between the 425 and 525K isentropic surfaces, i.e. in the altitude range similar to 16-20 km. In contrast, during the same period in the previous winter 2009/2010, a typical warm Arctic winter, only slightly more than 20% depletion occurred below 20 km, while 40% of O-3 was removed above the 575K isentrope (similar to 23 km). This loss above 575K is explained by the catalytic destruction by NOx descending from the mesosphere. In both Arctic winters 2009/2010 and 2010/2011, calculated O-3 losses from the CTM are in good agreement to our observations and other model studies. The mid-winter 2011 conditions, prior to the catalytic cycles being fully effective, are also investigated. Surprisingly, a significant loss of O-3 around 60 %, previously not discussed in detail, is observed in mid-January 2011 below 500K (similar to 19 km) and sustained for approximately 1 week. The low O-3 region had an exceptionally large spatial extent. The situation was caused by two independently evolving tropopause elevations over the Asian continent. Induced adiabatic cooling of the stratosphere favoured the formation of PSC, increased the amount of active chlorine for a short time, and potentially contributed to higher polar ozone loss later in spring.
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| 17. |
- Justino, L. L. G., et al.
(författare)
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Structural and electronic properties of poly(9,9-dialkylfluorene)-based alternating copolymers in solution : An NMR spectroscopy and density functional theory study
- 2013
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 117:35, s. 17969-17982
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The structural and electronic properties of three alternating poly(9,9-dialkylfluorene) copolymers, poly[2,7-(9,9-bis(octyl)-fluorene)-alt- benzothiadiazole] (F8BT), poly[2,7-(9,9-bis(2′-ethylhexyl)-fluorene)-alt- thiophene S,S-dioxide] (PFTSO2), and poly[2,7-(9,9-bis(2′-ethylhexyl)- fluorene)-alt-1,4-phenylene] (PFP), containing, respectively, benzothiadiazole (BT), thiophene S,S-dioxide, and phenylene groups, have been investigated and compared to those of the homopolymer poly[2,7-(9,9-bis(2′-ethylhexyl)- fluorene)] (PF2/6). The NMR spectra and corresponding shielding tensors of the 1H and 13C nuclei have been studied in solution and are interpreted by density functional theory (DFT) with complete geometry optimization using the B3LYP functional. Particular emphasis is placed on the conformational behavior and electronic properties in the electronic ground state. In addition, time-dependent DFT is applied to obtain detailed insight into the character of selected excited states. A new TDDFT interpretation is presented for optical absorption spectra of singlet and triplet states that have previously been reported for these fluorene-based conjugated copolymers using photoexcitation and pulse radiolysis-energy transfer studies. As well as providing detailed assignment of excited states, the results show that the triplet excitation is slightly more localized than S1 excitation, in agreement with experimental observations. The DFT analysis provides a link between structure and NMR, optical, electronic properties, allowing optimization of the potential of such polymers for photovoltaic and electroluminescence applications.
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| 18. |
- Monteserin, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Multicomponent Interdiffusion and Self-Diffusion of the Cationic Poly{[9,9-bis(6 '-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)hexyl]fluorene-phenylene} Dibromide in a Dimethyl Sulfoxide plus Water Solution
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5134 .- 0021-9568. ; 55:5, s. 1860-1866
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The diffusion behavior of the conjugated polyelectrolyte poly{[9,9-bis(6'-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)hexyl]fluorene-phenylene) bromide (HTMA-PFP) with different molecular weights has been studied in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) + water solutions. Samples of HTMA-PFP with various molecular weights were obtained by synthesis of poly[9,9-bis(6'-bromohexyl)fluorene-phenylene] via a Suzuki coupling reaction, characterized by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), and quaternized with trimethylamine. Multicomponent chemical interdiffusion coefficients (mutual diffusion coefficients) were determined for solutions of HTMA-PFP and DMSO in water using the Taylor dispersion method. The results suggest specific interactions between the DMSO and the polymer. In addition, these systems were studied by pulse-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PFG-NMR), and the corresponding self-diffusion coefficients were obtained. These were modeled using the Kirkwood-Riseman model, and a good fit to the observed behavior was obtained using literature data for molecular dimensions.
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