京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 甲第19159号 / 地環博第134号 / 新制||地環||27(附属図書館) / 32110 / 京都大学大学院地球環境学舎環境マネジメント専攻 / (主査)教授 藤井 滋穂, 准教授 田中 周平, 准教授 西前 出 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Global Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 甲第19419号 / 地環博第145号 / 新制||地環||29(附属図書館) / 32444 / 京都大学大学院地球環境学舎環境マネジメント専攻 / (主査)教授 藤井 滋穂, 教授 高岡 昌輝, 准教授 田中 周平 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Global Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DFAM

付記する学位プログラム名: グローバル生存学大学院連携プログラム / 京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第21058号 / 工博第4422号 / 新制||工||1687(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科社会基盤工学専攻 / (主査)教授 寶 馨, 教授 堀 智晴, 准教授 佐山 敬洋 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Hydrogeology, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand. Johannesburg, June 2017. / Groundwater is a principal source of water for many semi-arid countries, including Botswana and South Africa. This is especially true for the rural communities within these regions that lie on the periphery of local water scheme pipelines and make direct use of groundwater. The Ramotswa transboundary aquifer, which supplies local communities and nearby cities with fresh groundwater, is a highly productive and unique karst sequence shared by South Africa and Botswana. The objective of the study was to contribute to the available hydrogeological data by means of evaluating groundwater flow, nitrate pollution and the median recession index and master recession curve for the aquifer. The interpreted airborne geophysical data revealed the presence of collapsed features in the northeastern area corresponding to the karst morphology. A piezometric map of the area shows the groundwater flow is towards the north-northeast, which is supported by salinity increase across the study area. Increased nitrate concentrations were identified in areas with increased rainfall, shallow groundwater and a mature karst system. Only 3% of the 36 sample sites had nitrate concentrations exceeding the WHO guideline limit of 50 mg/l. This was attributed to the legacy of unlined pit latrines in karstified areas. Pollution is entirely anthropogenic and generally from non-point sources. A median recession index computed by RECESS program from the Dinokana spring discharge data was 295.7 days per log cycle and the generated master recession curve’s gentle slope alludes to massive storage potential within the karst compartment. The results of the study can alert stakeholders alike of the health risk of direct consumption of the groundwater without pretreatment. Establishing an understanding of the nitrate pollution sources and groundwater flow direction, and estimating the recession index provides informed groundwater pollution and vulnerability management options. This can improve the aquifer resource assessment and the livelihoods of local communities in the face of increasing climate change. / XL2017

Renal phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) is an MRI modality where the phase component of the MR signal is made sensitive to the velocity of water molecules in the kidneys. PC-MRI is able to assess the Renal Blood Flow (RBF), which is an important biomarker in the development of kidney disease. RBF is analyzed with the manual or semi-automatic delineation by experts of the renal arteries in PC-MRI. This is a time-consuming and operator-dependent process. We have therefore trained, validated and tested a fully-automated deep learning model for faster and more objective renal artery segmentation. The PC-MRI data used in model training, validation and testing come from four studies (N=131 subjects). Images were acquired from three manufacturers with different imaging parameters. The best deep learning model found consists of a deeply-supervised 2D attention U-Net with residual skip connections. The output of this model was re-introduced as an extra channel in a second iteration to refine the segmentation result. The flow values in the segmented regions were integrated to provide a quantification of the mean arterial flow in the segmented renal arteries. The automated segmentation was evaluated in all the images that had manual segmentation ground-truths that come from a single operator. The evaluation was completed in terms of a segmentation accuracy metric called Dice Coefficient. The mean arterial flow values that were quantified from the auto-mated segmentation were also evaluated against ground-truth flow values from semi-automatic software. The deep learning model was trained and validated on images with segmentation ground-truths with 4-fold cross-validation. A Dice segmentation accuracy of 0.71±0.21 was achieved (N=73 subjects). Although segmentation results were accurate for most arteries, the algorithm failed in ten out of 144arteries. The flow quantification from the segmentation was highly correlated without significant bias in comparison to the ground-truth flow measurements. This method shows promise for supporting RBF measurements from PC-MRI and can likely be used to save analysis time in future studies. More training data has to be used for further improvement, both in terms of accuracy and generalizability.

Upcycling is the process of repurposing discarded materials into new products of higher value, and holds significant potential for sustainable waste management. This thesis explores the challenges and opportunities involved in expanding upcycling practices in the city of Stockholm, with a specific focus on craft classes in public schools. The goal of the study is to identify key success factors and propose strategies for scaling up upcycling initiatives. A mixed method approach, including literature review, semi-structured stakeholder interviews, attitude surveys, and material flow analysis, was employed to gather insights and data. The findings reveal various challenges within the upcycling value chain, such as the need for efficient collecting processes, limited storage space, and financial feasibility. Despite the sechallenges, the research identifies several success factors, including cost-effectiveness, regulatory support, and the availability of discarded materials. Overall, this research contributes to the understanding of upcycling practices in public schools’ craft class and provides valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and practitioners seeking to implement and expand sustainable waste management strategies. By addressing the identified challenges and leveraging the opportunities, upcycling practices can be effectively integrated into public school curricula, fostering environmental consciousness and promoting a circular economy mindset among students. / Upcycling är förädlingsprocessen att återanvända avfall för att skapa mer värdefulla produkter. Det har en betydande potential för hållbar avfallshantering. Detta examensarbete undersöker svårigheterna och möjligheterna med att bredda metoderna för upcycling i Stockholms stad, med särskild uppmärksamhet på hantverkskurser som erbjuds av offentliga skolor. Målet med studien är att identifiera avgörande faktorer för framgång och ge förslag på metoder för att öka storleken på ett upcycling-projekt. För att inhämta information och data användes en blandning av tekniker, som inkluderade litteraturgenomgångar, semistrukturerade intervjuer av intressenter, attitydundersökningar och materialflödesanalyser. Resultatet visar på flera utmaningar inom värdekedjan för upcycling, inklusive krävande insamlingsprocedurer, begränsat lagringsutrymme samt villkoren för ekonomisk genomförbarhet. Trots dessa brister och utmaningar avslöjar denna studie även flera framgångsfaktorer. Dessa inkluderar kostnadseffektivitet, kommunalt stöd samt tillgången till avfall. Sammantaget bidrar denna studie till förståelsen av återanvändningsmetoder i offentliga skolorshantverkskurser och ger värdefulla insikter för beslutsfattare, utbildare samt andra praktiserande som vill implementera och utöka strategier för hållbar avfallshantering. Genom att ta itu med de påvisade utmaningarna och utnyttja möjligheterna kan praxis för upcycling effektivt integreras i den offentliga skolans läroplaner, öka miljömedvetenheten och slutligen främja ett tankesätt för cirkulärekonomi bland skoleleverna.

<p> The study of proteasome is a rapidly evolving field with multifaceted implications in neuroscience, aging, and cancer. Recent developments structural biology of the proteasome machinery has catapulted the drug discovery and targeted protein degradation. The success of proteasome inhibitors like Bortezomib and Ixazomib has also led to new interests in developing more precise inhibitors for the various proteasome isoforms. Proteasome activation is a relatively new field, and much has to be done in the field. The 20S CP is an emerging target in chemical biology and drug discovery for its implications in maintaining protein homeostasis and immune regulation. The central theme of the thesis is to study the proteasome in cellular contexts to develop new chemical biology tools to study the proteasome and its modulation by small molecules and probes in cellular contexts to ameliorate protein accumulation-mediated neurodegeneration </p>

Sustainable development is vital in order for Thailand to continue to develop as in previous years. However, sustainable development cannot be achieved if the amount of macroplastic littering into the oceans does not decrease. In order to facilitate future decision making regarding this issue, this report aims to identify which human activities that contribute the most to the present macroplastic waste items on Thai shorelines. This identification was performed through a simplified material flow analysis based on observations and simple calculations on the island Koh Chang in Ranong. A comparative study was performed on the dissimilar island Koh Larn in Pattaya in order to eliminate any error factors caused by the specific environment on Koh Chang. It was deduced that Grocery Consumption, Fishing and Dining were the Key Activities on the two islands that contributed to the present macroplastic waste. Tourism was also shown to be a great contributor. The study did not find any signs of a current Rate of Accumulation on Koh Chang. However, there were always macroplastic waste items present in the sampling areas which implies that they might pose a threat to the ecosystems. Further research is needed in order to find a suitable solution for this problem. / En hållbar utveckling är central för att Thailand ska kunna fortsätta utvecklas på samma sätt som skett de senaste åren. Hållbar utveckling kan dock inte uppnås om mängden makroplaster som hamnar i haven inte minskar. För att underlätta framtida beslutsfattande ämnar denna rapport att identifiera de mänskliga aktiviteter som i störst utsträckning bidrar till de makroplastföremål som går att finna på thailändska kuststräckor. Denna identifiering utfördes genom en simplifierad materialflödesanalys som baserades på observationer och simpla beräkningar på ön Koh Chang i Ranong. En jämförande studie utfördes på den annorlunda ön Koh Larn i Pattaya för att eliminera felfaktorer som kan ha uppstått på grund av Koh Changs specifika förutsättningar. Studien visade att Livsmedelskonsumption, Fiske, och Restaurangbesök var de Nyckelaktiviteter som bidrog till det befintliga makroplastavfallet. Turism visade sig också vara en stor bidragare till makroplastavfall. Studien kunde inte visa på någon Ackumuleringsgrad på Koh Chang. Trots detta fanns alltid makroplastföremål närvarande i provtagningsområdena på Koh Chang, vilket antyder att dessa föremål skulle kunna innebära ett hot mot ekosystemen. Vidare efterforskningar krävs för att hitta en passande lösning på problemet.

The Swedish government has set a goal to have zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 andto reduce emissions from domestic transport by at least 70% compared to 2010 levels by 2030.To achieve this, an expansion of the Swedish electric vehicle (EV) personal car fleet is needed.This scientific paper utilizes material flow analysis (MFA) to predict this expansion and thecorresponding demand for battery raw materials in Sweden, examining the growth trajectory ofthe EV market in Sweden and its implications going forward. The study concluded that themarket share of electric vehicles in Sweden will increase significantly in the next ten years,which will lead to a rise in the need for battery raw materials. Depending on possiblebreakthroughs in battery technology, these demands will vary. Given the rising demand for rawmaterials and the high environmental costs associated with mining new minerals, it is importantto underscore the importance of battery recycling as an essential component of sustainablemobility. This highlights the need to improve recycling practices.

This research is conducted to have a better understanding on the future develop- ment of bioplastics and their environmental impacts. This research first studies the future consumption and waste of bioplastics till 2050 by material flow analysis (MFA).  Life cycle assessment is used to assess the environment impacts of three plastics (bio-PET, PEF and petrol-PET).  The total consumption of bioplastics will be near 5 million tons in 2050 and the waste will be near 4 million tons.  The environment of PEF is the highest among the compared plastic types; Coal as the energy input has the would affect the environment more than other two energy inputs;  Sugarcane has the lowest environment impacts among three raw materials. / Denna forskning genomförs för att få en bättre förståelse för den framtida utvecklingen av bioplaster och deras miljöpåverkan. Först studeras den framtida förbrukningen och avfallet av bioplaster fram till 2050 med hjälp av materialflödesanalyser (MFA). Förbrukningen av bioplaster analyseras för olika tillämpningar. ODYM-modellen används för att beräkna MFA. Två parametrar används som indata i modellen. Den ena är den framtida bioplastförbrukningen som beräknas genom att världsbefolkningen multipliceras med den genomsnittliga produktionskapaciteten per capita, och den andra är livslängden per tillämpning. Tolv bioplasttyper har valts ut för denna analys. Dessa plaster är bio-PET, bio-PE, bio-PA, PTT, PEF, bio-PUR, bio-PP, PLA, PHA, PBAT, PBS och PCL. Den framtida konsumtionen av bioplaster och avfallsmängderna kommer att fortsätta att öka. Den totala förbrukningen av bioplaster kommer att vara nära 5 miljoner ton år 2050 och avfallet kommer att vara nära 4 miljoner ton. Den totala förbrukningen av biopur kommer att vara den högsta av alla elva bioplaster. Den tillämpning där förbrukningen av bio-PA är störst är konsumtionsvaror och beläggningar. Bio-PET kommer också att användas i stor utsträckning som förpackningsmaterial. Livscykelanalys används för att bedöma miljöpåverkan från tre plaster (bio-PET, PEF och petrol-PET). Bedömningen genomförs med hjälp av elva scenarier som är indelade i tre grupper: olika energitillgångar, inklusive kol, hy- dropower och naturgas, och global blandad energi; olika produkter, inklusive bio-PET, PEF och petrol-PET; olika råvaror: sockerrör från Brasilien, majs från USA och potatis från Schweiz. Denna bedömning kvantifieras i sex konsekvenskategorier: global uppvärmning, markanvändning, vattenförbrukning, människors hälsa, ekosystem och markanvändning. PEF:s miljöpåverkan är störst bland de jämförda plasttyperna, kol som energibärare påverkar miljön mer än de andra två energibärarna och sockerrör har den lägsta miljöpåverkan bland de tre råvarorna.