No description available.

This Licentiate Thesis covers experimental and theoretical investigations of the bulk plasmon response to different compositions and strain states of group III-nitride materials. Investigated materials were grown using magnetron sputtering epitaxy and metal organic chemical vapour deposition and studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). It is shown that low-loss EELS is a powerful method for a fast compositional determination in AlxIn1-xN system. The bulk plasmon energy of the investigated material system follows a linear relation with respect to lattice parameter and composition in unstrained layers. Furthermore, the effect of strain on the bulk plasmon peak position has been investigated by using low-loss EELS in group III-nitrides. We experimentally determine the AlN bulk plasmon peak shift of 0.156 eV per 1% volume change. The AlN peak shift was corroborated by full potential calculations (Wein2k), which reveal that the bulk plasmon peak position of III-nitrides varies near linearly with unit cell volume variations. Finally, self-assembled ternary Al1-xInxN nanorod arrays with variable In concentration have been realized onto c-plane sapphire substrates by ultra-high-vacuum magnetron sputtering epitaxy with Ti0.21Zr0.79N or VN seed layer assistance. The nanorods exhibit hexagonal cross-sections with preferential growth along the Al1-xInxN c-axis. A coaxial rod structure with higher In concentration in the core was observed by scanning transmission electron microscopy in combination with low-loss EELS.

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When the cell is under stress arising from oxidation, heat, infection, toxic contamination or any other stressful condition, proteins may unfold and expose residues in their structure that under normal physiological conditions are hidden and shielded from chemical reactions. In this licentiate thesis the effects of general oxidative stress on the production of recombinant protein by mammalian cells are considered. The work consisted of a broad literary review focused on oxidative stress and cellular response, cross-protection, gene regulation in response to oxidative stress and the relevance of this to pharmaceutical industry. A series of oxidative stressors is described and examined for experimental use. Experimental cultivation and maintenance of several mammalian cell lines was performed and several candidate stressing agents were proven on these cell lines. Menadione was selected as a powerful and consistent stressing agent, and so several experiments were performed where batches of cells were exposed to varying degrees of stress. The performance of the cells in regard to production of recombinant protein was then examined by ELISA, showing a strong downregulation of production under stressful conditions. Recombinant protein taken from stressed and control cultures is then isolated, purified and examined with MALDI-TOF spectrometry. Finally mRNA from the cells is isolated and examined by means of microarray. Genes that are significantly regulated are examined, and those genes that may have significance in the area of stress regulation and reaction are listed. The results of the study show that mitomycin C exerts oxidative stress on the industrial protein expressing mammalian cell lines tested.

The lifespan and active wear lifetimes of garments are highly dependent on the users’ practices, attitudes, and the perceived quality of garment. Our study investigates which factors influence consumers’ usage and purchasing practices and how and why they dispose of them. The focus is specifically on one type of garment: casual shirts. The study is quantitative, and an online survey is used to collect data. The results are explained and analyzed through descriptive and correlational statistics. Fabric quality is found to be important for consumers but there are also other factors which impact their decisions at time of purchase, usage and disposal. Cloth lifespan and active wear lifetimes is impacted by user habits, attitudes and perceived quality through care practices, donation to other users, knowledge about garments and sustainable production awareness.

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The burnt alum shale waste heaps in Västergötland, Sweden originate from the alum, lime, and oil industries utilizing black shale from the Alum Shale Formation. The burnt alum shale waste heaps occur in urban, agricultural, recreational, and forested areas throughout Västergötland. By analyzing the whole rock chemistry of the waste material and comparing it to its source rock it has been found that some of the major elements and compounds such as carbon, sulfur and LOI have undergone mass loss while Fe2O3, P2O5, and CaO and trace metals Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn and the REEs are enriched in the burnt shale.  X-ray diffraction analysis of twelve burnt shale samples show the main mineralogy to be K-feldspar, quartz, hematite, and illite/mica. Extractability was calculated using nitric acid partial leaching data to show Ca, Cd, and P to be of greatest extractability. Comparison of the burnt shale leach results to the natural background levels in till shows that the median value of major elements such as Al, Fe, Na, and Ca is lower in the burnt shale than in the till. However, metals such as Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, and Zn have significantly higher values in the burnt shale. This chemical contrast may indicate potential environmental concerns to the local soil and water due to the long-term leaching of these metals from the waste piles.

Vår studies syfte är att utforska de utmaningarna som flerspråkiga elever stöter på i biologiundervisning i årskurs 7-9 och att undersöka vilka arbetssätt och metoder lärare kan använda för att stötta och anpassa undervisningen för flerspråkiga elever i biologiämnet. För att besvara frågeställningarna har semistrukturerade intervjuer med lärare som undervisar i årskurs 7-9 genomförts som sedan analyserats genom en tematisk innehållsanalys i olika steg. Studiens resultat visar att språket utgör en utmaning för eleverna och resulterar i svårigheter med att uttrycka sig. Skolspråket och det ämnesspecifika språket i biologiundervisning utgör särskilda hinder för flerspråkiga elever, då de konfronteras med nya termer och begrepp på svenska. Eleverna bör tillhandahållas en varierad undervisningsmetodik som stöds av konkret material, bildstöd och film. Dessutom kan transpråkande bidra till att göra biologiundervisningen mer tillgänglig och meningsfull för elever med olika språkliga bakgrunder, samtidigt som det stöder deras övergripande inlärning och språkutveckling. Resultaten indikerar att språk och kunskapsutveckling är nära sammankopplade och utgör en strategi som alla lärare bör integrera i sin planering.

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Denna rapport undersöker sambanden mellan fysisk och psykisk hälsa och grönområden och grönska. Metoden som används är en litteraturstudie över befintlig forskning på området i kombination med en statistisk analys för att avgöra om det finns korrelation på kommunnivå mellan ett antal olika hälsofaktorer och tillgängligheten till grönytor. Resultaten från korrelationsundersökningen visar, dock med ett relativt lågt R2 -värde, att en högre andel hårdgjord yta i kommunen (och därmed en minskad andel total grönyta i kommunen) bidrar till ett ökat socialt deltagande och förbättrar den självrapporterade allmänna hälsan. Dock bidrar den även till ett nedsatt psykiskt välbefinnande och lätta eller svåra besvär med ängslan, oro eller ångest, vilket stödjer resultaten från litteraturstudien som påvisar att natur och grönska bidrar till mindre stress och överlag ett mentalt välbefinnande. Resultaten styrker även att grönområden har en svalkande effekt och påverkar befolkningens insjuknande i hjärt- kärlsjukdomar samt minskar effekten av extrem värme. / This report examines the relationships between physical as well as mental health and green spaces and greenery. The method used is a literature study combined with a statistical analysis to determine if there is a correlation at the municipal level in Sweden between a number of different health factors and the availability of green spaces. The results from the correlation analysis show, however with a relatively low R2 value, that a higher proportion of hardened area in the municipality (and thus a reduced proportion of total green space in the municipality) contributes to increased social participation and improves self-reported general health. However, it also contributes to reduced mental well-being and light or severe problems with anxiety or worry, which supports the results of the literature study which show that nature and greenery contribute to feeling less stressed and overall contributes to mental well-being. The overall results also show that green areas have a cooling effect and help reduce the effect of extreme heat as well as having a positive effect on the population's mortality rate in cardiovascular diseases.