Peroxisome Proliferators (PPs) are a class of chemicals that cause a programme of augmentative liver growth, however, the mechanism which regulates the induction of hepatic DNA synthesis as a result of exposure to peroxisome proliferators is currently uncharacterized. This study sets out to characterise the induction of DNA synthesis in mouse by peroxisome proliferators, as a prerequisite for investigating and identifying the genes that are responsible for induction of DNA synthesis to control liver growth. Administration of BrdU in drinking water can reduce mouse body weight; an optimized protocol was devised, which does not lead to body weight loss, and which enables reliable measurement of DNA synthesis. Male 129S4/SvJae mice were treated with a single dose of ciprofibrate (100-400 mg kg-1) or methylclofenapate (25 mg kg-1) for two days. Although liver to body weight ratios increased significantly at all doses, no induction in DNA synthesis was observed within 2 days. Subsequent time course studies with ciprofibrate (100 mg kg-1day-1) or methylclofenapate (25 mg kg-1day-1) showed that liver-to-body weight ratio was significantly increased in treated groups by day 2, but that the induction of DNA synthesis was increased significantly only after three days of treatment, for both compounds. No induction of hepatic DNA synthesis was observed in PPARa null mice after treatment with ciprofibrate (100mg kg-1day-1) for 2 or 6 days, showing that the effect required the PPARa. A dose-response study with 0,1,3,10,30,100 or 200 mg kg-1 day-1 ciprofibrate for 3 days, or with 0,10,30,100 mg kg-1 day-1 ciprofibrate for 4 days revealed that liver to body weight ratios were significantly increased in 129S4/SvJae mice treated with 10mg kg-1day-1 and greater ciprofibrate at 3 and 4 days, whereas hepatic labelling index was significantly increased at 100 mg kg-1 day-1 ciprofibrate at 3 days after dosing, with progressive increases at doses of 30 and 100 mg kg-1 day-1 ciprofibrate at 4 days after dosing. In order to explain the early time course of induction of DNA synthesis reported by Styles [113] [164] in Alderley Park mice, a time course study was performed between 1-4 days in Alderley park mice using methylclofenapate (25mg kg-1day-1). The study showed that liver growth was induced by day 2, but DNA synthesis was significantly induced only after 3 days of dosing. To evaluate species differences, the time-course of induction of DNA synthesis was examined in F-344 rats treated with ciprofibrate (50mg kg-1day-1) for 1-4 days. The liver-to-body weight ratio was significantly increased in all time points, but DNA synthesis was significantly increased after 2 days of dosing. These findings demonstrate that there was a delay in induction of DNA synthesis by peroxisome proliferators in mouse by at least 48 hours. This delay in response is not due to strain differences. Moreover, induction of DNA synthesis in rat was earlier than those in mouse, which makes rats a feasible experimental model to study the immediate early genes/ proteins induced by peroxisome proliferators to induce liver growth.

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The Environmental footprint is a very powerful tool that helps an individual to understand how their everyday activities are impacting environmental surroundings. Data shows that global climate change, which is a growing concern for nations all over the world, is already affecting humankind, plants and animals through raising ocean levels, droughts & desertification and changing weather patterns. In addition to a wide range of policy measures implemented by national and state governments, it is necessary for individuals to understand the impact that their lifestyle may have on their personal environmental footprint, and thus over the global climate change. “My Footprint Calculator” (myfootprintcalculator.com) has been designed to be one the simplest, yet comprehensive, web tools to help individuals calculate and understand their personal environmental impact. “My Footprint Calculator” is a website that queries users about their everyday habits and activities and calculates their personal impact on the environment. This website was re-designed to help users determine their environmental impact in various aspects of their lives ranging from transportation and recycling habits to water and energy usage with the addition of new features that will allow users to share their experiences and their best practices with other users interested in reducing their personal Environmental footprint. The collected data is stored in the database and a future goal of this work plans to analyze the collected data from all users (anonymously) for developing relevant trends and statistics.

The present study examined the influence of maternal age on infant home language environment, focusing on the environments of children born to young mothers using a naturalistic, comprehensive data collection technique. Our sample consisted of 30 mother-child pairs, between the ages of 15 and 21 years old. The current study used the LENA (LENA Research Foundation, 2011) digital processor and software to record and analyze recordings from each parent. Child language development and maternal knowledge of infant development were analyzed. We found that our sample of young mothers knows less about general infant knowledge compared to a normative general sample. We also found that our young mother sample performed similarly to a low SES sample of mothers on general infant development knowledge. Our results may provide support for the connection between knowledge of infant development in mothers leading to positive results in the form of language skills in their child. / October 2016

Having been looking in to the subject of future truck interior environment, the first intention was to be inspired of the extreme environment of long haul-age truck driving and improving the user needs. By looking in to the human factors in truck interiors. I wanted to show the benefits of the truck architecture possibilities and recreate it for a new future truck user. By using the main design tools like design research, sketching, full scale projection and quick user testing I could get a quick look into the complexity of current truck driver environment and proceed with developing it further. The final result is a semi-autonomous truck interior that is suited for a new type of future driver. The interior is focused on the user needs and tasks such as; autonomous management of logistics, operating routes with other truck drivers and units, enjoying spare time while not driving and also the possibility to actively taking over the control manually in case of emergency. By separating and dividing the truck interior in different divisions and user modes, such as Operational, Tactical and Strategic, that divides the specific functions above, the architecture can maintain a clear separation between work and leisure for the driver when he or she is driving or not. This way the driver could easily switch between the modes to reduce the cognitive impact of increasing future information cognitive impact, without losing the sense of control and create a safe and comfortable work environment for herself. The concept is based on the knowledge of a flexible future context that is facing the automotive industry by reducing ergonomic impact for the drivers and improving it further through the flexibility to switch between modes.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate how grocery stores perceive the increasing demand for organic food among Swedish consumers. Furthermore, I have studied how Swedish consumers perceive the supply of organic foods in grocery stores. This comparative study aimed to shed light on the problems and opportunities this development brings, and how the control of organic food is conducted. The primary source for the results consisted of information gathered from two surveys: a consumer survey and a store survey. The majority of grocery stores in this study answered that there has been an increase in sales of organic food and this trend is noticeable. More consumers are demanding organic food in the stores and shortages in the organic supply is becoming increasingly prevalent. This development encouraged consumer’s environmental awareness in the grocery store and promotes increased interest in how the goods are produced and transported. Large areas of agricultural land should be converted to organic agriculture to meet this increasing demand for organic food. Some studies have proven large scale- shift to organic farming without food shortages. Sweden has both preconditions for sustainable agriculture produced with local renewable resources and has the most stringent regulations and higher standards in food production than other countries. Therefore, local production needs to be prioritized. A sustainable agriculture is a necessity in the future; that can both reduce its carbon footprint and at the same time respond to the world's increasing food supply.

<p>“Redistributing Risk” explains how coal, which powered the industrial revolution, continued to be a linchpin of U.S. energy production long into the post-industrial era. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, coal fueled everything from railroad engines to the foundries that forged the steel on which they rode. But the market for coal dwindled during the middle of the twentieth century, and by the 1960s many Americans viewed it as a relic of a dirty and dangerous industrial past. Surprisingly, the industry rebounded during the 1970s, when concerns about energy supplies pushed policymakers and electricity producers to renew the nation’s reliance on coal. In the forty years since, new technology has amplified demand for electricity, and coal has powered yet another revolution in the global political economy. Ironically, a fuel that mid-century observers saw as a thing of the past actually illuminated their future.</p><p>I argue that the key to the industry’s success during the 1970s was a redistribution of the risks associated with coal mining. By the late 1960s, the danger of underground mining was among the industry’s greatest liabilities. High death rates from workplace accidents and the millions disabled by respiratory diseases like coal miners’ pneumoconiosis (commonly referred to as black lung) contributed significantly to coal’s poor reputation. Death rates began to plummet after Congress passed the first comprehensive federal mine safety law in 1969, but miners’ efforts to enforce safety through work stoppages and the pressure to stabilize productivity led operators toward a greater reliance on surface methods, which were safer for workers but more dangerous for nearby communities, ecosystems, and—with the later spread of mountaintop removal—to the mountains themselves.</p> / Dissertation

This thesis examines the domestic politics that infuence government decison making. Specifically, how these domestic constituents, such as institutions, organizations and individuals, shape how the Canadian government formulates and impliments environmental policy. It will do so by providing a comparative analysis using the Chretien and Harper governments. / October 2016

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the variability of oxygen and carbon dioxide rate of change methods for measuring primary productivity and respiration in an aquatic environment.

The CUES II was used to investigate and analyze the campus environment of a small church-affiliated college in California.