Diffuse water pollution in urban areas is growing due to polluted runoffs. Therefore, there is a need to treat this kind of pollution. Different structural treatment practices can be used for these purposes. However, little is known about their environmental, economic and social impacts. Therefore, the aim of this study has been to develop an integrated methodology for sustainability evaluation of structural treatment practices, considering environmental, economic and social aspects. Both environmental and economic evaluations have been carried out on a life cycle basis, using life cycle assessment and life cycle costing, respectively. For social evaluation, a number of social indicators, identified and developed in this research, have been used. The methodology has been applied to the case of the Magdalena river catchment in Mexico City. Three structural treatment practices have been analysed: bio-retention unit, infiltration trench and porous pavement. Based on the assumptions and the results from this work, the bio-retention unit appears to be environmentally the most sustainable option for treatment of diffuse water pollution. It is also the second-best option for social sustainability, slightly behind the porous pavement. However, if the costs of treatment are the priority, then the porous pavement would be the cheapest option. If all the sustainability aspects evaluated here are considered of equal importance, then the bio-retention unit is the most sustainable option. Therefore, trade-offs between the different sustainability aspects are important and should be considered carefully before any decisions are made on diffuse water pollution treatment. This also includes the trade-offs with the additional life cycle impacts generated by the treatment options compared to the impacts from the untreated runoff. The decisions can only be made by the appropriate stakeholders; however, some recommendations are given, based on the outcomes of this research.

Ce travail de thèse est scindé en 4 parties. La première partie est une approche originale en odontologie par modélisation de la pénétration de colorants à l'interface des matériaux pour obturation radiculaire. Les deux situations extrêmes ont été envisagées. Lorsque l'interface est remplie uniquement par de l'air à pression atmosphérique, la pénétration s'effectue par capillarité. Lorsque l'interface est remplie d'eau, la pénétration s'effectue par diffusion. Les différentes équations physiques qui régissent ces phénomènes ont été déterminées. Les différents paramètres d'influence ont été quantifiés. La seconde partie et la troisième partie est une revue de littérature critique concernant l'influence de l'humidité relative et de la température du milieu buccal sur l'adhérence et l'étanchéité des matériaux adhésifs pour obturation coronaire. Une corrélation a été recherchée entre les études de laboratoire et les études cliniques. La quatrième partie est la mise au point d'un modèle permettant d'évaluer la pénétration de l'eau liquide et de l'eau gazeuse à la surface des matériaux adhésifs utilisés en odontologie. L'analyse de surface est réalisée par Spectroscopie Raman et le degré de conversion de ces résines méthacryliques est quantifié. La couche d'inhibition par l'oxygène de l'air est caractérisée en épaisseur et en degré de conversion. Une comparaison est effectuée entre les composites d'obturation, les composites flow et différents systèmes adhésifs amélo-dentinaires. / This thesis is divided into 4 partsThe first part is an original approach in dentistry by modeling the penetration of dyes at the interface of root filling materials. The two extreme situations were considered. When the interface is filled only with air at atmospheric pressure, the penetration is by capillary action. When the interface is filled with water, the penetration is by diffusion. The different physical equations governing these phenomena have been determined. The influence of the various parameters were quantified. The second part and third part are a review of critical literature on the influence of relative humidity and temperature of the oral environment on adhesion and sealing material for sealing coronary adhesives. A correlation was sought between laboratory studies and clinical trials.The fourth part is the development of a model to assess the penetration of liquid water and water vapor on the surface of the adhesive materials used in dentistry. Surface analysis is carried out by Raman spectroscopy and the degree of conversion of the methacrylate resins is quantified. Layer inhibition by oxygen is characterized by thickness and degree of conversion. A comparison is made between the composite filling, the composite flow and various adhesive systems enamel-dentin.

The dissertation thesis is primarily focused on the analysis of the properties of openings constructions with respect to infiltration in constructions, specifically related to the permeability of opening fillings and the permeability of buildings. The main aim of this work is to find out how the overall air permeability of a building can be influenced in relation to the openings and their properties, which are related specifically to the air permeability at the specified tightening degree of the used all-round fitting. In relation to the overall air permeability of the building, the energy balance of a particular building will be calculated in cooperation with the determined results of the air permeability of the building at a defined degree of tightening of used all-round fitting at levels 0%, 50% and 100%. The results of tests and measurements will be reflected in a concrete calculation of the energy balance of the assessed building in the form of numerical simulation.

In this work I have tried to design and assess the possibility of infiltration of rainwater for separate buildings. I also performed field tests to determine infiltration ratios. In chapters I described method of design and assess the feasibility of the proposal. The resulting proposals have examined in terms of return on investment.

Parasitic protists of genera Trypanosoma and Leishmania are members of Trypanosomatidae family. In our studies, we investigated genetic influence on infections caused by these parasites in a mouse model. These diseases are on genetic level controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTLs), when the resulting phenotype is controlled by set of genes with small individual effect. As a mouse model for mapping of QTLs controlling these infections, we used recombinant congenic strains (RCS). Each RCS carry unique set of 12.5% of the genome from donor parental strain on genetic background of other parental strain. For mapping of QTLs controlling infections caused by Trypanosoma brucei brucei (T. b. brucei) and Leishmania tropica (L. tropica) and eosinophil infiltration into inguinal lymph nodes after Leishmania major (L. major) infection, we used RCS from CcS/Dem series, where STS is donor strain and BALB/cHeA is strain of genetic background. First, it was necessary to find suitable model strains for mapping. In all three studies, we selected RCS, which exceeded range of monitored phenotype parameters in comparison with any other tested RCS or parental strains. Mice of RCS CcS-11 showed shorter survival after T. b. brucei infection and strain CcS-9 exhibited higher eosinophil infiltration after L. major infection. For...

Following the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragments in wastewater in March 2020, the use of wastewater-based epidemiology is rapidly emerging as a non-invasive approach to assessing community wide COVID-19 prevalence. Wastewater-based epidemiology is promoted as a complement to clinical testing in terms of improving public health authorities’ preparedness and supporting them in taking required interventions to protect the public health.  To utilize the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in a public health context and evaluate trends in viral prevalence on a community level, robust data interpretation is required. This master's thesis work examines what is currently known about the factors that influence the concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, as well as the impact of alternative normalization approaches on the relationship between viral wastewater data and clinical case numbers. The work is divided into two parts where this report provides a state-of-the-art review as well as an overview of key findings in the accompanied scientific paper.  The study involved collection of wastewater samples from two different sized wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Luleå municipality, between January and March 2021.  Concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were quantified in each sample as well as concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV). Average daily WWTP flow and environmental data (precipitation and temperature) were continuously measured over the sampling period. The population size was estimated based on mass loads of TN and TP and literature values of the domestic contribution of these parameters to the sewer system. The viral wastewater data was normalized using the estimations of population size, census data, WWTP flow and PMMoV. The impact of the alternative normalization approaches was evaluated using statistical analyses to explore the relationship to clinical case numbers.  The result showed that the strength of the correlation between the different normalization approaches and clinical case data differed between the WWTPs. However, within each WWTP the differences in correlation between the different normalization approaches and clinical cases were not significant. Moreover, normalization using WWTP flow (i.e., viral loads) showed a stronger correlation to clinical cases compared to population and PMMoV normalized viral loads. However, when comparing wastewater data between the two catchment areas, the normalization approaches utilizing population (either census or TN and TP estimated population) or PMMoV better reflect the number of clinical cases. Additionally, according to time-shifted analysis, wastewater data of SARS-CoV-2 RNA predated an increase in clinical cases by 0-2 and 5-8 days, respectively, for the larger and smaller WWTPs.

The aim of the dissertation thesis is the assessment of the degradation of selected soil properties due to water erosion, including the temporal dynamics of these properties and the assessment of how this change affects the cumulative infiltration of the soil in watershed. Between 2012 and 2015, undisturbed and disturbed soil samples were collected on three experimental areas and the cumulative infiltration of the soil was measured. Experimental areas were selected on sloping, erosion-endangered blocks of arable land, in three cadastral territories of the Czech Republic, and this in the cadastral areas of Větřkovice, Čejkovice and Hustopeče. The cumulative infiltration was measured in three landscapes positions of the slope and soil samples were collected in three landscapes positions of the slope, at soil crust, topsoil and subsoil. In the Pedological Laboratory at the Institute of Landscape Water Management, Brno University of Technology, the particle density, bulk density, porosity, soil texture and water stable aggregates were determined from the samples taken. The cumulative infiltration of the soil was measured using the Double Ring Infiltrometer, the Mini Disc Infiltrometer and the mobile rainfall simulator. Using one-way analysis of variance to analyze the differences among soil samples and infiltration test. In addition, the dependence of soil crust formation, its physical properties and its influence on the cumulative infiltration of the soil were monitored on the areas.

Subsurface constructions, such as tunnels, create hydrogeological challenges in mitigating risk of subsidence due to groundwater drawdown. Presenting readily made precautionary mitigation plans, such as strategically planned artificial recharge applications, can help effectivise the mitigation process. The Bypass Stockholm project comprises of several subsurface constructions which may lower the surrounding groundwater level through tunnel leakage. Risk of land subsidence persists in the nearby urban area of Vinsta, Stockholm, where a groundwater drawdown may cause the clays in the area to experience land subsidence. A hydrogeological modelling approach was used in the area to create strategic artificial infiltration plans that could be employed as a mitigative response to the drop in groundwater head. In order to simulate the potential tunnel drainage, a steady state hydrogeological model was built using MODFLOW. A 220 l/s tunnel leakage was then simulated. Four different artificial groundwater infiltration scenarios were then conceptualized and simulated to observe effects on groundwater heads. The groundwater levels of the baseline model of the area fit the calibration targets with average absolute deviation of 0.18 m. The tunnel drainage scenario lowered the groundwater level in the till aquifer and bedrock by 0 - 1.5 m and 0.5 - 5 m respectively, with higher drawdowns observed closer to the tunnel. The infiltration scenarios mitigate the groundwater drawdown with different efficacies; proximity to the recharge point, and discharge into the till aquifer were observed to have the highest effect on groundwater recharge in the model. The model could have been improved by improving the data quality surrounding the hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock, as it had the highest effect according to the parameter sensitivity analysis. / Konstruktioner under mark kan skapa hydrogeologiska utmaningar, såsom sättningsrisk orsakade av grundvattenavsänkning. Ett sätt att effektivisera åtgärdsprocessen är att förbereda för eventuell artificiell grundvatteninfiltration. Vägprojektet Förbifart Stockholm innefattar konstruktioner under mark och riskerar, genom inläckage, att sänka grundvattennivån i omgivningen. Ett potentiellt problemområde är stadsdelen Vinsta, delar av vars är byggd på sättningskänslig lera som kan påverkas av en grundvattenavsänkning. För att kunna motverka en grundvattensänkning i Vinsta har hydrogeologisk modellering utförts för att strategiskt planera artificiell grundvatteninfiltration. Ett tunnelläckage på 220 l/s har simulerats genom en hydrogeologisk steady state-modell i MODFLOW. Fyra olika scenarier för grundvatteninfiltration har konceptualiserats och simulerats för att observera påverkan på grundvattennivån. Den spatialt variabla grundvattennivån i grundmodellen nådde kalibreringsmålen med en genomsnittlig absolutavvikelse på 0,18 m. Modellen för tunnelläckage resulterade i att grundvattennivån i moränakvifären och berget sjönk med 0 – 1,5 resp. 0,5 – 5 m, med större grundvattensänkning närmare tunneln. Scenarierna för infiltration motverkade grundvattensänkningen i olika grad. Närhet tilltunneln, eller platsen för inläckage, samt den hydrauliska konduktiviteten mellan infiltrationen och akvifären visade störst påverkan på resultatet för att motverka grundvattensänkningen. Känslighetsanalysen för parametrarna i modellen visade att berget och dess hydrauliska konduktivitet hade störst påverkan på resultatet. Tillgång till bättre data för berget möjliggör förbättrat modelleringsresultat.

Despite various treatment attempts, the heterogenous group of soft tissue sarcomata (STS) with more than 100 subtypes still shows poor outcomes. Therefore, effective biomarkers for prognosis prediction and personalized treatment are of high importance. The Procollagen-Lysine, 2-Oxoglutarate 5-Dioxygenase (PLOD) gene family, which is related to multiple cancer entities, consists of three members which encode important enzymes for the formation of connective tissue. The relation to STS, however, has not yet been explored. In this study, data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases were used to analyze the role of PLOD1–3 in STS. It was found that an overexpression of PLOD family members correlates with poor prognosis, which might be due to an increased infiltration of immune-related cells in the tumor microenvironment. In STS, the expression of PLOD genes could be a novel biomarker for prognosis and a personalized, more aggressive treatment in these patients.

The Lockheed Fire burned 31 km2 (7,660 acres) of the Scotts Creek watershed in August 2009. 4.5 km2 (1,100 acres) of California Polytechnic State University’s educational and research facility at Swanton Pacific Ranch. The burned region presented an opportunity for studying the hydrologic response of burned soils in the Santa Cruz Mountains where there is insufficient post-fire studies regarding fire-effects on watershed processes such as infiltration and near-surface runoff. Soil infiltration and soil water repellency were evaluated with rainfall simulations, Mini-disk Infiltrometer (MDI) and water drop penetration time tests (WDPT) at sites represented by variations in burn severity, soils, and vegetation types throughout the Scotts Creek watershed each year for 5 years following the burn. Mixed-effects modeling was utilized on the 3 datasets to evaluate if changes could be detected in infiltration rates and water repellency following the fire. Rainfall simulations and WDPT tests showed that the fire did not have a statistically-significant impact on infiltration rates or soil water repellency, whereas the MDI tests detected a statistically-significant impact on post-fire infiltration. While the MDI results showed that fire had a significant impact on the hydrologic response over time, questions arose regarding challenges associated with sampling suggesting the method may not be pursued on steep slopes with high surface rock fragments or in the presence of large soil macropores. It is recognized that additional understanding would be gained from having multiple replications at each site every year and tests could be conducted on a subwatershed scale to account for the naturally occurring variability of larger watersheds.