Development of Non-Linear Laser-Based Imaging Techniques for Diagnostics of Reactive Flows

Understanding reactive flows is crucial for advancing energy production, combustion efficiency, and plasma- assisted chemical processes. These systems often involve short-lived radicals and transient phenomena that require high-resolution, non-intrusive diagnostic techniques for accurate characterization. This thesis focuses on the development of advanced non-linear laser-based imaging methods to achieve such diagnostics with improved spatial and temporal precision. A primary challenge in laser diagnostics is the detection of short-lived radicals, such as atomic oxygen (O), which plays a critical role in combustion and plasma chemistry. Traditional two-photon laser-induced fluorescence (TPLIF) has been instrumental in probing these species, but its effectiveness is often limited by weak signals and interference from background light. To address these limitations, this work introduces Light-field Amplitude Control (LAC), a novel laser modulation strategy that enhances signal clarity and measurement precision by act- ively controlling the spatial and temporal characteristics of the excitation field. After LAC is introduced and experimentally characterized, it is subsequently applied to plasma and combustion environments, where it significantly enhances TPLIF signals while suppressing unwanted background emissions. Using LAC, this thesis demonstrates single-shot imaging of atomic oxygen in turbulent flames and plasma dis- charges at atmospheric pressure, enabling real-time analysis of oxygen distribution and chemical reaction dynamics. Additionally, the work explores air lasing as an alternative high-intensity, coherent emission process for radical detection, providing new insights into its underlying physics and potential applications in advanced spectroscopy. These advancements in laser-based diagnostics pave the way for more accurate and quantitative imaging of reactive species, benefiting both fundamental research and industrial applications. The techniques developed in this work contribute to fields such as plasma-assisted combustion, chemical manufacturing, and clean energy production, where precise knowledge of radical distributions is critical. Ultimately, these findings align with the broader goal of developing efficient, sustainable technologies to mitigate climate impact and optimize energy use

Value of information-driven innovation in Gerber saddles monitoring

Innovation plays a crucial role in shaping technological, economic, and social progress in modern societies. In the realm of bridge integrity management, the development and diffusion of technologies to acquire information can significantly enhance industries' safety and functionality capabilities. Among the most widely diffused bridge types in Europe and North America, Gerber bridges are particularly susceptible to deterioration over time. Gerber saddles are typically not instrumented and are checked only through visual inspections. This paper introduces the metric of the Value of Information for Innovation to estimate the benefit associated with introducing an established technology in a new market of application. Herein, the operational value of implementing microelectromechanical inclinometers in the integrity management of Gerber saddles is quantified for the specific case of a bridge in northern Italy. Microelectromechanical systems companies may use these results to optimally select the technology price, investigate diverse market strategies, and optimize sensor arrangement

Bio-Efficiency: On the valorisation of innovation in the bioeconomy

This article discusses a concept that institutions from the OECD to the EU increasingly employ in their response to the ecological crisis: The bioeconomy, wherein materials for economic activity would be bio-based and renewable. As a present-day project, the bioeconomy translates the critique of (fossil) carbon into patterns of (material) resource use and (economic) resource allocation, not least through a new valorisation of innovation in the form of public– private partnerships. Yet where literature on the bioeconomy scrutinizes innovation, the concrete link between funders and funded has seldom been subject to focused analytical inquiry. This link is essential to the structure of the bioeconomy project. To broach the arrangements by which efforts to conjure a (bio-)economy underwrite specific patterns of value distribution, this article asks: Which discursive and conceptual resources are deployed to define the worth by which projects are construed as worthy of funding? Drawing on online ethnographic observation at funding events as well as on document analysis, we show how these arrangements are structured by a valorisation of efficiency. We propose to call this bio-efficiency, and relate it to a construal of the world as scarce

‘Is it all right if I make a suggestion?’: permission requests in social services’ online chat counselling

In this paper, we explore permission requests to provide guidance in the specific context of social services’ online chat counselling. Asking permission to communicate information or advice as a conversational practice is commonly associated with motivational interviewing (MI), which has become increasingly popular in various social work contexts. The MI literature is ambiguous regarding how and in which cases the practice of asking permission is appropriate. We use the approach of conversation analysis to examine in detail how the practice is used by social workers to identify its interactional functions. We also discuss to what extent the practice aligns with MI intentions when used in online social work

Consensus statements on end-of-life care in ICU - A Scandinavian multidisciplinary Delphi study

Background: End-of-life care in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is complex, requiring a balance of ethical, cultural and medical considerations while ensuring comfort and dignity for critically ill patients and their families.Aim: We aimed to develop a set of core domains for end-of-life care at Scandinavian ICUs along with corresponding consensus statements from patients, families and multidisciplinary experts.Methods: In a three-round Delphi study, a multidisciplinary advisory board from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark, including ICU physicians, ICU nurses, palliative care specialists and a former ICU patient and family, developed potential end-of-life care domains of interest. Specialists with special competence/interest in end-of-life care and clinicians in all five countries were invited to rank these domains according to their importance and provide recommendations within each domain. The advisory board rephrased the recommendations into statements, which were sent out in the second round for participants to rate based on their level of agreement. Statements that did not achieve consensus in the second round were rephrased and redistributed in the third round.Results: After the third Delphi round, 59 statements across 10 domains reached consensus. The domains were: 1. Communication at ICU admission, 2. Withholding and withdrawal of therapy and end-of-life care decisions in the ICU, 3. Meeting religious and spiritual needs and the needs of vulnerable patients in the ICU, 4. Extubation and termination of mechanical ventilation at the end of life in the ICU, 5. Management and monitoring of symptoms at the end of life in the ICU, 6. Continuous sedation at the end of life in the ICU, 7. Indicators for specialist palliative care consultations in the ICU, 8. Patient transfers from the ICU at the end of life, 9. Bereavement care and 10. Debriefing in the ICU following a patient's death.Discussion: We developed core domains and consensus statements aiming at optimising end-of-life care that considers cultural and ethical nuances. The domains may help to shape end-of-life care guidelines in Scandinavian ICUs.Keywords: Delphi technique; clinical practice guidelines; end‐of‐life care; intensive care unit; palliative care

Public perception of fire safety and risk of timber buildings

As a dominant representative of biobased construction materials, an increased use of timber bears potential to contribute to climate change mitigation. This work investigated public attitudes towards timber as a building material, particularly focussing on the perception of fire safety properties and associated risks. In past studies timber’s susceptibility to fire was often acknowledged by stakeholders and thus interpreted as a potential market barrier. An international online survey (n = 323) was carried out and complemented with data from 28 semi-structured interviews in Denmark and Sweden. The study reports empirical evidence that timber buildings are attributed a higher risk than their non-combustible counterparts. The public’s underlying assumptions on timber’s fire behaviour in buildings seem greatly varied and interview data suggest the importance of demonstrating building safety on a system level. Interviewees from the two Nordic countries expressed strong societal trust towards professionals and authorities to competently address any risks during building design and approval processes, thus feeling safe towards timber buildings despite recognising timber’s combustibility. This refutes the general idea of timber’s perceived combustibility as a market barrier. Lastly, the importance of context (e.g. cultural) for risk appraisal is acknowledged

Challenges in predicting the impact of climate change on thermal building performance through simulation : A systematic review

The intricate relationship between climate change and the building sector is characterized by a self-reinforcing loop. Rising temperatures driven by global warming will inevitably impact heating and cooling energy, while buildings simultaneously contribute significantly to carbon emissions throughout their lifecycle, further exacerbating climate change. However, current knowledge regarding the interaction between climate change and the building sector remains fragmented, often limited to specific regions, climate zones, and mitigation strategies, lacking a holistic view. This systematic review analyzes 212 peer-reviewed articles to examine current approaches, challenges, and future directions in predicting building thermal performance under climate change. The analysis covers key aspects, including climate data, methods/tools for future weather file generation, computational methods and performance metrics. The reliance on outdated climate scenarios and models undermines the accuracy and applicability of predictions. Despite a general rise in cooling and decline in heating, considerable variances occur among geographies, climate data, and carbon emissions. This review highlights several important gaps, including 1) inconsistencies in geographical disparities and data quality; 2) challenges in scaling from individual buildings to district-level predictions; 3) the need for more advanced control and modeling capabilities in simulation; and 4) insufficient consideration of robust, resilient design strategies to address uncertainties posed by climate change, localized microclimate, and extremes. In addition, significant methodological inconsistencies across studies hinder reliable comparisons and potentially undermine prediction accuracy. The review proposes the development of a standardized protocol to guide researchers while preserving context-specific investigations. This aims to incorporate updated climate scenarios, high-resolution data, and robust modeling techniques to enhance prediction accuracy under a changing climate. Breaking this vicious cycle requires an integrated approach combining building science, climate science, and urban planning

Incorporating microbiome analyses can enhance conservation of threatened species and ecosystem functions

Conservation genomics is a rapidly growing subdiscipline of conservation biology that uses genome-wide information to inform management of biodiversity at all levels. Such efforts typically focus on species or systems of conservation interest, but rarely consider associated microbes. At least three major approaches have been used to study how microorganisms broadly contribute to conservation areas: (1) diversity surveys map out microbial species distribution patterns in a variety of hosts, natural environments or regions; (2) functional surveys associate microbial communities with factors of interest, such as host health, symbiotic interactions, environmental characteristics, ecosystem processes, and biological invasions; and (3) manipulative experiments examine the response of changes to microbial communities or determine the functional roles of specific microbes within hosts or communities by adding, removing, or genetically modifying microbes. In practice, multiple approaches are often applied simultaneously. The results from all three conservation genomics approaches can be used to help design practical interventions and improve management actions, some of which we highlight below. However, experimental manipulations allow for more robust causal inferences and should be the ultimate goal of future work. Here we discuss how further integration of microbial research of a host's microbiome and of free living microbes into conservation biology will be an essential advancement for conservation of charismatic organisms and ecosystem functions in light of ongoing global environmental change