A study of the ATEX certification processes at a medium-sized company

Tutkimuksen tarkoitus oli tunnistaa keskikokoisen yrityksen ATEX sertifiointi prosesseissa olevat ongelmat. Paitsi tunnistaa ongelmat, tarkoitus oli ehdottaa toimenpiteitä ongelmien ratkaisemiseksi. Osana prosessia nimettiin myös vastuuhenkilöt. Käytetyt menetelmät perustuivat pääasiassa henkilökunnan haastatteluihin ja yrityksen prosessien sekä asiaan liittyvien viranomaisvaatimusten tutkimiseen. Tärkeimpiä havaintoja olivat puutteet henkilökunnan osaamisessa ja tietämyksessä. Lisäksi huomattiin, ettei yrityksen laatujärjestelmä ota riittävällä tasolla huomioon ATEX-vaatimuksia. Näistä huomattavimpia oli mm. tuotekehitysprosessi. Laatujärjestelmän puutteiden lisäksi tuli vielä huonosta valvonnasta ja henkilökunnan asenteista johtuvat ongelmat. ATEX-vaatimuksien täyttämiseen liittyvät ongelmat tunnistettiin, ja niihin löydettiin vähintään tyydyttävät ratkaisut. Samalla nimettiin vastuuhenkilöt uusille prosesseille. Henkilökunnan haastatteluista ja ATEX-standardin tuntemuksesta oli suuri merkitys työn onnistumisen kannalta.The purpose of this study was to identify the dilemmas associated with the ATEX certification processes at a medium-sized company. Furthermore, the aim was to suggest recommendations and actions for solving the acknowledged problems. The responsible agents were also determined. The problem and solution seeking method was based on having dialogs with the employees of the company and on studying the processes of the company as well as the demands of the authorities. To name few of the discoveries, there is a lack of ATEX competence among the staff of the company and the suppliers. Also, the project management system does not include ATEX processes. A few other ATEX processes are not sufficiently defined either. Furthermore, the checklists are not always followed. Lastly, the staff has different strategies when it comes to ATEX issues. The problems were identified and the solutions were found to a satisfactory level. The responsible agents were also named. The interviews proved to give good results. Personal experience and the ATEX directive and standards were also crucial to the study

Monoclonal antibody detects Ag polymorphism of apolipoprotein B

AbstractA monoclonal antibody (MB-19) was used to investigate the polymorphism of apolipoprotein B in a large family and in unrelated subjects. Apolipoprotein B was shown to exhibit high-, intermediate- or low-affinitybinding to this antibody. Thus, MB-19 bound strongly to the Ag(c) epitope, an Ag antigenic domain previously characterized by human antisera, while it bound only weakly to the allelic epitope Ag(g). It proved therefore useful for the detection of the two corresponding allelic apoB species designated apoBc (high-affinity binding) and apoBg (low-affinity binding), and for confirming their co-dominant transmission. Intermediate binding resulted from the presence of a mixture of both apoB populations in heterozygous subjects

Phospholipid transfer protein is present in human atherosclerotic lesions and is expressed by macrophages and foam cells

International audiencePhospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) in plasma promotes phospholipid transfer from triglyceride-rich lipoproteins to HDL and plays a major role in HDL remodeling. Recent in vivo observations also support a key role for PLTP in cholesterol metabolism. Our immunohistochemical analysis of human carotid endarterectomy samples identified immunoreactive PLTP in areas that colocalized with CD68-positive macrophages, suggesting that PLTP could be produced locally by intimal macrophages. Using RT-PCR, Western blot analysis with a monoclonal anti-PLTP antibody, and a PLTP activity assay, we observed PLTP mRNA and protein expression in human macrophages. In adherent peripheral blood human macrophages, this PLTP expression was increased by culture with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Incubation of macrophages with acetylated-LDL induced an increase in PLTP mRNA and protein expression that paralleled cholesterol loading. PLTP expression was observed in elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages and in cultured Raw264.7 cells as well. Thus, this study demonstrates that PLTP is expressed by macrophages, is regulated by cholesterol loading, and is present in atherosclerotic lesions.-Desrumaux, C

PÅ TVÆRS AF NORDEN : økokritiske strømninger i nordisk børne- og ungdomslitteratur

Denne antologi giver indblik i økokritiske strømninger i nyere nordisk børne- og ungdomslitteratur, både fra et forskningsmæssig, formidlingsmæssig, illustrativt, litterært skabende perspektiv. Antologien byder blandt andet på essays om antropocæne udfordringer, undersøgelser af relationen mellem natur, kultur og skrald og miljøaktivister i nordisk børne- og ungdomslitteratur. Derudover findes syv stærke økodramaer, der alle er blevet til i samarbejde mellem nordiske illustratorer og forfattere.Antologien er nummer 2 i en række af i alt 3. Bidrag i antologien er på dansk, norsk og svensk