Distinguishing cause from effect - many deficits associated with developmental dyslexia may be a consequence of reduced and suboptimal reading experience

The cause of developmental dyslexia is still unknown despite decades of intense research. Many causal explanations have been proposed, based on the range of impairments displayed by affected individuals. Here we draw attention to the fact that many of these impairments are also shown by illiterate individuals who have not received any or very little reading instruction. We suggest that this fact may not be coincidental and that the performance differences of both illiterates and individuals with dyslexia compared to literate controls are, to a substantial extent, secondary consequences of either reduced or suboptimal reading experience or a combination of both. The search for the primary causes of reading impairments will make progress if the consequences of quantitative and qualitative differences in reading experience are better taken into account and not mistaken for the causes of reading disorders. We close by providing four recommendations for future research

On the Possibility of Uphill Intramolecular Electron Transfer in Multicopper Oxidases: Electrochemical and Quantum Chemical Study of Bilirubin Oxidase

The catalytic cycle of multicopper oxidases (MCOs) involves intramolecular electron transfer (IET) from the Cu-T1 copper ion, which is the primary site of the one-electron oxidations of the substrate, to the trinuclear copper cluster (TNC), which is the site of the four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water. In this study we report a detailed characterization of the kinetic and electrochemical properties of bilirubin oxidase (BOx) a member of the MCO family. The experimental results strongly indicate that under certain conditions, e.g. in alkaline solutions, the IET can be the rate-limiting step in the BOx catalytic cycle. The data also suggest that one of the catalytically relevant intermediates (most likely characterized by an intermediate oxidation state of the TNC) formed during the catalytic cycle of BOx has a redox potential close to 0.4 V, indicating an uphill IET process from the T1 copper site (0.7 V) to the Cu-T23. These suggestions are supported by calculations of the IET rate, based on the experimentally observed Gibbs free energy change and theoretical estimates of reorganization energy obtained by combined quantum and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations

Homology of iterated semidirect products of free groups

Let $G$ be a group which admits the structure of an iterated semidirect product of finitely generated free groups. We construct a finite, free resolution of the integers over the group ring of $G$. This resolution is used to define representations of groups which act compatibly on $G$, generalizing classical constructions of Magnus, Burau, and Gassner. Our construction also yields algorithms for computing the homology of the Milnor fiber of a fiber-type hyperplane arrangement, and more generally, the homology of the complement of such an arrangement with coefficients in an arbitrary local system.Comment: 31 pages. AMSTeX v 2.1 preprint styl

Biofuel cell based on microscale nanostructured electrodes with inductive coupling to rat brain neurons.

Miniature, self-contained biodevices powered by biofuel cells may enable a new generation of implantable, wireless, minimally invasive neural interfaces for neurophysiological in vivo studies and for clinical applications. Here we report on the fabrication of a direct electron transfer based glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cell (EFC) from genuinely three-dimensional (3D) nanostructured microscale gold electrodes, modified with suitable biocatalysts. We show that the process underlying the simple fabrication method of 3D nanostructured electrodes is based on an electrochemically driven transformation of physically deposited gold nanoparticles. We experimentally demonstrate that mediator-, cofactor-, and membrane-less EFCs do operate in cerebrospinal fluid and in the brain of a rat, producing amounts of electrical power sufficient to drive a self-contained biodevice, viz. 7 μW cm(-2) in vitro and 2 μW cm(-2) in vivo at an operating voltage of 0.4 V. Last but not least, we also demonstrate an inductive coupling between 3D nanobioelectrodes and living neurons

Work today and in the future : Perspectives on Occupational Safety and Health challenges and opportunities for the Nordic labour inspectorates

This report was commissioned by the Nordic Director Generals at the labour inspectorates to better prepare the labour inspectorates for the future of work. The report is authored by the Nordic Future of Work Group. The purpose of the report is to identify and analyse the occupational safety and health challenges to labour inspectorates in the light of the imminent future of work. Three main aspects make this report unique. First, the report focusses on occupational safety and health and labour inspection. This perspective is not common in future of work studies and analyses. Second, the report gives practical recommendations for labour inspectorates. Third, the report provides an exclusive Nordic perspective on themes of regional and global importance in the context of labour inspection. This report delivers a diverse set of perspectives on the future of work and occupational safety and health based on published literature and active engagement with national and international stakeholders as well as the research community. It is anticipated that the future of work will be influenced by four drivers: the changes attributed to technology, demographics, globalisation, and environmental and climate change. These drivers independently or taken together have an impact on occupational safety and health. The report concludes with providing general and specific recommendations to better equip the labour inspectorates to meet the challenges of the near and distant future. These practical recommendations form the context for the further development of Nordic labour inspectorates ability to tackle occupational safety and health challenges as they concern the future of work

Studying boundary layer methane isotopy and vertical mixing processes at a rewetted peatland site using an unmanned aircraft system

The combination of two well-established methods, of quadrocopter-borne air sampling and methane isotopic analyses, is applied to determine the source process of methane at different altitudes and to study mixing processes. A proof-of-concept study was performed to demonstrate the capabilities of quadrocopter air sampling for subsequently analysing the methane isotopic composition δ13C in the laboratory. The advantage of the system compared to classical sampling on the ground and at tall towers is the flexibility concerning sampling location, and in particular the flexible choice of sampling altitude, allowing the study of the layering and mixing of air masses with potentially different spatial origin of air masses and methane. Boundary layer mixing processes and the methane isotopic composition were studied at Polder Zarnekow in Mecklenburg–West Pomerania in the north-east of Germany, which has become a strong source of biogenically produced methane after rewetting the drained and degraded peatland. Methane fluxes are measured continuously at the site. They show high emissions from May to September, and a strong diurnal variability. For two case studies on 23 May and 5 September 2018, vertical profiles of temperature and humidity were recorded up to an altitude of 650 and 1000 m, respectively, during the morning transition. Air samples were taken at different altitudes and analysed in the laboratory for methane isotopic composition. The values showed a different isotopic composition in the vertical distribution during stable conditions in the morning (delta values of −51.5 ‰ below the temperature inversion at an altitude of 150 m on 23 May 2018 and at an altitude of 50 m on 5 September 2018, delta values of −50.1 ‰ above). After the onset of turbulent mixing, the isotopic composition was the same throughout the vertical column with a mean delta value of −49.9 ± 0.45 ‰. The systematically more negative delta values occurred only as long as the nocturnal temperature inversion was present. During the September study, water samples were analysed as well for methane concentration and isotopic composition in order to provide a link between surface and atmosphere. The water samples reveal high variability on horizontal scales of a few tens of metres for this particular case. The airborne sampling system and consecutive analysis chain were shown to provide reliable and reproducible results for two samples obtained simultaneously. The method presents a powerful tool for distinguishing the source process of methane at different altitudes. The isotopic composition showed clearly depleted delta values directly above a biological methane source when vertical mixing was hampered by a temperature inversion, and different delta values above, where the air masses originate from a different footprint area. The vertical distribution of methane isotopic composition can serve as tracer for mixing processes of methane within the atmospheric boundary layer

Samverkansmeritering - förutsättningar, behov och möjligheter : Rapport: MERSAM-Meritvärde av samverkansskicklighet

Samverkansuppgiften har gradvis fått en tydligare roll sedan mitten av 1990-talet och är idag en nödvändig och central uppgift för högskolor och universitet i Sverige, inte minst för att hantera vår tids samhällsutmaningar. Det finns få tecken på att denna utveckling kommer att vända och det är därför viktigt att vi inom sektorn för en dialog kring hur vi tar oss an och värderar det arbete som sker inom ramen för samverkansuppgiften. Det är troligt att vi i sektorn även en tid framöver kommer att diskutera hur samverkansuppgiften bör tolkas och samverkansmeriter värderas, men det hindrar oss inte att på allvar försöka stödja och strukturera det arbete som redan sker dagligen vid landets lärosäten.Projektets bidrag är att belysa ett antal observationer kring utmaningar inom sektorn, för våra lärosäten och individer men också visa på möjligheter för våra lärosäten genom att ta upp några tänkbara verktyg, arbetssätt och rekommendationer för utveckling av samverkansmeritering.Huvudbudskapen i denna rapport är att sektorn behöver skapa en tydligare och mer preciserad begreppsbildning relaterat till ”samverkan” och samverkansmeriter. Lärosätena behöver utveckla ett mer integrerat och strukturerat sätt att arbeta med samverkansmeriter genom hela rekrytering- och befordringsprocessen, då förståelse av samverkansmeriter och praxis fortfarande är underutvecklat. Lärosätena behöver vidare utveckla stöd för forskare och lärare i att kunna sammanställa och dokumentera samverkansmeriter, separat eller integrerat med övriga meriter. En verkningsfull, flerspråkig begreppsapparat och förståelse men även efterfrågan på samverkansmeriter behöver utvecklas gemensamt av sektorns alla aktörer och vid varje lärosäte.Rapporten riktar sig i första hand till två målgrupper:1.Personer och funktioner vid lärosäten som har ansvar för eller leder utvecklingsarbete kopplat till meritering och kompetensförsörjning på olika nivåer (dekaner, utvecklingsledare, HR specialister, ordförande i rekryteringskommittéer eller motsvarande samt olika former av samverkansstöd). För dessa innehåller rapporten resonemang, rekommendationer och konkreta verktyg som kan användas som utgångspunkt för dialog och utveckling av samverkansmeritering vid lärosäten.2.Ledningsfunktioner vid lärosäten, myndigheter samt sektorsintressenter. För dessa kan rapporten ge ökad kunskap om tillståndet för samverkansmeritering vid svenska lärosäten och insikter om möjligheter för utveckling.Projektet har tagit fram ett utbildningsmaterial för att stödja fortsatt utvecklingsarbete på olika nivåer vid lärosäten samt en vägledning för att dokumentera och beskriva samverkansmeriter. Vägledningen kan användas för inspiration till lärare och forskare som vill sammanställa sina samverkansmeriter. De verktyg som presenteras i vägledningen kan också användas vid kompetensplanering, bedömningssituationer och medarbetarsamtal.Förhoppningen är att MerSam-projektet och denna rapport, dialog inom och mellan lärosäten samt mellan lärosäten och sektorsintressenter, bidrar till fortsatt utveckling av samverkansmeritering samt till att skapa en gemensam uppfattning om vad det betyder att meritera sig inom ramen för samverkansuppgiften

Mercury pollution for marine environment at Farwa Island, Libya

Coimmobilization of pyranose dehydrogenase as an enzyme catalyst, osmium redox polymers [Os­(4,4′-dimethoxy-2,2′-bipyridine)₂(poly­(vinylimidazole))₁₀Cl]⁺ or [Os­(4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine)₂(poly­(vinylimidazole))₁₀Cl]⁺ as mediators, and carbon nanotube conductive scaffolds in films on graphite electrodes provides enzyme electrodes for glucose oxidation. The recombinant enzyme and a deglycosylated form, both expressed in Pichia pastoris, are investigated and compared as biocatalysts for glucose oxidation using flow injection amperometry and voltammetry. In the presence of 5 mM glucose in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (50 mM phosphate buffer solution, pH 7.4, with 150 mM NaCl), higher glucose oxidation current densities, 0.41 mA cm^–2, are obtained from enzyme electrodes containing the deglycosylated form of the enzyme. The optimized glucose-oxidizing anode, prepared using deglycosylated enzyme coimmobilized with [Os­(4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine)₂(poly­(vinylimidazole))₁₀Cl]⁺ and carbon nanotubes, was coupled with an oxygen-reducing bilirubin oxidase on gold nanoparticle dispersed on gold electrode as a biocathode to provide a membraneless fully enzymatic fuel cell. A maximum power density of 275 μW cm^–2 is obtained in 5 mM glucose in PBS, the highest to date under these conditions, providing sufficient power to enable wireless transmission of a signal to a data logger. When tested in whole human blood and unstimulated human saliva maximum power densities of 73 and 6 μW cm^–2 are obtained for the same fuel cell configuration, respectively