Depth probing of the hydride formation process in thin Pd films by combined electrochemistry and fiber optics-based in situ UV/vis spectroscopy

We demonstrate a flexible combined electrochemistry and fiber optics-based in situ UV/vis spectroscopy setup to gain insight into the depth evolution of electrochemical hydride and oxide formation in Pd films with thicknesses of 20 and 100 nm. The thicknesses of our model systems are chosen such that the films are thinner or significantly thicker than the optical skin depth of Pd to create two distinctly different situations. Low power white light is irradiated on the sample and analyzed in three different configurations; transmittance through, and, reflectance from the front and the back side of the film. The obtained optical sensitivities correspond to fractions of a monolayer of adsorbed or absorbed hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) on Pd. Moreover, a combined simultaneous readout obtained from the different optical measurement configurations provides mechanistic insights into the depth-evolution of the studied hydrogenation and oxidation processes

Multiple Front Propagation Into Unstable States

The dynamics of transient patterns formed by front propagation in extended nonequilibrium systems is considered. Under certain circumstances, the state left behind a front propagating into an unstable homogeneous state can be an unstable periodic pattern. It is found by a numerical solution of a model of the Fr\'eedericksz transition in nematic liquid crystals that the mechanism of decay of such periodic unstable states is the propagation of a second front which replaces the unstable pattern by a another unstable periodic state with larger wavelength. The speed of this second front and the periodicity of the new state are analytically calculated with a generalization of the marginal stability formalism suited to the study of front propagation into periodic unstable states. PACS: 47.20.Ky, 03.40.Kf, 47.54.+rComment: 12 page

Neuroinflammation in Lyme neuroborreliosis affects amyloid metabolism

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The metabolism of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and β-amyloid (Aβ) is widely studied in Alzheimer's disease, where Aβ deposition and plaque development are essential components of the pathogenesis. However, the physiological role of amyloid in the adult nervous system remains largely unknown. We have previously found altered cerebral amyloid metabolism in other neuroinflammatory conditions. To further elucidate this, we investigated amyloid metabolism in patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The first part of the study was a cross-sectional cohort study in 61 patients with acute facial palsy (19 with LNB and 42 with idiopathic facial paresis, Bell's palsy) and 22 healthy controls. CSF was analysed for the β-amyloid peptides Aβ38, Aβ40 and Aβ42, and the amyloid precursor protein (APP) isoforms α-sAPP and β-sAPP. CSF total-tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (P-tau) and neurofilament protein (NFL) were measured to monitor neural cell damage. The second part of the study was a prospective cohort-study in 26 LNB patients undergoing consecutive lumbar punctures before and after antibiotic treatment to study time-dependent dynamics of the biomarkers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the cross-sectional study, LNB patients had lower levels of CSF α-sAPP, β-sAPP and P-tau, and higher levels of CSF NFL than healthy controls and patients with Bell's palsy. In the prospective study, LNB patients had low levels of CSF α-sAPP, β-sAPP and P-tau at baseline, which all increased towards normal at follow-up.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Amyloid metabolism is altered in LNB. CSF levels of α-sAPP, β-sAPP and P-tau are decreased in acute infection and increase after treatment. In combination with earlier findings in multiple sclerosis, cerebral SLE and HIV with cerebral engagement, this points to an influence of neuroinflammation on amyloid metabolism.</p

A Macroecological Analysis of SERA Derived Forest Heights and Implications for Forest Volume Remote Sensing

Individual trees have been shown to exhibit strong relationships between DBH, height and volume. Often such studies are cited as justification for forest volume or standing biomass estimation through remote sensing. With resolution of common satellite remote sensing systems generally too low to resolve individuals, and a need for larger coverage, these systems rely on descriptive heights, which account for tree collections in forests. For remote sensing and allometric applications, this height is not entirely understood in terms of its location. Here, a forest growth model (SERA) analyzes forest canopy height relationships with forest wood volume. Maximum height, mean, H100, and Lorey's height are examined for variability under plant number density, resource and species. Our findings, shown to be allometrically consistent with empirical measurements for forested communities world-wide, are analyzed for implications to forest remote sensing techniques such as LiDAR and RADAR. Traditional forestry measures of maximum height, and to a lesser extent H100 and Lorey's, exhibit little consistent correlation with forest volume across modeled conditions. The implication is that using forest height to infer volume or biomass from remote sensing requires species and community behavioral information to infer accurate estimates using height alone. SERA predicts mean height to provide the most consistent relationship with volume of the height classifications studied and overall across forest variations. This prediction agrees with empirical data collected from conifer and angiosperm forests with plant densities ranging between 102–106 plants/hectare and heights 6–49 m. Height classifications investigated are potentially linked to radar scattering centers with implications for allometry. These findings may be used to advance forest biomass estimation accuracy through remote sensing. Furthermore, Lorey's height with its specific relationship to remote sensing physics is recommended as a more universal indicator of volume when using remote sensing than achieved using either maximum height or H100

Får man svära på lektionen? En studie i svensklärares förhållningssätt till svordomar

Sammanfattning: Syftet med undersökningen är att undersöka svensklärares förhållningssätt till svordomar och hur relevant det är att inkludera svordomar i svenskundervisningen. Genom en enkätundersökning har vi sökt svar på frågeställningarna. Resultatet visar på att svensklärare ställer sig positiva till svordomar i undervisningen och motiverar det utifrån fyra skäl: att det är vanligt med svordomar, att de hör till talspråket, att de är kreativa och att de återspeglar kulturella fenomen. Genom fokusgrupper har vi också tagit del av språket hos elever som går på högstadiet. Det framgår att svordomar är en naturlig del av deras språk. Elevernas användning, de motiveringar som lärarna tar upp och tidigare forskning tyder på att svordomarna bör betraktas som ett relevant innehåll i undervisningen. Underlaget för ämnet är dock svagt i styrdokumenten. För att en eventuell undervisning av svordomar skall vara genomförbart bör detta kunskapsområde lyftas och tydligöras i läroplanen

The Role of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells and Natural Killer Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibody production, which can eventually lead to immune complex (IC)-mediated organ damage. Due to the stimulation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) by nucleic acid-containing ICs (DNA- or RNA-IC), patients with SLE have an ongoing interferon (IFN)-α production. IFN-α induces a general activation of the immune system that may initiate or propagate an autoimmune process if not properly regulated. Previous studies have shown that natural killer (NK) cells potently enhance the IFN-α production by pDCs. In study I, the mechanisms behind the NK cell-mediated increased IFN-α production by RNA-IC-stimulated pDCs were investigated. ICs triggered CD56dim NK cells via FcγRIIIA to the secretion of cytokines (e.g. MIP-1β) that promoted IFN-α production. Additionally, an LFA-1-dependent cell-cell interaction between pDCs and NK cells strongly contributed to the increased production of IFN-α. In study II, the RNA-IC-induced regulation of surface molecules on pDCs and NK cells was investigated. The expression of CD319 and CD229, which are two SLAM family receptors genetically associated with SLE, was induced on pDCs and NK cells by RNA-IC. IFN-α-producing pDCs displayed an increased expression of CD319 and CD229, whereas pDCs from patients with SLE had a decreased expression of CD319. In study III, we serendipitously identified an SLE patient harboring autoantibodies to the NK cell receptor CD94/NKG2A. In study IV, sera from 203 patients with SLE were analyzed for autoantibodies to the CD94/NKG2A, CD94/NKG2C and NKG2D receptors. Seven patients harbored anti-CD94/NKG2A autoantibodies, and two of these patient’s autoantibodies also reacted with CD94/NKG2C. Anti-CD94/NKG2A and anti-CD94/NKG2C autoantibodies both interfered with the HLA-E-mediated regulation of NK cell cytotoxicity, and facilitated the elimination of target cells expressing these receptors. Furthermore, these autoantibodies were found in a group of severely diseased SLE patients and their titers closely followed disease activity. In conclusion, this thesis provides insights to molecular mechanisms whereby NK cells regulate the IFN-α production, it further links the SLAM receptors to SLE, and it describes novel autoantibodies to receptors regulating NK cell cytotoxicity. Together these findings strengthen the assumption that NK cells are involved in the pathogenesis of SLE

Enacting personal wellbeing by controlling customers

Abstract Purpose – The aim of this thesis is to describe and explain how service employees create personal wellbeing through improving the customer’s experience of the service by being proactive in their work, continuously running the service interaction and stimulating the customer. Design/methodology/approach – The study takes on a qualitative approach and data was collected through a primary analysis of 9 extensive interviews performed on service providers within the mobility service-business in Gothenburg.   Findings – The findings of this study show how service employees’ can create personal wellbeing for themselves in different ways and to varying extent using different tactics, judgement procedures and implicit knowledge resources. Research limitations/implications for future research – The service setting in this study is not comparable to all other organisations, something must be taken into account. Future research should focus on further analysing the findings of this thesis by performing similar studies in other service contexts and a more detailed examination of the different components. Practical implications – The findings of this thesis provide valuable insights for managers within similar service organisations where there is need for improved employee wellbeing and performance. This could lead to significantly enhanced service experiences that would benefit, not only the employees’, but also customers’ and the organisation as a whole. Keywords – Employee Wellbeing, Service Employees, Service Interaction, Transformative Service Research, Service Dominant Logic, Employee Tactic

Working Capital Management : A study about how Swedish companies manage working capital in relation to revenue growth over time

A shift in focus from growing revenues towards managing working capital could be observed in many companies in the recession that followed the financial crisis of 2008. This thesis therefore investigates the relation between working capital management (WCM) and revenue growth by examining 36 Swedish companies within the IT &amp; Telecom, Wholesale, and Manufacturing industries. The results show that there currently is a general gap between the perceived and actual performance regarding WCM and the effects on revenue growth. The studied companies report a belief that no trade-off between WCM and revenue growth exists. However, the actual performance in the studied industries indicates that increases in revenues often are not justifiable in proportion to the increases in net working capital (NWC). The study also shows that responsibility for WCM and implementation of WCM decisions are to a high extent assigned to a centralized organizational level. Recommendations derived from this study are that while companies need a centralized responsibility for WCM decisions, the responsibility also needs to be decentralized for successful implementation. Furthermore, the NWC development in relation to revenue growth needs to be continually monitored

Working Capital Management : A study about how Swedish companies manage working capital in relation to revenue growth over time

A shift in focus from growing revenues towards managing working capital could be observed in many companies in the recession that followed the financial crisis of 2008. This thesis therefore investigates the relation between working capital management (WCM) and revenue growth by examining 36 Swedish companies within the IT &amp; Telecom, Wholesale, and Manufacturing industries. The results show that there currently is a general gap between the perceived and actual performance regarding WCM and the effects on revenue growth. The studied companies report a belief that no trade-off between WCM and revenue growth exists. However, the actual performance in the studied industries indicates that increases in revenues often are not justifiable in proportion to the increases in net working capital (NWC). The study also shows that responsibility for WCM and implementation of WCM decisions are to a high extent assigned to a centralized organizational level. Recommendations derived from this study are that while companies need a centralized responsibility for WCM decisions, the responsibility also needs to be decentralized for successful implementation. Furthermore, the NWC development in relation to revenue growth needs to be continually monitored

Celebrity endorsement is no sport : A study about sportswear brands’ use of celebrities in branding purpose

Titel: Celebrity endorsement är väl ingen sport – En studie om hur sportmodevarumärken använder celebriteter i varumärkesbyggande syfte Författare: Erik Hagberg &amp; Niklas Radhammar Handledare: Thomas Helgesson Nivå: Kandidatuppsats, Marknadsföring 15 hp, VT 2012 Nyckelord: Varumärke, varumärkeskapital, celebrity endorsement, celebrity endorser, sportmodevarumärke, varumärkesbyggande Problemformulering: Hur arbetar sportmodevarumärken på den svenska marknaden med celebriteter i sina varumärkesbyggande processer? Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att med utgångspunkt i den teoretiska referensramen och en abduktiv fallstudie av fem varumärken, kartlägga hur sportmodevarumärken arbetar med celebriteter i varumärkesbyggande ändamål på den svenska marknaden. Vi vill även analysera positiva effekter och risker vid användning av celebriteter i varumärkesstrategier. Metod: En kvalitativ ansats med ett abduktivt angreppssätt har använts, där beslutsfattare från fem varumärken har intervjuats inom uppsatsens ämne. De fem företagen är adidas, Craft, Tenson, Peak Performance samt Unihoc. Alla dessa arbetar aktivt med celebrity endorsement som strategi i varumärkesbyggande och marknadskommunikation. Teoretiskt perspektiv: Avsnittet inleds med en grundläggande beskrivning av varumärkeskapital samt hur celebriteter kan addera ytterligare värde till kapitalet. Därefter behandlas fenomenet celebrity endorsement samt processen vid urval av celebritet inom samma ämne. Teoriavsnittet berör även de positiva effekter samt risker som kan uppstå vid användningen av celebrity endorsement. Avslutningsvis behandlas även return on investment gällande celebrity endorsement. Empiriskt perspektiv: I det empiriska kapitlet presenteras de intervjuer vi utfört med ansvarig för respektive varumärke. Empirin speglar deras användning av celebrity endorsement. Slutsats: Studien visar att celebrity endorsement kan användas på olika sätt för att bygga varumärkeskapital, men även för att stärka varumärket i sin helhet. Vi anser att celebrity endorsement är en långsiktig strategi och inte som många teorier hävdar, en kortsiktig. Vi kan även dra slutsatsen att den risk som tas upp i samband med de teorier som präglar uppsatsen inte överensstämmer med våra fallföretags upplevda risk. De anser att risken är liten vid användning av celebrity endorsers.