The value of perennials in urban space

Är perenner ett användbart material för våra grönytor i stadsmiljöer, som kan väcka livslust och förmedla en känsla av livets gång och kontinuitet i en föränderlig värld? När är det bäst att använda sommarblommor och när kan perenner vara ett bättre alternativ? Är murar och buskar det enda sättet att skapa rumslighet i den lilla skalan eller har perennerna en uppgift att fylla även här? Jag söker i denna uppsats svar på dessa frågor och samtidigt förmedla kunskap om perennernas mångskiftande kvalitéer. Material till uppsatsen har i huvudsak varit forskningsrapporter, handböcker och faktaböcker i ämnet. Även intervjuer med företrädare för de som planerar och de som förvaltar stadsmiljöer har gjorts. Uppsatsen belyser perenners roll i stads- och tätortsmiljöer i allmänhet och jämför perennplanteringar med möjliga alternativ. Alternativ till perenn-planteringar kan vara sommarblommor, men också buskar, gräsmatta eller rent av hårdgjorda ytor som t ex asfalt. Nuförtiden är både barn och vuxna mer stressade än förr och ofta lever man i en miljö med många hårdgjorda ytor. (Grahn, Patrik & Stigsdotter, 2003) Därför är det nu är ännu viktigare att städerna erbjuder planteringar som ger en rofylld stimulans året runt. Att uppleva årstidsväxlingar kan fördjupa förståelsen för vår omvärld och ge oss ett lugn i det urbana vimlet. Det gäller bara att vi blir uppmärksamma på de kvalitéer som växterna har.Are perennials useful ingredients in our urban green spaces that can awaken a “joie de vivre” and illustrate the passage of time? When is it best to use annuals and when could perennials be at better choice? Are walls and hedges the only way to create a sense of space in the small scale or do perennials have a role here as well? I will try to find answers to these questions here and at the same time try to convey the intrinsic qualities of perennials. Most of the material I’ve found in research reports, manuals, and textbooks on the subject. My material also includes interviews with planners and landscape gardeners. This paper highlights the role of perennials in townscapes in general and compares the planting of perennials with other possible solutions, for example the use of summer flowers, lawns, bushes or even hard surfaces as for example asphalt. Nowadays both children and adults are subjected to more stress than before and are often forced to live in a more crowded environment, often hard-surfaced. Therefore it’s even more important than before that the urban environment can offer plantations that provide soothing stimuli all year round. To experience the variations during different seasons can bring a deeper understanding of our world and give a piece of relaxation in the urban crowd. The thing is to appreciate the qualities that plants really have

Linjeavvattning i ny skepnad

Detta examensarbete undersöker om det finns argument för att utforma nya mönster för linjeavvattningsgaller. I uppsatsens första del redovisas observationer kring hur de ser ut idag. Därefter undersöks genom litteraturstudier, plats- och studiebesök om det finns teorier som stödjer hypotesen att mönstret på linjeavvattningens galler kan bidra till upplevelsen av en plats. Slutsatsen dras att upplevelsen skulle kunna fördjupas genom ny utformning av linjeavvattningsgaller som ger platsen starkare karaktär och identitet. Tillgänglig litteratur stödjer min hypotes att i de fall linjeavvattning ingår i platsens utrustning skulle sådan utformning kunna bidra till den totala upplevelsen av en plats. Jag vill med detta arbete visa hur det kan ske. Under studiernas gång framträdde samtidigt fler argument rörande det faktum att om stråk är utformade med individuella särdrag så är det lättare att känna sig hemma, orientera sig kring dem och att kunna referera till platsen. Gallret på linjeavvattningen skulle alltså förutom att ge en starkare upplevelse av platsen även kunna signalera var man befinner sig alternativt vart man är på väg och ge minnesbilder användbara vid berättelser om platsen. Utifrån dessa teorier har därefter nya mönster utformats. Dessa mönster har skapats med hjälp av tekniker som idégenerering, fotografering, skissarbete och digital bearbetning. De nya mönsterförslagen redovisas tillsammans med förslag till tillverkningstekniker och en utvärderang av valda mönster. I den avslutande delen redovisas reflektioner och slutsatser kring arbetet.This study investigates whether there are any arguments for designing new patterns for linear street drainage grates. The first part describes the design of such grates today. Subsequently, through studies of literature, interviews and study visits, it investigates whether there are any theories that support the hypothesis that the design of such grates contributes significantly to the experience of place. The study concludes that the experience of a place may indeed be deepened by designed linear drainage grates and that they give a place stronger characteristics and identity. Available literature supports my hypothesis that if there are designed linear drainage grates in a place, they contribute to the overall experience of that place. It is my aim to demonstrate how this can be accomplished. During the literature studies, several arguments presented themselves to suggest that if sections of a route are given individual characteristics, it is easier to feel at home there, to orientate, and to relate to the place. The drainage grates could, in addition to giving a heightened experience of the place, also give an indication of the location, as well as the direction, and provide mental images of a place that are useful when talking about it afterwards. Based on these theories, new patterns for linear street drainage grates were designed through idea generation, photography, sketching and digital processing. The new patterns are presented, manufacturing techniques are suggested and some selected designs are evaluated. The final part of the paper offers reflections and conclusions based on the work

Early Embryonic Chromosome Instability Results in Stable Mosaic Pattern in Human Tissues

The discovery of copy number variations (CNV) in the human genome opened new perspectives on the study of the genetic causes of inherited disorders and the aetiology of common diseases. Here, a single-cell-level investigation of CNV in different human tissues led us to uncover the phenomenon of mitotically derived genomic mosaicism, which is stable in different cell types of one individual. The CNV mosaic ratios were different between the 10 individuals studied. However, they were stable in the T lymphocytes, immortalized B lymphoblastoid cells, and skin fibroblasts analyzed in each individual. Because these cell types have a common origin in the connective tissues, we suggest that mitotic changes in CNV regions may happen early during embryonic development and occur only once, after which the stable mosaic ratio is maintained throughout the differentiated tissues. This concept is further supported by a unique study of immortalized B lymphoblastoid cell lines obtained with 20 year difference from two subjects. We provide the first evidence of somatic mosaicism for CNV, with stable variation ratios in different cell types of one individual leading to the hypothesis of early embryonic chromosome instability resulting in stable mosaic pattern in human tissues. This concept has the potential to open new perspectives in personalized genetic diagnostics and can explain genetic phenomena like diminished penetrance in autosomal dominant diseases. We propose that further genomic studies should focus on the single-cell level, to better understand the aetiology of aging and diseases mediated by somatic mutations

Complex rearranged small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC), three new cases; evidence for an underestimated entity?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC) are present ~2.6 × 10⁶human worldwide. sSMC are a heterogeneous group of derivative chromosomes concerning their clinical consequences as well as their chromosomal origin and shape. Besides the sSMC present in Emanuel syndrome, i.e. der(22)t(11;22)(q23;q11), only few so-called complex sSMC are reported.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report three new cases of unique complex sSMC. One was a <it>de novo </it>case with a dic(13 or 21;22) and two were maternally derived: a der(18)t(8;18) and a der(13 or 21)t(13 or 21;18). Thus, in summary, now 22 cases of unique complex sSMC are available in the literature. However, this special kind of sSMC might be under-diagnosed among sSMC-carriers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>More comprehensive characterization of sSMC and approaches like reverse fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or array based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) might identify them to be more frequent than only ~0.9% among all sSMC.</p

Antigenic landscapes on Staphylococcus aureus pore-forming toxins reveal insights into specificity and cross-neutralization

Staphylococcus aureus carries an exceptional repertoire of virulence factors that aid in immune evasion. Previous single-target approaches for S. aureus-specific vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have failed in clinical trials due to the multitude of virulence factors released during infection. Emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains demands a multi-target approach involving neutralization of different, non-overlapping pathogenic factors. Of the several pore-forming toxins that contribute to S. aureus pathogenesis, efforts have largely focused on mAbs that neutralize α-hemolysin (Hla) and target the receptor-binding site. Here, we isolated two anti-Hla and three anti-Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (LukSF-PV) mAbs, and used a combination of hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) and alanine scanning mutagenesis to delineate and validate the toxins’ epitope landscape. Our studies identified two novel, neutralizing epitopes targeted by 2B6 and CAN6 on Hla that provided protection from hemolytic activity in vitro and showed synergy in rodent pneumonia model against lethal challenge. Of the anti-LukF mAbs, SA02 and SA131 showed specific neutralization activity to LukSF-PV while SA185 showed cross-neutralization activity to LukSF-PV, γ-hemolysin HlgAB, and leukotoxin ED. We further compared these antigen-specific mAbs to two broadly neutralizing mAbs, H5 (targets Hla, LukSF-PV, HlgAB, HlgCB, and LukED) and SA185 (targeting LukSF-PV, HlgAB, and LukED), and identified molecular level markers for broad-spectrum reactivity among the pore-forming toxins by HDX-MS. To further underscore the need to target the cross-reactive epitopes on leukocidins for the development of broad-spectrum therapies, we annotated Hla sequences isolated from patients in multiple countries for genomic variations within the perspective of our defined epitopes

The Human Genome Puzzle – the Role of Copy Number Variation in Somatic Mosaicism

The discovery of copy number variations (CNV) in the human genome opened new perspectives in the study of the genetic causes of inherited disorders and the etiology of common diseases. Differently patterned instances of somatic mosaicism in CNV regions have been shown to be present in monozygotic twins and throughout different tissues within an individual. A single-cell-level investigation of CNV in different human cell types led us to uncover mitotically derived genomic mosaicism, which is stable in different cell types of one individual. A unique study of immortalized B-lymphoblastoid cell lines obtained with 20 year interval from the same two subjects shows that mitotic changes in CNV regions may happen early during embryonic development and seem to occur only once, as levels of mosaicism remained stable. This finding has the potential to change our concept of dynamic human genome variation. We propose that further genomic studies should focus on the single-cell level, to understand better the etiology and physiology of aging and diseases mediated by somatic variations

Oxygen in the Tropical Pacific POSTRE II First Tracer Survey, Cruise No. M135, March 01 - April 08, 2017, Valparaiso (Chile) - Callao (Peru) POSTRE-III

Cruise M135 was a contribution to the DFG Collaborative Research Project (SFB) 754: “Climate-Biogeochemistry Interactions in the Tropical Ocean” with the main goal to better understand the the role of diffusive and advective pathways connecting water within the bottom boundary layer (i.e. the water directly affected by sediment processes) to the pelagic and surface ocean. To achieve this, we have injected a conservative tracer (CF3SF5) within the bottom boundary layer at three different sites along the Peruvian coast at a depth of about 300 m in October 2015 that was mapped during M135. Tracer sampling was carried out by measuring water samples from the CTD-rosette water bottles. In total 144 CTD casts were carried out. From 132 CTD profiles 2828 samples for CF3CF5 investigations were gained and on most stations the tracer could be found. In addition 48 trace metal CTD’s were recorded and trace metal and chemical samples taken from the rosette bottles. On 166 of the CTD profiles oxygen samples were taken and on 94 CTD profiles nutrient samples were collected. Microstructure measurements were made on 24 stations and 2 gliders were deployed. For geological investigations at 5 locations multicorer and long gravity cores were taken. Continuous underway measurements of CO2,N2O and CO as well as continuous ADCP and thermosalinograph recording was made on 37 days. The cruise M135 was very successful; most systems on METEOR worked well and all planned objectives were reached

A Review of Non-Invasive Techniques to Detect and Predict Localised Muscle Fatigue

Muscle fatigue is an established area of research and various types of muscle fatigue have been investigated in order to fully understand the condition. This paper gives an overview of the various non-invasive techniques available for use in automated fatigue detection, such as mechanomyography, electromyography, near-infrared spectroscopy and ultrasound for both isometric and non-isometric contractions. Various signal analysis methods are compared by illustrating their applicability in real-time settings. This paper will be of interest to researchers who wish to select the most appropriate methodology for research on muscle fatigue detection or prediction, or for the development of devices that can be used in, e.g., sports scenarios to improve performance or prevent injury. To date, research on localised muscle fatigue focuses mainly on the clinical side. There is very little research carried out on the implementation of detecting/predicting fatigue using an autonomous system, although recent research on automating the process of localised muscle fatigue detection/prediction shows promising results

Common breast cancer susceptibility alleles are associated with tumor subtypes in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers : results from the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2.

Abstract Introduction Previous studies have demonstrated that common breast cancer susceptibility alleles are differentially associated with breast cancer risk for BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 mutation carriers. It is currently unknown how these alleles are associated with different breast cancer subtypes in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers defined by estrogen (ER) or progesterone receptor (PR) status of the tumour. Methods We used genotype data on up to 11,421 BRCA1 and 7,080 BRCA2 carriers, of whom 4,310 had been affected with breast cancer and had information on either ER or PR status of the tumour, to assess the associations of 12 loci with breast cancer tumour characteristics. Associations were evaluated using a retrospective cohort approach. Results The results suggested stronger associations with ER-positive breast cancer than ER-negative for 11 loci in both BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers. Among BRCA1 carriers, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2981582 (FGFR2) exhibited the biggest difference based on ER status (per-allele hazard ratio (HR) for ER-positive = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.56 vs HR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.85 to 0.98 for ER-negative, P-heterogeneity = 6.5 &#215; 10-6). In contrast, SNP rs2046210 at 6q25.1 near ESR1 was primarily associated with ER-negative breast cancer risk for both BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers. In BRCA2 carriers, SNPs in FGFR2, TOX3, LSP1, SLC4A7/NEK10, 5p12, 2q35, and 1p11.2 were significantly associated with ER-positive but not ER-negative disease. Similar results were observed when differentiating breast cancer cases by PR status. Conclusions The associations of the 12 SNPs with risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers differ by ER-positive or ER-negative breast cancer status. The apparent differences in SNP associations between BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers, and non-carriers, may be explicable by differences in the prevalence of tumour subtypes. As more risk modifying variants are identified, incorporating these associations into breast cancer subtype-specific risk models may improve clinical management for mutation carriers

Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression: a genome-wide association study

Background Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate a novel measure of disease progression and to identify genetic markers associated with this progression measure. Methods We generated a progression score on the basis of principal component analysis of prospectively acquired longitudinal changes in motor, cognitive, and imaging measures in the 218 indivduals in the TRACK-HD cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008–11). We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers (data collected 2003–13). We did a genome-wide association analyses in terms of progression for 216 TRACK-HD participants and 1773 REGISTRY participants, then a meta-analysis of these results was undertaken. Findings Longitudinal motor, cognitive, and imaging scores were correlated with each other in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other (r=0·674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0·315; REGISTRY, r=0·234). The meta-analysis of progression in TRACK-HD and REGISTRY gave a genome-wide significant signal (p=1·12 × 10−10) on chromosome 5 spanning three genes: MSH3, DHFR, and MTRNR2L2. The genes in this locus were associated with progression in TRACK-HD (MSH3 p=2·94 × 10−8 DHFR p=8·37 × 10−7 MTRNR2L2 p=2·15 × 10−9) and to a lesser extent in REGISTRY (MSH3 p=9·36 × 10−4 DHFR p=8·45 × 10−4 MTRNR2L2 p=1·20 × 10−3). The lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TRACK-HD (rs557874766) was genome-wide significant in the meta-analysis (p=1·58 × 10−8), and encodes an aminoacid change (Pro67Ala) in MSH3. In TRACK-HD, each copy of the minor allele at this SNP was associated with a 0·4 units per year (95% CI 0·16–0·66) reduction in the rate of change of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Total Motor Score, and a reduction of 0·12 units per year (95% CI 0·06–0·18) in the rate of change of UHDRS Total Functional Capacity score. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age of onset. Interpretation The multidomain progression measure in TRACK-HD was associated with a functional variant that was genome-wide significant in our meta-analysis. The association in only 216 participants implies that the progression measure is a sensitive reflection of disease burden, that the effect size at this locus is large, or both. Knockout of Msh3 reduces somatic expansion in Huntington's disease mouse models, suggesting this mechanism as an area for future therapeutic investigation