The gardeners house : design of a display garden with plants from the Swedish National Genebank for vegetatively propagated horticultural crops.

Older cultural plants that has been gathered within the framework of the Program for cultivated diversity (Pom), are preserved in the Swedish National genebank for vegetatively propagated horticultural crops. Pom is a result of the Rio-convention that in 1992 lead to the Swedish Riksdag taking a strategic decision. This strategic decision described how Sweden should work with biological diversity and how we can work to preserve and protect endangered species (Naturvårdsverket, 2006). The Swedish National genebank for vegetatively propagated horticultural crops, is based in Alnarp, Skåne. The staff have their office in the gardener’s house, built 1938 to the gardener at Statens trädgårdsförsök (Alnarpsarkivet, 1962). There is no place in Alnarp today where the plants from the genebank’s collection can be displayed in a garden context. The purpose has been to create a proposal for a design of a garden display on behalf of the Swedish National genebank for vegetatively propagated horticultural crops in Alnarp. Interviews with the staff at the National genebank was conducted to understand what plants they would like displayed in the garden and what functions they require. Research have been made, partly in archives in Alnarp at Swedish university of agricultural sciences and partly in regional state archives in Lund, to see whether there is anything in the history of the garden or the gardener’s house that could form a basis for a future garden display. Analysis of the location has been done where the soil was analyzed. The garden was measured, existing trees and shrubs and their vitality inventoried. These activities resulted in a current situation plan which have been one of the bases for the display. To get inspiration on how the garden area could be displayed, in a way that ties in to the plant material, at the time the house was built, to the geographical position and the purpose with the garden, information has been gathered in the garden literature. To highlight the colorful cultural plants in the National genebank’s collection, the display proposal has been given a formal design with inspiration from different eras within garden history. The proposal includes a presentation of an illustration, an axonometri, elevations, a detailed planting plan of trees, shrubs and perennials, a combined equipment plan and planting plan of bulbs, root tubers and corms, plant list, a list of materials with associated pictures and 3D images of views. The design proposal which this work has resulted in, means that the wishes of the staff for plants and functions had a big impact on the design. This also means that several of the existing trees have been preserved to give the garden its character and a sense of matureness. The plants that have been chosen from the genebank’s collection also have good possibilities to thrive on the location. An assessment was made based on soil analysis and partly also on other conditions such as light, competition with other plants etc. This also means that an assessment has been made of the previous use of the garden and of disability adaptions and safety devices. A display garden would also mean that plants in the National genebank’s collection can be displayed in a more accessible way, in a context and an aesthetic way together with other plants. This would give the visitors a better view of how the plants could be used than displayed in the genebank where the focus is on preservation rather than the aesthetic.I Nationella genbanken bevaras äldre kulturväxter som samlats in inom ramen för Programmet för odlad mångfald (Pom). Pom är ett resultat av Rio-konventionen som ledde fram till att Sveriges riksdag tog ett nationellt strategiskt beslut 1992 kring hur Sverige skall arbeta med biologisk mångfald och hur vi kan arbeta med att bevara och skydda hotade arter (Naturvårdsverket, 2006). Nationella genbanken har sitt säte i Alnarp i Skåne och personalen har sin arbetsplats i trädgårdsmästarbostaden som byggdes 1938 till trädgårdsmästaren på Statens trädgårdsförsök (Alnarpsarkivet, 1962). Idag finns inte någon plats i Alnarp där växtmaterialet i genbankens samlingar kan visas i ett trädgårdssammanhang. Syftet har därför varit att ta fram ett förslag på en gestaltning av en visningsträdgård för Nationella genbanken i Alnarp. För att ta reda på vilka växter som personalen på Nationella genbanken skulle vilja visa i trädgården och vilka funktioner som efterfrågas har intervjuer genomförts med genbankens personal. För att få fram information om det finns något i trädgårdsmästarbostadens och trädgårdens historia som går att ta fasta på i en framtida gestaltning har efterforskningar skett dels i Alnarpsarkivet på Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet dels i Landsarkivet i Lund. I platsanalysen som genomförts har jorden i trädgården analyserats, trädgården har mätts upp och befintliga lignoser och deras vitalitet inventerats. Åtgärderna resulterade i en nulägesplan som varit ett av underlagen för gestaltningen. För att få inspiration till hur trädgårdsytan skulle kunna gestaltas, på ett sätt som knyter an till växtmaterialet, tiden då huset byggdes, till det geografiska läget och syftet med trädgården, har information sökts i trädgårdslitteraturen. För att framhäva de färgrika kulturväxterna i Nationella genbankens samlingar har gestaltningsförslaget fått en stram utformning med inspiration från olika epoker inom trädgårds- historien. Förslaget redovisas med en illustrationsplan och en axonometri, elevationer, en planteringsplan för träd, buskar och perenner, en kombinerad utrustningsplan och planteringsplan för prydnadslök och knölar, växtlista, en materialförteckning med tillhörande bilder samt vyer från 3D-gestaltning. Gestaltningsförslaget, som är resultatet av arbetet, innebär att personalens önskemål om växter och funktioner haft stor betydelse för utformningen. Det innebär även att flera av de befintliga växterna bevarats för att ge trädgården karaktär och en uppvuxen känsla. Växterna som valts ut i genbankens samlingar har goda förutsättningar att trivas på platsen. En bedömning har skett utifrån dels en jordanalys dels utifrån övriga växtförutsättningar som ljus, konkurrens mm. Det innebär också att en bedömning skett kring trädgårdens tidigare användning samt att handikappanpassningar och säkerhetsanordningar beaktats. En visningsträdgård skulle innebära att växterna i Nationella genbankens samlingar kan visas upp på ett mer lättillgängligt sätt, i ett sammanhang, på ett estetiskt sätt tillsammans med andra växter. Det skulle även ge besökarna en bättre en bild av hur växterna skulle kunna användas än om de visas upp i genbanken där fokus ligger på bevarande snarare än det estetiska

Thermal Response Test experiments and modelling applied to shallow geothermal piles of different geometry

Geothermal piles are structural elements that encountered interest in ground source heat pump (GCHP) applications thanks to the great potential in cost reduction compared to the traditional solutions based on borehole heat exchanger (BHE). In this paper a series of experimental results related to TRT measurements carried out on geopiles of different geometry is presented. These geostructures are reinforced concrete cylinders with diameter ranging from 0.6 to 1 m and depth of about 13m, with pipes either arranged as coils or multiple vertical U-tubes. The measurements show that the evolution of the fluid temperature in time cannot be properly described by the usual ILS (infinite line source) solution since the experimental temperature profiles do not gather along any line when represented as a function of the logarithm of the time. Starting from the above findings, measurements are here recast by calculating the temperature response factor of the different pipe arrangements by spatial superposition of base FLS (Finite Line Source) solutions. Finally, a recursive technique of parameter estimation based on a 2 resistance model is applied for calculating the effective BHE resistance and the ground/concrete thermal conductivity at minimum deviation between experimental and predicted temperature profiles

Thermoresponsive Pentablock Copolymer on Silica : Temperature Effects on Adsorption, Surface Forces, and Friction

The adsorption of hydrophilic or amphiphilic multiblock copolymers provides a powerful means to produce well-defined "smart" surfaces, especially if one or several blocks are sensitive to external stimuli. We focus here on an A-B-A-B-A copolymer, where A is a cationic poly((3acrylamido-propyl)-trimethylammonium chloride) (PAMPTMA) block containing 15 (end blocks) or 30 (middle block) repeat units and B is a neutral thermosensitive water-soluble poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) (PIPOZ) block with 50 repeat units. X-ray reflectivity and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring were employed to study the adsorption of PAMPTMA(15)-PAMPTMA(30)-PIPOZ(50)-PAMPTMA(15) on silica surfaces. The latter technique was employed at different temperatures up to 50 degrees C. Surface forces and friction between the two silica surfaces across aqueous pentablock copolymer solutions at different temperatures were determined with the atomic force microscopy colloidal probe force and friction measurements. The cationic pentablock copolymer was found to have a high affinity to the negatively charged silica surface, leading to a thin (2 nm) and rigid adsorbed layer. A steric force was encountered at a separation of around 3 nm from hard wall contact. A capillary condensation of a polymer-rich phase was observed at the cloud point of the solution. The friction forces were evaluated using Amontons' rule modified with an adhesion term.Peer reviewe

Characterisation of ground thermal and thermo-mechanical behaviour for shallow geothermal energy applications

Increasing use of the ground as a thermal reservoir is expected in the near future. Shallow geothermal energy (SGE) systems have proved to be sustainable alternative solutions for buildings and infrastructure conditioning in many areas across the globe in the past decades. Recently novel solutions, including energy geostructures, where SGE systems are coupled with foundation heat exchangers, have also been developed. The performance of these systems is dependent on a series of factors, among which the thermal properties of the soil play one of major roles. The purpose of this paper is to present, in an integrated manner, the main methods and procedures to assess ground thermal properties for SGE systems and to carry out a critical review of the methods. In particular, laboratory testing through either steady-state or transient methods are discussed and a new synthesis comparing results for different techniques is presented. In-situ testing including all variations of the thermal response test is presented in detail, including a first comparison between new and traditional approaches. The issue of different scales between laboratory and in-situ measurements is then analysed in detail. Finally, thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of soil is introduced and discussed. These coupled processes are important for confirming the structural integrity of energy geostructures, but routine methods for parameter determination are still lacking

PDGF and PDGF receptors in glioma

The family of platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) plays a number of critical roles in normal embryonic development, cellular differentiation, and response to tissue damage. Not surprisingly, as it is a multi-faceted regulatory system, numerous pathological conditions are associated with aberrant activity of the PDGFs and their receptors. As we and others have shown, human gliomas, especially glioblastoma, express all PDGF ligands and both the two cell surface receptors, PDGFR-α and -β. The cellular distribution of these proteins in tumors indicates that glial tumor cells are stimulated via PDGF/PDGFR-α autocrine and paracrine loops, while tumor vessels are stimulated via the PDGFR-β. Here we summarize the initial discoveries on the role of PDGF and PDGF receptors in gliomas and provide a brief overview of what is known in this field

The Bifidobacterium dentium Bd1 Genome Sequence Reflects Its Genetic Adaptation to the Human Oral Cavity

Bifidobacteria, one of the relatively dominant components of the human intestinal microbiota, are considered one of the key groups of beneficial intestinal bacteria (probiotic bacteria). However, in addition to health-promoting taxa, the genus Bifidobacterium also includes Bifidobacterium dentium, an opportunistic cariogenic pathogen. The genetic basis for the ability of B. dentium to survive in the oral cavity and contribute to caries development is not understood. The genome of B. dentium Bd1, a strain isolated from dental caries, was sequenced to completion to uncover a single circular 2,636,368 base pair chromosome with 2,143 predicted open reading frames. Annotation of the genome sequence revealed multiple ways in which B. dentium has adapted to the oral environment through specialized nutrient acquisition, defences against antimicrobials, and gene products that increase fitness and competitiveness within the oral niche. B. dentium Bd1 was shown to metabolize a wide variety of carbohydrates, consistent with genome-based predictions, while colonization and persistence factors implicated in tissue adhesion, acid tolerance, and the metabolism of human saliva-derived compounds were also identified. Global transcriptome analysis demonstrated that many of the genes encoding these predicted traits are highly expressed under relevant physiological conditions. This is the first report to identify, through various genomic approaches, specific genetic adaptations of a Bifidobacterium taxon, Bifidobacterium dentium Bd1, to a lifestyle as a cariogenic microorganism in the oral cavity. In silico analysis and comparative genomic hybridization experiments clearly reveal a high level of genome conservation among various B. dentium strains. The data indicate that the genome of this opportunistic cariogen has evolved through a very limited number of horizontal gene acquisition events, highlighting the narrow boundaries that separate commensals from opportunistic pathogens

Association of mast cell-derived VEGF and proteases in dengue shock syndrome

Background: Recent in-vitro studies have suggested that mast cells are involved in Dengue virus infection. To clarify the role of mast cells in the development of clinical Dengue fever, we compared the plasma levels of several mast cell-derived mediators (vascular endothelial cell growth factor [VEGF], soluble VEGF receptors [sVEGFRs], tryptase, and chymase) and -related cytokines (IL-4, -9, and -17) between patients with differing severity of Dengue fever and healthy controls. Methodology/Principal Findings: The study was performed at Children\u27s Hospital No. 2, Ho Chi Minh City, and Vinh Long Province Hospital, Vietnam from 2002 to 2005. Study patients included 103 with Dengue fever (DF), Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), and Dengue shock syndrome (DSS), as diagnosed by the World Health Organization criteria. There were 189 healthy subjects, and 19 febrile illness patients of the same Kinh ethnicity. The levels of mast cell-derived mediators and -related cytokines in plasma were measured by ELISA. VEGF and sVEGFR-1 levels were significantly increased in DHF and DSS compared with those of DF and controls, whereas sVEGFR-2 levels were significantly decreased in DHF and DSS. Significant increases in tryptase and chymase levels, which were accompanied by high IL-9 and -17 concentrations, were detected in DHF and DSS patients. By day 4 of admission, VEGF, sVEGFRs, and proteases levels had returned to similar levels as DF and controls. In-vitro VEGF production by mast cells was examined in KU812 and HMC-1 cells, and was found to be highest when the cells were inoculated with Dengue virus and human Dengue virus-immune serum in the presence of IL-9. Conclusions: As mast cells are an important source of VEGF, tryptase, and chymase, our findings suggest that mast cell activation and mast cell-derived mediators participate in the development of DHF. The two proteases, particularly chymase, might serve as good predictive markers of Dengue disease severity