Planning for ecological restoration : an analysis of the Swedish Environmental Protection Aqency's guidelines on regional action plans for green infrastructure

I mars 2019 förklarade FN:s generalförsamling det kommande decenniet som The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration med ambitionen att skala upp restaureringen av skadade ekosystem på en global nivå. Detta understryker vikten av fungerande ekosystem och tydliggör behovet av att åtgärder vidtas för att återställa skadade ekosystem världen över. För svensk del och därmed på nationell nivå, initierades arbetet med ekologisk restaurering 2014 då Sveriges Riksdag beslutade att anta regeringens proposition En svensk strategi för biologisk mångfald och ekosystemtjänster. Därefter har Naturvårdsverket, som en följd av den antagna propositionen, publicerat regionala handlingsplaner och vägledande dokument som behandlar implementeringen av ekologisk restaurering i Sverige. Denna uppsats framhåller de vetenskapliga utgångspunkterna för ekologisk restaurering utifrån tre huvudområden, nämligen 1) ekologisk restaurering som en form av klimatanpassning, 2) sociala aspekter av ekologisk restaurering, och 3) målkonflikter och problematik i förhållande till ekologisk restaurering. Genom en kvalitativ dokumentanalys redogör denna uppsats för vilken grad av hänsyn Naturvårdsverkets regionala handlingsplaner och vägledande dokument tagit i förhållande till de vetenskapliga utgångspunkterna för ekologisk restaurering. Uppsatsens slutsats är att Naturvårdsverkets riktlinjer inte ger ekologisk restaurering tillräckligt med utrymme, dock bidrar Naturvårdsverkets kommande arbete att se över ekologiska system till en bild av att de synergieffekterna som denna uppsats redogör för kommer att uppmärksammas mer i Naturvårdsverkets arbete framöver.In March 2019, the UN General Assembly declared the coming decade as The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration with the purpose to increase the restoration of damaged ecosystems at a global level. This highlights the importance of functioning ecosystems and points out the need for measures to restore damaged ecosystems worldwide. From a Swedish perspective and thus at the local level, the work on ecological restoration was initiated in 2014 when the Swedish Parliament resolved to adopt the government bill A Swedish strategy for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Subsequently, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency - as a result of the adopted government bill - has published regional action plans and guidance documents covering the implementation of ecological restoration in Sweden. This thesis set out the scientific basis for ecological restoration in relation to three main areas, namely 1) ecological restoration as a form of climate change adaptation, 2) social aspects of ecological restoration, and 3) conflicts in relation to ecological restoration. By way of a qualitative document analysis, this thesis establishes the extent to which the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's regional action plans and guiding documents have taken in relation to the scientific principles for ecological restoration. The thesis concludes that the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's guidelines do not provide enough guidance on ecological restoration. However, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's upcoming work of reviewing ecological systems for the purpose of increasing synergy effects, as described herein, will be published in the near future

Wirkung zweier neu synthetisierter diarylierter Imidazolderivate (PGU 105 HCl und PGU 175 HCl) auf isolierte Organe von Meerschweinchen

Im Rahmen dieser Diplomarbeit wurde die Wirkung von zwei, am Department für medizinische/pharmazeutische Chemie der Universität Wien, neu synthetisierten Resveratrol-Derivaten, PGU 105 und PGU 175, an isolierten Meerschweinchenorganen getestet. Hauptaugenmerkt war dabei das Erreichen einer EC50, jener Konzentration bei der die Hälfte des Kontrollwertes erreicht wurde. Untersucht wurden sowohl potentielle Effekte auf die glatte Muskulatur anhand von Aorta-, Dünndarm- und Lungenarterien-Präparaten, als auch die Wirkung der Testsubstanzen auf die quergestreifte Muskulatur von Vorhof und Papillarmuskel. Anhand von isometrischen Kontraktionsmessungen konnten spasmolytische Aktivitäten und Einflüsse auf Inotropie und Chronotropie ermittelt werden. Anschließend wurden die beiden Testsubstanzen sowohl untereinander, als auch mit ihrer Leitsubstanz Resveratrol in Hinsicht auf deren Wirkungen und die chemische Struktur verglichen. Es stellte sich heraus, dass das Fehlen der Reste in den Positionen 3 und 5 und die Einführung des Thiomethyl-Rest in Position 4` mit einer Verstärkung der dilatierenden Wirkung auf Aorta und Arteria pulmonalis einherging. Weiters konnte ein erhöhter negativ chronotroper Effekt, durch Reduzieren der Anzahl der Reste, auf den rechten Vorhof festgestellt werden. Der Austausch der Ethylengruppe durch einen Imidazolring, sowie die Methylierung des Restes in Position 3 schien Ursache für den verstärkten spasmolytischen Einfluss auf das terminale Ileum im Vergleich zu Resveratrol zu sein, da dies bei beiden Testsubstanzen beobachtet werden konnte. Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass im Vergleich zu Resveratrol durch PGU 175 eine verstärkte dilatierende Wirkung bei allen Präparaten mit glatter Muskulatur hervorgerufen wurde und auch ein erhöhter negativ chronotroper Effekt am rechten Vorhof beobachtet werden konnte. PGU 105 führte ebenfalls zu einer verstärkten spasmolytischen Wirkung am terminalen Ileum, der Effekt auf den rechten Vorhof fiel jedoch geringer aus als bei Resveratrol. Der Einfluss der beiden Testsubstanzen auf die quergestreifte Muskulatur des Papillarmuskels war ebenfalls stärker, jedoch konnte keine EC50 erreicht werden.

Loop : a design proposal for a part of Östra kyrkogården in Malmö

Arbetet syftar till att visa hur en del av Östra kyrkogården kan omgestaltas med hänsyn både till befintliga kulturhistoriska och arkitektoniska värden, men också som en modern och framtida plats för sorg och kontemplation. Arbetets ram har satts av en årlig idétävling för landskapsarkitektstudenter som år 2021 har namnet Framtidens minnesplats - Östra kyrkogården i Malmö och arrangeras av Tankesmedjan Movium vid SLU tillsammans med Sveriges Kyrkogårds- och Krematorieförbund (SKKF), Sveriges Stenindustriförbund samt SLU. Tävlingen utgår ifrån hur begravningsplatsen kan bevara och utveckla sin funktion som mötes- och minnesplats för de efterlevande. Östra kyrkogården i Malmö stod färdig år 1921 och ritades av arkitekten Sigurd Lewerentz (1885-1975). En ceremoniplats på begravningsplatsens norra del gjordes år 1959 om till en minneslund och blev då Sveriges första i sitt slag. Minneslunden ligger centralt placerad i det bestämda tävlingsområdet, vilket också omfattar minneslundens omgivande ytor. För att i gestaltningen respektera Lewerentz arv tar vi genom en litteraturundersökning, referensobjekt, samt med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer reda på hur Lewerentz förhållningssätt till arkitektur såg ut. Litteraturstudie och semistrukturerade intervjuer används också för att undersöka hur en samtida begravningsplats kan utformas med fokus på trender och tendenser kopplat till begravning. Den teoretiska delen av arbetet varvas med skissarbete i olika former vilket leder fram till ett gestaltningsförslag. Gestaltningsförslaget LOOP är utformat så att platsen ska fungera som en helhet och hjälpa besökaren i sorgeprocessen. Upplevelsen genom det fysiska; kroppen, och det mentala; perceptionen, är utgångspunkten i förslaget och utgör kärnan i hur platsens nya element har utformats. Platsen ska ge utrymme för människor i sorg, där ett slut är kopplat till en början. Platsernas funktioner som utgör helheten och sorgebearbetningen, ett före, ett under och ett efter. Förutom att den befintliga minneslunden varsamt omgestaltas för att möta behov av tillgänglighet och för att förstärka Lewerentz ursprungliga design tillförs nya funktioner på platsen i form av ett utomhuskapell, en askgravlund samt en smyckningsvägg, som även riktar sig till de som har anhöriga begravda på annan plats. Förslaget, som tar hänsyn både till det befintliga kulturarvet men också tar platsen in i framtiden, kan fungera som ett exempel på hur samtida och framtida platser för sorg och kontemplation kan utformas. Resultatet visar också på ett exempel hur befintliga kulturarv kan fungera sida vid sida med nya tidslager och tillägg.The aim of this thesis is to show how a cemetery can be re-designed with regard both to cultural-historical values but also as a contemporary and future place for grief and contemplation. The frame of the design work has been set by an annual idea competition for landscape architecture students, which this year has the name Future Memorial Place - Östra kyrkogården in Malmö. The competition is based on how the cemetery can preserve and develop its function as a meeting and memorial place for the visitors. The Eastern Cemetery in Malmö was completed in 1921 and designed by the swedish architect Sigurd Lewerentz (1885-1975). A ceremony place at the northern part of the cemetery was in 1959 turned into a memorial grove and became Sweden's first of its kind. The memorial grove is centrally located in the defined competition area, which includes the memorial grove and its surrounding areas. In order to respect the heritage of Lewerentz in the redesign we researched Lewerentz's approach to architecture. This research was conducted through a literature study, through reference objects and through semi-structured interviews. Literature studies and semi-structured interviews were also used to investigate how a contemporary cemetery can be designed with focus on trends and tendencies linked to burial ceremonies. The theoretical part of the work alternated with sketching in various forms, which then led to the design proposal. The proposal LOOP is designed so that the site will function as a whole and help the mourner in the process. Focus lies on the experience both through the physical: the body and mental: the perception. All parts of the place represent a before, a during and an after. In addition to carefully redesigning the existing memorial grove to meet the need for accessibility and to reinforce Lewerentz's original design, new features are added to the site in the form of an outdoor chapel, an memorial ash grove and a memorial wall for decoration, also intended for those who have relatives buried elsewhere. The proposal, which takes into account both the existing cultural heritage but also takes the place into the future, can serve as an example of how contemporary and future places for grief and contemplation can be designed. The results also show an example of how existing cultural heritage can work side by side with new time layers and elements

Circular Regression Trees and Forests with an Application to Probabilistic Wind Direction Forecasting

While circular data occur in a wide range of scientific fields, the methodology for distributional modeling and probabilistic forecasting of circular response variables is rather limited. Most of the existing methods are built on the framework of generalized linear and additive models, which are often challenging to optimize and to interpret. Therefore, we suggest circular regression trees and random forests as an intuitive alternative approach that is relatively easy to fit. Building on previous ideas for trees modeling circular means, we suggest a distributional approach for both trees and forests yielding probabilistic forecasts based on the von Mises distribution. The resulting tree-based models simplify the estimation process by using the available covariates for partitioning the data into sufficiently homogeneous subgroups so that a simple von Mises distribution without further covariates can be fitted to the circular response in each subgroup. These circular regression trees are straightforward to interpret, can capture nonlinear effects and interactions, and automatically select the relevant covariates that are associated with either location and/or scale changes in the von Mises distribution. Combining an ensemble of circular regression trees to a circular regression forest yields a local adaptive likelihood estimator for the von Mises distribution that can regularize and smooth the covariate effects. The new methods are evaluated in a case study on probabilistic wind direction forecasting at two Austrian airports, considering other common approaches as a benchmark

EGFR is not a major driver for osteosarcoma cell growth in vitro but contributes to starvation and chemotherapy resistance

Background Enhanced signalling via the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a hallmark of multiple human carcinomas. However, in recent years data have accumulated that EGFR might also be hyperactivated in human sarcomas. Aim of this study was to investigate the influence of EGFR inhibition on cell viability and its interaction with chemotherapy response in osteosarcoma cell lines. Methods We have investigated a panel of human osteosarcoma cell lines regarding EGFR expression and downstream signalling. To test its potential applicability as therapeutic target, inhibition of EGFR by gefitinib was combined with osteosarcoma chemotherapeutics and cell viability, migration, and cell death assays were performed. Results Osteosarcoma cells expressed distinctly differing levels of functional EGFR reaching in some cases high amounts. Functionality of EGFR in osteosarcoma cells was proven by EGF-mediated activation of both MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathway (determined by phosphorylation of ERK1/2, AKT, S6, and GSK3). The EGFR-specific inhibitor gefitinib blocked EGF-mediated downstream signal activation. At standard in vitro culture conditions, clinically achievable gefitinib doses demonstrated only limited cytotoxic activity, however, significantly reduced long-term colony formation and cell migration. In contrast, under serum-starvation conditions active gefitinib doses were distinctly reduced while EGF promoted starvation survival. Importantly, gefitinib significantly supported the anti-osteosarcoma activities of doxorubicin and methotrexate regarding cell survival and migratory potential. Conclusion Our data suggest that EGFR is not a major driver for osteosarcoma cell growth but contributes to starvation- and chemotherapy-induced stress survival. Consequently, combination approaches including EGFR inhibitors should be evaluated for treatment of high-grade osteosarcoma patients.(VLID)486733

Magnetic measurement methods to probe nanoparticle–matrix interactions

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are key elements in several biomedical applications, e.g., in cancer therapy. Here, the MNPs are remotely manipulated by magnetic fields from outside the body to deliver drugs or generate heat in tumor tissue. The efficiency and success of these approaches strongly depend on the spatial distribution and quantity of MNPs inside a body and interactions of the particles with the biological matrix. These include dynamic processes of the MNPs in the organism such as binding kinetics, cellular uptake, passage through cell barriers, heat induction and flow. While magnetic measurement methods have been applied so far to resolve the location and quantity of MNPs for therapy monitoring, these methods can be advanced to additionally access these particle–matrix interactions. By this, the MNPs can further be utilized as probes for the physical properties of their molecular environment. In this review, we first investigate the impact of nanoparticle–matrix interactions on magnetic measurements in selected experiments. With these results, we then advanced the imaging modalities magnetorelaxometry imaging and magnetic microsphere tracking to spatially resolve particle–matrix interactions

Magnetic measurement methods to probe nanoparticle–matrix interactions

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are key elements in several biomedical applications, e.g., in cancer therapy. Here, the MNPs are remotely manipulated by magnetic fields from outside the body to deliver drugs or generate heat in tumor tissue. The efficiency and success of these approaches strongly depend on the spatial distribution and quantity of MNPs inside a body and interactions of the particles with the biological matrix. These include dynamic processes of the MNPs in the organism such as binding kinetics, cellular uptake, passage through cell barriers, heat induction and flow. While magnetic measurement methods have been applied so far to resolve the location and quantity of MNPs for therapy monitoring, these methods can be advanced to additionally access these particle–matrix interactions. By this, the MNPs can further be utilized as probes for the physical properties of their molecular environment. In this review, we first investigate the impact of nanoparticle–matrix interactions on magnetic measurements in selected experiments. With these results, we then advanced the imaging modalities magnetorelaxometry imaging and magnetic microsphere tracking to spatially resolve particle–matrix interactions

Displacement of the Greater Tuberosity in Humeral Head Fractures Does Not only Depend on Rotator Cuff Status

It is assumed that dorsocranial displacement of the greater tuberosity in humeral head fractures is caused by rotator cuff traction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between rotator cuff status and displacement characteristics of the greater tuberosity in four-part humeral head fractures. Computed tomography scans of 121 patients with Neer type 4 fractures were analyzed. Fatty infiltration of the supra- and infraspinatus muscles was classified according to Goutallier. Position determination of the greater tuberosity fragment was performed in both coronary and axial planes to assess the extent of dorsocranial displacement. Considering non-varus displaced fractures, the extent of the dorsocranial displacement was significantly higher in patients with mostly inconspicuous posterosuperior rotator cuff status compared to advanced fatty degenerated cuffs (cranial displacement: Goutallier 0–1: 6.4 mm ± 4.6 mm vs. Goutallier 2–4: 4.2 mm ± 3.5 mm, p = 0.020; dorsal displacement: Goutallier 0–1: 28.4° ± 32.3° vs. Goutallier 2–4: 13.1° ± 16.1°, p = 0.010). In varus displaced humeral head fractures, no correlation between the displacement of the greater tuberosity and the condition of the posterosuperior rotator cuff could be detected (p ≥ 0.05). The commonly accepted theory of greater tuberosity displacement in humeral head fractures by rotator cuff traction cannot be applied to all fracture types

Most Likely Transformations

We propose and study properties of maximum likelihood estimators in the class of conditional transformation models. Based on a suitable explicit parameterisation of the unconditional or conditional transformation function, we establish a cascade of increasingly complex transformation models that can be estimated, compared and analysed in the maximum likelihood framework. Models for the unconditional or conditional distribution function of any univariate response variable can be set-up and estimated in the same theoretical and computational framework simply by choosing an appropriate transformation function and parameterisation thereof. The ability to evaluate the distribution function directly allows us to estimate models based on the exact likelihood, especially in the presence of random censoring or truncation. For discrete and continuous responses, we establish the asymptotic normality of the proposed estimators. A reference software implementation of maximum likelihood-based estimation for conditional transformation models allowing the same flexibility as the theory developed here was employed to illustrate the wide range of possible applications.Comment: Accepted for publication by the Scandinavian Journal of Statistics 2017-06-1

Elevated hemostasis markers after pneumonia increases one-year risk of all-cause and cardiovascular deaths

Background: Acceleration of chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease, may increase long-term mortality after community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), but underlying mechanisms are unknown. Persistence of the prothrombotic state that occurs during an acute infection may increase risk of subsequent atherothrombosis in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease and increase subsequent risk of death. We hypothesized that circulating hemostasis markers activated during CAP persist at hospital discharge, when patients appear to have recovered clinically, and are associated with higher mortality, particularly due to cardiovascular causes. Methods: In a cohort of survivors of CAP hospitalization from 28 US sites, we measured D-Dimer, thrombin-antithrombin complexes [TAT], Factor IX, antithrombin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 at hospital discharge, and determined 1-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Results: Of 893 subjects, most did not have severe pneumonia (70.6% never developed severe sepsis) and only 13.4% required intensive care unit admission. At discharge, 88.4% of subjects had normal vital signs and appeared to have clinically recovered. D-dimer and TAT levels were elevated at discharge in 78.8% and 30.1% of all subjects, and in 51.3% and 25.3% of those without severe sepsis. Higher D-dimer and TAT levels were associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality (range of hazard ratios were 1.66-1.17, p = 0.0001 and 1.46-1.04, p = 0.001 after adjusting for demographics and comorbid illnesses) and cardiovascular mortality (p = 0.009 and 0.003 in competing risk analyses). Conclusions: Elevations of TAT and D-dimer levels are common at hospital discharge in patients who appeared to have recovered clinically from pneumonia and are associated with higher risk of subsequent deaths, particularly due to cardiovascular disease. © 2011 Yende et al