Studies on risk factors for urinary incontinence in Swedish female twins

Approximately half of all women in industrialized countries will experience urinary incontinence during their lifetime. Even though urinary incontinence is not a life threatening disease, it often has severe implications for daily function, social interactions, sexuality and psychological well-being. Moreover, urinary incontinence has a major impact on health economy and is increasingly recognized as a global health burden. Hence, identifying risk factors for urinary incontinence is of importance for individual women at risk, as well as for society’s health care costs. In the first study, the association between coffee and tea intake and urinary incontinence was evaluated. Women with a high coffee intake were at lower risk of overall incontinence, while no effect was observed between coffee intake and other urinary incontinence subtypes. A higher risk of nocturia and overactive bladder was found among women with a high tea intake. However, results from co-twin control analysis showed that these associations were likely confounded by familial factors. In the second study, the effect of gestational diabetes mellitus on overactive bladder was investigated. Women with gestational diabetes mellitus had an almost two times higher odds of overactive bladder compared to women without gestational diabetes. The effect of gestational diabetes mellitus on overactive bladder was not mediated by body mass index or diabetes later in life. In the third study, the association between depressive mood disorders (depressive symptoms and major depression) and neuroticism with urinary incontinence was investigated. In logistic regression analysis depressive mood disorders and neuroticism were positively associated with urinary incontinence. Results from quantitative genetic analysis showed that the association between depressive mood disorders, neuroticism and urinary incontinence was partly determined by genetic factors in common to the disorders. In the fourth study, the effect of birth weight and being born small for gestational age on urinary incontinence later in life was evaluated. Results showed that birth weight and being born small for gestational age had no effect on urinary incontinence. However, women who had a low birth weight and then became overweight had a borderline statistically significant higher odds of overall and stress incontinence compared to overweight women who had a normal birth weight. This finding suggests that low birth weight in combination with elevated adult body mass index may contribute to the risk of urinary incontinence later in life

DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL SUNPHOTOMETER FOR AEROSOL AND DUST CHARACTERIZATION IN THE ATMOSPHERE

The term aerosol refers to a suspension of solid particles or liquid droplets in a gaseous medium. During the last decades, aerosols and the need to measure them have become increasingly important. Aerosols can affect human health, because large loads of aerosols degrade air quality. Aerosols generated by volcanic eruptions can be a danger to aviation and impose diversion of air routes, resulting in economic damage. Finally, aerosols are the most uncertain cause of global climate change because their properties vary greatly in time and space. In this work we propose a novel ground-based sunphotometer to measure aerosols. It\u2019s name is ARBOL (ARray of BOLometers). ARBOL is more flexible than common sunphotometers. The mechanical structure, the electronic layout and the acquisition software allow a better temporal resolution. In addition, six different wavelengths are measured simultaneously in the visible and near-infrared ranges. The thesis describes in detail the design, structure and implementation of each ARBOL component. Furthermore, instrumental characterizations and calibration are discussed. Finally, a first ARBOL has been installed at the Agency for the Protection of the Environment (ARPA, 583 a.s.l.) of Valle d\u2019Aosta, while a second at the astronomical observatory of Saint Barthelemy (OAVdA) (1700 a.s.l.). The two measurement sites are located a few km apart from each other, but at different altitudes. Comparison of simultaneous measurements from the two sites allows information to be retrieved on the lowest atmospheric layer and its aerosol content. Consequently, the results of a test campaign are also discussed in this work

Analogue Hawking radiation in Bose-Einstein condensates

This Thesis develops in the field of analogue gravity, a branch of physics which relies on a specific correspondence that exists between fluid dynamics and curved spacetimes; thanks to that, effects which are hard to study in the gravitational context are investigated in the realm of hydrodynamics with the hope that the consequent results could be transferred back to the cosmological domain and give us better insights in the gravitational context. In this Thesis, I try to introduce the reader to the realm of analogue gravity and to the concepts of Bose-Einstein condensation, Hawking radiation and its analogue counterpart (Chapter 1 and 2); then in Chapter 3 and 4 I describe the details of our work. In the past years, we have developed two directions of research, both aimed at the characterization of the analogue Hawking radiation in Bose-Einstein condensates. One side of our work had the purpose of investigating the results obtained in recent experiments apt to the detection of the analogue Hawking radiation in a quantum gas. Our results are very important in the description of the phenomena and give insights on how to develop future experiments (Chapter 3). The other side of our work aimed at the characterization of this effect from a theoretical point of view by means of an innovative approach, which allows for a much deeper and more detailed description of the radiation and helps shine new light on this effect (Chapter 4). In Chapter 5 we briefly discuss the possible developments of our studying, highlighting the missing pieces of this field and suggesting possible ways to approach the existing problems

Wireless Traffic Signal Controller with Distributed Control System Architecture

The paper presents a novel concept for traffic signal controller. Instead of the traditional central architecture, a wireless operation with distributed control architecture is proposed for traffic light control. The concept rests on local control units distributed in space as well, i.e. the signal heads also have own control logic. The basis of safe distributed operation is described in detail in the paper. Beside the presentation of the concept the required conformity with the specific standards are also investigated. Moreover, a formal method (Petri Nets modeling) is provided concerning a part of the proposed system, which confirms that the whole system goes to fail-safe state when critical problem occurs in any of the subsystems or communication

Depositional processes and stratigraphic evolution of the Campanian deltaic system of La Anita Formation, Austral-Magallanes Basin, Patagonia, Argentina

Coastal depositional systems are commonly classified in terms of the relative interaction of wave, tide and fluvial processes. The La Anita Formation represents the opportunity to study and better understand coastal sedimentary systems. It is a poorly studied prograding siliciclastic deltaic-coastal wedge accumulated in the Campanian during the foreland stage of the Austral-Magallanes Basin. A detailed depositional process-based facies analysis have allowed the definition of 13 sedimentary facies and 9 facies associations for the La Anita Formation, ranging from prodelta to interdistributary delta-channel deposits. According to the spatial distribution of these facies associations, the La Anita Formation was divided into two informal units bounded by a regional erosion surface. The lower unit shows abundant hummocky cross-bedded and bioturbated sandstones, coarseningupward trends and mainly aggradational to progradational vertical stacking pattern, and it was interpreted as a wave-dominated fluvial-influenced delta. The upper unit is characterized by unidirectional dune cross-bedding, coarseningupward trend and a progradational vertical stacking pattern, and was interpreted as a fluvio-dominated delta with no evidence of tide or wave influence. These two units represent two genetically unrelated depositional sequences bounded by a regional erosion surface, which is interpreted as a sequence boundary triggered by a relative sea-level fall. The lower unit is part of a progradational highstand systems tract which involves the underlying deep-marine Alta Vista Formation. The upper unit deposits reflect a complete relative sea-level cycle which includes an undifferentiated lowstand and transgressive systems tracts and, toward the top, highstand systems tract.Fil: Moyano Paz, Damián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas; ArgentinaFil: Tettamanti, Camila. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas; ArgentinaFil: Varela, Augusto Nicolás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas; ArgentinaFil: Cereceda, Abril. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas; ArgentinaFil: Poire, Daniel Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas; Argentin

Analogue Hawking radiation in Bose-Einstein condensates

This Thesis develops in the field of analogue gravity, a branch of physics which relies on a specific correspondence that exists between fluid dynamics and curved spacetimes; thanks to that, effects which are hard to study in the gravitational context are investigated in the realm of hydrodynamics with the hope that the consequent results could be transferred back to the cosmological domain and give us better insights in the gravitational context. In this Thesis, I try to introduce the reader to the realm of analogue gravity and to the concepts of Bose-Einstein condensation, Hawking radiation and its analogue counterpart (Chapter 1 and 2); then in Chapter 3 and 4 I describe the details of our work. In the past years, we have developed two directions of research, both aimed at the characterization of the analogue Hawking radiation in Bose-Einstein condensates. One side of our work had the purpose of investigating the results obtained in recent experiments apt to the detection of the analogue Hawking radiation in a quantum gas. Our results are very important in the description of the phenomena and give insights on how to develop future experiments (Chapter 3). The other side of our work aimed at the characterization of this effect from a theoretical point of view by means of an innovative approach, which allows for a much deeper and more detailed description of the radiation and helps shine new light on this effect (Chapter 4). In Chapter 5 we briefly discuss the possible developments of our studying, highlighting the missing pieces of this field and suggesting possible ways to approach the existing problems