A new perspective at the ship-air-sea-interface: the environmental impacts of exhaust gas scrubber discharge

As shipping traffic continues to increase, there is growing concern about the impacts this may have on the marine environment ranging from species-level to ecosystem services. Commercial shipping uses low-cost heavy fuel emitting significant amounts of sulphur, nitrogen, metals, organic compounds and aerosols to the atmosphere during combustion (Eyring et al. 2005). As most of these compounds have a limited residence time in the atmosphere they are deposited relatively close to the source and dissolve in the surface ocean. Several abatement techniques exist for achieving the required emission limits included in MARPOL Annex VI and EU Sulphur Directive EU 2012/35 such as novel engine technologies, exhaust gas recirculation or fuel emulsifiers etc. Open-loop exhaust gas cleaning systems (‘scrubbers’) belong to the commonly used and cheaper technologies (as alternative to expensive low-sulphur fuel for shipping companies) but are ecologically questionable

[Supplemental data] Composition, isotopic fingerprint and source attribution of nitrate deposition from rain and fog at a Sub-Arctic Mountain site in Central Sweden (Mt Åreskutan)

Material suplementario para artículo científico.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de FísicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigaciones Geofísicas (CIGEFI

Fc Effector Function Contributes to the Activity of Human Anti-CTLA-4 Antibodies.

With the use of a mouse model expressing human Fc-gamma receptors (FcγRs), we demonstrated that antibodies with isotypes equivalent to ipilimumab and tremelimumab mediate intra-tumoral regulatory T (Treg) cell depletion in vivo, increasing the CD8+ to Treg cell ratio and promoting tumor rejection. Antibodies with improved FcγR binding profiles drove superior anti-tumor responses and survival. In patients with advanced melanoma, response to ipilimumab was associated with the CD16a-V158F high affinity polymorphism. Such activity only appeared relevant in the context of inflamed tumors, explaining the modest response rates observed in the clinical setting. Our data suggest that the activity of anti-CTLA-4 in inflamed tumors may be improved through enhancement of FcγR binding, whereas poorly infiltrated tumors will likely require combination approaches

Submicrometre aerosol emissions from sea spray and road traffic

The uncertainty of the climate and health effects of aerosols is still large, one important reason being lack of knowledge of the primary emissions. This thesis combines laboratory and field experiments, and process modelling in an effort to better quantify the submicrometre aerosol emissions and to understand some of the processes in the atmosphere. A parameterisation was derived for the source flux of sea salt particles (particles m-2 s-1) in the size range 0.02-2.8 µm dry diameter (Dp), it is the first parameterisation to almost cover two full decades of the submicrometre sea salt aerosol production, and to include the effect of water temperature. This sea salt parameterisation was validated for temperate water in the 0.1-1.1 μm Dp range using in situ size resolved emissions of marine aerosol particles, which were measured with the eddy covariance (EC) method. For periods sampled air was heated to 300ºC in order to evaporate semi-volatile organics and isolate the sea salt fraction. Comparisons with the total aerosol emissions suggest that in these emissions organic carbon and sea salt are internally mixed in the same particles. Finally an aerosol dynamics model was modified for marine conditions. In the model parameterised emissions of sea salt was included together with aerosol dynamics, chemistry and clouds representative for the marine boundary layer. The sea salt emissions are together with secondary sulphate, and cloud processing able to reproduce a typical marine aerosol size distribution and cloud condensation nuclei population. Measurements with the EC method of the road traffic related aerosol source number flux for Dp>0.011 µm show that the major part of the aerosol fluxes is due to road traffic emissions. Both an emission factor for the whole fleet mix in Stockholm (1.4x1014 vehicle-1 km-1) and separate emission factors for light- and heavy-duty vehicles (HDV) were deduced. The result shows that during weekdays 70-80% of the emissions come from HDV

Arbetsterapeuters upplevelse av sitt arbete med kognitiva hjälpmedel "Det är bara att tänka och göra, eller?"

Att klara vardagliga aktiviteter är viktigt för människan, möjligheten att påverka sin dag, göra egna val och umgås med andra på egna villkor. Kognitiva funktionsnedsättningar medför svårigheter att ta emot, bearbeta och förmedla information och innefattar bland annat förmågan att minnas, orientera sig i tid och rum och problemlösning. Allt fler personer med funktionshinder är i dag i behov av hjälpmedel som kan ge en ökad livskvalitet. Kognitiva funktionsnedsättningar uppmärksammas allt mer i samhället och utvecklingen av nya produkter går snabbt framåt. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur arbetsterapeuter inom kommunal verksamhet upplevde sitt arbete med förskrivning av kognitiva hjälpmedel. Fokusgruppintervju med fem arbetsterapeuter användes som datainsamlingsmetod utifrån en egenkonstruerad frågeguide. Resultatet visade att arbetsterapeuterna upplevde rådande regelverk, kunskapsbrist om produkterna och tidsbrist som de största problemen inom området. Studien indikerar behov av fortsatt forskning som bevisar effekten av och nyttan med kognitiva hjälpmedel och en utveckling av den arbetsterapeutiska kompetensen, resursfördelning och omorganisation inom kommunen kan krävas

Using land-based stations for air-sea interaction studies

In situ measurements representing the marine atmosphere and air–sea interaction are taken at ships, buoys, stationary moorings and land-based towers, where each observation platform has structural restrictions. Air–sea fluxes are often small, and due to the limitations of the sensors, several corrections are applied. Land-based towers are convenient for long-term observations, but one critical aspect is the representativeness of marine conditions. Hence, a careful analysis of the sites and the data is necessary. Based on the concept of flux footprint, we suggest defining flux data from land-based marine micrometeorological sites in categories depending on the type of land influence: 1. CAT1: Marine data representing open sea, 2. CAT2: Disturbed wave field resulting in physical properties different from open sea conditions and heterogeneity of water properties in the footprint region, and 3. CAT3: Mixed land–sea footprint, very heterogeneous conditions and possible active carbon production/consumption. Characterization of data would be beneficial for combined analyses using several sites in coastal and marginal seas and evaluation/comparison of properties and dynamics. Aerosol fluxes are a useful contribution to characterizing a marine micrometeorological field station; for most conditions, they change sign between land and sea sectors. Measured fluxes from the land-based marine station Ostergarnsholm are € used as an example of a land-based marine site to evaluate the categories and to present an example of differences between open sea and coastal conditions. At the Ostergarnsholm site the surface drag is larger for € CAT2 and CAT3 than for CAT1 when wind speed is below 10 m/s. The heat and humidity fluxes show a distinctive distinguished seasonal cycle; latent heat flux is larger for CAT2 and CAT3 compared to CAT1. The flux of carbon dioxide is large from the coastal and land–sea sectors, showing a large seasonal cycle and significant variability (compared to the open sea sector). Aerosol fluxes are partly dominated by sea spray emissions comparable to those observed at other open sea conditions

Heated submicron particle fluxes using an optical particle counter in urban environment

From May 2008 to March 2009 aerosol emissions were measured using the eddy covariance method covering the size range 0.25 to 2.5 mu m diameter (D-p) from a 105m tower, in central Stockholm, Sweden. Supporting chemical aerosol data were collected at roof and street level. Results show that the inorganic fraction of sulfate, nitrate, ammonium and sea salt accounts for approximately 15% of the total aerosol mass < 1 mu m D-p (PM1) with water soluble soil contributing 11% and water insoluble soil 47%. Carbonaceous compounds were at the most 27% of PM1 mass. It was found that heating the air from the tower to 200 degrees C resulted in the loss of approximately 60% of the aerosol volume at 0.25 mu m D-p whereas only 40% of the aerosol volume was removed at 0.6 mu m D-p. Further heating to 300 degrees C caused very little additional losses < 0.6 mu m D-p. The chemical analysis did not include carbonaceous compounds, but based on the difference between the total mass concentration and the sum of the analyzed non-carbonaceous materials, it can be assumed that the non-volatile particulate material (heated to 300 degrees C) consists mainly of carbonaceous compounds, including elemental carbon. Furthermore, it was found that the nonvolatile particle fraction < 0.6 mu m D-p correlated (r(2) = 0.4) with the BC concentration at roof level in the city, supporting the assumption that the non-volatile material consists of carbonaceous compounds. The average diurnal cycles of the BC emissions from road traffic (as inferred from the ratio of the incremental concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and BC measured on a densely trafficked street) and the fluxes of non-volatile material at tower level are in close agreement, suggesting a traffic source of BC. We have estimated the emission factors (EFs) for non-volatile particles < 0.6 mu m D-p to be 2.4 +/- 1.4 mg veh(-1) km(-1) based on either CO2 fluxes or traffic activity data. Light (LDV) and heavy duty vehicle (HDV) EFs were estimated using multiple linear regression and reveal that for non-volatile particulate matter in the 0.25 to 0.6 mu m D-p range, the EFHDV is approximately twice as high as the EFLDV, the difference not being statistically significant

Heated submicron particle fluxes using an optical particle counter in urban environment

From May 2008 to March 2009 aerosol emissions were measured using the eddy covariance method covering the size range 0.25 to 2.5 mu m diameter (D-p) from a 105m tower, in central Stockholm, Sweden. Supporting chemical aerosol data were collected at roof and street level. Results show that the inorganic fraction of sulfate, nitrate, ammonium and sea salt accounts for approximately 15% of the total aerosol mass < 1 mu m D-p (PM1) with water soluble soil contributing 11% and water insoluble soil 47%. Carbonaceous compounds were at the most 27% of PM1 mass. It was found that heating the air from the tower to 200 degrees C resulted in the loss of approximately 60% of the aerosol volume at 0.25 mu m D-p whereas only 40% of the aerosol volume was removed at 0.6 mu m D-p. Further heating to 300 degrees C caused very little additional losses < 0.6 mu m D-p. The chemical analysis did not include carbonaceous compounds, but based on the difference between the total mass concentration and the sum of the analyzed non-carbonaceous materials, it can be assumed that the non-volatile particulate material (heated to 300 degrees C) consists mainly of carbonaceous compounds, including elemental carbon. Furthermore, it was found that the nonvolatile particle fraction < 0.6 mu m D-p correlated (r(2) = 0.4) with the BC concentration at roof level in the city, supporting the assumption that the non-volatile material consists of carbonaceous compounds. The average diurnal cycles of the BC emissions from road traffic (as inferred from the ratio of the incremental concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and BC measured on a densely trafficked street) and the fluxes of non-volatile material at tower level are in close agreement, suggesting a traffic source of BC. We have estimated the emission factors (EFs) for non-volatile particles < 0.6 mu m D-p to be 2.4 +/- 1.4 mg veh(-1) km(-1) based on either CO2 fluxes or traffic activity data. Light (LDV) and heavy duty vehicle (HDV) EFs were estimated using multiple linear regression and reveal that for non-volatile particulate matter in the 0.25 to 0.6 mu m D-p range, the EFHDV is approximately twice as high as the EFLDV, the difference not being statistically significant