A selective pressurized liquid extraction procedure (SPLE) was developed for a fast determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in sediment. The final method was performed at 100 degrees C with heptane/dichloromethane (90:10, v/v) as extraction solvent for 2 x 5 min. Sulfuric acid impregnated silica was placed downstream of the sample in the extraction cell to remove interfering components. This si

Using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal desorption spectroscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy, we show that upon keV Xe+ irradiation of graphene on Ir(111), Xe atoms are trapped under the graphene. Upon annealing, aggregation of Xe leads to graphene bulges and blisters. The efficient trapping is an unexpected and remarkable phenomenon given the absence of chemical binding of Xe to Ir

Strong field laser-matter interaction is intrinsically a sub-cycle phenomenon, which is clearly illustrated by the generation of attosecond pulses through the high-order harmonic process. Therefore, to control strong field processes the structure of the field driving the generation has to be controlled on a sub-cycle level. One approach is to use phase stabilized few-cycle driving pulses and vary

Assays detecting antigen (Ag)-specific T-cell responses in immune-mediated processes are increasingly employed to understand disease pathogenesis and "immune staging". The quantity and quality of starting peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) preparations are important factors in the performance of such assays. We therefore compared final PBMC yield and function by modifying parameters at the b

We analyze the Ce3+-Pr3+:Y2SiO5 emission spectra obtained under selective excitation of the two Ce3+ sites in Y2SiO5 and we show clear evidence of direct energy transfer from Ce3+ to Pr3+. Energy transfer microparameters were calculated from the experimental spectral overlap between the Ce3+ emission and the Pr3+ and Eu3+ absorptions from which, the transfer mechanisms Ce3+-> Pr3+ are concluded to

Intra--arterial thrombolysis has become the most important minimal--invasive treatment option to treat acute lower limb ischemia. Although hemorrhagic stroke is a dreaded complication, it is considered beneficial to many fragile and elderly patients where vascular surgery is not an option. This review outlines current results after intra--arterial thrombolysis with low dose recombinant tissue plas

Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by increased blood glucose levels. For overt type 2 diabetes to develop, both insulin action and insulin secretion must be perturbed. In the work presented in this thesis, two models were analyzed: hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) null mice and a pancreatic clonal β-cell line to study the mechanisms underlying insulin resistance and insulin secretion pert

Desertification, climate variability and food security are closely linked through drought, land cover changes, and climate and biological feedbacks. In Ghana, only few studies have documented these linkages. To establish this link the study provides historical and predicted climatic changes for two drought sensitive agro-ecological zones in Ghana and further determines how these changes have influ

Utvecklingen inom det brandskyddstekniska området går snabbt vilket, tillsammans med nya byggföreskrifter, motiverar att denna handbok tas fram. Brandskyddslaget, Bengt Dahlgren Brand & Risk och Brandteknik LTH publicerar sedan några år Brandskyddshandboken som förklarar och förtydligar BBR:s brandskyddsavsnitt. Nu när BBR 21 med stora ändringar tillämpas, har vi tagit fram en ny uppdaterad o

An artificial key to the 122 Caloplaca species presently known for the Australian continent is provided.

Planning for future needs has traditionally been considered to be restricted to human cognition. Although recent studies on great ape and corvid cognition challenge this belief, the phylogenesis of human planning remains largely unknown. The complex skill for future planning has not yet been satisfactorily established in any other extant primate species than our own. In humans, planning for future

Chemotherapy of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is based on taxane formulations worldwide. Only 30-50 % of patients respond to this therapy and the exact cellular mechanisms of taxane resistance in PC cells are not fully elucidated. There is convincing evidence that androgen receptor (AR) is affected by exposure to these compounds. The studies presented in this doctoral thesis identify

Atherosclerotic plaques with a low content of connective tissue proteins are believed to have an increased risk of rupture and to give rise to clinical events. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the content of elastin, collagen and of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -1, -3, -9 and -12 in plaques removed at surgery can be associated with the occurrence of ipsilateral symptoms.

We present a novel design for a macrostructured cathode that can be coated with a thin layer of the B-10 solid converter and mounted to replace the Boron-lined flat parallel plates of a proportional counter used for slow neutron detection. The proposed design consists of a 3D regular pattern exhibiting millimeter deep grooves with an opening angle of alpha = 45 degrees, which could be created in t

The solvolysis of substituted benzoyl chlorides is sensitive both to substituent electronic effects and to medium effects. The solvolysis reactions of substituted benzoyl chlorides have been analyzed in the presence of nonionic micelles. The reaction is inhibited or catalyzed depending on the reaction mechanism, dissociative or associative, respectively. The micellar effects observed can be relate

The relationship between a reported history of trauma and dissociative symptoms has been explained in 2 conflicting ways. Pathological dissociation has been conceptualized as a response to antecedent traumatic stress and/or severe psychological adversity. Others have proposed that dissociation makes individuals prone to fantasy, thereby engendering confabulated memories of trauma. We examine data

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Phytoestrogens are estradiol-like natural compounds found in plants that have been associated with protective effects against chronic diseases, including some cancers, cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to estimate the dietary intake of phytoestrogens, identify their food sources and their association with lifestyle factors in the Europea

Background: Proteins can be used in drug delivery systems to improve pharmacological properties of an active substance. Differences in pH between tissues can be utilized in order to achieve a targeted drug release at a specific location or tissue, such as a tumor. The enamel matrix protein amelogenin has a pH dependent solubility profile and self-assemble to form aggregates at neutral pH. This cou