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This thesis has been performed in the ethylene oxide plant at Akzo Nobel in Stenungsund. Ethylene oxide is an important ethylene based intermediary compound. The primary use for ethylene oxide is in the manufacture of derivatives such as ethylene glycol, surfactants and ethanolamine’s. In the production of ethylene oxide, ethylene and oxygen reacts over a silver catalyst surface. Mainly two react
Rapeseed press cake (RPC), the by-product of rapeseed oil production, contains proteins with emulsifying properties, which can be used in food applications. Proteins from industrially produced RPC were extracted at pH 10.5 and precipitated at pH 3 (RPP3) and 6.5 (RPP6.5). Emulsions were formulated at three different pHs (pH 3, 4.5, and 6) with soy lecithin as control, and were stored for six month
Purpose: The objective was to investigate if the gonadotropin receptor variants N680S (N: asparagine, S: serine, rs6166) in the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) and N312S (rs2293275) in the luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) predicted cumulative live birth rate after in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods: A total of 665 women were consecutively enrolled f
The day-to-day variation in oxygen consumption ((V) over dot O-2) during ergometer cycling by 20 healthy adolescents, 10 females and 10 males, was measured using indirect calorimetry. The two sets of measurements were performed on two consecutive days. Great care was taken to minimize possible disturbing factors. Cycling started at 50 and 100 W for female and male adolescents, respectively. The lo
Objective: To evaluate how often low 5-min Apgar scores (AS(5-min)) at term are associated with asphyxia. Study design: A cohort- and case-control study, including all 183 term infants with AS(5-min) below 7 born at Lund University Hospital during 1993-2002, antepartum deaths excluded. The control group included 183 randomly selected term newborns with AS(5-min) 9-10. Cardiotocography (CTG) traces
The Loess Plateau in China constitutes in important source area for both water and sediments to the Yellow River. Thus, improved prediction techniques of rainfall may lead to better estimation of discharge and sediment content for the Yellow River. Consequently. the objective of this study was to establish better links between rainfall of the Loess Plateau in China and sea surface temperature (SST
Urbanisation leads to increased thermal stress in hot-humid climates due to increased surface and air temperatures and reduced wind speed. We examined the influence of urban morphology and sea breeze on the microclimate of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Air and surface temperatures, humidity and wind speed were measured at 1 rural and 5 urban sites during the warmest season. The urban sites differed in their
Background. The Lundby Study is a longitudinal cohort study on a geographically defined population consisting of 3563 subjects. Information about episodes of different disorders was collected during field investigations in 1947, 1957, 1972 and in 1997. Interviews were carried out about current health and past episodes since the last investigation; for all subjects information was also collected fr
The effects of 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) were studied in smooth muscle fibres from guinea pig taenia coli. In intact muscle, active force during contractions induced by high-K+ was inhibited by about 10% in 1 mM BDM and by approximately 70% in 10 mM BDM. Intracellular [Ca2+] during contraction, measured with the fura-2 technique, was reduced in the presence of BDM. The reduction in force and
A dosimetry system based on radioluminescence (RL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) from carbon doped aluminium oxide (Al2O3:C) crystals was developed for in vivo absorbed dose measurements in mammography. A small cylindrical crystal of Al2O3:C (diameter 0.48 mm and length 2 mm) was coupled to the end of a 1 mm diameter optical fibre cable. Owing to their small size and characteristic s
The four-year visual outcome was retrospectively studied in patients with older-onset diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy in need of laser treatment. Visual acuity in 53 patients examined by ophthalmologists who referred the patients for an evaluation of retinopathy before laser treatment, was compared to that of 47 patients examined by ophthalmologists who also performed the photocoagulati
Background: The relationship between plasma markers of inflammation and the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is still unclear. This population-based study explored whether raised levels of five inflammation-sensitive plasma proteins (ISPs) predicted hospital admissions for COPD during 25 years of follow-up. Methods: Spirometric tests and measurements of five ISPs (fibrinog
To understand the origin of disease risk in adulthood, factors in all stages of life and on different contextual levels should be considered. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relevance of a person's area of residence over their life course with regard to four outcomes: all-cause mortality; ischemic heart disease mortality and morbidity; cancer mortality and morbidity; and re
A compression-molded green composite material comprising of bacterially synthesized poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) [P(3HB-co-3HHx)] and short kenaf fibers (KF) was prepared in the present study. Accordingly, P(3HB-co-3HHx) was produced by the Cupriavidus necator Re2058/pCB113 using the palm oil as the sole carbon source, while the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymer with ∼99% purit
This paper will approach the topic “What does heritage change?” by looking at the perspectives and experiences of a special category of heritage-makers, namely so-called “transmitters of intangible cultural heritage” (feiwuzhi wenhua yichan chuancheng ren) in China. It will explore the processes of heritagization and will ask whether, and what, heritage status changes when it comes to these indivi
Popular Science AbstractHow well bees can see the world?aBees such as bumblebees and honeybees are some of the most important pollinators. They pollinate by using different sensory cues from the flowers, primarily vision and olfaction. In my PhD I was interested in understanding how well bees can see while they are inspecting flowers as well as while they are performing high-speed flight maneuversBees use multiple sensory modalities to perform day-to-day tasks. Light allows them to perceive objects and the general features of their surroundings, enabling them to find food and to navigate safely across the landscape. Although both these tasks involve vision, the requirements of the visual system differ depending upon what the bee wants to achieve; locate a flower to feed from or adjust its
The Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus, Linnaeus, 1758) is a long distance migrant and one of the most common breeding birds in the Western Palearctic. Its migratory directions have been studied in detail in Scandinavia where a narrow migratory divide is located around 62°30′ N that separates southern SW migrating Phylloscopus t. trochilus from SSE migrating Phylloscopus t. acredula. The shape
BACKGROUND: Colorectal carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies in the Western population, and a considerable proportion of colorectal carcinomas are estimated to have a familial background.METHODS: Individuals whose mothers were diagnosed with colon carcinoma or rectal carcinoma from 1958 to 1993, a total of 1. 48 million person-years, constituted the cohort of this Swedish population-bas
Background: A study was designed to assess a computer-based program for continuous registration of antibiotic resistance, statistics concerning severity of illness, and consumption of antibacterial drugs. Methods: The frequency of antibiotic resistance among bacteria in eight ICUs in southeastern Sweden was investigated yearly from 1995 through 1997. The antibiotic consumption in the ICUs was regi
