To Örebro University

We here report the genetic basis for susceptibility and resistance to carcinogen-mediated [7,12-dimethylbenz[a] anthracene (DMBA)] mammary tumorigenesis using the full panel of SS/BN consomic rat strains, in which substitutions of individual chromosomes from the resistant BN strain onto the genomic background of the susceptible SS strain were made. Analysis of 252 consomic females identified rat mammary Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) affecting tumor incidence on chromosomes 3 and 5, latency on chromosomes 3, 9, 14, and 19, and multiplicity on chromosomes 13, 16, and 19. In addition, we unexpectedly identified a novel QTL on chromosome 6 controlling a lethal toxic phenotype in response to DMBA. Upon further investigation with chromosomes 6 and 13 congenic lines, in which an additional 114 rats were investigated, we mapped (1) a novel mammary tumor QTL to a region of 27.1 Mbp in the distal part of RNO6, a region that is entirely separated from the toxicity phenotype, and (2) a novel and powerful mammary tumor susceptibility locus of 4.5 Mbp that mapped to the proximal q-arm of RNO13. Comparison of genetic strain differences using existing rat genome databases enabled us to further construct priority lists containing single breast cancer candidate genes within the defined QTLs, serving as potential functional variants for future testing.

This thesis has been carried out in cooperation with Meritor HVS AB in Lindesberg that manufactures front and rear wheel axles for the bus and truck industry. The project focuses on fixtures used in the transportation of rear wheel axles. The goal of the project was to develop a new transport fixture that suits the majority of rear axle models and prevents damage during transport.

The project is based on the systematic design methodology described by Johannesson, Persson and Pettersson (2004). Systematic design can be divided into five stages: product specification, concept generation, concept evaluation and selection, detailed design and final design.

The main issue with Meritors fixtures is that they wear out easily and that the protective coating breaks. One fixture type needs to be able to handle the 30 rear axle models relevant to this project. Meritor currently uses a basic structure combined with miscellaneous temporary solutions to handle all models. The new conceptual fixture is limited by the current steel rack, it´s dimensions and fixture positions within the construction.

Based on the concept designs put forward in the work, the two most suitable concepts were brought through to final design. The first concept, the T-fixture, was based on the fixture in use today and is thus an improvement. The improvement consists of an increased contact surface, better protective coating as well as weight and strength optimizations. Concept two, the Rod fixture, is also based on the same basic fixture but uses two loops that are available on every axle model. By placing the axle loops over the two rods in the fixture, a total immobilization of the axle is achieved.

Inspiration from biological systems suggests that robots should demonstrate same level of capabilities that are embedded in biological systems in performing safe and successful interaction with the humans. The major challenge in physical human robot interaction tasks in anthropic environment is the safe sharing of robot work space such that robot will not cause harm or injury to the human under any operating condition.

Embedding human like adaptable compliance characteristics into robot manipulators can provide safe physical human robot interaction in constrained motion tasks. In robotics, this property can be achieved by using active, passive and semi active compliant actuation devices. Traditional methods of active and passive compliance lead to complex control systems and complex mechanical design.

In this thesis we present compliant robot manipulator system with semi active compliant device having magneto rheological fluid based actuation mechanism. Human like adaptable compliance is achieved by controlling the properties of the magneto rheological fluid inside joint actuator. This method offers high operational accuracy, intrinsic safety and high absorption to impacts. Safety is assured by mechanism design rather than by conventional approach based on advance control. Control schemes for implementing adaptable compliance are implemented in parallel with the robot motion control that brings much simple interaction control strategy compared to other methods.

Here we address two main issues: human robot collision safety and robot motion performance.We present existing human robot collision safety standards and evaluate the proposed actuation mechanism on the basis of static and dynamic collision tests. Static collision safety analysis is based on Yamada’s safety criterion and the adaptable compliance control scheme keeps the robot in the safe region of operation. For the dynamic collision safety analysis, Yamada’s impact force criterion and head injury criterion are employed. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of our solution. In addition, the results with head injury criterion showed the need to investigate human bio-mechanics in more details in order to acquire adequate knowledge for estimating the injury severity index for robots interacting with humans.

We analyzed the robot motion performance in several physical human robot interaction tasks. Three interaction scenarios are studied to simulate human robot physical contact in direct and inadvertent contact situations. Respective control disciplines for the joint actuators are designed and implemented with much simplified adaptable compliance control scheme.

The series of experimental tests in direct and inadvertent contact situations validate our solution of implementing human like adaptable compliance during robot motion and prove the safe interaction with humans in anthropic domains.

Human robot interaction (HRI) tasks requires robots to have safe sharing of work space and to demonstrate adaptable compliant behavior enabling eminent collision safety as well as maintaining high position accuracy. Robot compliance control normally can be achieved by using active compliance control of actuators based on various sensor data. Alternatively, passive devices allow controllable compliance motion but usually are mechanically complex. We proposed a unique method using semi-active compliant actuation mechanism having magneto-rheological (MR) fluid based actuator that introduces reconfigurable compliance characteristics into the robot joints. This enables high intrinsic safety coming from fluid mechanics as well as, it offers simpler interaction control strategy compared to other concurrent approaches. In this studies, we have described three essential modes of motions required for physical human system interaction. Furthermore, we have demonstrated robot collision safety in terms of static collision and experimentally validates the performance of robot manipulator enabling safe human robot interaction.

The success of human robot interaction (HRI) tasks is characterized by evaluating robot performance in terms of collision safety and position accuracy. Hence, both position accuracy and collision safety are equally indispensable. HRI refers to cognitive as well as physical interaction. Cognitive human robot interaction based on perception and awareness where as physical human robot interaction demands direct contact with the humans exhibiting adaptable compliant behavior. Therefore, development of ideal safe robot manipulator having adaptable compliant actuation is inevitable. Adaptable compliance can be achieved by using active compliant actuation requiring various sensor data or by using passive compliant devices with high mechanical complexity. We present magneto rheological fluid based compliant actuation mechanism introducing adaptable compliance directly into robotic joint with much simpler interaction control and higher intrinsic safety originating from fluid mechanics. In this study, we have discussed adaptable compliance in terms of essential modes of motion for safe physical HRI and evaluated the safety performance of our robot for static collision testing and dynamic collision testing based on impact force and head injury criterion. Finally, the experimental results validate the significance of our proposed method for both human robot collision safety and high position accuracy.

Robots have recently been foreseen to work side by side and share workspace with humans in assisting them in tasks that include physical human-robot (HR) interaction. The physical contact with human tasks under uncertainty has to be performed in a stable and safe manner [6]. However, current industrial robot manipulators are still very far from HR coexisting environments, because of their unreliable safety, rigidity and heavy structure. Besides this, the industrial norms separate the two spaces occupied by a human and a robot by means of physical fence or wall [9]. Therefore, the success of such physical HR interaction is possible if the robot is enabled to handle this interaction in a smart way to prevent injuries and damages.

Human robot interaction (HRI) in constrained motion tasks requires robots to have safe sharing of work space and to demonstrate adaptable compliant behavior Compliance control of industrial robots, normally can be achieved by using active compliance control of actuators based on various sensor data. Alternatively, passive devices allow controllable compliance motion but usually are mechanically complex. We present a unique method using a novel actuation mechanism based on magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) that incorporates reconfigurable compliance directly into the robot joints. This brings much simple interaction control strategy compared to other antagonistic methods. In this studies, we have described three essential modes of motions required for physical human system interaction. Then we have discussed their respective control disciplines. Finally, we have presented functional performance of reconfigurable MRF actuation mechanism in constrained motion tasks by simulating various HRI scenarios.

Impedance control and compliant behavior for safe human-robot physical interaction of industrial robots normally can be achieved by using active compliance control of actuators based on various sensor data. Alternatively, passive devices allow controllable compliance motion but usually are mechanically complex. We present another approach using a novel actuation mechanism based on magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) that incorporates variable stiffness directly into the joints. In this paper, we have investigated and analyzed principle characteristics of MRF actuation mechanism and presented the analytical-model. Then we have developed the static and dynamic model based on experimental test results and have discussed three essential modes of motion needed for human-robot manipulation interactive tasks.

We present numerical calculations of the plasmon properties of single-hole and hole-pair structures in optically thin gold films obtained with the Green’s tensor formalism for stratified media. The method can be used to obtain the optical properties of a given hole system, without problems associated with the truncation of the infinite metal film. The calculations are compared with previously published experimental data and an excellent agreement is found. In particular, the calculations are shown to reproduce the evolution of the hole plasmon resonance spectrum as a function of hole diameter, film thickness and hole separation.

Military organisations have a long history of using games for training. Over the years, they have developed training practices involving role-play, simulations, puckstering and gaming. Most researchers in serious games, i.e. games used for non-entertainment purposes, focus their studies on the learners. This licentiate thesis, instead, takes a closer look on the roles of instructors in game-based training situations, specifically at the Swedish Land Warfare Centre. Through a mix of theoretical and empirical studies, training practices were scrutinised, resulting in a framework for gamebased vocational training. A key element of this framework is the coaching by gaming perspective in which instructors give un-intrusive, formative feedback through role-play and gameplay. Another important aspect of the framework involves dynamic debriefing. These insights points to specific needs for system support for instructors involved in game-based training. They also emphasise the fact that serious gaming is a highly contextualised activity made up of more than the game and the players

Military organizations have a long history of using simulations, role-play and games for training. This also encompasses good practices concerning how instructors utilize games and gaming behavior. Unfortunately, the work of instructors is rarely described explicitly in research relating to serious gaming. Decision makers also tend to have overconfidence in the pedagogical power in games and simulations, where the instructor is taken out of the gaming loop. We propose a framework, the coaching cycle, that focuses on the roles of instructors. The roles include instructors acting as game players. The fact that the instructors take a more active part in all training activities will further improve learning. The coaching cycle integrates theories of experiential learning (where action precedes theory) and deliberate practice (where the trainee’s skill is constantly challenged by a coach). Incorporating a coaching by gaming perspective complicates, but also strengthens, the player-centered design approach to game development in that you need to take into account two different types of players: trainees and instructor. Furthermore, we argue that the coaching cycle allows for a shift of focus to more thorough debriefing, since it implies that learning of theoretical material before simulation/game playing is kept to a minimum. This shift will increase the transfer of knowledge.

Military organisations have a long history of using games for training. Over the years, they have developed training practices involving role-play, simulations, puckstering and gaming. Most researchers in serious games, i.e. games used for non-entertainment purposes, focus their studies on the learners. This licentiate thesis, instead, takes a closer look on the roles of instructors in game-based training situations, specifically at the Swedish Land Warfare Centre. Through a mix of theoretical and empirical studies, training practices were scrutinised, resulting in a framework for gamebased vocational training. A key element of this framework is the coaching by gaming perspective in which instructors give un-intrusive, formative feedback through role-play and gameplay. Another important aspect of the framework involves dynamic debriefing. These insights points to specific needs for system support for instructors involved in game-based training. They also emphasise the fact that serious gaming is a highly contextualised activity made up of more than the game and the players.

This project aims to study the knowledge that property owners have of passive houses and if there is a market for this concept in Örebro County.

Environmental and climate problems in the world are growing and a result of this is the constant circulating debate of passive houses. Low-energy houses are a necessary solution to reducing energy consumption, then the housing sector accounts for about 40 % of Sweden´s total energy use. Passive houses are a development of the low-energy house built without conventional heating systems and have a low energy use. Asplunds Bygg in Örebro is now building the very first passive houses in Örebro this spring 2009.

The project began with contacting property owners to book interviews. The interviews were carried out over a four week period at the respective property owner's office. An independent in-depth were made parallel to the interviews by studying passivhus in literature, articles and on the Internet. The results of the interviews were compiled, compared and analyzed based on the purpose of the work.

Property owners are receptive to the concept and believe that the energy issue is important, but that knowledge into passive houses of some is poor.  Finally found that from the results of the interviews it seems that there is a future market for passive houses in Örebro County. 

Keywords: passive houses, low-energy houses, energy use, ventilation system, heat recovery, thick insulation.  

Den Europeiska standarden är indelad i flertalet Eurokoder och dessa är de kommande beräkningsreglerna som år 2011 blir obligatoriska för alla bärande konstruktioner inom den Europeiska unionen. De kommer att ersätta tidigare nationella regler och det är framförallt Boverkets konstruktionsregler (BKR) med tillhörande handböcker som berörs av Eurokoderna.

Flertalet faktorer påverkar när en övergång från svenska byggregler till Eurokoderna skall bli möjlig men det viktigaste har med dess tillgänglighet att göra. Det är inte längre en fråga om Eurokoderna skall börja tillämpas, utan istället när.

Syftet med detta examensarbete är att det skall ge en allmän och överskådlig bild av hur de svenska byggreglerna skiljer sig från sin europiska motsvarighet, varvid likheter och olikheter skall lyftas fram.

Jämförelsen har baserats på ett antal beräkningar som har utförts på ett framtaget referensobjekt, där endast de delar som berör beräkningar kring referensobjektet kommer att granskas och jämföras. För att få underlag till dessa beräkningar har litteraturstudium av respektive regler tillämpats. Detta material har allt eftersom sammanställts i denna rapport.

Med utgångspunkt från det framtagna referensobjektet kan man till stor del fastlägga att skillnaden mellan svenska byggregler och europeisk standard inte är av större karaktär. En av de mest framgående skillnaderna är dock att den europeiska standarden är betydligt mer beskrivande om hur och vad som skall beräknas, vägen till resultatet, medan de svenska byggreglerna endast beskriver det slutgiltiga resultatet. Detta leder till att den europeiska standarden är betydligt lättare att följa och därav även lättare att tillämpa.

Degradation of the 16 US EPA priority PAHs in soil subjected to bioremediation is often achieved. However, the PAH loss is not always followed by a reduction in soil toxicity. For instance, bioanalytical testing of such soil using the chemical-activated luciferase gene expression (CALUX) assay, measuring the combined effect of all Ah receptor (AhR) activating compounds, occasionally indicates that the loss of PAHs does not correlate with the loss of Ah receptor-active compounds in the soil. In addition, standard PAH analysis does not address the issue of total toxicant bioavailability in bioremediated soil.

To address these questions, we have used the CALUX AhR agonist bioassay and the Comet genotoxicity bioassay with RTL-W1 cells to evaluate the toxic potential of different extracts from a PAH-contaminated soil undergoing large-scale bioremediation. The extracts were also chemically analyzed for PAH16 and PCDD/PCDF. Soil sampled on five occasions between day 0 and day 274 of biological treatment was shaken with n-butanol with vortex mixing at room temperature to determine the bioavailable fraction of contaminants. To establish total concentrations, parts of the same samples were extracted using an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) with toluene at 100A degrees C. The extracts were tested as inducers of AhR-dependent luciferase activity in the CALUX assay and for DNA breakage potential in the Comet bioassay.

The chemical analysis of the toluene extracts indicated slow degradation rates and the CALUX assay indicated high levels of AhR agonists in the same extracts. Compared to day 0, the bioavailable fractions showed no decrease in AhR agonist activity during the treatment but rather an up-going trend, which was supported by increasing levels of PAHs and an increased effect in the Comet bioassay after 274 days. The bio-TEQs calculated using the CALUX assay were higher than the TEQs calculated from chemical analysis in both extracts, indicating that there are additional toxic PAHs in both extracts that are not included in the chemically derived TEQ.

The response in the CALUX and the Comet bioassays as well as the chemical analysis indicate that the soil might be more toxic to organisms living in soil after 274 days of treatment than in the untreated soil, due to the release of previously sorbed PAHs and possibly also metabolic formation of novel toxicants.

Our results put focus on the issue of slow degradation rates and bioavailability of PAHs during large-scale bioremediation treatments. The release of sorbed PAHs at the investigated PAH-contaminated site seemed to be faster than the degradation rate, which demonstrates the importance of considering the bioavailable fraction of contaminants during a bioremediation process.

It has to be ensured that soft remediation methods like biodegradation or the natural remediation approach do not result in the mobilization of toxic compounds including more mobile degradation products. For PAH-contaminated sites this cannot be assured merely by monitoring the 16 target PAHs. The combined use of a battery of biotests for different types of PAH effects such as the CALUX and the Comet assay together with bioavailability extraction methods may be a useful screening tool of bioremediation processes of PAH-contaminated soil and contribute to a more accurate risk assessment. If the bioremediation causes a release of bound PAHs that are left undegraded in an easily extracted fraction, the soil may be more toxic to organisms living in the soil as a result of the treatment. A prolonged treatment time may be one way to reduce the risk of remaining mobile PAHs. In critical cases, the remediation concept might have to be changed to ex situ remediation methods.

The aims of the studies underlying this thesis were to assess the exposure to quartz in Swedish iron foundries and to determine the cancer morbidity for Swedish foundry workers. A cohort of 3,045 foundry workers and a final measurement database of 2,333 number of samples was established.

The exposure measurements showed high levels of respirable quartz, in particular for fettlers and furnace and ladle repair workers with individual 8 hr TWA (GM=0.041 and 0.052 mg/m3; range 0.004-2.1 and 0.0098-0.83 mg/m3). In our database, the quartz concentrations as 8hr TWAs of current and historical data varied between 0.0018 and 4.9 mg/m3, averaging 0.083 mg/m3, with the highest exposures for fettlers (0.087 mg/m3) and furnace and ladle repair workers (0.42 mg/m3). The exposure for workers using respirators assuming full effect when used were assessed quantitatively, revealing workers with actual exposure exceeding the occupational exposure limits.

Overall cancer morbidity was not increased, but the incidence of lung cancer was significantly elevated (SIR 1.61; 95 % CI 1.20-2.12). In the cohort study, significant associations between lung cancer and cumulative quartz exposure were detected for quartz doses of 1-2 mg/m3 * year (SIR 2.88; 95 % CI 1.44-5.16) and >2 mg/m3 * year (SIR 1.68; 95 % CI 1.07- 2.52). These findings were not confirmed in the case-control analysis.

The agreement between the estimated exposure in our early historical model and the development model showed a regression coefficient of 2.42, implying an underestimation of the historical exposure when using the development model data. The corresponding comparison between the development and the validation model based on our survey data showed a B of 0.31, implying an overestimation of present exposures when using data from the validation model.

The main conclusions of the thesis are that certain foundry workers are still exposed to high levels of quartz, and the overall excess lung cancer could not be confirmed in the exposure-response analysis.

The most important property of a mobile robot is the fact that it is mobile. How to give a robot the skills required to navigate around its environment is therefore an important topic in mobile robotics. Navigation, both for robots and humans, typically involves a map. The map can be used, for example, to estimate a pose based on observations (localisation) or determine a suitable path between to locations. Maps are available nowadays for us humans with few exceptions, however, maps suitable for mobile robots rarely exists. In addition, to relate sensor readings to a map requires that the map content and the observation is compatible, i.e. different robots may require different maps for the same area. This book addresses some of the fundamental problems related to mobile robot navigation (registration, localisation and mapping) using cameras as the primary sensor input. Small salient regions (local visual features) are extracted from each camera image, where each region can be seen as a fingerprint. Many fingerprint matches implicates a high likelihood that they corresponding images originate from a similar location, which is a central property utilised in this work.

The main focus of this paper is to present a case study of a SLAM solution for Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) operating in real-world industrial environ- ments. The studied solution, called Gold-fish SLAM, was implemented to provide localization estimates in dynamic industrial environments, where there are static landmarks that are only rarely perceived by the AGVs. The main idea of Gold-fish SLAM is to consider the goods that enter and leave the environment as temporary landmarks that can be used in combination with the rarely seen static landmarks to compute online estimates of AGV poses. The solution is tested and verified in a factory of paper using an eight ton diesel-truck retrofitted with an AGV control sys- tem running at speeds up to 3 meters per second. The paper includes also a general discussion on how SLAM can be used in industrial applications with AGVs.

This paper describes a novel registration approach that is based on a combination of visual and 3D range information.To identify correspondences, local visual features obtained from images of a standard color camera are compared and the depth of matching features (and their position covariance) is determined from the range measurements of a 3D laserscanner. The matched depth-interpolated image features allows to apply registration with known correspondences.We compare several ICP variants in this paper and suggest an extension that considers the spatial distance betweenmatching features to eliminate false correspondences. Experimental results are presented in both outdoor and indoor environments. In addition to pair-wise registration, we also propose a global registration method that registers allscan poses simultaneously.

This thesis work has been conducted for Corus Byggsystem AB. The company is located in Halmstad and manufactures profile claddings and purlins from sheet metal. The company also offers the customers professional advice and creates optimal solutions.

In the production there is a press brake that manufactures purlins. This work station has neither efficient production or is ergonomically correct. The material and purlins are lifted manually by the workers and in some cases over the head. For heavy work, it is extremely important to apply an ergonomic approach, both to improve security for the workers and to increase the manufacturing volume. The focus was therefore on how to improve the workplace ergonomically to result in a safe workplace with efficient manufacturing results.

The method that was mainly used in this project was David G. Ullmans The Mechanical Design Process and Fredy Olssons Primärkonstruktion and Principkonstruktion. Also SVID’s Design Process has been used as support.

Map building is a classical problem in mobile and au tonomous robotics, and sensor models is a way to interpret raw sensory information, especially for building maps. In this paper we propose a parameterized sensor model, and optimize map goodness with respect to these parameters. A new approach, measuring the goodness of maps without a handcrafted map of the actual environment is introduced and evaluated. Three different techniques; statistical anal ysis, derivative of images, and comparison of binary maps have been used as estimates of map goodness. The results show that the proposed sensor model generates better maps than a standard sensor model. However, the proposed ap proach of measuring goodness of maps does not improve the results as much as expected.

In recent years, moisture damages have been noticed in rendered, undrained stud walls. The design is built on the principle one-stage tightening which means that there is no air gap in the construction. The damages have occurred when water has permeated through the rendering in leaking connections and fittings for windows, doors, canopies, balconies, terraces and awnings. Behind the plaster carrier, which consists of either polystyrene or rigid mineral wool, plasterboard has often been used as a wind protection barrier. In many cases the wind protection barrier and the underlying wooden studs have been exposed to mould and in some cases even rot. It has been shown that damp in the structure is difficult to dry out.

The aim of the thesis has been to examine how the energy consumption is affected when this type of construction is damp, partly because energy is required to dry up damp, partly because the insulation ability for a material decreases when it is affected by moisture.

Previous research and relevant literature has been used in this thesis, to provide: A comprehensive picture of the problem, an explanation for the calculations used and an understanding of the conclusions drawn.

The energy consumption has been calculated for 1 m² wall area on two types of wall designs. The calculations have been performed in both dry and damp condition. To calculate the energy consumption in damp condition, three different types of calculation models have been used in three different ways. Since no measurements have been made, the calculations are to some extent based on assumed values.

The amount of damp that have entered the structure has, according to the calculation models used, been shown to produce small differences in energy consumption compared to the dry structure. The main problem for these types of walls seems instead to be the growth of microorganisms. Nevertheless, the microorganisms seem not to have affected the indoor environment in any significant manner.

Soil washing of heavy metal contaminated soil may be enhanced by the addition of synthetic chelators. Since many of these chelators may imply stress to soil organisms and are poorly biodegraded, identification and evaluation of effective biodegradable or recyclable chelators (synthetic and/or naturally produced) is of great interest. The efficiency of biodegradable synthetic chelators was evaluated both in bench- (0.3 kg) and meso- (10 kg) scale. Results demonstrated that the solubilization of copper, lead, and zinc was similar in bench- and meso-scale systems, which indicated that these systems could be used in a technical scale. However, the arsenic extraction in meso-scale system, were non-conclusive. Due to the high cost involved in the purchase of synthetic chelating agents, recycling of the solutions is of great interest, and this was achieved in five consecutive washing cycles. Considering the economy of a full-scale process, recycling of complexing solutions with sulfide addition at each cycle, both at the 100 mM-level, appears feasible. Naturally derived chelators were produced by saprotrophic fungi and through alkaline degradation of humic substances and cellulose. The results demonstrated that these types of complexing agents are not as effective as the synthetic chelators. In the fungal systems, desorption of metals was related to production of organic complexing acids, but mainly to the pH-decrease. Nonetheless, in some systems, formation of soluble complexes was indicated (copper). Enhancement of copper, lead, and zinc release with the use of alkaline leachates from wood and peat appeared possible. Since these agents have a natural origin and are derived from rather cheap raw material, recycling is not an issue.

Exudation of low molecular weight organic acids by fungi was studied in a project focusing on bioremediation of metal-contaminated soils. The production of acids (mainly oxalic and citric acid) as a response to nutrient variations and presence of metals has recently been reported (Arwidsson et al. 2009). A significant release of metals was observed and was related not only to the production of organic acids but also to the resulting pH decrease in the systems. The processes governing the release and redistribution of metals in the soil-water fungus system were the focus of the present continuation of the project, based on observations of Aspergillus niger, Penicillium bilaiae, and a Penicillium sp. The release of lead was 12% from the soil with the second highest initial load (1,600 mg kg(-1)), while the release of copper was 90% from the same soil (140 mg kg(-1)). The dominating mechanism behind the release and subsequent redistribution was the change in pH, going from near neutral to values in the range 2.1-5.9, reflecting the production of organic acids. For some of the systems, the formation of soluble complexes is indicated (copper, at intermediate pH) which favors the metal release. Iron is assumed to play a key role since the amount of secondary iron in the soils is higher than the total load of secondary heavy metals. It can be assumed that most of the heavy metals are initially associated with iron-rich phases through adsorption or coprecipitation. These phases can be dissolved, or associated metals can be desorbed, by a decrease in pH. It would be feasible to further develop a process in technical scale for remediation of metal-contaminated soil, based on microbial metabolite production leading to formation of soluble metal complexes, notably with copper.

Soil contamination is an urgent issue world wide. More than 83,000 contaminated sites have been identified in Sweden alone, of which approximately some 4,000 require treatment in the near future. Most of the sites carry a mixture of contaminants, metals as well as persistent organics. Most soil remediation efforts are made ex situ, which means that the soil or sludge is dug up and transported to a facility for treatment, or simply for deposition. The aim of the present project is to design a strategy for ex situ treatment of soils with mixed contaminants. A variety of soils and sludges from different sites (around 10), essentially all with organic as well as inorganic (metallic) contaminants, have been selected for experimental studies in laboratory and pilot scale: Military sites (metals, explosives), wood preservation sites (PAHs, As, metals), industrial sites (metals, hydrocarbons, mercury, dioxins and others). Of particular importance in the present study are:

Metals – Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Hg, as well as As Organics – PAHs, nitro aromatics, dioxins

A number of processes are selected and applied: •Biodegradation - use of commercially available cultures, as well as bacteria cultivated from the contaminated site itself •Mobilisation of organics - use of surface active agents •Mobilisation of metals - use of (1) complexing microbial metabolites produced in the soil (by fungii in paricular), (2) complexing agents generated by degradation of natural organic products (polyhydroxy carboxylic acids), and (3) artificial complexing agents (polyamino carboxylic acids).

Biodegradation is performed in batches (anaerobic in most cases), while release and mobilisation of contaminants from soil aggregates are achieved during soil-wash performed in a dynamic system where wash solution is forced through the soil under high pressure (the WTC-process). The efficiency of biodegradation and subsequent soil-wash under various conditions is evaluated from chemical analysis, but also by several ecotoxicological tests. Some results are given that illustrates suitable strategies for treatment of mixed contaminated soil from real sites (soil) as well as for treatment of residues from industrial production (sludges etc).

Removal of Cu, Pb, and Zn by the action of the two biodegradable chelating agents [S,S]-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS) and methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA), as well as citric acid, was tested. Three soil samples, which had previously been treated by conventional soil washing (water), were utilized in the leaching tests. Experiments were performed in batches (0.3 kg-scale) and with a WTC-mixer system (Water Treatment Construction, 10 kg-scale). EDDS and MGDA were most often equally efficient in removing Cu, Pb, and Zn after 10-60 min. Nonetheless, after 10 d, there were occasionally significant differences in extraction efficiencies. Extraction with citric acid was generally less efficient, however equal for Zn (mainly) after 10 d. Metal removal was similar in batch and WTC-mixer systems, which indicates that a dynamic mixer system could be used in full-scale. Use of biodegradable amino polycarboxylic acids for metal removal, as a second step after soil washing, would release most remaining metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) from the present soils, however only after long leaching time. Thus, a full-scale procedure, based on enhanced metal leaching by amino polycarboxylic acids from soil of the present kind, Would require a pre-leaching step lasting several days in order to be efficient. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigations were made on living strains offungi in a bioremediation process of three metal (lead)contaminated soils. Three saprotrophic fungi (Aspergillusniger, Penicillium bilaiae, and a Penicillium sp.) wereexposed to poor and rich nutrient conditions (no carbonavailability or 0.11 M D-glucose, respectively) andmetal stress (25 μM lead or contaminated soils) for5 days. Exudation of low molecular weight organicacids was investigated as a response to the metal andnutrient conditions. Main organic acids identified wereoxalic acid (A. niger) and citric acid (P. bilaiae).Exudation rates of oxalate decreased in response tolead exposure, while exudation rates of citrate were lessaffected. Total production under poor nutrient conditionswas low, except for A. niger, for which nosignificant difference was found between the poor andrich control. Maximum exudation rates were 20 μmoloxalic acid g^−1 biomass h^−1 (A. niger) and 20 μmolcitric acid g^−1 biomass h^−1 (P. bilaiae), in the presenceof the contaminated soil, but only 5 μmol organic acidsg^−1 biomass h^−1, in total, for the Penicillium sp. Therewas a significant mobilization of metals from the soilsin the carbon rich treatments and maximum release ofPb was 12% from the soils after 5 days. This was notsufficient to bring down the remaining concentration tothe target level 300 mg kg^−1 from initial levels of 3,800,1,600, and 370 mg kg^−1in the three soils. Target levelsfor Ni, Zn, and Cu, were 120, 500, and 200 mg kg^−1,respectively, and were prior to the bioremediationalready below these concentrations (except for Cu Soil1). However, maximum release of Ni, Zn, and Cu was28%, 35%, and 90%, respectively. The release of metalswas related to the production of chelating acids, but alsoto the pH-decrease. This illustrates the potential to usefungi exudates in bioremediation of contaminated soil.Nonetheless, the extent of the generation of organicacids is depending on several processes and mechanismsthat need to be further investigated.

This paper presents a framework of ICT solutions developed in the EU research project DIADEM that supports environmental management with an enhanced capacity to assess population exposure and health risks, to alert relevant groups and to organize efficient response. The emphasis is on advanced solutions which are economically feasible and maximally exploit the existing communication, computing and sensing resources. This approach enables efficient situation assessment in complex environmental management problems by exploiting relevant information obtained from citizens via the standard communication infrastructure as well as heterogeneous data acquired through dedicated sensing systems. This is achieved through a combination of (i) advanced approaches to gas detection and gas distribution modelling, (ii) a novel service-oriented approach supporting seamless integration of human-based and automated reasoning processes in large-scale collaborative sense making processes and (iii) solutions combining Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, Scenario-Based Reasoning and advanced human-machine interfaces. This paper presents the basic principles of the DIADEM solutions, explains how different techniques are combined to a coherent decision support system and briefly discusses evaluation principles and activities in the DIADEM project.

To study gas dispersion, several statistical gas distribution modelling approaches have been proposed recently. A crucial assumption in these approaches is that gas distribution models are learned from measurements that are generated by a time-invariant random process. While a time-independent random process can capture certain fluctuations in the gas distribution, more accurate models can be obtained by modelling changes in the random process over time. In this work we propose a time-scale parameter that relates the age of measurements to their validity for building the gas distribution model in a recency function. The parameters of the recency function define a time-scale and can be learned. The time-scale represents a compromise between two conflicting requirements for obtaining accurate gas distribution models: using as many measurements as possible and using only very recent measurements. We have studied several recency functions in a time-dependent extension of the Kernel DM+V algorithm (TD Kernel DM+V). Based on real-world experiments and simulations of gas dispersal (presented in this paper) we demonstrate that TD Kernel DM+V improves the obtained gas distribution models in dynamic situations. This represents an important step towards statistical modelling of evolving gas distributions.

The goal of this work is to investigate the lubrication system on two exposed joints on a Boomer E2C. The request for the thesis comes from Atlas Copco Rock Drills AB, Örebro, which also manufactures the machine.

Today Atlas Copco Rock Drills AB has a grease lubrication system that secures the function of the joints. The task is to summarize and evaluate the current systems and to find new solutions that would be able to replace or partially replace the current system. Information was gathered from documents, construction drawings and conversations with engineers at the company. Solutions and ideas have been formed by meeting stock suppliers and searching for articles. Brainstorming has been used in order to find new solutions.

The investigation has shown that there are problems with the current solution in terms of hose failures and downtime in the field. Atlas Copco AB also expresses that there is a lack of documentation and knowledge regarding the lubrication system. After the various article searches it became clear that research and knowledge in the area with heavy duty, oscillating and grease lubricated joints is insufficient. The design is often done with the help of experience and with the mindset "it has worked before."

When the solutions and ideas have been compared, this has been done by using AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process). This method compares the criteria that must be fulfilled by the solutions and then calculates the best one.

The results show that a lubrication-free solution would theoretically be preferable. This would be produced by a modern polymer and supplemented with an inner seal and an outer protection. Atlas Copco is recommended to test the various proposals to be able to decide which the best solution for the application is.

Moonmilk, a microcrystalline secondary cave deposit, actively forms on the floor of Krem Mawmluh - a limestone cave in Meghalaya, Northeastern India. Due to the abundance of micrite and calcified microbial filaments, we hypothesize that these deposits form as a result of ongoing microbial interactions. Consistent with this idea, we report electron microscopic and microbiological evidences for the biological origin of moonmilk in Krem Mawmluh. Scanning electron microscopy indicated abundant calcified microbial filaments, needle calcite, fibre calcites (micro-fibre and nano-fibre calcite crystals), biofilm and microbial filaments in the moonmilk. The total viable culturable microbes showed high population densities for microbes in the moonmilk and moonmilk pool waters. In vitro culture experiments, confirmed the capability of many of the isolated strains to precipitate calcite and some of the identified isolates belonged to the Bacillus sp. and Actinomycetes. These results clearly support the biogenic nature of the deposits.

One way to cope with the increasing traffic demand is to integrate standard solutions with more intelligent control measures. However, the result of possible interferences between intelligent control or information provision tools and other components of the overall traffic system is not easily predictable. This paper discusses the effects of integrating co-adaptive decision-making regarding route choices (by drivers) and control measures (by traffic lights). The motivation behind this is that optimization of traffic light control is starting to be integrated with navigation support for drivers. We use microscopic, agent-based modelling and simulation, in opposition to the classical network analysis, as this work focuses on the effect of local adaptation. In a scenario that exhibits features comparable to real-world networks, we evaluate different types of adaptation by drivers and by traffic lights, based on local perceptions. In order to compare the performance, we have also used a global level optimization method based on genetic algorithms.

Human drivers may perform replanning when facing traffic jams or when informed that there are expected delays on their planned routes. In this paper, we address the effects of drivers re-routing, an issue that has been ignored so far. We tackle re-routing scenarios, also considering traffic lights that are adaptive, in order to test whether such a form of co-adaptation may result in interferences or positive cumulative effects. An abstract route choice scenario is used which resembles many features of real world networks. Results of our experiments show that re-routing indeed pays off from a global perspective as the overall load of the network is balanced. Besides, re-routing is useful to compensate an eventual lack of adaptivity regarding traffic management.

Urban mobility is not only one of the pillars of modern economic systems, but also a key issue in the quest for equality of opportunity, once it can improve access to other services. Currently, however, there are a number of negative issues related to traffic, especially in mega-cities, such as economical issues (cost of opportunity caused by delays), environmental (externalities related to emissions of pollutants), and social (traffic accidents). Solutions to these issues are more and more closely tied to information and communication technology. Indeed, a search in the technical literature (using the keyword ``urban traffic" to filter out articles on data network traffic) retrieved the following number of articles (as of December 3, 2013): 9,443  (ACM Digital Library), 26,054 (Scopus), and 1,730,000 (Google Scholar). Moreover, articles listed in the ACM query relate to conferences as diverse as MobiCom, CHI, PADS, and AAMAS. This means that  there is a big and diverse community of computer scientists and computer engineers who tackle research that is connected to the development of intelligent traffic and transportation systems. It is also possible to see that this community is growing, and that research projects are getting more and more interdisciplinary. To foster the cooperation among the involved communities, this book aims at  giving a broad introduction into the basic but relevant concepts related to transportation systems, targeting researchers and practitioners from computer science and information technology. In addition, the second part of the book gives a panorama of some of the most exciting and newest technologies, originating in computer science and computer engineering, that are now being employed in projects related to car-to-car communication, interconnected vehicles, car navigation, platooning, crowd sensing and sensor networks, among others. This material will also be of interest to engineers and researchers from the traffic and transportation community.

Estrogens induce both vitellogenin (Vtg) and egg shell (zona pellucida; ZP) protein synthesis in salmonids. However, while Vtg is strictly under estrogenic control, recent reports suggest that additional mechanisms are involved in ZP protein synthesis. During sexual maturation both estrogen and glucocorticoid levels increase in the circulation of female fish. As glucocorticoids have been shown to interfere with Vtg induction in fish we investigated whether cortisol (F) had similar effects on ZP regulation. In the present study we determined both the natural variation in Vtg and ZP during an annual reproductive cycle in female Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), and the effect of co-treatment of juvenile Arctic char with 17beta-estradiol (E2) and F. During sexual maturation the expression of Vtg and ZP correlated to plasma levels of E2 and F. Determination of Vtg and ZP protein levels following co-treatment with E2 and F showed that F antagonized E2 induction of Vtg. However, F was observed to potentiate the expression of ZP protein in the same fish. These results indicate that in Arctic char Vtg and ZP proteins are not regulated by the same mechanisms and suggest that ZP protein expression does not necessarily imply exposure to estrogenic compounds alone, and may thus not be ideally suited as a biomarker of exposure to estrogenic compounds.

This study was performed to investigate stress effects on the synthesis of egg yolk precursor, vitellogenin (Vtg) in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). In particular the effect of cortisol (F) was determined since this stress hormone has been suggested to interfere with vitellogenesis and is upregulated during sexual maturation in teleosts. Arctic char Vtg was purified and polyclonal antibodies were produced in order to develop tools to study regulation of vitellogenesis. The Vtg antibodies were used to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The corresponding Vtg cDNA was cloned from a hepatic cDNA library in order to obtain DNA probes to measure Vtg mRNA expression. Analysis of plasma from juvenile Arctic char, of both sexes, exposed to different steroids showed that production of Vtg was induced in a dose dependent fashion by 17beta-estradiol (E2), estrone and estriol. Apart from estrogens a high dose of F also upregulated Vtg. In addition, F, progesterone (P) and tamoxifen were tested to determine these compounds ability to modulate E2 induced Vtg synthesis at both the mRNA and protein level. Tamoxifen was found to inhibit E2 induced Vtg mRNA and protein upregulation. P did not alter the Vtg induction while F reduced the Vtg protein levels without affecting the Vtg mRNA levels. Furthermore the inhibition of Vtg protein was found to be dose dependent. Thus, the inhibitory effect of F on Vtg appears to be mediated at the post-transcriptional level.