Marginalization of end-use technologies in energy innovation for climate protection

Mitigating climate change requires directed innovation efforts to develop and deploy energy technologies. Innovation activities are directed towards the outcome of climate protection by public institutions, policies and resources that in turn shape market behaviour. We analyse diverse indicators of activity throughout the innovation system to assess these efforts. We find efficient end-use technologies contribute large potential emission reductions and provide higher social returns on investment than energy-supply technologies. Yet public institutions, policies and financial resources pervasively privilege energy-supply technologies. Directed innovation efforts are strikingly misaligned with the needs of an emissions-constrained world. Significantly greater effort is needed to develop the full potential of efficient end-use technologies

Stomach cancer and occupational exposure to asbestos: a meta-analysis of occupational cohort studies

BACKGROUND: A recent Monographs Working Group of the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that there is limited evidence for a causal association between exposure to asbestos and stomach cancer. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis to quantitatively evaluate this association. Random effects models were used to summarise the relative risks across studies. Sources of heterogeneity were explored through subgroup analyses and meta-regression. RESULTS: We identified 40 mortality cohort studies from 37 separate papers, and cancer incidence data were extracted for 15 separate cohorts from 14 papers. The overall meta-SMR for stomach cancer for total cohort was 1.15 (95% confidence interval 1.03–1.27), with heterogeneous results across studies. Statistically significant excesses were observed in North America and Australia but not in Europe, and for generic asbestos workers and insulators. Meta-SMRs were larger for cohorts reporting a SMR for lung cancer above 2 and cohort sizes below 1000. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the conclusion by IARC that exposure to asbestos is associated with a moderate increased risk of stomach cancer

An increased response to experimental muscle pain is related to psychological status in women with chronic non-traumatic neck-shoulder pain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neck-shoulder pain conditions, e.g., chronic trapezius myalgia, have been associated with sensory disturbances such as increased sensitivity to experimentally induced pain. This study investigated pain sensitivity in terms of bilateral pressure pain thresholds over the trapezius and tibialis anterior muscles and pain responses after a unilateral hypertonic saline infusion into the right legs tibialis anterior muscle and related those parameters to intensity and area size of the clinical pain and to psychological factors (sleeping problems, depression, anxiety, catastrophizing and fear-avoidance).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Nineteen women with chronic non-traumatic neck-shoulder pain but without simultaneous anatomically widespread clinical pain (NSP) and 30 age-matched pain-free female control subjects (CON) participated in the study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>NSP had lower pressure pain thresholds over the trapezius and over the tibialis anterior muscles and experienced hypertonic saline-evoked pain in the tibialis anterior muscle to be significantly more intense and locally more widespread than CON. More intense symptoms of anxiety and depression together with a higher disability level were associated with increased pain responses to experimental pain induction and a larger area size of the clinical neck-shoulder pain at its worst.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results indicate that central mechanisms e.g., central sensitization and altered descending control, are involved in chronic neck-shoulder pain since sensory hypersensitivity was found in areas distant to the site of clinical pain. Psychological status was found to interact with the perception, intensity, duration and distribution of induced pain (hypertonic saline) together with the spreading of clinical pain. The duration and intensity of pain correlated negatively with pressure pain thresholds.</p

FERTILISATION STRATEGIES ACROSS EUROPE: CURRENT SITUATION, POTENTIAL AND LIMITS FOR A HARMONISED APPROACH

Peer reviewe

Reading tea leaves worldwide: Decoupled drivers of initial litter decomposition mass‐loss rate and stabilization

The breakdown of plant material fuels soil functioning and biodiversity. Currently, process understanding of global decomposition patterns and the drivers of such patterns are hampered by the lack of coherent large-scale datasets. We buried 36,000 individual litterbags (tea bags) worldwide and found an overall negative correlation between initial mass-loss rates and stabilization factors of plant-derived carbon, using the Tea Bag Index (TBI). The stabilization factor quantifies the degree to which easy-to-degrade components accumulate during early-stage decomposition (e.g. by environmental limitations). However, agriculture and an interaction between moisture and temperature led to a decoupling between initial mass-loss rates and stabilization, notably in colder locations. Using TBI improved mass-loss estimates of natural litter compared to models that ignored stabilization. Ignoring the transformation of dead plant material to more recalcitrant substances during early-stage decomposition, and the environmental control of this transformation, could overestimate carbon losses during early decomposition in carbon cycle models

Reading tea leaves worldwide: decoupled drivers of initial litter decomposition mass-loss rate and stabilisation

The breakdown of plant material fuels soil functioning and biodiversity. Currently, process understanding of global decomposition patterns and the drivers of such patterns are hampered by the lack of coherent large-scale datasets. We buried 36,000 individual litterbags (tea bags) worldwide and found an overall negative correlation between initial mass-loss rates and stabilization factors of plant-derived carbon, using the Tea Bag Index (TBI). The stabilization factor quantifies the degree to which easy-to-degrade components accumulate during early-stage decomposition (e.g. by environmental limitations). However, agriculture and an interaction between moisture and temperature led to a decoupling between initial mass-loss rates and stabilization, notably in colder locations. Using TBI improved mass-loss estimates of natural litter compared to models that ignored stabilization. Ignoring the transformation of dead plant material to more recalcitrant substances during early-stage decomposition, and the environmental control of this transformation, could overestimate carbon losses during early decomposition in carbon cycle models

Reading tea leaves worldwide: decoupled drivers of initial litter decomposition mass‐loss rate and stabilization

The breakdown of plant material fuels soil functioning and biodiversity. Currently, process understanding of global decomposition patterns and the drivers of such patterns are hampered by the lack of coherent large‐scale datasets. We buried 36,000 individual litterbags (tea bags) worldwide and found an overall negative correlation between initial mass‐loss rates and stabilization factors of plant‐derived carbon, using the Tea Bag Index (TBI). The stabilization factor quantifies the degree to which easy‐to‐degrade components accumulate during early‐stage decomposition (e.g. by environmental limitations). However, agriculture and an interaction between moisture and temperature led to a decoupling between initial mass‐loss rates and stabilization, notably in colder locations. Using TBI improved mass‐loss estimates of natural litter compared to models that ignored stabilization. Ignoring the transformation of dead plant material to more recalcitrant substances during early‐stage decomposition, and the environmental control of this transformation, could overestimate carbon losses during early decomposition in carbon cycle models

I. Vibrationsskador hos bilmekaniker II. Handeksem hos bilmekaniker

I. Vibrationsskador hos bilmekaniker Questionnaires on Raynaud's phenomenom, neurological symptoms in the hands, and occupational history, were completed by 806 out of 900 car mechanics affiliated to an occupational health center. Three hundred and nineteen of them were clinically examined, and vibration-induced white fingers (VWF) and sensory-neural stages classified according to the Stockholm Workshop scales. In 51 mechanics the actual work time with vibrating tools was recorded during 91 work days. The mean daily exposure time was 14 minutes, mainly with nut-runners. VWF were diagnosed in 128 car mechanics, most of them in stage 2, a minimum prevalence of 14 percent. After 20 years of exposure about 25 percent had VWF. The incidence was about 15 per 1000 person-years. Numbing of fingers or decreased sensitivity was found in 184 mechanics, a minimum prevalence of 20 percent. After 20 years of exposure 40 percent had neurological symptoms or signs in their hands. The hand-arm vibration syndrome is common among Swedish car mechanics in spite of short daily exposure time. Preventive measures should be taken to reduce the exposure to vibration. II. Handeksem hos bilmekaniker To estimate the prevalence of hand eczema, a questionnaire was distributed to 900 male car mechanics. Of the 801 persons who responded, 15 percent reported hand eczema on some occasion in the previous 12 months, and 57 percent stated dry skin on the hands. The proportions are higher than those previously found in a random sample of males in Göteborg. In a second part of the study, those who reported hand eczema were examined and patch tested with a standard series and a special "car mechanics' series". The hand eczema diagnosis was confirmed in 11 percent. However, the true prevalence should be higher considering non-attenders and falsely negative answers to the questionnaire. The most common diagnosis was irritant contact dermatitis, 55 percent, and second was allergic contact dermatitis, 19 percent. 35/105 (33 percent) had altogether 51 positive patch test reactions, all to substances in the standard series, except for two persons who reacted to oxidized d-limonene. The most frequent reactions were to thiomersal (9 percent), nickel (8 percent) and colophony (5 percent). One plausible explanation of the high prevalence of nickel allergy was the common use of nickel-plated tools. Five individuals had a history of contact urticaria but scratch tests were negative. It was concluded that car mechanics are at high risk for contact dermatitis on the hands, irritant as well as allergic.I. Vibrationsskador hos bilmekaniker Till samtliga 900 bilmekaniker anslutna till Motorhälsan i Göteborg, sändes enkäter om vibrerande handverktyg och symptom på vibrationsskador. Svar inkom från 806 mekaniker och 319 av dessa läkarundersöktes. Vita fingrar och tecken till nervpåverkan stadieindelades enligt Stockholmsskalorna. Hos 51 mekaniker gjordes under 91 arbetsdagar en kartläggning av faktisk exponeringstid för vibrationer. Den genomsnittliga exponeringstiden var 14 minuter, fr a mutterdragare. Vibrationsorsakade vita fingrar kunde konstateras hos 128 bilmekaniker, de flesta i stadium 2, vilket ger en minimiprevalens om 14 procent. Efter 20 år hade 25 procent vita fingrar. Incidensen var ca 15 per 1000 personår. Domningar, nedsatt känsel eller finmotorik fanns hos 184 av de läkarundersökta mekanikerna, en minimiprevalens om 20 procent. Efter 20 år hade 40 procent tecken till nervpåverkan i händerna. Vibrationsskador är således vanliga hos svenska bilmekaniker trots en kort användningstid för vibrerande handverktyg. Åtgärder bör vidtas för minska vibrationsexponeringen. II. Handeksem hos bilmekaniker I syfte att studera förekomst av handeksem distribuerades ett frågeformulär till 900 manliga bilmekaniker. Av de 801 personer som svarade, uppgav 15 procent att de hade haft handeksem vid något tillfälle under de senaste 12 månaderna och 57 procent rapporterade torr hud på händerna. Dessa siffror är högre än vad som tidigare noterats hos ett slumpmässigt urval av män i Göteborg. I en senare fas av studien undersöktes de som uppgivit handeksem och de lapptestades med standardserie och med en speciell "bilmekanikerserie". Diagnosen handeksem kunde fastställas hos 11 procent. Den sanna prevalensen kan dock vara högre, med hänsyn till bortfall och falskt negativa svar på frågeformuläret. Den vanligaste diagnosen var icke-allergiskt kontakteskem, 55 procent, och på andra plats kom allergiskt kontakteksem, 19 procent. 35/105 (33 procent) hade sammanlagt 51 positiva lapptestreaktioner, alla för ämnen i standardserien, med undantag för två personer, som reagerade på oxiderad d-limonen. De vanligaste reaktionerna var mot tiomersal (9 procent), nickel (8 procent) och kolofonium (5 procent). En trolig förklaring till den höga prevalensen av nickelallergi var användning av förnicklade verktyg. Fem individer uppgav symptom tydande på kontakturtikaria men scratch tester var negativa. Slutsatsen från studien är att bilmekaniker har en hög risk för kontakteksem på händerna, både icke-allergiskt och allergiskt