Modelling of Crankcase Gas Behaviour in a Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine

The origin of many environmental and health hazardous emissions from diesel engines are the crankcase gases. Since no regulations of the emission levels from the crankcase have existed in the past, no attention has been paid to cleaning crankcase gases. New regulations are coming up and they will all demand lower emissions from the engine. This has lead to the introduction of the Alfdex separator. The Alfdex separator is built to separate oil droplets and soot from the crankcase gases. In the research work made in this master thesis, we have investigated the possibilities to model the crankcase gases with respect to flow rate and oil content with some parameters of the engine. The model could then be used as an input to a controller that controls the separator speed. Since the test engine used here is old and is not in production anymore, the idea of the modelling is to find more general characteristics rather than specifics for the tested engine. The work made in this master thesis shows that the crankcase gas flow rate can be modelled in a good way. The identifying process done here is accomplished by field tests on a Volvo bus equipped with a TD123E motor, which is a 6 cylinder, 12 litres, turbocharged diesel engine. Since no prior testing had been made, the project involved much practical work such as test rig building, mounting on the bus etc. The measurements on crankcase gases have been made both at stationary modes and dynamically. The project also involves measurements of the oil content in crankcase gases. These measurements have been made at steady state, with no possibility to investigate the dynamic behaviour of the oil aerosol. The tests made on the size distribution of oil in the crankcase gases gives a hint to the future development of a controller

Mate Guarding by Curlew Sandpipers (Calidris Ferruginea) during Spring Migration in North Siberia

It is poorly known whether arctic-breeding shorebirds form pairs before or after arrival at the breeding site. We describe the display and mate-guarding of curlew sandpipers Calidris ferruginea at at stopover site in high arctic Siberia, suggesting that in this species pairs may be formed before the birds reach their final nesting localities.Key words: shorebirds, mate guarding, migration, curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferrugineu, SiberiaOn ne sait pas très bien si les oiseaux de rivage qui nichent dans l'Arctique forment des couples avant où après leur arrivée sur l'aire de reproduction. On décrit le comportement de cour et de garde du partenaire chez le bécasseau cocorli (Calidris ferruginea) à un site de passage en Sibérie boréale, en suggérant que chez cette espèce, les couples se constituent avant que les oiseaux n'atteignent leur aire de ponte finale.Mots clés : oiseaux de rivage, garde du partenaire, migration, bécasseau cocorli, Culidris fermginea, Sibéri

Long-term increase of fat mass after a four week intervention with fast food based hyper-alimentation and limitation of physical activity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A sedentary lifestyle and increased consumption of energy dense food have become more common in many parts of the world. The aim of this study was to study long term effects on body composition after a four week intervention with fast food based hyper-alimentation and limited physical activity in young normal weight subjects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighteen subjects, mean age 26 (6.6) years, increased their energy intake with in average 70% and physical activity were not to exceed 5000 steps/day. Body composition was measured by Dual energy x-ray (DXA) at baseline, after the intervention and after 12 months. A matched control group was also included. ANOVA and Student's paired and unpaired t-test were used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the intervention body weight increased with 6.4 (2.8) kg and DXA measurements showed increases of both fat free mass and fat mass. Six months after the intervention the subjects had lost most of the weight gain, - 4.7 (3.1) kg. Twelve months after the intervention body weight had increased with 1.5 (2.4) kg compared to baseline (p = 0.018). DXA measurements at 12 months showed unchanged fat free mass compared to baseline but higher fat mass, + 1.4 (1.9) kg (p = 0.01). After 2.5 years the increase of body weight was 3.1 (4.0) kg (p = 0.01) while there was no change in controls compared to baseline, + 0.1(2.5) kg (p = 0.88).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>One year after a short term intervention with increased fast food based hyper-alimentation there was an increase of fat mass but unchanged fat free mass. As the change of fat mass was larger than expected from prospective epidemiological studies and as there was no increase of body weight in controls it raises the issue whether there is a long-term effect to increase fat mass of a short period of hyper-alimentation.</p

Living Labs - att arbeta med användardriven innovation

Living Labs är ett koncept för utveckling av innovativa produkter och tjänster på IKT-basis och utvecklades under senare delen av nittiotalet vid universitetet MIT. Inom Living Labs finns ännu inga klara metoder och riktlinjer för hur arbetsprocessen bör gå till, vår ambition var att belysa områden som vi såg som kritiska för processen. Vi fann det också intressant att studera vilka förväntningar det fanns på Living Labs samt vilka fördelar och nackdelar den här projektformen gav. Vi avgränsade oss till fyra projekt och genomförde explorativa intervjuer med varje projektledare. Våra intervjuer visade på att konceptet har fått positiv respons, de inledande faserna har fungerat väl och det är också där det finns flest klara metoder och riktlinjer. Vår studie visade på att den största problematiken i projekten uppstod i slutet av arbetsprocessen. Resultatet åskådliggjorde att det fanns stor efterfrågan på tydliga metoder, främst beträffande implementering och kommersialisering

Latviešu valodas institūta žurnāls

Objective. To prospectively evaluate the effects of resistance training combined with increased energy intake or protein-supplementation on lean body-mass, resting metabolic-rate (RMR) and cardiovascular risk factors. Methods. Twenty-four healthy males (aged 19-32 years) performed resistance exercise for 12 weeks aiming for at least 1 hour training-sessions 3 times a week. The participants were randomized to consume extra protein (33 g whey protein/day) or a meal of fast-food/day (1350 kcal, 41 g protein). Body-composition was measured with Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) and RMR by indirect calorimetry. Fasting blood samples were drawn before and after the 3-month training period and after 12 months. Results. The body weight increased from 75.1 +/- 6.9 kg to 78.7 +/- 7.2 kg (p andlt; 0.0001), without differences between the groups. RMR increased from 1787 +/- 143 kcal/24 h to 1954 +/- 187 kcal/24 h (p andlt; 0.0001, N = 24), which was more than expected from the increase in lean body-mass (increase from 59.7 +/- 4.3 kg to 61.8 +/- 4.1 kg p = 0.004). Fasting serum-insulin levels increased in the fast-food group compared with the extra-protein group (p = 0.03). ApoB increased from 0.691 +/- 0.14 g/L to 0.768 +/- 0.17 g/L, p = 0.004, in the fast-food group only. Long-term follow up after 12 months showed that RMR, body weight, total fat and lean body-masses did not differ from baseline (n = 19). Conclusions. Resistance training for 12 weeks increased RMR and lean body-mass similarly when based on either an increased energy-intake or protein supplement. However, the increase in RMR was higher than expected from the increase in lean body-mass. Thus resistance training could potentially decrease the risk of obesity by induction of increased RMR.Funding Agencies|University Hospital of Linkoping Research Funds||Linkoping University||Gamla Tjanarinnor||Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden||Diabetes Research Centre of Linkoping University||</p

Accept eller förkastande av ett fientligt bud - Faktorer som påverkar aktieägarna

Syftet med den här studien är att redogöra för vilka faktorer som påverkar aktieägare i valet mellan att acceptera eller förkasta ett fientligt bud och att undersöka hur dessa faktorer påverkar aktieägarna. Studien använder sig av en kvalitativ metod genom en fallstudie, där empiri har samlats in genom ostrukturerade intervjuer. Fallstudien baseras på det bud som finpapperstillverkaren Arctic Paper lade på massaproducenten Rottneros under åren 2012 - 2013. I studien har vi använt oss av bland annat Hedlund et al. (1985) för att identifiera olika aktieägargrupper, och Hirschmans (1970) teori om voice, exit och loyalty för att analysera aktieägares beteende. Med hjälp av teori och den insamlade empirin fann vi empiriskt stöd för tre av Hedlunds aktieägartyper - finansförvaltaren, investeraren och lojalisten. Vi identifierade sedan fyra teman som påverkat dessa aktieägargrupper i budprocessen. Dessa är budets premium och dess utformning, de utlovade synergieffekterna, synen på det budande företaget och lojalitet till det egna företaget. Slutsatsen av den här studien är hur viktigt det är för det budande företaget att göra en analys av aktieägarstrukturen i målföretaget för att maximera sannolikheten för att det fientliga budet ska kunna lyckas

Single-operator peroral pancreatoscopy in the preoperative diagnostics of suspected main duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms : efficacy and novel insights on complications

Background Distinguishing intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) from other pancreatic cystic lesions is essential since IPMNs carry the risk of becoming malignant. Differentiating the main pancreatic duct involving IPMNs (MD-IPMNs) through conventional imaging is deficient. Single-operator peroral pancreatoscopy (SOPP) represents a promising method offering additional information on suspected lesions in the pancreatic main duct (MD). We aimed to determine the role of SOPP in the preoperative diagnostics of suspected MD-IPMNs and identify factors contributing to SOPP-related complications. Materials and Methods In this primarily retrospective study, SOPPs were performed at three high-volume centers on suspected MD-IPMNs. Primary outcome was the clinical impact of SOPP to subsequent patient care. Additionally, we documented post-SOPP complications and analyzed several assumed patient- and procedure-related risk factors. Results One hundred and one (101) SOPPs were performed. Subsequent clinical management was affected due to the findings in 86 (85%) cases. Surgery was planned for 29 (29%) patients. A condition other than IPMN explaining MD dilatation was found in 28 (28%) cases. In 35 (35%) cases, follow-up with MRI was continued. Post-SOPP pancreatitis occurred in 20 (20%) patients and one of them was fatal. A decrease in odds of post-SOPP pancreatitis was seen as the MD diameter increases (OR 0.714 for 1.0 mm increase in MD diameter, CI 95% 0.514-0.993, p = 0.045). Furthermore, a correlation between lower MD diameter values and higher severity post-SOPP pancreatitis was seen (T-JT = 599, SE = 116.6, z = - 2.31; p = 0.020). History of pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was a confirmed risk factor for post-SOPP pancreatitis. Conclusions between complications and other risk factors could not be drawn. Conclusion SOPP aids clinical decision-making in suspected MD-IPMNs. Risk for post-SOPP pancreatitis is not negligible compared to non-invasive imaging methods. The risk for pancreatitis decreases as the diameter of the MD increases.Peer reviewe

The Fourteenth Amendment, the “Right” to Vote, and the Understanding of the Thirty-Ninth Congress

If that history does not prove what I think it does, we are at least entitled to be told why