Economic Freedom and Growth:Decomposing the Effects

Most studies of the relation between economic freedom and growth of GDP have found a positive relation. One problem in this area is the choice of economic freedom measure. A single measure does notreflect the complex economic environment and a highly aggregated index makes it difficult to draw policy conclusions. In this paper we investigate what specific types of economic freedom measures that are important for growth. The robustness of the results is carefully analysed since the potential problem with multicollinearity is one of the negative effects of decomposing an index. The results show that economic freedom does matter for growth. This does not mean that increasing economic freedom, definedin general terms, is good for economic growth since some of the categories in the index are insignificant and some of the significant variables have negative effects.Economic growth; Economic freedom

Induction heating of carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites : Characterization and modelling

Carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) are lightweight materials with great potential due to their high strength and stiffness relative to their weight. This enables weight reduction in, for example, vehicles, which is important in reducing energy consumption. Their high strength and stiffness along the fibre direction also enable the development of new types of construction parts. The manufacturing of thermoset-based CFRP is often a time-consuming process with relatively low energy efficiency. Common manufacturing methods such as resin transfer moulding, compression moulding, and autoclaving use significantly more energy than is needed to cure the CFRP part. This is because the heat is transferred conductively via the part surface from a tool with a large mass. However, other potential heating methods are available. Due to the electrical conductivity of carbon fibres, it is possible to use induction heating. This means that the heat is generated directly within the CFRP part without the need to heat a tool with a large thermal mass. The idea of using this technique to heat CFRP is not new, but the anisotropy of the material means that it is associated with a higher level of complexity than the induction heating of metals.To make the heat and temperature distribution more predictable, there is a need for better models and knowledge of how the heat is generated and how the temperature is distributed within CFRP during induction heating. In this thesis, different CFRP configurations were characterized and modelled to provide knowledge and methods for predicting the induction heating behaviour of CFRP. The development of the models has resulted in temperature prediction tools, useful for a wide range of fibre volume fractions, and for both woven and cross-ply layups. Methods for characterization of thermal and electrical input parameters to the models were identified and developed. The temperature distributions predicted by the models were proven to be valid

ANT-Maps: Visualising Perspectives of Business and Information Systems

In the IS-literature, graphical representations often accompany Actor-Network Theory (ANT) analyses of IS-initiatives, serving as tools for improving visibility of the case and interest and power of actors. Building on a comprehensive literature survey, we identify a gap in existing visualisation approaches, as these mainly focus on offering visual support of the case. We present a visualisation approach and a generic, precise and well defined notation that is directly mapped to key concepts of ANT, highlighting the process of translating actors to commit to the implementation initiative. The approach is illustrated by an actor-network analysis of a particular IS-initiative in a Swedish media organisation

Extractables studies on single-use components in the manufacture of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs)

Antibody drug conjugates (ADC) is a class of biotherapeutic molecules that are rapidly growing in numbers with at least two products on the market and multiple in clinical trials. The health and safety risks of the cytotoxic drugs commonly used in ADCs are so high that it creates unique challenges for their manufacturing, specifically the containment of the coupling reactions but also subsequent removal of uncoupled drug and unwanted product variants. This type of production is a prime example for when a disposable “closed-system” approach can offer advantages. Elimination of cross-contamination between batches, avoidance of large amount of toxic waste from the cleaning process, and minimization of the exposure to operators to the toxic drugs are particularly appealing to the manufacturer of ADC’s. In ADC manufacturing processes, solvents such as DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) and DMA (dimethylacetamide) are often used. The compatibility between the process fluids and the plastic/ elastomeric materials used to fabricate single-use components is clearly critical and needs to be assessed. An approach to the assessment of chemical compatibility and the outcome of a model solvent extractables study addressing the disposable parts that are exposed to chemicals and reaction solutions will be presented

Minimal selective concentrations of tetracycline in complex aquatic bacterial biofilms

Selection pressure generated by antibiotics released into the environment could enrich for antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic resistant bacteria, thereby increasing the risk for transmission to humans and animals. Tetracyclines comprise an antibiotic class of great importance to both human and animal health. Accordingly, residues of tetracycline are commonly detected in aquatic environments. To assess if tetracycline pollution in aquatic environments promotes development of resistance, we determined minimal selective concentrations (MSCs) in biofilms of complex aquatic bacterial communities using both phenotypic and genotypic assays. Tetracycline significantly increased the relative abundance of resistant bacteria at 10 μg/L, while specific tet genes (tetA and tetG) increased significantly at the lowest concentration tested (1 μg/L). Taxonomic composition of the biofilm communities was altered with increasing tetracycline concentrations. Metagenomic analysis revealed a concurrent increase of several tet genes and a range of other genes providing resistance to different classes of antibiotics (e.g. cmlA, floR, sul1, and mphA), indicating potential for co-selection. Consequently, MSCs for the tet genes of ≤ 1 μg/L suggests that current exposure levels in e.g. sewage treatment plants could be sufficient to promote resistance. The methodology used here to assess MSCs could be applied in risk assessment of other antibiotics as well

The Effects of Economic and Political Freedom on CO2 Emissions

In this paper we investigate the effects of political and economic freedom on CO2 emissions. As far as we know this is the first cross-country study of the relationship between economic freedom and environmental quality. Economic freedom is measured in several ways. We find that increased price stability and legal structure decrease emissions in countries with a small industry share of GDP, but increases emissions in countries with a large industry share of GDP. The decreasing effect from increased use of market is significant but non-robust, and increased freedom to trade does not have any significant effect. The effect of political freedom on CO2 emissions is insignificant, most probably since CO2 emissions is a global environmental problem and hence subject to free-riding by the individual countries