Business development in renewable energy

This paper discusses how to foster development of renewable energy business. Factors that impede or enhance renewable energy in the EU 27 member states in the period 1998–2008 are analyzed. Nine factors are considered: population density, production output and energy sector output to indicate market conditions, public total expenditures, subsidies and environmental protection expenditures to indicate institutional conditions, R&D, share of students in population and venture capital to indicate firm’s resources. Scarce space for business development and vested energy interests are the main impediments. R&D and venture capital are main drivers. The US and EU support for R&D and venture capital in renewable energy are compared. The US support is larger and mainly based on R&D grants. It has generated large, innovative enterprises. The EU support is mainly based on price guarantees for renewable energy delivery to grid. It has generated many enterprises. Building capabilities through stakeholders’ networks in early phase of business development and clusters in the later phase is recommended

The German Young Olympic Athletes' Lifestyle and Health Management Study (GOAL Study): design of a mixed-method study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In order to perform at top levels, elite athletes have to both protect and risk their health at the same time. Adolescent elite athletes have the additional challenge of coping with substantial physical, psychological and social transformations. The contradictory phenomenon of protecting and risking the adolescent athletes' health in sports challenges the development of health promotion and protection strategies. The GOAL Study (German Young Olympic Athletes' Lifestyle and Health Management Study) analyzes the individual and organizational management of health in adolescent elite sports.</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>We combine quantitative and qualitative approaches in a mixed-method study. This allows us to gather a broad range of representative information on squad athletes from all Olympic disciplines as well as in-depth information on four selected Olympic disciplines (artistic gymnastics, biathlon, handball and wrestling). Within the quantitative section we attempt to identify the young athletes' health and nutrition behavior, their subjective health state and their lay health representations, health-related social networks, and structures of medical attendance. 1138 national team level athletes born between 1992 and 1995 from 51 Olympic disciplines responded to the questionnaire (response rate: 61,75%). The qualitative section investigates the meaning and relevance of health and nutrition within the athletes' sports specific surroundings, the impact of biographic backgrounds on individual health behavior, and sports specific cultures of health, nutrition and risk. We interviewed 24 athletes and 28 coaching and medical experts, and carried out 14 multi-day participant observations at training sessions and competitions.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The studies' results will serve as the basis for developing tailored health promotion strategies to be in cooperation with German elite sports associations.</p

Hands-on and beam loss criterion at SARAF SC linac

Beam loss criterion for beam dynamics simulation is derived from the dose rate level which will allow hands-on maintenance. In this short paper we define a new beam loss criterion for SARAF SC (Super Conducting) linac based on the hands-on maintenance criterion used successfully for maintenance of high energy high intensity proton linacs. According to the high intensity proton linacs facilities working experience, we suggest a realistic dose limit for the SARAF which will allow hands-on maintenance. At this approach the annual dose limit for design (define as 1/10 of the annual dose limit for worker, 2000 mrem), will be taken into account at the maintenance program of the linac. We also repeated the residual activity calculation along the SC linac with novel experimental cross sections. Based on this analysis we suggest that the beam loss criterion will vary along the SC linac to keep the dose rate below 10 mrem/h. In this new definition the beam loss criterion is around 200 nA/m in the MEBT and decreases to 1 nA/m at 40 MeV

Risk behaviors for eating disorder: factors associated in adolescent students

INTRODUCTION: Evidence shows that the prevalence of risk behaviors for eating disorders (RBED) among young people has increased in recent years. Body dissatisfaction, excessive exercise, body composition, economic status, and ethnicity may be risk factors for RBED. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of body dissatisfaction, psychological commitment to exercise, body fat, nutritional status, economic class, and ethnicity with RBED in adolescents. METHOD: This study included 562 boys and girls aged 10 to 15 years. We used the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) to assess RBED. The Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and the Commitment to Exercise Scale (CES) were used to measure body dissatisfaction and commitment to exercise, respectively. Skin fold thickness was measured to classify body fat according to sex. Weight and height were measured to calculate the body mass index (BMI) and classify participants according to nutritional status. The economic class was recorded according to the Brazilian Economic Classification Criterion. A questionnaire was used to record ethnicity, age and sex. Binary logistic regression was used to determine associations between variables. RESULTS: The results showed an association of RBED with body dissatisfaction, CES scores, and economic class among girls (p < 0.05). Among boys, body dissatisfaction, body fat, and nutritional status were associated with RBED (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Even though body dissatisfaction had the highest odds ratio, other variables were also associated with RBED