Hydrocatalysis: a new energy paradigm for the 21st century

This thesis will review the problems of worldwide energy supply, describe the current technologies that meet the energy needs of our industrial societies, summarize the environmental impacts of those fuels and technologies and their increased use by a growing global and increasingly technical economy. This work will also describe and advance the technology being developed by BlackLight Power, Inc. [BLP], a scientific company located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. BLP\u27s technology purports to offer commercially viable and useful heat generation via a previously unrecognized natural phenomenon - the catalytic reduction of the hydrogen atom to a lower energy state. A review of this experimenter\u27s laboratory data conducted as part of this research as well as that of others is provided to substantiate the fact that replication of the experimental conditions which are favorable to initiating and sustaining the new energy release process will generate controllable, reproducible, sustainable and commercially meaningful heat. By the end of the thesis the reader will have substantial information to draw a conclusion for themselves as to the potential of BLP technology to achieve commercialization and become a new energy paradigm for the next century

Herd-level risk factors associated with cow mortality in Swedish dairy herds

An increase in on-farm mortality (euthanasia and death) in dairy herds has been reported in several countries in the last decade. This does not only imply possible problems with animal welfare, but it also causes economic losses to the farmer. The objective of this study was to evaluate time trends in on-farm dairy cow mortality in Sweden and identify potential herd-level risk factors. Data was retrieved on all Swedish dairy herds enrolled in the milk recording scheme between 2002 and 2010. Herds with a herd size of 40 dead or euthanized cows per 100 cow-years were excluded. Two different models were used: 1 multiple year analysis which included 6,898 herds during the period 2002 to 2010 and 1 single year analysis including 4,252 herds for the year 2010, where other variables that were not present during the entire multiple year study were analyzed. The outcome variable was the number of euthanized and dead cows per year and season. A negative binomial regression model, adjusted for clustering within herd, was applied to both models. Fixed effects in the multiple year analysis were breed, calving interval, herd size, milk yield, region, season, pasture period, and year. Fixed effects in the single year analysis were breed, calving interval, conventional vs. organic farming, herd size, housing system, milk yield, region, and season. The multiple year analysis demonstrated that MR gradually increased from 5.1 to 6.6 events per 100 cow-years during the study period. Swedish MR are consequently on par with, or even greater than, MR among dairy herds in other comparable countries. Higher mortality was associated with larger herd size, longer calving intervals, and herds that had Swedish Holstein as the predominant breed. Lower mortality was observed in herds with a higher herd average milk yield, during the fall and winter, and in organically managed herds. There were regional differences in mortality. An interaction between herd size and season was found in both models. Also, an interaction between housing system and milk yield was found in the single year analysis. This first assessment of on-farm mortality in Swedish dairy herds confirmed that the MR has increased over the last few years. The study also identified some herd-level risk factors

European farming and post-2013 CAP measures. A quantitative impact assessment

Following the paradigm for reforming the current CAP, the first objective of this study is to give insights into the economic impact of post-2013 CAP measures at different levels of aggregation (e.g. EU, Member State and region). The post-2013 CAP measures included are directed towards income for the farmers, competitiveness, valuable areas and ecosystem services. The second objective is to analyse the impact of a scenario that combines the above mentioned post-2013 CAP measures. This study can be seen as a first attempt to quantify the transition to a CAP with more targeted measures at the European level and reveals considerable methodological and data challenges. A key finding is that the impact of the various measures is very different with regard to various economic indicators.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Impact of Agricultural and Trade Policy Reform on land-use within the EU

Land Economics/Use,

The Incidence and Clinical Relevance of Graft Hypertrophy After Matrix-Based Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation

Background: Graft hypertrophy is the most common complication of periosteal autologous chondrocyte implantation (p-ACI). Purpose: The aim of this prospective study was to analyze the development, the incidence rate, and the persistence of graft hypertrophy after matrix-based autologous chondrocyte implantation (mb-ACI) in the knee joint within a 2-year postoperative course. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Between 2004 and 2007, a total of 41 patients with 44 isolated cartilage defects of the knee were treated with the mb-ACI technique. The mean age of the patients was 35.8 years (standard deviation [SD], 11.3 years), and the mean body mass index was 25.9 (SD, 4.2; range, 19-35.3). The cartilage defects were arthroscopically classified as Outerbridge grades III and IV. The mean area of the cartilage defect measured 6.14 cm2 (SD, 2.3 cm2). Postoperative clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were conducted at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months to analyze the incidence and course of the graft. Results: Graft hypertrophy developed in 25% of the patients treated with mb-ACI within a postoperative course of 1 year; 16% of the patients developed hypertrophy grade 2, and 9% developed hypertrophy grade 1. Graft hypertrophy occurred primarily in the first 12 months and regressed in most cases within 2 years. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores improved during the postoperative follow-up time of 2 years. There was no difference between the clinical results regarding the IKDC and VAS pain scores and the presence of graft hypertrophy. Conclusion: The mb-ACI technique does not lead to graft hypertrophy requiring treatment as opposed to classic p-ACI. The frequency of occurrence of graft hypertrophy after p-ACI and mb-ACI is comparable. Graft hypertrophy can be considered as a temporary excessive growth of regenerative cartilage tissue rather than a true graft hypertrophy. It is therefore usually not a persistent or systematic complication in the treatment of circumscribed cartilage defects with mb-ACI

Interventions for lifestyle changes to promote weight reduction, a randomized controlled trial in primary health care

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are growing public health problems in high income countries and is now growing at a dramatic pace in low and middle income countries, particularly in urban settings. The aim of this trial was to examine the effects of a weight reduction program in adults and to determine whether or not a more extensive intervention was superior to ordinary care. METHODS: Patients seeking advice for overweight/obesity or illness related to overweight/obesity at eight primary health care centers in Sweden were randomized either to intervention or control care groups with both groups given dietary advice and individualized information on increased regular physical activity. In the intervention group advice was more extensive and follow-up more frequent than in the control group during the study period of two years. Main outcome measure was reduction in body weight of five percent or more from study start. RESULTS: From October 2004 to April 2006, 133 patients, 67 in the intervention group and 66 in the control group, were randomized over a period of 18 months. Target weight was achieved at 12 months by 26.7% of the patients in the intervention group compared with 18.4% in the control group (p = 0.335). There was an average absolute weight loss of 2.5 kg in the intervention group and 0.8 kg in the control group at 12 months as compared with the weight at study entry. There were no significant differences between the groups in quality of life, blood glucose and lipids. At 24 months target weight was achieved in 21.9% versus 15.6%, with an average weight reduction of 1.9 kg and 1.2 kg in the two groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Promotion of a diet with limited energy intake, appropriate composition of food and increased physical activity had limited effects on body weight in a Swedish primary care setting. More extensive advice and more frequent visits made no significant difference to the outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT0160691

Travel Decision-making: The Role of Habit

The complexity of travel decision making is widely recognized and has previous been studied by the means of grand models and process studies. This study has used the Self-Reported Habit Index of Verplanken and Orbell (2003) to measure habit strength in 23 statements concerning travel decision making. The four sub-decisions of particular interest in this study were; where and when to go on vacation, what to do, as well as how to travel to the chosen destination. The developed instrument unfolds a well recognized structure of travel behavior, results which validate the statements of SRHI and its applicability to the field of tourism. This research adds to the field of travel decision making by emphasizing the possibility to identify sub-decisions that are made out of habit and to use habit as a platform for tourist segmentation

ERAWATCH Country Reports 2011: SWEDEN

The main objective of the ERAWATCH Annual Country Reports is to characterise and assess the performance of national research systems and related policies in a structured manner that is comparable across countries. EW Country Reports 2011 identify the structural challenges faced by national innovation systems. They further analyse and assess the ability of the policy mix in place to consistently and efficiently tackle these challenges. The annex of the reports gives an overview of the latest national policy efforts towards the enhancement of European Research Area and further assess their efficiency to achieve the targets. These reports were originally produced in November - December 2011, focusing on policy developments over the previous twelve months. The reports were produced by the ERAWATCH Network under contract to JRC-IPTS. The analytical framework and the structure of the reports have been developed by the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies of the Joint Research Centre (JRC-IPTS) and Directorate General for Research and Innovation with contributions from ERAWATCH Network Asbl.JRC.J.2-Knowledge for Growt

Effect of a Cold Margin on Ice Flow at the Terminus of Storglaciaren, Sweden: Implications for Sediment Transfer

The cold-based termini of polythermal glaciers are usually assumed to adhere strongly to an immobile substrate and thereby supply significant resistance to the flow of warm-based ice upglacier. This compressive environment is commonly thought to uplift basal sediment to the surface of the glacier by folding and thrust faulting. We present model and field evidence from the terminus of Storglaciaren, Sweden, showing that the cold margin provides limited resistance to flow from up-glacier. Ice temperatures indicate that basal freezing occurs in this zone at 10−1 –10−2 ma−1, but model results indicate that basal motion at rates greater than 1ma−1 must, nevertheless, persist there for surface and basal velocities to be consistent with measurements. Estimated longitudinal compressive stresses of 20– 25 kPa within the terminus further indicate that basal resistance offered by the cold-based terminus is small. These results indicate that where polythermal glaciers are underlain by unlithified sediments, ice-flow trajectories and sediment transport pathways may be affected by subglacial topography and hydrology more than by the basal thermal regime