65 research outputs found
Car Age, Taxation, Scrappage Premiums and the ELV Directive
A chain of replacement model is used to examine the effects of automobile taxes and of a scrappage premium on the life length of cars, and on the size of the car fleet. The predictions of the model are tested on data on the scrappage of cars in Sweden 1989-2002. The theoretical model predicts that increased taxes on the purchase of cars should increase the life length of cars, and reduce the number of cars. A scrappage premium would have the opposite effects. Changes in periodic taxes would have no effects on the life length of automobiles, but would reduce the size of the car stock. The econometric analysis indicates, however, that the effects both on the life-length of cars, and on the size of the car parc are small. On the basis of the conclusions from the theoretical and the empirical analysis, the possible implications of the European Union's Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of life vehicles (ELV) are discussed.Taxes; Automobiles; Accelerated Vehicle Retirement Programs; Scrappage; ELV Directive
School Vouchers in Practice: Competition Won't Hurt You!
An important issue in the debate on voucher systems and school choice is what effects competition from independent schools will have on public schools. Sweden has made a radical reform of its system for financing schools. Independent and public schools operate on close to equal terms under a voucher system covering all children. Sample selection models are estimated, using a data set of about 28 000 individuals. In addition, panel data models are estimated on 288 Swedish municipalities. The findings support the hypothesis that school results in public schools improve due to competition.Public Education; Independent Schools; Student Achievement; School Vouchers; School Choice; Sample Selection Model; Panel Data Model; Instrumental Variable Estimation
Dimethyl sulfoxide solvates of the aluminium(III), gallium(III) and indium(III) ions. A crystallographic, EXAFS and vibrational spectroscopic study
The isostructural hexakis( dimethyl sulfoxide)-aluminium(III),
-gallium(III) and -indium(III) iodides crystallise in the trigonal
space group R(3) over bar ( no. 148), Z = 3, at 295 +/- 1 K. The metal
ions are located in a (3) over bar symmetry site with M-O bond
distances of 1.894(4), 1.974(4) and 2.145(3) Angstrom, and M-O-S bond
angles of 127.1(3), 124.1(3) and 123.1(2)degrees, for M = Al, Ga and
In, respectively. The unit cell parameters are a = 10.762(2), c =
24.599(3) Angstrom, V = 2467.2(5) Angstrom(3) for
[Al(OS(CH3)(2))(6)]I-3, a = 10.927(2), c = 23.868(4) Angstrom, V =
2468.1(6) Angstrom(3) for [Ga(OS(CH3)(2))(6)]I-3, and a = 11.358(2), c
= 21.512(4) Angstrom, V = 2403.5(7) Angstrom(3) for
[In(OS(CH3)(2))(6)]I-3. The increasing compression of the octahedral
MO6 coordination entities along one three-fold axis for M = Al, Ga and
In, respectively, explains why the largest ion indium(III) has the
smallest unit cell volume. EXAFS measurements on the dimethyl sulfoxide
solvated gallium(III) and indium(III) ions in solution and in the solid
perchlorate and trifluoromethanesulfonate salts, show similar bond
distances as in the solid iodide solvates. Raman and infrared spectra
have been recorded for the hexakis( dimethyl sulfoxide) metal(III)
iodides and the nature of the metal-sulfoxide bond has been evaluated
by normal coordinate methods. The symmetric and asymmetric M-O
stretching modes correspond to the vibrational frequencies 465 and 540
cm(-1) for [Al(OS(CH3)(2))(6)]I-3, 491 and 495 cm(-1) for
[Ga(OS(CH3)(2))(6)]I-3, and 444 and 440 cm(-1) for
[In(OS(CH3)(2))(6)]I-3, respectively
E-commerce and prices - theory and evidence
This paper examines the relation between prices in conventional stores and on the Internet. Main results from the theoretical analysis are i) we expect a discrete fall in prices in conventional stores as the share of the population with access to Internet reaches a critical level, ii) the relation between prices depends on convenience costs of shopping in regular stores as well as on transport and navigation costs for goods bought over Internet, iii) retailers who only sell through Internet have lower on-line prices than retailers who also sell through conventional stores. The empirical section employs a rich data set covering the Swedish markets for books and CDs. Prices of these goods are on average 15 percent lower on Internet, but if a single item is bought transport costs will make it as expensive to buy over Internet as in a regular store (if a basket of goods is bought it is some 10 percent cheaper on Internet since transport costs are fixed). There is firm support for that retailers who only sell over Internet have lower on-line prices.retail pricing; consumer behavior; e-commerce; price discrimination; Internet
Physiochemical and thermal characterisation of faba bean starch
The structure and physicochemical properties of starch isolated from the cotyledon and hull of faba beans and from wheat (as reference) were examined using 16 different methods. The amylose content in faba bean cotyledon and hull starch was 32% and 36%, respectively, and that in wheat starch was 21%. The faba bean cotyledon and hull starch were structurally alike both displaying C-polymorphic pattern, a similar degree of branching and similar branch chain length distributions. Wheat starch had a significantly greater prevalence of short amylopectin chains (DP < 12) and a higher degree of branching. Granules in both faba bean starches exhibited surface cracks and were more homogenous in size than the smoother wheat starch granules. Gelatinisation temperature was higher for the faba bean starches, likely as an effect of high amylose content and longer starch chains delaying granular swelling. Cotyledon starch produced pastes with the highest viscosities in all rheological measurements, probably owing to larger granules. Higher prevalence of lipids and resistant starch reduced the viscosity values for hull starch. For all starches, viscosity increased at faster heating rates. During the rheological analyses, the samples were exposed to different instruments, heating rates and temperatures ranges, differing from standard rheological procedures, which could help predict how different processing techniques effect the final starch textures
Pasting and gelation of faba bean starch-protein mixtures
Starch and protein are major components in many foods, contributing to nutritional and textural properties. Understanding how the behaviour and interactions of these components contribute to different textures is important. In this study, mixed gel systems were created with different ratios of starch to protein (constant solid content 12%) extracted from faba bean, a promising crop for locally produced plant-based foods in cold climate regions. The mixed starch-protein gels were characterised in terms of pasting, texture and microstructure. Starch-rich mixtures showed higher water binding and water absorption than samples with higher protein content. A tendency for more efficient hydration in starch-rich samples was confirmed by NMR. Iodine affinity appeared to be lower for high-protein samples, particularly at higher temperatures. Mixtures with high starch content also showed higher viscosity during pasting, higher storage modulus throughout gelation, lower tan delta and lower frequency dependence of the final gel. Characterisation by compression tests showed stronger and more elastic gels with increasing starch content. Light microscopy revealed that starch granules were tightly packed, espe-cially at higher starch content, with protein filling the spaces between starch granules. SEM micrographs revealed a network structure with larger pores and thicker strands in samples with higher starch content. Overall, increasing protein content reduced viscosity during pasting and caused softer gels, likely owing to different gelation and hydration properties of starch and protein
Protein tau concentration in blood increases after SCUBA diving: an observational study
PURPOSE: It is speculated that diving might be harmful to the nervous system. The aim of this study was to determine if established markers of neuronal injury were increased in the blood after diving. METHODS: Thirty-two divers performed two identical dives, 48Â h apart, in a water-filled hyperbaric chamber pressurized to an equivalent of 42Â m of sea water for 10Â min. After one of the two dives, normobaric oxygen was breathed for 30Â min, with air breathed after the other. Blood samples were obtained before and at 30-45 and 120Â min after diving. Concentrations of glial fibrillary acidic, neurofilament light, and tau proteins were measured using single molecule array technology. Doppler ultrasound was used to detect venous gas emboli. RESULTS: Tau was significantly increased at 30-45Â min after the second dive (pâ<â0.0098) and at 120Â min after both dives (pâ<â0.0008/pâ<â0.0041). Comparison of matching samples showed that oxygen breathing after diving did not influence tau results. There was no correlation between tau concentrations and the presence of venous gas emboli. Glial fibrillary acidic protein was decreased 30-45Â min after the first dive but at no other point. Neurofilament light concentrations did not change. CONCLUSIONS: Tau seems to be a promising marker of dive-related neuronal stress, which is independent of the presence of venous gas emboli. Future studies could validate these results and determine if there is a quantitative relationship between dive exposure and change in tau blood concentration
TillstÄnd och trender för arter och deras livsmiljöer
2015 Ärs upplaga av den svenska rödlistan Àr den fjÀrde i ordningen. Den Àr baserad pÄ IUCN:s rödlistningskriterier och revideras vart femte Är. I rödlistan bedöms risken som enskilda arter av djur, vÀxter och svampar löper att försvinna frÄn Sverige. Bedömningen utförs av ArtDatabankens medarbetare i samverkan med över 100 externa experter, indelade i 14 expertkommittéer för olika organismgrupper. Under arbetet med 2015 Ärs rödlista har tillstÄnd och trender bedömts för 21 600 arter och 1 318 lÀgre taxa (apomiktiska arter, underarter och varieteter), sammanlagt ca 22 900 taxa. Av de bedömda arterna klassificerades 2 029 som hotade (kategorierna CR, EN och VU) och 4 273 som rödlistade (inkluderar Àven kategorierna NT, RE och DD). FörhÄllandet mellan antalet rödlistade och antalet bedömda arter ar 19,8 %, vilket Àr ungefÀr samma vÀrde som 2010 och 2005. I denna rapport jÀmförs antalet och andelen rödlistade arter mellan olika organismgrupper, biotoper, substrat och pÄverkansfaktorer. Texten ar indelad i en allmÀn del och Ätta kapitel inriktade pÄ olika landskapstyper. Landskapstyperna utgör en grov indelning av landets miljöer enligt följande kategorier: Skog, Jordbrukslandskap, Urbana miljöer, FjÀll, VÄtmarker, Sötvatten, HavsstrÀnder och Havsmiljöer. Skogen och jordbrukslandskapet Àr de artrikaste landskapstyperna med 1 800 respektive 1 400 arter som har en stark anknytning dit, och ytterligare flera hundra arter som förekommer dÀr mer sporadiskt. De faktorer som pÄverkar flest rödlistade arter i Sverige Àr skogsavverkning och igenvÀxning, som bÄda utgör ett hot mot vardera ca 30 % av de rödlistade arterna. Avverkning minskar arealen av skog dÀr naturliga strukturer och naturlig dynamik upprÀtthÄlls, och den orsakar dÀrmed förlust av livsmiljöer. IgenvÀxning orsakas av ett antal faktorer, bland annat upphörande hÀvd (bete och slÄtter), gödsling, trÀdplantering och brist pÄ naturliga störningsregimer som t.ex. regelbundna översvÀmningar kring vattendrag och sjöar. Andra viktiga pÄverkansfaktorer Àr fiske, torrlÀggning av vÄtmarker, tillbakagÄng hos vÀrdarter (frÀmst alm och ask som drabbats av invasiva svampsjukdomar), klimatförÀndringar och konkurrens frÄn invasiva arter. IUCN:s rödlisteindex berÀknas för ett urval av de bedömda organismgrupperna. Rödlisteindex visar att skillnaderna mellan rödlistorna frÄn 2000, 2005, 2010 och 2015 Àr smÄ. Ett par undantag finns dock. Groddjur och stora dÀggdjur har fÄtt en nÄgot förbÀttrad situation sedan 2000. Totalt förefaller det ÀndÄ som att trycket mot Sveriges artstock har förblivit relativt konstant under de senaste 15 Ären
How a Lateralized Brain Supports Symmetrical Bimanual Tasks
A large repertoire of natural object manipulation tasks require precisely coupled symmetrical opposing forces by both hands on a single object. We asked how the lateralized brain handles this basic problem of spatial and temporal coordination. We show that the brain consistently appoints one of the hands as prime actor while the other assists, but the choice of acting hand is flexible. When study participants control a cursor by manipulating a tool held freely between the hands, the left hand becomes prime actor if the cursor moves directionally with the left-hand forces, whereas the right hand primarily acts if it moves with the opposing right-hand forces. In neurophysiological (electromyography, transcranial magnetic brain stimulation) and functional magnetic resonance brain imaging experiments we demonstrate that changes in hand assignment parallels a midline shift of lateralized activity in distal hand muscles, corticospinal pathways, and primary sensorimotor and cerebellar cortical areas. We conclude that the two hands can readily exchange roles as dominant actor in bimanual tasks. Spatial relationships between hand forces and goal motions determine hand assignments rather than habitual handedness. Finally, flexible role assignment of the hands is manifest at multiple levels of the motor system, from cortical regions all the way down to particular muscles
- âŠ