Science.gov (United States)

Most Danish windmill manufacturers have experienced a grave economic crisis during the last three years. In 1987, the total windmill industry in this country ran at a loss of 40 million Danish crowns where the turnover was 550 million crowns. Danish firms...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Danish windmill industry has become an international success. This book describes the historical development of the Danish windmill industry and technology and evaluates the innovation ability of these. (LG) 176 ref.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Danish Energy Agency has prepared a report on the Danish geothermal resources and their contribution to the national energy potential.Environmental and socio-economic consequences of geothermal power systems implementation are reviewed. Organizational models and financing of geothermal-seismic research are discussed, and the Committee of the Energy Agency for Geothermal Energy recommends financing of a pilot plant as well as a prompt elucidation of concession/licensing problems. (EG).

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

OBJECTIVES: Personal and equipment assistance are common strategies to reduce disability. This study sought to determine how often assistance reduces or even completely resolves health-related difficulties...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

ObjectiveTo examine the longitudinal relationship between depressive symptoms at study entry (T1) on pain intensity (PI) and functional disability over a 1-year period...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Psychological illness influences the experience and expression of pain and disability. We tested three null hypotheses: (1) patients with nonspecific pain (medically unexplained and idiopathic) and...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Since the 1970s, Danish electricity supply has been dependent on imported coal. This has lead to greater reliability of supply, as could be seen during the Gulf War when Danish electricity prices remained stable in contrast to conditions in other countries. The disadvantage is the air pollution caused by coal combustion. This is regulated, it is stated, by several international laws and agreements, and these are named here. The nature of this form of pollution is explained in relation to actual Danish power plants and their efforts to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, is also emitted. Danish environmental policy concentrates on these problems. The efforts of the electric power companies to reduce air pollution are detailed, both nationally and internationally, and their positive consequences are described. Desulphurization and ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract People with a physical disability are a population who for a number of reasons may be vulnerable to social isolation. Research into Internet based support sites has found that social support and an online sense of community can be developed through computer mediated communication channels. This study aims to gain an understanding of the benefits that membership of disability specific online communities may have for people with a physical disability. An online survey was administered to a sample of users of such sites (N = 160). Results indicated that users did receive moral support and personal advice through participating in such online communities. Further, results indicated that online social support and feeling a sense of community online were positively associated with partic...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This book contains the results of an architectural evaluation of building examples with integrated photovoltaic. Danish Building and Urban Research and Danish Technological Institute conducted the work within the framework of Solar Energy Centre Denmark. Seven examples are selected to inspire Danish architects and building owners to use PV in the building environment. The examples come from Denmark and countries (the Netherlands and Germany) with similar building traditions, climate and solar conditions. All the examples demonstrate architectural concepts that integrate photovoltaic as a natural part of the building envelope. (BA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A new prototype model system named AirGIS has been developed to support local authorities in air quality management for big Danish cities. The system is based on the Danish operational street pollution model (OSPM), technical and cadastral digital maps and Danish national administrative databases on buildings, cadastres and populations. It applies a geographic information system (GIS). AirGIS estimates ambient air pollution levels at high temporal and spatial resolutions. The model system enables mapping of traffic emissions, air quality levels and human exposures at residence addresses, at workplace addresses and in streets. Mapping and scenario results can be compared with air quality limits. Impact assessment of traffic air pollution abatement measures can also be carried out. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

Prepared by volunteers representing a wide range of interests and experience and including students with disabilities, this guide provides basic information about support services available to students with disabilities at public and private postsecondary education institutions in the State of Washington. The guide may also serve as a resource for family members, school counselors and others who assist students in furthering their education. The first section presents general information, discussing students' rights to appropriate education, giving basic rules for managing the transition to college life, charting effects of functional limitations in the academic setting, and providing a planning checklist for new students. Institutional profiles are presented in the second section, covering vocational-technical institutes (5), community colleges (27), and 4-year colleges and universities (16). Information is included on contact person, ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Objective: The aim of this study was to obtain an overview of the methodological quality of studies on the measurement properties of neck pain and disability questionnaires and to describe how well various aspects of the design and statistical analyses of studies on measurement properties are performed. Methods: A systematic review was performed of published studies on the measurement properties of neck pain and disability questionnaires. Two reviewers independently rated the quality of the studies using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. This checklist was developed in an international Delphi consensus study. Results: A total of 47 articles were included on the measurement properties of 8 different questionnaires. The meth...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundLow back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal condition and one the most common causes of disability in the developed nations. Anecdotally, there is a general...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

The workshop topics consist of FERS, FEGLI, FEHBP, Disability, Deposit/Redeposit ; TSP, Annual/Sick Leave, Annuity Calculation, Best Date to Retire, COLA's, ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Production agriculture is associated with a variety of occupational illnesses and injuries. Agricultural workers are at higher risk of death or disabling injury than most other workers. Traumatic injury...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Background:People with severe and persistent mental illness need help in most aspects of their lives, as the disability associated with these diseases can be debilitating....Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

of injuries, disabilities, and deaths; and 3. Encourage professionals from a wide spectrum of disciplines such as engineering, bioengineering, medicine, health care, public...

Science.gov (United States)

This article analyzes the philosophical, sociological, and legal imperatives of including students with disabilities in ordinary schools. Some important global events that support inclusive education are discussed. The author reflects on Nigeria's newly revised National Policy on Education with its emphasis on inclusive education (2008), and the Universal Basic Education policy (1999). The article concludes with recommendations to improve the status quo.

Science.gov (United States)

... uncertainty. The method is applied for the invasive shrub Rosa rugosa (Japanese rose) in Danish fixed dunes. The probability ... habitat code 2130). In 14 sites, the invasive shrub Rosa rugosa was recorde...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundIntegration of medical care across clinicians and settings could enhance the quality of care for patients. To date, there is limited data on the levels of integration in...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

BackgroundNatural disasters result in significant numbers of disabling impairments. Paradoxically, however, the traditional health system response to natural disasters largely neglects health-related rehabilitation as a strategic intervention.ObjectivesTo examine the role of health-related rehabilitation in natural disaster relief along three lines of inquiry: (1) epidemiology of injury and disability, (2) impact on health and rehabilitation systems, and (3) the assessment and measurement of disability.DesignQualitative literature review and secondary data analysis.ResultsAbsolute numbers of injuries as well as injury to death ratios in natural disasters have increased significantly over the last 40 years. Major impairments requiring health-related rehabilitation include amputations, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries (SCI), and long bone fractures. Studies show that persons with pre-existing ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Personal Health Records (PHRs) are increasingly recognized as a strategy to improve patient-provider communication, availability of health information, and quality of care, by making the delivery of...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Five studies show that disabling p53, an essential tumour-suppressor protein, improves the efficiency of stem-cell production. Are these results a ‘heads up’ that cancer cells...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Sex differences in pain are frequently reported in the literature. However, less is known about possible sex differences in the experience of pain secondary to a disability. The current study...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BACKGROUND:Canadian chronic pain prevalence estimates range from 11% to 66%, are affected by sampling and measurement bias, and largely represent urban settings.OBJECTIVES:To...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare persist in the U.S. Although pain is one of the most prevalent and disabling symptoms of disease, only a few studies have assessed disparities in...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundIs living alone a risk factor for depression among older adults? Previous research is mixed and inconclusive, and it is unclear whether living alone influences psychological...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Dyslexia (or reading disability) and specific language impairment (or SLI) are common childhood disorders that show considerable co-morbidity and diagnostic overlaps and have been suggested to share...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundGender differences in the prevalence and occupational consequences of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are consistently found in epidemiological studies. The study investigated...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundChronic non-specific musculoskeletal pain (CNSMSP) may develop in childhood and adolescence, leading to disability and reduced quality of life that continues into adulthood....Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

...8Eligibility Criteria: Emotional/Behavioral Disorders Guidance for Paragraph...at-risk for emotional/behavioral disorders and their parents to help...Evaluation Team for Emotional/behavioral Disorders: Psychologist,...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Background:The validity of dementia diagnoses in the Danish nationwide hospital registers was evaluated to determine the value of these registers in epidemiological research about dementia. Methods: Two hundred patients were randomly selected from 4,682 patients registered for the first time with a dementia diagnosis in the last 6 months of 2003. The patients' medical journals were reviewed to evaluate if they fulfilled ICD-10 and/or DSM-IV criteria for dementia and specific dementia subtypes. The patients who were still alive in 2006 were invited to an interview. Results: One hundred and ninety-seven journals were available for review and 51 patients were interviewed. A registered diagnosis of dementia was found to be correct in 169 (85.8%) cases. Regarding dementia subtypes, the degree of agreement between the registers and the results of the validating process was low with a kappa of 0.36 (95% CI 0.24-0.48). Conclusion: The validity of dementia syndrome in the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The overall aim is to develope programme modules for a Danish integrated computer system for projecting buildings and to ensure that Danish programmes are compatible with international systems. The programmes to be integrated here were AutoCAD and SCRIBE-Models and the simulation programme tsbi3 for the calculation of indoor climate conditions, power demand and energy consumption in buildings. For the calculation of humidity and temperature conditions in constructions a certain amount of integration is carried out with the MATCH programme (Moisture And Temperature calculations for Constructions of Hygroscopic materials). The activities embodied in the pilot projects are described in this working report in addition to individual computer programmes and prototypes, and examples and diagrams are presented. The programmes described deal with handling design elements in relation to AutoCAD designs, and the formatting of a building`s data from ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Danish Ministry of Transportation has prepared a national plan of transportation, for the years until 2005. Official policy concerning land, maritime and air transport, personal and cargo transportation, investments and expenditures is outlined. Environmental impacts of energy consumption and air pollution abatement measures are considered. (EG)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Energy sector is relatively easy to evaluate economically. There have existed reliable statistics on energy systems and consumption and the planning has been based on them. However the environmental factors have been integrated into the Danish energy policy first in the nineties, and the new socio-economic evaluations have to take the pollution abatement measures into account. (EG)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The primary goal of this study was to assess the association between the full birth weight distribution and prevalence of specific developmental disabilities and related measures of health and special education services utilization in US children. Using data from the 1997?2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Sample Child Core, we identified 87,578 children 3?17?years of age with parent-reported information on birth weight. We estimated the prevalences of DDs (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], autism, cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, learning disability without mental retardation, mental retardation, seizures, stuttering/stammering, and other developmental delay) and several indicators of health services utilization within a range of birth weight categories. We cal...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The renewed interest for using wind energy commercially is not more than twenty-five years old. From an experimental stage of turning wind energy into electricity in the 1970s, a new industry for producing standardised windmills gained foothold in the beginning of the 1980s and since then it has developed rapidly through the 1980s and the 1990s. The Danish innovators of the new windmill technology have been the pioneers behind this development, and Denmark has succeeded in acquiring a first mover advantage on the world market. This position has been maintained and at present Denmark satisfies more than half of the world market's demand for windmills. There are at least two reasons for this pioneering position of the Danish windmill industry. First, Denmark is by nature very 'abundant' in wind energy due to its geographical position at the nexus between the Gulf Stream and the European continent. The windy climate makes given technologies of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The document gives statistics on the pollutive emissions from Danish power plants during the period 1987-1996, the main pollutants being sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide. Data on efficiency levels relative to the production of electricity and heating and on the power plants` contribution to the total emission of CO{sub 2}, NO{sub x}, and SO{sub 2} from energy consumption in Denmark, are presented, and also as corrected for the net import of electricity. Other data on the emission of each of these chemicals by power plants are presented as factual, and corrected in accordance with the net import of electricity, and as factual per consumed and produced energy unit at the power plants. Short notes on related Danish legislation are found in addition to information on sources, methods and definitions used as a basis for the production of this document. Emission from power stations is dependent on their energy consumption which is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We have investigated tailoring damage effects of explosive devices by addition of unconventional materials, specifically combustible metals. Initial small-scale as well as full-scale testing has been performed. The explosives functioned to disperse and ignite these materials. Incendiary, enhanced-blast, and fragment-damage effect have been identified. These types of effects can be used to extend the damage done to hardened facilities. In other cases it is desirable to disable the target with minimal collateral damage. Use of unconventional materials allows the capability to tailor the damage and effects of explosive devices for these and other applications. Current work includes testing of an incendiary warhead for a penetrator.

Science.gov (United States)

Insect host/parasitoid interactions are co-evolved systems in which host defenses are balanced by parasitoid mechanisms to disable or hide from host immune effectors. Although there is a rich literature on these systems, parasitoid immune-disabling mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Here we report on a newly discovered immune-disabling mechanism in the Pieris rapae/Pteromalus puparum host/parasitoid system. Because venom injections and parasitization suppresses host phagocytosis, we turned attention to the P. rapae scavenger receptor (Pr-SR), posing the hypothesis that P. puparum venom suppresses expression of the host Pr-SR gene. To test our hypothesis, we cloned a full-length cDNA of the Pr-SR. Multiple sequences alignment showed the deduced amino acid sequence of Pr-SR is similar to scavenger receptors of other lepidopterans. Bacterial and bead injections induced Pr-SR mRNA and protein expression, which peaked at ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wind power is a maturing technology that in a number of countries is likely to contribute a major share to fully renewable energy systems. Denmark has a comparably long history of wind power development and is planning to continue expanding the existing capacity. If a large-scale penetration of wind power is to be achieved, an integrated framework is needed that can respond to the associated challenges. This paper argues for adopting an integrated macro perspective when evaluating and building frameworks to support wind power development. This macro perspective is applied to the case of Denmark, and more specifically to concrete wind power projects in the region of Northern Jutland. The results suggest although certain elements in the legislation have been improved, the feasibility of wind power projects cannot be guaranteed, and there is a tendency to exclude smaller turbines from the development.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A few studies have found poor semen quality in sons whose mothers have received fertility treatment, but it is unknown whether the poor semen quality is related to the infertility treatment or to infertility per se, for example, whether it is caused by hereditable factors. Using data from a population-based, Danish follow-up study conducted in 2005-2006, the authors of the present study examined whether sons of subfertile couples who had not received fertility treatment had poorer semen quality than sons of fertile couples. Among the 311 participants, an inverse association between parental waiting time to pregnancy and both semen volume and total sperm count was observed (p trend = 0.04 and p trend = 0.046, respectively). Semen volume in sons of subfertile parents (pregnant after ?1 ye...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Article. In Norway, a project is planned to evaluate the upgrading potential of the hydroelectric power sector. The article criticizes the authorities for not supporting the upgrading of hydroelectric power plants in their eager to promote the development of wind power. An important contribution of the planned project will be a book from which the utilities may get advice on measures of upgrading. Generators and control systems account for 80% of the faults and interruptions in the power utilities. The turbine technology has made important progress in the 1990s. By pure upgrading measures alone, the turbine efficiencies may be increased enough for an additional 3 TWh to be taken out from the Norwegian hydroelectric power system. Today, the price of imported carbon-based Danish power determines whether the utilities find it profitable to rehabilitate the hydroelectric plants. The energy potential of upgrading is estimated to be 5 TWh. This energy can be generated ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A reduced grid model of a transmission system with a number of central power plants, consumption centers, local wind turbines and a large offshore wind farm is developed and implemented in the simulation tool PowerFactory (DIgSILENT). The reduced grid model is given by Energinet.dk, Transmission System Operator of Denmark (TSO) for Natural Gas and Electricity, to the Danish Universities and the Risoe National Laboratory. Its intended usage is education and studying of interaction between electricity-producing wind turbines and a realistic transmission system. Focus in these studies is on voltage stability issues and on the ride-through capability of different wind turbine concepts, equipped with advanced controllers, developed by the Risoe National Laboratory.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Paget Schroetter syndrome, or effort thrombosis of the axillosubclavian venous system, is distinct from other forms of upper limb deep vein thrombosis. It occurs in younger patients and often is secondary to competitive sport, music, or strenuous occupation. If untreated, there is a higher incidence of disabling venous hypertension than was previously appreciated. Anticoagulation alone or in combination with thrombolysis leads to a high rate of rethrombosis. We have established a multidisciplinary protocol over 15?years, based on careful patient selection and a combination of lysis, decompressive surgery, and postoperative percutaneous venoplasty. During the past 10?years, a total of 232 decompression procedures have been performed. This article reviews the literature and presents the Exet...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A protocol adapter ideally suited to enable enterprises to gradually transition from SOAP Web Services to RESTful HTTP Web Services without impacting existing clients is presented in this paper. The inherent advantage of such a transition is the visibility of RESTful HTTP messages to Web intermediaries such as caches. In contrast, SOAP messages are opaque, which disables Web intermediaries. While both approaches can use HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for message transfer, the paradigms contrast sharply. SOAP uses an interface specific approach whereas RESTful HTTP uses a Uniform Interface approach. SOAP marks up its payload with eXtensible Markup Language (XML) whereas in certain situations RESTful HTTP requires no XML. We present the disadvantages of the SOAP approach and outline how ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disorder and a major cause of pain and disability. The hypothesis tested in this study was that the passion fruit peel extract (PFP), a flavonoid-rich dietary supplement, would reduce symptoms due to knee OA. Thirty-three OA patients were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with parallel-group design. Patients received either placebo or PFP pills (150 mg, daily) in a double-blinded fashion for 2 months. The OA clinical symptoms were evaluated monthly with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index. In the PFP group, there was a significant improvement in total WOMAC score and WOMAC subscale score of physical function after 30 days and pain after 60 days. At 60 days, reductions o...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The results of nine years of study of the 237 patients who suffered from acute radiation syndrome (ARS) as a consequence of the Chernobyl accident are reported. Thirty-eight of these patients have died, 28 in the acute period in 1986, 5 in 1987-90 and 5 in 1992-93. The reasons for death show no clear tendencies. They include: gangrene of the lung, organic disease of the brain and spinal chord, hypoplasia of haematopoeisis, coronary heart disease, sarcoma and an automobile accident. Investigations have been carried out on an annual obligatory basis of the patients` haemopoietic, immune, nervous and endocrine systems. An analysis of the data is presented. Histograms are included showing the incidence of digestive tract, nervous system, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, the frequency and degree of disablement and serum prolactin concentration. The types of skin damage sustained by 39 of the patients are listed. (6 figures, 3 tables). (UK).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Uridine phosphorylase (UPP) catalyzes the reversible conversion of uridine to uracil and ribose-1-phosphate and plays an important pharmacological role in activating fluoropyrimidine nucleoside chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-fluorouracil and capecitabine. Most vertebrate animals, including humans, possess two homologs of this enzyme (UPP1 & UPP2), of which UPP1 has been more thoroughly studied and is better characterized. Here, we report two crystallographic structures of human UPP2 (hUPP2) in distinctly active and inactive conformations. These structures reveal that a conditional intramolecular disulfide bridge can form within the protein that dislocates a critical phosphate-coordinating arginine residue (R100) away from the active site, disabling the enzyme. In vitro activity measurem...

Science.gov (United States)

One of the biggest fears and challenges a parent of a child with special needs faces is navigating the post-22 landscape. When a child hits the age of 22, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is no longer required to provide daily services and support. Whatever the abilities, or disabilities, of a child, every parent has the same concerns about how their child will productively fill their days and live as independently as possible without the safety net of the DESE. One of the transition paths most frequented is entering the workforce. Public and private schools alike work to teach their students the basic skills they need to work. In fact, the national Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that students must have a transition plan in formulation by the age of 16. This article describes the vocational program developed by the League School of Greater Boston which specifically addresses the challenges ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reliability has an impact on wind energy project costs and benefits. Both life test data and field failure data can be used for reliability analysis. In wind energy industry, wind farm operators have greater interest in recording wind turbine operating data. However, field failure data may be tainted or incomplete, and therefore it needs a more general mathematical model and algorithms to solve the model. The aim of this paper is to provide a solution to this problem. A three-parameter Weibull failure rate function is discussed for wind turbines and the parameters are estimated by maximum likelihood and least squares. Two populations of German and Danish wind turbines are analyzed. The traditional Weibull failure rate function is also employed for comparison. Analysis shows that the three-parameter Weibull function can obtain more accuracy on reliability growth of wind turbines. This work will be helpful in the understanding of the reliability growth of wind energy ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Over a 5-year period (1976-1980) 499 patients with non-seminomatous testicular germ cell tumours were included in the Danish Testicular Carcinoma Study (DATECA). The 3-year crude survival for patients in clinical stages I, II and III was 91, 77 and 45 per cent, respectively. In stage I the relapse-free survival for patients given radiation combined with bleomycin and vincristine was significantly higher than that for patients given radiation alone. No difference in the crude survival for patients given radiation combined with bleomycin and vincristine was significantly higher than that for patients given radiation alone. No difference in the crude survival was observed. For stage II patients maintenance chemotherapy following radiation combined with bleomycin and vincristine did not improve relapse-free or crude survival. The survival of patients with non-seminomatous tumours improved significantly during the 5-year period. This improvement was probably due to the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sequence stratigraphic interpretation of paralic successions is complicated by the complex interfingering of marine and continental strata. The successions may also include terrestrial extensions of marine parasequences and completely independent lacustrine parasequence analogues. Failure in recognizing the possible interbedding of these two independent parasequence types may lead to construction of sequence stratigraphic schemes based on incompatible data sets. We have studied a Lower Jurassic paralic section from the Baltic island of Bornholm. The Hettangian-Sinemurian Sose Bugt Member (Ronne Formation) of Bornholm includes lacustrine, fluvial and restricted marine, estuarine deposits reflecting the basin-margin position. Biostatigraphic resolution is poor and a sequence stratigraphic interpretation of the paralic succession is far from straightforward. A multidisciplinary approach including facies analysis, recognition and lateral tracting of key surface, palynostratigraphy, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

With regard to polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE), there is few scientific knowledge on the emission patterns into the environment and exposure pathways to humans, and basic information is insufficient to consider what measures effective are. For the purpose of promoting risk reduction of target substances more effectively and efficiently, it is desirable to comprehend accurately the causal chain from the target substances utilization to the risk intake, and to evaluate the measures covering the whole applications of target substances. As the existing researches on the PBDE emission inventory, there are EU risk assessment report (European Chemical Bureau 2000, 2002, 2003), Danish EPA (1999), Palm et al.(2002) and Alcock et al. (2003). In addition, emissions of DecaBDE are published in TRI (Toxic Release Inventory) of US EPA. However, the primary information of the previous inventories is often the same and estimations based on the measured values are few. In ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anaerobic digestion of slurry represents an environmental opportunity for both slurry management and renewable energy production in countries with high animal density. This study evaluated the environmental impacts of 4 biogas production alternatives in which slurry was the only input in the process, without supplementary addition of easily degradable carbon. This was achieved by exposing the slurry to different separation technologies. The biomass mixture input for biogas production included solid fraction from slurry separation as well as raw slurry, proportioned in order to achieve economical methane yield. The separation processes considered in this study were mechanical separation; mechanical separation combined with the addition of flocculants; and mechanical separation combined with a thermal treatment. Four biogas alternatives were compared to a reference slurry management scenario, notably to use the slurry as a fertilizer without prior treatment. The modelling was based on ...

Science.gov (United States)

Pain is necessary for survival but chronic pain is disabling and causes significant health and economic problems. This study provides an understanding of the future for spinal cord stimulation. Stimulation by means of chronically implanted electrodes, was carried out in 200 patients with pain of varied benign organic etiology. In 177 of them, pain was confined to the failed back syndrome. Most patients were referred by a Pain Management Service. 226 epidural implants were used: 80 unipolar, 59 Resume, 12 bipolar, and 75 quadripolar. Patients were followed for periods of 6 months to 12 years, with a mean follow-up of 44 months. 84 patients (42%) were able to control their pain by stimulation alone, 22 patients (11%) needed occasional analgesic supplements along with their stimulation program. Pain secondary to failed back syndrome, multiple sclerosis, peripheral vascular disease, sympathetic dystrophy and diabetic neuropathy responded favorably. Pain due to cauda ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The windmill industry in Denmark is currently confronted with making a choice between competing technologies so that the role of the stimulus of state subsidies for research has lately increased in importance. The Ministry of Energy, it is claimed, must be aware of this as possibilities for making use of research results are dictated by the market and competition. The industry is not sympathetic to the idea of state research contracts with specified goals for which manufacturers must produce a technical solution. Consultancy firms should work towards solving general problems which could help the industry as a whole. Wind turbines which are cheap to produce and operate are of more interest to industry than those which are technologically advanced or of a lighter construction. It is not thought to be advantageous to concentrate the allocation of subsidies on one key project chosen by the Ministry itself, such as the current intense interest in turbine blades. Aerodynamics, noise ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Analytical means have been developed to predict scour and accretion in sub-sea structures. Such structures can be very large and can have a large density of piping and structural members. They introduce a blocking and a shielding in the flow at the sea bottom leading to variable velocities and turbulence in the interior of the structure. This changes the transport capacity of the flow and result in general erosion where the transport capacity is increased and in accretion where the transport capacity is decreased. In addition there may occur the so-called tunnel erosion for structures built on concrete mats or similar. This type of erosion undermines the foundation of the sub-sea structure. Analytical models are developed and programmed to analyse the above phenomena. The internal flow variations are found by means of the LICengineering shielding programme and these are coupled to the transport formulae. The methodology is unstable if the starting conditions are too far away from the ...

Science.gov (United States)

A few studies have found poor semen quality in sons whose mothers have received fertility treatment, but it is unknown whether the poor semen quality is related to the infertility treatment or to infertility per se, for example, whether it is caused by hereditable factors. Using data from a population-based, Danish follow-up study conducted in 2005-2006, the authors of the present study examined whether sons of subfertile couples who had not received fertility treatment had poorer semen quality than sons of fertile couples. Among the 311 participants, an inverse association between parental waiting time to pregnancy and both semen volume and total sperm count was observed (p trend = 0.04 and p trend = 0.046, respectively). Semen volume in sons of subfertile parents (pregnant after > or =1 years) was 19% lower in comparison with that in sons of parents whose waiting time to pregnancy was 0-6 months (p = 0.02). Additionally, sperm concentration and percentage of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This article presents the results of analyses of large-scale integration of wind power, photo voltaic (PV) and wave power into a Danish reference energy system. The possibility of integrating Renewable Energy Sources (RES) into the electricity supply is expressed in terms of the ability to avoid excess electricity production. The different sources are analysed in the range of an electricity production from 0 to 100% of the electricity demand. The excess production is found from detailed energy system analyses on the computer model EnergyPLAN. The analyses have taken into account that certain ancillary services are needed in order to secure the electricity supply system. The idea is to benefit from the different patterns in the fluctuations of different renewable sources. And the purpose is to identify optimal mixtures from a technical point of view. The optimal mixture seems to be when onshore wind power produces approximately 50% of the total electricity ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of the project is to further develop a Danish natural gas reformer system including optimisation of subsystems and the overall system consisting of a natural gas reformer and fuel cell CHP generator. This will contribute to the evaluation of to what extend Denmark shall develop small reformer units for PEM fuel Cells. In the project a reformer system with a high degree of automatic control has been build that fulfils the CHP requirements to operation time, dynamics etc. This work, with a FP05 reformer unit, has given valuable results concerning the possibilities and limitations of the reformer technology for CHP usage. It is important that the reformer and fuel cell units are designed with matching yields to optimise efficiency, turn-down start-up time etc. The burner that delivers heat for the steam reaction shall be able to use natural gas as fuel. This gives the possibility of using existing burner technology. In addition this will improve the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

There was a total bus strike in the Danish town of Esbjerg during the spring of 1995. It lasted for a very long period of time and was extremely disruptive. After this the number of bus passengers fell dramatically. As a result, a group of researchers in this field, employed at Aalborg University initiated an investigation of how former bus passengers solved their personal transport problems without the help of a bus service. Telephone interviews were carried out and 1485 persons agreed to take part in the investigation. The data collected in this way are presented in the paper and give information on the number of people who owned cars, how often members of a family availed themselves of bus transport, age groups, the alternative means of transport used generally or for conveyance to the place of work or school, amount of extra, or less, travel time, travel expenses, and other irritations experienced in connection with the strike. It is concluded that the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recently the association of a rare disease named ''nephrogenic systemic fibrosis'' (NSF) with the administration of gadolinium-containing contrast media, especially gadodiamide (Omniscan, GE-Healthcare), was described. NSF is a scleroderma-like disease characterised by widespread tissue fibrosis. Until now, NSF cases were observed only in patients with kidney disease. Almost all patients were suffering from chronic renal insufficiency, 90 % of them required renal replacement therapy. The true incidence of the disease is unknown. First retrospective analyses of selected collectives of patients with end-stage renal disease showed 2 - 5 % cases of NSF after administration of Gadolinium-containing contrast agents with an odds ratio of 20 - 50 in comparison to non-exposed controls. NSF is a serious adverse reaction, which may result in severe disabilities and even death. Therefore all radiologists applying gadolinium-based contrast ...

Scientific Electronic Library Online (English)

Abstract in english Type II reaction in leprosy, or erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), is often characterized by severe clinical symptoms together with nerve function impairment leading to permanent disabilities. Thalidomide has been shown to be a highly effective drug for the treatment of ENL. It is, however, contraindicated for women of childbearing age due to its teratogenicity. On the other hand, pentoxifylline, used to treat hypercoagulable states, is not teratogenic and, like thalidomide (more) , can inhibit the synthesis of tumor necrosis factor-a and other cytokines. In the present randomized double-blind clinical study we compared the effectiveness of orally administered pentoxifylline vs thalidomide in treating type II reaction in 44 patients. Daily doses of 300 mg thalidomide or 1.2 g pentoxifylline were administered for 30 days to multibacillary leprosy patients undergoing type II reaction. Randomly chosen patients were included in the study before, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

With the aim of demonstrating the usefulness of computerised tomography (CT) findings in the planning of brain neurosurgery in gunshot victims, for prompt and successful treatment, 30 patients with brain gunshot wounds were examined with CT over 5 years. The mortality rate of firearm wounds of the skull base was 34% higher than that of the hemisphere; this is due to carotid hemorrhage and midbrain damage. Such traumas require emergency radiological diagnosis and neurosurgical treatment because of their severity and early irreversible complications. Complex operations and skilled surgeons may prevent disabling postoperative sequels. CT findings are indispensable and must be correctly interpreted. The radiologist and the neurosurgeon must collaborate closely and both must consider several diagnostic factors affecting surgical planning. [Italian] Scopo dello studio e' stato quello di dimostrare l'utilita' della semeiologia della tomografia ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

When biomass is used as fuel for thermal conversion plants, minerals from the fuel can be responsible for major problems. Generally, these problems are associated with the existence and development of low melting compounds or eutectics, which form sticky layers. In a fluidised bed, this can result in bed-agglomeration and defluidisation. This causes local high temperature, which often accelerates the process. It ultimately can lead to a completely sintered bed content with a glassy phase gluing the bed particles together and shut-down of the plant. The main objective of the title project is to develop a methodology to predict ash/bed agglomeration and sintering problems, to indicate related problems and, furthermore, to identify solution methods to make different types of biomass streams more viable for energy production. Within the present study, selected fuels are subjected to different existing methods together with some new ones, in order to determine the agglomeration temperature. ...