| 1. |
- Ahlgren, Joakim, et al.
(författare)
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Identification and quantification of organic phosphorus forms in soils from fertility experiments
- 2013
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Ingår i: Soil use and management. - : Wiley. - 0266-0032 .- 1475-2743. ; 29, s. 24-35
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The effects of soil type, crop rotation, fertilizer type and application rate on the composition of organic phosphorus (P) compounds in soils from four sites in a Swedish long-term fertilizer experiment were investigated with 31P-NMR. Soil textures investigated were loamy sand, sandy loam, silty clay loam and clay. Phosphorus has been added to the soils since the 1950s and 1960s at four different rates in the form of either mineral fertilizer or a combination of manure and mineral fertilizer. Results show that in soils receiving no P addition, most of the soil P was present in the form of phosphate monoesters (6070%, depending on soil type). However, a P addition equivalent to the amount of P removed annually by harvest altered this relationship so that the soils were dominated by orthophosphate instead. This trend became more obvious with increasing P addition. At the greatest P application rate, orthophosphate comprised 70% or more of the total extracted P in all the soils. These changes in the soil were due entirely to increase in orthophosphate, because the amounts of monoesters did not change with increasing P additions. This was true both for mineral fertilizer and the combination of manure and mineral fertilizer P. Soil type and crop rotation did not influence the results. The results indicate that there is no apparent build-up of organic P in the soils, but that P addition mainly affects the orthophosphate amounts in the soils regardless of form or amount of fertilizer.
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| 2. |
- Ahmed, Istaq, 1972, et al.
(författare)
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Structural study and proton conductivity in Yb-doped BaZrO3
- 2007
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Ingår i: Solid State Ionics. - 0167-2738. ; 178:(7-10), s. 515-520
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Traditional solid state sintering has been used to prepare the perovskite BaZr0.9Yb0.1O3-delta. Analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data shows that an increase of the unit cell parameter, a, was observed compared to undoped BaZrO3. Rietveld analysis of room temperature neutron powder diffraction data confirmed cubic symmetry (space group Pm-3m). Dynamic thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates that the hydration process occurs below 200 degrees C. The strong O-H stretch band, 2500-3500 cm(-1), in the infrared absorbance spectrum clearly manifests the presence of protons in the hydrated material. Proton conductivity was investigated on hydrated and as-prepared samples under dry and wet atmospheres, respectively. Keywords: X-ray diffraction; neutron diffraction; Rietveld refinement; proton conductor; perovskite
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| 3. |
- Ahmed, Istaq, 1972, et al.
(författare)
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Synthesis and structural characterization of perovskite type proton conducting BaZr1-xInxO3-delta (0.0 <= x <= 0.75)
- 2006
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Ingår i: Solid State Ionics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-2738 .- 1872-7689. ; 177:17-18, s. 1395-1403
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Solid state sintering has been used to prepare the cubic perovskite structured compounds BaZr1-xInxO3-delta (0.0 <= x <= 0.75). Analysis of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) data reveals that the unit cell parameter, a, increases linearly with an increased Indium concentration. XRPD data was also used to demonstrate the completion of sample hydration, which was reached when the materials showed a set of single-phase Bragg-peaks. Dynamic thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data showed that approx. 89% of the total number of available oxygen vacancies can be filled in BaZr1-xInxO3-delta for x=0.50, and that the maximum water uptake occurs below 300 degrees C. Rietveld analysis of the room temperature neutron powder diffraction (NPD) data confirmed the average cubic symmetry (space group Pm-3m), and an expansion of the unit cell parameter after the hydration reaction. The strong O-H stretch band, 2500-3500 cm(-1), in the infrared absorbance spectrum clearly manifests the presence of protons in the hydrated material. Proton conductivity of hydrated BaZr1-xInxO3-delta, x=0.75 was investigated during heating and cooling cycles under dry argon atmosphere. The total conductivity during the heating cycle was nearly two orders of magnitude greater than that of cooling cycle at 300 degrees C, whilst these values were similar at higher temperatures i.e. T > 600 degrees C.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Alvfors, Per, 1954-, et al.
(författare)
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Research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors – three illustrative examples : Improvement potential discussed in the context of Well-to-Tank analyses
- 2010
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Currently biofuels have strong political support, both in the EU and Sweden. The EU has, for example, set a target for the use of renewable fuels in the transportation sector stating that all EU member states should use 10% renewable fuels for transport by 2020. Fulfilling this ambition will lead to an enormous market for biofuels during the coming decade. To avoid increasing production of biofuels based on agriculture crops that require considerable use of arable area, focus is now to move towards more advanced second generation (2G) biofuels that can be produced from biomass feedstocks associated with a more efficient land use. Climate benefits and greenhouse gas (GHG) balances are aspects often discussed in conjunction with sustainability and biofuels. The total GHG emissions associated with production and usage of biofuels depend on the entire fuel production chain, mainly the agriculture or forestry feedstock systems and the manufacturing process. To compare different biofuel production pathways it is essential to conduct an environmental assessment using the well-to-tank (WTT) analysis methodology. In Sweden the conditions for biomass production are favourable and we have promising second generation biofuels technologies that are currently in the demonstration phase. In this study we have chosen to focus on cellulose based ethanol, methane from gasification of solid wood as well as DME from gasification of black liquor, with the purpose of identifying research and development potentials that may result in improvements in the WTT emission values. The main objective of this study is thus to identify research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors based on literature studies as well as discussions with the the researchers themselves. We have also discussed improvement potentials for the agriculture and forestry part of the WTT chain. The aim of this study is to, in the context of WTT analyses, (i) increase knowledge about the complexity of biofuel production, (ii) identify and discuss improvement potentials, regarding energy efficiency and GHG emissions, for three biofuel production cases, as well as (iii) identify and discuss improvement potentials regarding biomass supply, including agriculture/forestry. The scope of the study is limited to discussing the technologies, system aspects and climate impacts associated with the production stage. Aspects such as the influence on biodiversity and other environmental and social parameters fall beyond the scope of this study. We find that improvement potentials for emissions reductions within the agriculture/forestry part of the WTT chain include changing the use of diesel to low-CO2-emitting fuels, changing to more fuel-efficient tractors, more efficient cultivation and manufacture of fertilizers (commercial nitrogen fertilizer can be produced in plants which have nitrous oxide gas cleaning) as well as improved fertilization strategies (more precise nitrogen application during the cropping season). Furthermore, the cultivation of annual feedstock crops could be avoided on land rich in carbon, such as peat soils and new agriculture systems could be introduced that lower the demand for ploughing and harrowing. Other options for improving the WTT emission values includes introducing new types of crops, such as wheat with higher content of starch or willow with a higher content of cellulose. From the case study on lignocellulosic ethanol we find that 2G ethanol, with co-production of biogas, electricity, heat and/or wood pellet, has a promising role to play in the development of sustainable biofuel production systems. Depending on available raw materials, heat sinks, demand for biogas as vehicle fuel and existing 1G ethanol plants suitable for integration, 2G ethanol production systems may be designed differently to optimize the economic conditions and maximize profitability. However, the complexity connected to the development of the most optimal production systems require improved knowledge and involvement of several actors from different competence areas, such as chemical and biochemical engineering, process design and integration and energy and environmental systems analysis, which may be a potential barrier.
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| 6. |
- Alvors, Per, et al.
(författare)
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Research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors – three illustrative examples : Improvement potential discussed in the context of Well-to-Tank analyses
- 2010
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Currently biofuels have strong political support, both in the EU and Sweden. The EU has, for example, set a target for the use of renewable fuels in the transportation sector stating that all EU member states should use 10% renewable fuels for transport by 2020. Fulfilling this ambition will lead to an enormous market for biofuels during the coming decade. To avoid increasing production of biofuels based on agriculture crops that require considerable use of arable area, focus is now to move towards more advanced second generation (2G) biofuels that can be produced from biomass feedstocks associated with a more efficient land use.Climate benefits and greenhouse gas (GHG) balances are aspects often discussed in conjunction with sustainability and biofuels. The total GHG emissions associated with production and usage of biofuels depend on the entire fuel production chain, mainly the agriculture or forestry feedstock systems and the manufacturing process. To compare different biofuel production pathways it is essential to conduct an environmental assessment using the well-to-tank (WTT) analysis methodology.In Sweden the conditions for biomass production are favourable and we have promising second generation biofuels technologies that are currently in the demonstration phase. In this study we have chosen to focus on cellulose based ethanol, methane from gasification of solid wood as well as DME from gasification of black liquor, with the purpose of identifying research and development potentials that may result in improvements in the WTT emission values. The main objective of this study is thus to identify research and development challenges for Swedish biofuel actors based on literature studies as well as discussions with the the researchers themselves. We have also discussed improvement potentials for the agriculture and forestry part of the WTT chain. The aim of this study is to, in the context of WTT analyses, (i) increase knowledge about the complexity of biofuel production, (ii) identify and discuss improvement potentials, regarding energy efficiency and GHG emissions, for three biofuel production cases, as well as (iii) identify and discuss improvement potentials regarding biomass supply, including agriculture/forestry. The scope of the study is limited to discussing the technologies, system aspects and climate impacts associated with the production stage. Aspects such as the influence on biodiversity and other environmental and social parameters fall beyond the scope of this study.We find that improvement potentials for emissions reductions within the agriculture/forestry part of the WTT chain include changing the use of diesel to low-CO2-emitting fuels, changing to more fuel-efficient tractors, more efficient cultivation and manufacture of fertilizers (commercial nitrogen fertilizer can be produced in plants which have nitrous oxide gas cleaning) as well as improved fertilization strategies (more precise nitrogen application during the cropping season). Furthermore, the cultivation of annual feedstock crops could be avoided on land rich in carbon, such as peat soils and new agriculture systems could be introduced that lower the demand for ploughing and harrowing. Other options for improving the WTT emission values includes introducing new types of crops, such as wheat with higher content of starch or willow with a higher content of cellulose.From the case study on lignocellulosic ethanol we find that 2G ethanol, with co-production of biogas, electricity, heat and/or wood pellet, has a promising role to play in the development of sustainable biofuel production systems. Depending on available raw materials, heat sinks, demand for biogas as vehicle fuel and existing 1G ethanol plants suitable for integration, 2G ethanol production systems may be designed differently to optimize the economic conditions and maximize profitability. However, the complexity connected to the development of the most optimal production systems require improved knowledge and involvement of several actors from different competence areas, such as chemical and biochemical engineering, process design and integration and energy and environmental systems analysis, which may be a potential barrier.Three important results from the lignocellulosic ethanol study are: (i) the production systems could be far more complex and intelligently designed than previous studies show, (ii) the potential improvements consist of a large number of combinations of process integration options wich partly depends on specific local conditions, (iii) the environmental performance of individual systems may vary significantly due to systems design and local conditons.From the case study on gasification of solid biomass for the production of biomethane we find that one of the main advantages of this technology is its high efficiency in respect to converting biomass into fuels for transport. For future research we see a need for improvements within the gas up-grading section, including gas cleaning and gas conditioning, to obtain a more efficient process. A major challenge is to remove the tar before the methanation reaction.Three important results from the biomethane study are: (i) it is important not to crack the methane already produced in the syngas, which indicates a need for improved catalysts for selective tar cracking, (ii) there is a need for new gas separation techniques to facilitate the use of air oxidation agent instead of oxygen in the gasifier, and (iii) there is a need for testing the integrated process under realistic conditions, both at atmospheric and pressurized conditions.From the case study on black liquor gasification for the production of DME we find that the process has many advantages compared to other biofuel production options, such as the fact that black liquor is already partially processed and exists in a pumpable, liquid form, and that the process is pressurised and tightly integrated with the pulp mill, which enhances fuel production efficiency. However, to achieve commercial status, some challenges still remain, such as demonstrating that materials and plant equipment meet the high availability required when scaling up to industrial size in the pulp mill, and also proving that the plant can operate according to calculated heat and material balances. Three important results from the DME study are: (i) that modern chemical pulp mills, having a potential surplus of energy, could become important suppliers of renewable fuels for transport, (ii) there is a need to demonstrate that renewable DME/methanol will be proven to function in large scale, and (iii) there is still potential for technology improvements and enhanced energy integration.Although quantitative improvement potentials are given in the three biofuel production cases, it is not obvious how these potentials would affect WTT values, since the biofuel production processes are complex and changing one parameter impacts other parameters. The improvement potentials are therefore discussed qualitatively. From the entire study we have come to agree on the following common conclusions: (i) research and development in Sweden within the three studied 2G biofuel production technologies is extensive, (ii) in general, the processes, within the three cases, work well at pilot and demonstration scale and are now in a phase to be proven in large scale, (iii) there is still room for improvement although some processes have been known for decades, (iv) the biofuel production processes are complex and site specific and process improvements need to be seen and judged from a broad systems perspective (both within the production plant as well as in the entire well-to-tank perspective), and (v) the three studied biofuel production systems are complementary technologies. Futher, the process of conducting this study is worth mentioning as a result itself, i.e. that many different actors within the field have proven their ability and willingness to contribute to a common report, and that the cooperation climate was very positive and bodes well for possible future collaboration within the framework of the f3 center.Finally, judging from the political ambitions it is clear that the demand for renewable fuels will significantly increase during the coming decade. This will most likely result in opportunities for a range of biofuel options. The studied biofuel options all represent 2G biofuels and they can all be part of the solution to meet the increased renewable fuel demand.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Andert, Janet, et al.
(författare)
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Temporal Changes in Methane Oxidizing and Denitrifying Communities and Their Activities in a Drained Peat Soil
- 2012
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Ingår i: Wetlands. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0277-5212 .- 1943-6246. ; 32, s. 1047-1055
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Northern peat soils are both sources and sinks of the greenhouse gases nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). These fluxes are regulated by the activity of microbial communities. Temporal, spatial and depth related differences in potential activity and composition of the denitrifier and methanotrophic bacterial communities were compared between winter and summer in relation to in situ fluxes of N2O and CH4 from a drained and forested peat land in Sweden. The composition of the genetic pool of these guilds was assessed using terminal fragment length polymorphism analysis of signature genes in the denitrification and methane oxidation pathways, respectively. The composition of the communities was similar throughout the soil profile, although both denitrification and methane oxidation rates decreased with soil depth. The potential methane oxidation rates were significantly correlated to soil N content, and , indicating a nitrogen induced stimulation of methane oxidation capacity. The site was a source of N2O and a small sink for CH4, and although the fluxes did not vary significantly over time, both the methane oxidizing and denitrifier community composition exhibited temporal patterns. Differences in the composition of the methanotrophic community reflected that the peat site shifted from a summer to a winter community. The denitrifiers exhibited a similar trend, but also differed significantly between the sampling occasions during summer, as well as between locations at the site. The latter was explained by differences in soil pH. It was only the differences in the methane oxidizer community composition that correlated with its corresponding potential activity, which implies a higher degree of functional redundancy within the denitrifier community.
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| 9. |
- Angenete, Eva, 1972, et al.
(författare)
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Physical activity before radical prostatectomy reduces sick leave after surgery : results from a prospective, non-randomized controlled clinical trial (LAPPRO)
- 2016
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Ingår i: BMC Urology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2490. ; 16:1, s. 50-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Studies have reported that early physical rehabilitation after surgical procedures is associated with improved outcome measured as shorter hospital stay and enhanced recovery. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the preoperative physical activity level and subsequent postoperative complications, sick-leave and hospital stay after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer in the setting of the LAPPRO trial (LAParoscopic Prostatectomy Robot Open). METHODS: LAPPRO is a prospective controlled trial, comparing robot-assisted laparoscopic and open surgery for localized prostate cancer between 2008 and 2011. 1569 patients aged 64 or less with an occupation were included in this sub-study. The Gleason score was <7 in 52 % of the patients. Demographics and the level of self-assessed preoperative physical activity, length of hospital stay, complications, quality of life, recovery and sick-leave were extracted from clinical record forms and questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression, with log-link and logit-link functions, was used to adjust for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: The patients were divided into four groups based on their level of activity. As the group with lowest engagement of physical activity was found to be significantly different in base line characteristics from the other groups they were excluded from further analysis. Among patients that were physically active preoperativelly (n = 1467) there was no significant difference between the physical activity-groups regarding hospital stay, recovery or complications. However, in the group with the highest self-assessed level of physical activity, 5-7 times per week, 13 % required no sick leave, compared to 6.3 % in the group with a physical activity level of 1-2 times per week only (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In our study of med operated with radical prostatectomy, a high level of physical activity preoperatively was associated with reduced need for sick leave after radical prostatectomy compared to men with lower physical activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered at the ISCRTN register. ISRCTN06393679 .
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| 10. |
- Arvidson, E., et al.
(författare)
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The level of leisure time physical activity is associated with work ability-a cross sectional and prospective study of health care workers
- 2013
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Ingår i: Bmc Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 13:855
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: With increasing age, physical capacity decreases, while the need and time for recovery increases. At the same time, the demands of work usually do not change with age. In the near future, an aging and physically changing workforce risks reduced work ability. Therefore, the impact of different factors, such as physical activity, on work ability is of interest. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between physical activity and work ability using both cross sectional and prospective analyses. Methods: This study was based on an extensive questionnaire survey. The number of participants included in the analysis at baseline in 2004 was 2.783, of whom 2.597 were also included in the follow-up in 2006. The primary outcome measure was the Work Ability Index (WAI), and the level of physical activity was measured using a single-item question. In the cross-sectional analysis we calculated the level of physical activity and the prevalence of poor or moderate work ability as reported by the participants. In the prospective analysis we calculated different levels of physical activity and the prevalence of positive changes in WAI-category from baseline to follow-up. In both the cross sectional and the prospective analyses the prevalence ratio was calculated using Generalized Linear Models. Results: The cross-sectional analysis showed that with an increased level of physical activity, the reporting of poor or moderate work ability decreased. In the prospective analysis, participants reporting a higher level of physical activity were more likely to have made an improvement in WAI from 2004 to 2006. Conclusions: The level of physical activity seems to be related to work ability. Assessment of physical activity may also be useful as a predictive tool, potentially making it possible to prevent poor work ability and improve future work ability. For employers, the main implications of this study are the importance of promoting and facilitating the employees' engagement in physical activity, and the importance of the employees' maintaining a physically active lifestyle.
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