Ag Decision Maker, October 2005, Energy Edition

A Business Newsletter for Agriculture

Twenty-four-hour energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate in obese, moderately obese, and control subjects.

Twenty-four-hour energy expenditure (24-EE), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition were determined in 30 subjects from three groups; control (103 +/- 2% ideal body weight, n = 10), moderately obese (129 +/- 1% ideal body weight, n = 6), and obese (170 +/- 5% ideal body weight, n = 14) individuals. Twenty-four EE was measured in a comfortable airtight respiration chamber. When expressed as absolute values, both RMR and 24-EE were significantly increased in obese subjects when compared to normal weight subjects. The RMR was 7592 +/- 351 kJ/day in the obese, 6652 +/- 242 kJ/day in the moderately obese, and 6118 +/- 405 kJ/day in the controls. Mean 24-EE values were 10043 +/- 363, 9599 +/- 277, and 8439 +/- 432 kJ/day in the obese, moderately obese, and controls, respectively. The larger energy expenditure in the obese over 24 h was mainly due to a greater VO2 during the daylight hours. However, 92% of the larger 24-EE in the obese, compared to the control group, was accounted for by the higher RMR and only 8% by other factors such as the increased cost of moving the extra weight of the obese. The higher RMR and 24-EE in the obese was best related to the increased fat free mass.

Effects of beta-blockade on energy metabolism following burns.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of propranolol administered either by i.v. infusion or by prolonged oral administration (4 days) during the first 3 weeks following burns. The resting metabolic rate (RMR) of 10 non-infected fasting burned patients (TBSA: 28 per cent, range 18-37 per cent) was determined four times consecutively by indirect calorimetry (open circuit hood system) following: (1) i.v. physiological saline; (2) i.v. propranolol infusion (2 micrograms/kg/min following a bolus of 80 micrograms/kg); (3) oral propranolol (40 mg q.i.d. during 4 +/- 1 days); and (4) in control patients. All patients showed large increases in both RMR (144 +/- 2 per cent of reference values) and in urinary catecholamine excretion (three to four times as compared to control values). The infusion of propranolol induced a significant decrease in RMR to 135 +/- 2 per cent and oral propranolol to 129 +/- 3 per cent of reference values. A decrease in lipid oxidation but no change in carbohydrate and protein oxidation were observed during propranolol administration. It is concluded that the decrease in RMR induced by propranolol was not influenced by the route of administration. The magnitude of the decrease in energy expenditure suggests that beta-adrenergic hyperactivity represents only one of the mediators of the hypermetabolic response to burn injury.

Electron energy loss spectroscopy: physical principles, state of the art and applications to the nanosciences

In the present work we review the way in which the electron-matter interaction allows us to perform electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), as well as the latest developments in the technique and some of the most relevant results of EELS as a characterization tool in nanoscience and nanotechnology.

The use of uniaxial accelerometry for the assessment of physical-activity-related energy expenditure: a validation study against whole-body indirect calorimetry.

Assessing the total energy expenditure (TEE) and the levels of physical activity in free-living conditions with non-invasive techniques remains a challenge. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the accuracy of a new uniaxial accelerometer for assessing TEE and physical-activity-related energy expenditure (PAEE) over a 24 h period in a respiratory chamber, and to establish activity levels based on the accelerometry ranges corresponding to the operationally defined metabolic equivalent (MET) categories. In study 1, measurement of the 24 h energy expenditure of seventy-nine Japanese subjects (40 (SD 12) years old) was performed in a large respiratory chamber. During the measurements, the subjects wore a uniaxial accelerometer (Lifecorder; Suzuken Co. Ltd, Nagoya, Japan) on their belt. Two moderate walking exercises of 30 min each were performed on a horizontal treadmill. In study 2, ten male subjects walked at six different speeds and ran at three different speeds on a treadmill for 4 min, with the same accelerometer. O2 consumption was measured during the last minute of each stage and was expressed in MET. The measured TEE was 8447 (SD 1337) kJ/d. The accelerometer significantly underestimated TEE and PAEE (91.9 (SD 5.4) and 92.7 (SD 17.8) % chamber value respectively); however, there was a significant correlation between the two values (r 0.928 and 0.564 respectively; P<0.001). There was a strong correlation between the activity levels and the measured MET while walking (r(2) 0.93; P<0.001). Although TEE and PAEE were systematically underestimated during the 24 h period, the accelerometer assessed energy expenditure well during both the exercise period and the non-structured activities. Individual calibration factors may help to improve the accuracy of TEE estimation, but the average calibration factor for the group is probably sufficient for epidemiological research. This method is also important for assessing the diurnal profile of physical activity.

Estimated metabolizable energy yields of perennial and annual grass swards compared with those of spring barley and oat

Selostus: Yksi- ja monivuotisen nurmen, ohran sekä kauran muuntokelpoisen energian sadot märehtijän rehutuksessa lajikekokeiden tuloksista estimoituina

Inclusion of soil erosion impacts in life cycle assessment on a global scale: application to energy crops in Spain

Purpose: Despite the fundamental role of ecosystem goods and services in sustaining human activities, there is no harmonized and internationally agreed method for including them in life cycle assessment (LCA). The main goal of this study was to develop a globally applicable and spatially resolved method for assessing land-use impacts on the erosion regulation ecosystem service.Methods: Soil erosion depends much on location. Thus, unlike conventional LCA, the endpoint method was regionalized at the grid-cell level (5 arc-minutes, approximately 10×10 km2) to reflect the spatial conditions of the site. Spatially explicit characterization factors were not further aggregated at broader spatial scales. Results and discussion: Life cycle inventory data of topsoil and topsoil organic carbon (SOC) losses were interpreted at the endpoint level in terms of the ultimate damage to soil resources and ecosystem quality. Human health damages were excluded from the assessment. The method was tested on a case study of five three-year agricultural rotations, two of them with energy crops, grown in several locations in Spain. A large variation in soil and SOC losses was recorded in the inventory step, depending on climatic and edaphic conditions. The importance of using a spatially explicit model and characterization factors is shown in the case study.Conclusions and outlook: The regionalized assessment takes into account the differences in soil erosion-related environmental impacts caused by the great variability of soils. Taking this regionalized framework as the starting point, further research should focus on testing the applicability of the method trough the complete life cycle of a product and on determining an appropriate spatial scale at which to aggregate characterization factors, in order to deal with data gaps on location of processes, especially in the background system. Additional research should also focus on improving reliability of the method by quantifying and, insofar as it is possible, reducing uncertainty.

Assessing the environmental impact of water consumption by energy crops grown in Spain

The environmental impact of the water consumption of four typical crop rotations grown in Spain, including energy crops, was analyzed and compared against Spanish agricultural and natural reference situations. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was used for the assessment of the potential environmental impact of blue water (withdrawal from water bodies) and green water (uptake of soil moisture) consumption. The latter has so far been disregarded in LCA. To account for green water, two approaches have been applied: the first accounts for the difference in green water demand of the crops and a reference situation. The second is a green water scarcity index, which measures the fraction of the soil-water plant consumption to the available green water. Our results show that, if the aim is to minimize the environmental impacts of water consumption, the energy crop rotations assessed in this study were most suitable in basins in the northeast of Spain. In contrast, the energy crops grown in basins in the southeast of Spain were associated with the greatest environmental impacts. Further research into the integration of quantitative green water assessment in LCA is crucial in studies of systems with a high dependence on green water resources.

Characterization and discrimination of soils by their reflected electromagnetic energy

The objective of this work was to verify if reflected energy of soils can characterize and discriminate them. A spectroradiometer (Spectral reflectance between: 400-2,500 nm) was utilized in laboratory. The soils evaluated are located in Bauru region, SP, Brazil, and are classified as Typic Argiudoll (TR), Typic Eutrorthox (LR), Typic Argiudoll (PE), Typic Haplortox (LE), Typic Paleudalf (PV) and Typic Quartzipsamment (AQ). They were characterized by their spectral reflectance as for descriptive conventional methods (Brazilian and International) according to the types of spectral curves. A method for the spectral descriptive evaluation of soils was established. It was possible to characterize and discriminate the soils by their spectral reflectance, with exception for LR and TR. The spectral differences were better identified by the general shape of spectral curves, by the intensity of band absorption and angle tendencies. These characteristics were mainly influenced by organic matter, iron, granulometry and mineralogy constituents. A reduction of iron and clay contents, which influenced higher reflectance intensity and shape variations, occurred on the soils LR/TR, PE, LE, PV and AQ, on that sequence. Soils of the same group with different clay textures could be discriminated. The conventional descriptive evaluation of spectral curves was less efficient on discriminating soils. Simulated orbital data discriminated soils mainly by bands 5 and 7.

The Iowa plan for atomic energy education, 1950

This is volume 1 of 5 and is the Iowa Plan for Atomic Energy Education. It is the orientation to the Iowa plan for atomic energy education. This plan was presented to teachers, students and the lay public of Iowa with the desire to remove fears and assist in pointing the way toward a sensitive consideration of what American citizens can and should know and do about atomic energy.

Performance and hormonal profile in broiler chickens fed with different energy levels during post restriction period

The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of diet energy level on performance and hormonal profiles of broilers during post restriction period. It was a split-plot experiment, and the main treatments were in a 2x2 factorial scheme. Birds were fed restricted to 30% of the ad libitum intake, from 7 to 14 days of age. After the restriction period, birds were fed ad libitum with diets containing low (2,900 kcal ME/kg) or high (3,200 kcal ME/kg) energy until 49 days of age. Broilers fed with high energy ration showed lower feed intake and better feed conversion and decreased carcass protein; however, abdominal fat pad, and total carcass fat were not affected by ration energy levels or feeding program. Neither diet energy level nor feed restriction program changed body weight at 49 days. The profile of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was reduced during the feed restriction period, but increased at refeeding period. Feeding program and ration energy level did not affect T3, T4 and growth hormone serum concentrations. Feed restriction at 30% of ad libitum intake is not enough to promote changes on carcass quality, related to fat deposition, and on metabolic hormone levels, except IGF-1 seric level that has rapid increase after feed restriction.

Energy security of the Baltic States

Energy security is an important topic on the world agenda and has augmented its importance since the term “peak oil” was coined. Energy security is a crucial issue for most countries but some are more dependent on foreign supply than others. Traditionally, the Baltic States have been dependent on Russia for much of their oil and gas supplies, which makes them vulnerable to political pressure. Therefore, energy security, that is ensuring sufficient supply and safe delivery and in this case reduce dependency on a single provider – Russia, entails a conspicuous foreign policy dimension. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been described as energy islands within the EU. This paper tries to answer the question if energy security of the Baltic States has improved since their accession to the EU in 2004. Additionally, it will analyse the prospects of energy security, noting that one of the Lithuanian aims during its European presidency in 2013 is to improve energy security of the Baltic States by fostering cooperation with EU member states.

Regulation of neurotrophic factors and energy metabolism by antidepressants in astrocytes.

There is growing evidence that astrocytes are involved in the neuropathology of major depression. In particular, decreases in glial cell density observed in the cerebral cortex of individuals with major depressive disorder are accompanied by a reduction of several astrocytic markers suggesting that astrocyte dysfunction may contribute to the pathophysiology of major depression. In rodents, glial loss in the prefrontal cortex is sufficient to induce depressive-like behaviors and antidepressant treatment prevents the stress-induced reduction of astrocyte number in the hippocampus. Collectively, these data support the existence of a link between astrocyte loss or dysfunction, depressive-like behavior and antidepressant treatment. Astrocytes are increasingly recognized to play important roles in neuronal development, neurotransmission, synaptic plasticity and maintenance of brain homeostasis. It is also well established that astrocytes provide trophic, structural, and metabolic support to neurons. In this article, we review evidence that antidepressants regulate energy metabolism and neurotrophic factor expression with particular emphasis on studies in astrocytes. These observations support a role for astrocytes as new targets for antidepressants. The contribution of changes in astrocyte glucose metabolism and neurotrophic factor expression to the therapeutic effects of antidepressants remains to be established.