The success factors of the Danish energy service industry

The objective of the research was to understand the success factors of the Danish energy service industry. The research phenomenon was studied greatly but the aim was to examine it from the service logic point of view. The research was threefold and it examined the phenomena from the company, industrial and national levels. The purpose of the multi-level study was to understand all the success factors and to examine how they are combined together. First, the research problem was approached through the literature review. After that, the empirical part of the study was conducted as a case study and the data was collected by theme interviews. The collected data was analyzed through theoretical point of view and compared with earlier studies. This study shows that the most important success factor was the country, because it has affected to the other aspects of the success. Because the actors of the industry are linked together tightly, communication and common understanding of business is essential to the industry success. The new energy technologies do not produce directly added value for the customers. This has sifted energy business towards service business, and the customers have been included in the value creation process.

Performance of small wind turbines: simulation of electricity supply to loads connected to the public or isolated grid

ABSTRACT The successful in the implementation of wind turbines depends on several factors, including: the wind resource at the installation site, the equipment used, project acquisition and operational costs. In this paper, the production of electricity from two small wind turbines was compared through simulation using the computer software HOMER - a national model of 6kW and an imported one of 5kW. The wind resources in three different cities were considered: Campinas (SP/BR), Cubatão (São Paulo/BR) and Roscoe (Texas/ USA). A wind power system connected to the grid and a wind isolated system - batteries were evaluated. The results showed that the energy cost ($/kWh) is strongly dependent on the windmill characteristics and local wind resource. Regarding the isolated wind system – batteries, the full supply guarantee to the simulated electrical load is only achieved with a battery bank with many units and high number of wind turbines, due to the intermittency of wind power.

Associated factors to empyema in post-traumatic hemotorax

ABSTRACTObjective:to analyze the associated factors with empyema in patients with post-traumatic retained hemothorax.Methods:prospective observational study. Data were collected in patients undergoing PD during emergency duty. Variables analyzed were age, sex, mechanism of injury, side of the chest injury, intrathoracic complications of RH, laparotomy, specific injuries, rib fractures, trauma scores, days to diagnosis, diagnostic method of RH, primary indication of PD, initial volume drained, length of the first tube removal, surgical procedure. Cumulative incidence of empyema, pneumonia and pulmonary contusion and the proportion of patients with empyema or without empyema in each category of each variable analyzed were obtained.Results: the cumulative incidence of PD among trauma patients was 1.83% and the RH among those with PD was 10.63%. There were 20 cases of empyema (32.8%). Most were male in the age from 20 to 29, victims of injury by firearm on the left side of the thorax. The incidence of empyema in patients with injury by firearms was lower compared to those with stab wound or blunt trauma; higher among those with drained volume between 300 and 599 ml. The median hospital lenght of stay was higher among those with empyema.Conclusion:the incidence of PD was 1.83% and RH was 10.63%, these results are consistent with the low severity of the patients involved in this study and consistent with the literature. The incidence of empyema proved to be negatively associated with the occurrence of injury by firearms and positively associated with a drained volume between 300 and 599 ml, compared with lower or higher volumes.

Hematological profile of Chelonia mydas (Testudines, Cheloniidae) according to the severity of fibropapillomatosis or its absence

The green turtle Chelonia mydas feeds and nests in the Brazilian coastal area and is considered an endangered species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN 2009) and threatened by the Red List of Brazilian Fauna (Ministério do Meio Ambiente 2009). Fibropapillomatosis is a disease characterized by benign skin tumors (fibropapillomas), and it is one of the main threats to the survival of this species. Studies suggest the involvement of viruses as infectious agents associated with environmental and genetic factors. Blood samples were collected from 45 turtles captured in the coastal area of the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. From these, 27 were affected by fibropapillomas and 18 were tumor free. Biometrical data on the turtles, size, location and quantity of tumors were recorded. The area occupied by fibropapillomas per animal was calculated and four groups were determined according to severity of the disease or its absence. The objective of the study was to compare hemogram results of the sea turtles classified in these four groups. The lowest hematocrit value was observed in severely affected animals. In the hemoglobin assay, the highest value was observed in the group of tumor free turtles and the lowest, in animals severely affected. Lymphocyte counts and curved carapace length were on the verge of statistical significance.

Cesarean section - short term maternal complications related to the mode of delivery

Cesarean section (CS) is the most common major surgery performed on women worldwide. CS can save the life of the mother or the fetus, but is associated with the typical complications of any major surgery: hemorrhage, infection, venous thromboembolism and complications of anesthesia, sometimes leading to maternal death. Recently there have been several reports from well resourced countries on increased severe maternal morbidity and even mortality. Increased rates of CS, obesity and older mothers may explain this rise. The aim of this thesis is to study the rates and risk factors of short term maternal complications associated with CS. Also, we compared maternal morbidity by mode of delivery and over time. The complication rates were assessed in a prospective study involving 2496 CS performed in the 12 largest delivery units in Finland in 2005. The rates of severe complications were studied by mode of delivery in a register-based study comparing national cohorts in 1997 and 2002. The impact of several risk factors on severe maternal morbidity by mode of delivery was studied in a register-based study of all singleton deliveries in 2007-2011. In the prospective study, 27% of the women who underwent CS had one or more intraoperative or postoperative complications during their hospital stay, and 10% had a severe complication. In the register-based study the incidence of life-threatening maternal complications was 7.6 in 1000 deliveries. The incidence was lowest for vaginal delivery (VD), followed by instrumental VD and elective CS, and highest in emergency CS. An attempt of VD, including the risks associated with emergency CS, seems to be the safest mode of delivery, even for most high-risk women.

Influence of seed size and ecological factors on the germination and emergence of field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

An understanding of seed germination ecology of weeds can assist in predicting their potential distribution and developing effective management strategies. Influence of environmental factors and seed size on germination and seedling emergence of Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed) was studied in laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Germination occurred over a wide range of constant temperatures, between 15 and 40 ºC, with optimum germination between 20 and 25 ºC. Time to start germination, time to 50% germination and mean germination time increased while germination percentage and germination index decreased with an increase in temperature from 20 ºC, salinity and osmotic stress. However, germination was tolerant to low salt (25 mM) or osmotic stress (0.2 MPa), but as salinity and osmotic stress increased, germination percentage and germination index decreased. Seeds of C. arvensis placed at soil surface showed maximum emergence and decreased as seeding depth increased. Seeds of C. arvensis germinated over a wide range of pH (4 to 9) but optimum germination occurred at pH 6 to 8. Under highly alkaline and acidic pH, time to start germination, time to 50% germination and mean germination time increased while germination percentage and germination index decreased. Increase in field capacity caused decreased time to start germination, time to 50% germination and mean germination time but increased germination percentage and germination index. Bigger seeds had low time to start germination, time to 50% germination and mean germination time but high germination percentage and germination index. Smaller seeds were more sensitive to environmental factors as compared to larger or medium seeds. It can be concluded that except for pH, all environmental factors and seed sizes adversely affect C. arvensis as regards seed germination or emergence and germination or emergence traits, and larger seeds result in improved stand establishment and faster germination than small seeds, regardless of moisture stress or deeper seeding depth.

The Effect of Risk-Based Factors on the Value Premium: The Finnish Evidence

This thesis examines the effect of operating leverage and financial leverage on the value premium in the Finnish stock markets 2002-2012. The purpose of the thesis is to examine whether operating leverage and financial leverage affect firm`s BE/ME and stock returns. The accounting data has been collected from Amadeus database and market-based data from the Datastream database. Sample used in this thesis covers years from 1998 to 2012. This thesis confirms the findings of previous research of tight connection between operating leverage and BE/ME and reinforces the findings of previous research that relation between financial leverage and BE/ME is not robust. In turn, relation between operating leverage, BE/ME and stock returns is not clearly perceived during the 2002-2012 period in the Finnish stock markets.

Fibronectin in the ascitic fluid of cirrhotic patients: correlation with biochemical risk factors for the development of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Cirrhotic patients (23 with alcoholic cirrhosis, 5 with posthepatitic cirrhosis and 2 with cryptogenic cirrhosis) with ascites and portal hypertension were studied and divided into two groups corresponding to high or low risk to develop spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) related to the concentration of total protein in the ascitic fluid (A-TP): group I (high risk): A-TP£1.5 g/dl and group II (low risk): A-TP>1.5 g/dl. Fibronectin (FN), C3 and C4 concentrations were measured by radial immunodiffusion while total protein was measured by the biuret method. The mean values (group I vs group II) of C3 (12.59 ± 4.72 vs 24.53 ± 15.58 mg/dl), C4 (4.26 ± 3.87 vs 7.26 ± 4.14 mg/dl) and FN (50.47 ± 12.49 vs 75.89 ± 24.70 mg/dl) in the ascitic fluid were significantly lower (P<0.05) in the group considered to be at high risk for SBP. No significant difference was observed in the plasma/ascites fibronectin ratio (3.91 ± 1.21 vs 3.80 ± 1.26) or gradient (131.46 ± 64.01 vs 196.96 ± 57.38) between groups. Fibronectin in ascites was significantly correlated to C3 (r = 0.76), C4 (r = 0.58), total protein (r = 0.73) and plasma FN (r = 0.58) (P<0.05). The data suggest that the FN concentration in ascites is related to the opsonic capacity of this fluid, and that its concentration in the ascitic fluid may be a biochemical risk factor indicator for the development of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory applied to college students: factor analysis and relation to the Beck Depression Inventory

The psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the trait form of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T) and its relation to the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were evaluated in a large Brazilian college student sample containing 845 women and 235 men. STAI-T scores tended to be higher for women, singles, those who work, and subjects under 30 years. Factor analysis of the STAI-T for total sample and by gender yielded two factors: the first representing a mood dimension and the second being related to worrying or cognitive aspects of anxiety. In order to study the relation between anxiety and depression measures, factor analysis of the combination of the 21 BDI items and the 20 STAI-T items was also carried out. The analysis resulted in two factors that were analyzed according to the tripartite model of anxiety and depression. Most of the BDI items (measuring positive affectivity and nonspecific symptoms of depression) were loaded on the first factor and four STAI-T items that measure positive affectivity. The remaining STAI-T items, all of them measuring negative affect, remained in the second factor. Thus, factor 1 represents a depression dimension and factor 2 measures a mood-worrying dimension. The findings of this study suggest that, although widely used as an anxiety scale, the STAI-T in fact measures mainly a general negative affect.

Phenotype and genotype correlation of the microconversion from the CYP21A1P to the CYP21A2 gene in congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Deficiency of 21-hydroxylase is the most common form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH-21OH). We determined by allele-specific PCR the frequency of microconversion in the CYP21A2 gene in 50 Brazilian patients with the classical (salt wasting: SW and simple virilizing: SV) forms and nonclassical (NC) form of CAH-21OH and correlated genotype with phenotype. Genotypes were classified into three mutation groups (A, B, and C) based on the amount of enzymatic activity in in vitro studies using adrenal cells. In 94 unrelated alleles, we diagnosed 76% of the affected alleles after screening for 7 microconversions. The most frequent point mutations observed in this series were I172N (19%), V281L (18%), and IVS2,A/C>G,-12 (15%). In the SW form, the most frequent mutation was IVS2,A/C>G,-12 (38%), in the SV form it was I172N (53%), and in the NC form it was V281L (57.7%). We observed a good correlation between genotype and phenotype. Discordance between genotype and phenotype was found in one SV patient with a mild mutation in one of the alleles (R356W/V281L). However, we cannot rule out the presence of an additional mutation in these alleles. We also observed a good correlation of genotype with 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone, and androstenedione levels. The severity of external genitalia virilization correlated with the severity of mutation. In conclusion, the frequencies described in the present study did not differ from worldwide studies, including the Brazilian population. The few differences observed may reflect individual sample variations. This new Brazilian cohort study suggests the presence of new mutations in Brazilian patients with different forms of CAH-21OH.

Highly sensitive C-reactive protein and male gender are independently related to the severity of coronary disease in patients with metabolic syndrome and an acute coronary event

Patients with metabolic syndrome are at high-risk for development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. The objective of this study was to examine the major determinants of coronary disease severity, including those coronary risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, during the early period after an acute coronary episode. We tested the hypothesis that inflammatory markers, especially highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), are related to coronary atherosclerosis, in addition to traditional coronary risk factors. Subjects of both genders aged 30 to 75 years (N = 116) were prospectively included if they had suffered a recent acute coronary syndrome (acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris requiring hospitalization) and if they had metabolic syndrome diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III. Patients were submitted to a coronary angiography and the burden of atherosclerosis was estimated by the Gensini score. The severity of coronary disease was correlated (Spearman’s or Pearson’s coefficient) with gender (r = 0.291, P = 0.008), age (r = 0.218, P = 0.048), hsCRP (r = 0.256, P = 0.020), ApoB/ApoA ratio (r = 0.233, P = 0.041), and carotid intima-media thickness (r = 0.236, P = 0.041). After multiple linear regression, only male gender (P = 0.046) and hsCRP (P = 0.012) remained independently associated with the Gensini score. In this high-risk population, male gender and high levels of hsCRP, two variables that can be easily obtained, were associated with more extensive coronary disease, identifying patients with the highest potential of developing new coronary events.

Impact of a 2-year intervention program on cardiometabolic profile according to the number of goals achieved

We investigated the impact of lifestyle goal achievement on cardiovascular risk factors after a 2-year behavioral intervention program applied to 394 adults (113 with diabetes, mean age 60.2 ± 11.4 years, 56% women) and targeting four goals: ≥5% weight loss; ≥150 min/week physical activities; <10% saturated fat intake/day; ≥400 g fruit and vegetable intake/day. Baseline characteristics and changes in variables after intervention among the four categories of number of goals achieved (none, 1, 2, and ≥3) were compared by independent ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis test. Individuals without diabetes achieving a higher number of goals were more likely to be older (3 or 4 goals: 61.8 ± 12.6 years vs none: 53.3 ± 10.3 years, P < 0.05) and to have a lower mean BMI (3 or 4 goals: 21.7 ± 2.6 kg/m² vs none: 29.0 ± 4.8 kg/m², P < 0.05), diastolic blood pressure (3 or 4 goals: 77.3 ± 2.1 mmHg vs none: 85.4 ± 9.6 mmHg, P < 0.05), triglyceride (3 or 4 goals: 116.1 ± 95.1 mg/dL vs none: 144.8 ± 65.5 mg/dL, P < 0.05) and insulin levels (3 or 4 goals: 3.6 ± 2.4 μU/L vs none: 5.7 ± 4.0 μU/L, P < 0.05) than those achieving fewer goals. The absolute changes in cardiovascular risk factors tended to be more pronounced with increasing number of goals achieved in individuals without diabetes. The intervention had a beneficial impact on the cardiometabolic profile of individuals with normal or altered glucose metabolism. The number of goals achieved in this lifestyle intervention was associated with the magnitude of improvement of cardiovascular risk factors in individuals without diabetes. Participants with a better cardiometabolic profile seemed to be more likely to have a healthy lifestyle.

Hypothyroidism decreases proinsulin gene expression and the attachment of its mRNA and eEF1A protein to the actin cytoskeleton of INS-1E cells

The actions of thyroid hormone (TH) on pancreatic beta cells have not been thoroughly explored, with current knowledge being limited to the modulation of insulin secretion in response to glucose, and beta cell viability by regulation of pro-mitotic and pro-apoptotic factors. Therefore, the effects of TH on proinsulin gene expression are not known. This led us to measure: a) proinsulin mRNA expression, b) proinsulin transcripts and eEF1A protein binding to the actin cytoskeleton, c) actin cytoskeleton arrangement, and d) proinsulin mRNA poly(A) tail length modulation in INS-1E cells cultured in different media containing: i) normal fetal bovine serum - FBS (control); ii) normal FBS plus 1 µM or 10 nM T3, for 12 h, and iii) FBS depleted of TH for 24 h (Tx). A decrease in proinsulin mRNA content and attachment to the cytoskeleton were observed in hypothyroid (Tx) beta cells. The amount of eEF1A protein anchored to the cytoskeleton was also reduced in hypothyroidism, and it is worth mentioning that eEF1A is essential to attach transcripts to the cytoskeleton, which might modulate their stability and rate of translation. Proinsulin poly(A) tail length and cytoskeleton arrangement remained unchanged in hypothyroidism. T3 treatment of control cells for 12 h did not induce any changes in the parameters studied. The data indicate that TH is important for proinsulin mRNA expression and translation, since its total amount and attachment to the cytoskeleton are decreased in hypothyroid beta cells, providing evidence that effects of TH on carbohydrate metabolism also include the control of proinsulin gene expression.

Identification of Albizia lebbeck seed coat chitin-binding vicilins (7S globulins) with high toxicity to the larvae of the bruchid Callosobruchus maculatus

Seed coat is a specialized maternal tissue that interfaces the embryo and the external environment during embryogenesis, dormancy and germination. In addition, it is the first defensive barrier against penetration by pathogens and herbivores. Here we show that Albizia lebbeck seed coat dramatically compromises the oviposition, eclosion and development of the bruchid Callosobruchus maculatus. Dietary supplementation of bruchid larvae with A. lebbeck seed coat flour causes severe weight loss and reduces survival. By means of protein purification, mass spectrometry and bioinformatic analyses, we show that chitin-binding vicilins are the main source of A. lebbeck tegumental toxicity to C. maculatus. At concentrations as low as 0.1%, A. lebbeck vicilins reduce larval mass from 8.1 ± 1.7 (mass of control larvae) to 1.8 ± 0.5 mg, which corresponds to a decrease of 78%. Seed coat toxicity constitutes an efficient defense mechanism, hindering insect predation and preventing embryo damage. We hypothesize that A. lebbeck vicilins are good candidates for the genetic transformation of crop legumes to enhance resistance to bruchid predation.

Environment is crucial to the cooking time of beans

The objectives of this study were to understand how genotype, storage time, and storage conditions affect cooking time of beans and to indicate storage techniques that do not affect the cooking time. The grains were subjected to five different storage periods and six different storage conditions. The cooking time was estimated using the Mattson Cooker. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and a subsequent adjustment of simple linear regression for deployment of the interactions between the factors. Contrasts were used to determine the best levels of the factor storage condition. Genotype did not impact cooking time when the storage time and storage conditions were considered. Time and storage conditions affect the cooking time of beans in a dependent manner, but time of storage had the biggest influence. The best conditions for long-term storage of beans ensuring a smaller increase in cooking time is plastic storage at low temperatures. Thus, plastic freezer storage is a practical alternative for consumers.