Learning from Road Pricing Experience: Introducing a Second-generation Road Pricing System

The Norwegian cordon pricing schemes represent rare examples of urban-wide road user charging. In Trondheim, the toll ring established in 1991 was developed into a unique zonal system in 1998. This second-generation road pricing scheme divides the city into six zones, and traffic crossing the boundaries is charged. In this article, the processes of developing the two generations of road pricing in Trondheim are described. The public and political acceptance of the two generations of road pricing systems is investigated, and the main arguments for and against the scheme, as manifest in public debate, are assessed.     

On the effect of cluster resolution in riser flows on momentum and reaction kinetic interaction

Fine grid simulations of reactive gas-solid flows in a riser were carried out using an Eulerian multi-fluid kinetic theory of granular flow (KTGF) approach. A translationally periodic section of the riser was used to replicate experimental data collected in the fully developed region of a tall riser. The spatial and temporal resolution was varied in designed experiments to find an appropriate compromise between overall numerical accuracy and computational time. Results revealed that, when first order implicit timestepping is used, no timestep independence could be reached with timestep sizes that are practically feasible. Timestep independence could only be achieved by using second order implicit timestepping. Grid independence was studied in terms of cell width and cell aspect ratio. Solution independence could be reached at a cell width in the range of 10 particle diameters, but no complete grid aspect ratio independence could be achieved. Results suggested that grids with an aspect ratio smaller than one might be necessary to attain grid independent solutions. When sufficiently fine grids are used, however, the effect of a change in aspect ratio is sufficiently small to attain accurate solutions with an aspect ratio of two or lower. Certain important conversion measures were identified for scaling between simulation results collected in a 3D cylindrical domain and those predicted by a 2D planar simulation. System behavior predicted using these scaling rules agreed well with experimental results.     

Effects and biotransformation of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol in growing pigs fed with naturally contaminated pelleted grains with and without the addition of Coriobacteriaceum DSM 11798

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most prevalent Fusarium mycotoxins in grain and can cause economic losses in pig farming due to reduced feed consumption and lower weight gains. Biodetoxification of mycotoxins using bacterial strains has been a focus of research for many years. However, only a few in vivo studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of microbial detoxification of fusariotoxins. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the effect of a feed additive containing the bacterial strain Coriobacteriaceum DSM 11798 (the active ingredient in Biomin® BBSH 797) on growth performance and blood parameters, as well as uptake and metabolism of DON, in growing pigs. Forty-eight crossbred (Landrace-Yorkshire/Duroc-Duroc) weaning pigs were fed with pelleted feed made from naturally contaminated oats, with DON at four concentration levels: (1) control diet (DON < 0.2 mg kg^?1), (2) low-contaminated diet (DON = 0.92 mg kg^?1), (3) medium-contaminated diet (DON = 2.2 mg kg^?1) and (4) high-contaminated diet (DON = 5.0 mg kg^?1) and equivalent diets containing DSM 11798 as feed additive. During the first 7 days of exposure, pigs in the highest-dose group showed a 20–28% reduction in feed intake and a 24–34% reduction in weight gain compared with pigs in the control and low-dose groups. These differences were levelled out by study completion. Towards the end of the experiment, dose-dependent reductions in serum albumin, globulin and total serum protein were noted in the groups fed with DON-contaminated feed compared with the controls. The addition of DSM 11798 had no effect on the DON-related clinical effects or on the plasma concentrations of DON. The ineffectiveness of the feed additive in the present study could be a consequence of its use in pelleted feed, which might have hindered its rapid release, accessibility or detoxification efficiency in the pig’s gastrointestinal tract.     

Zur Hydroxyprolinbestimmung in Lebensmitteln II. Farbbildung des extrahierten Hydroxyprolin-Oxydationsproduktes in Isobutanol

Zusammenfassung Durch Extraktion der bei der Oxydation von Hydroxyprolin mit H₂O₂ gebildeten Pyrrolcarbonsäure mit Isobutanol kann die Farbbildung mit p-Dimethylaminobenzaldehyd mit größerer Ausbeute und störungsfrei durchgeführt werden. Der für die Gleichgewichtseinstellung erforderliche Reagensüberschuß kann wesentlich reduziert werden.

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About the hydroxyproline determination in foods II. Colour formation of the extracted hydroxyproline-oxidation product in isobutanol

Summary Pyrrol-carbonic acid, formed by oxydation of hydroxyproline with hydrogenperoxide, is extracted with isobutanol. The following simultaneous decarboxylation and reaction with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde can bring greater yield and can be carried out without interference. The excess of reagent necessary to reach equilibrium, can be lowered.

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Auszug aus der Dissertation von Fritz Niermann: Untersuchungen zur Ehrlichschen Reaktion als Grundlage der Hydroxyprolinbestimmung in Lebensmitteln. Technische Universität München 1973 (Promotionstag 30. Juli 1973).     

Hepatic and renal concentrations of 10 trace elements in crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in the Kafue and Luangwa rivers in Zambia

Hepatic and renal concentrations of the elements arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, selenium and zinc were determined in samples collected from four crocodiles from the Kafue River, Kafue National Park and five crocodiles from the Luangwa River, Luangwa National Park, Zambia. The concentrations of the essential elements were similar to those reported in other vertebrates. Arsenic and cadmium concentrations were low (medians below 0.05 microg As/g and below 0.16 microg Cd/g, wet wt.). Mercury and lead concentrations were several orders of magnitude higher (medians up to 3.7 microg Hg/g, and up to 8.7 microg Pb/g, all wet wt.) than in hippopotami from the same rivers, probably as a result of food-chain biomagnification. Judging by the results obtained in this study, pollution from the mining activity around the Kafue River drainage area in the Copperbelt region has not significantly influenced the trace element concentrations in tissues of the crocodiles in the Kafue National Park. The trace element concentrations measured may serve as reference values in future studies on crocodilians.     

迎接前所未有的智能物联网应用时代

Nordic认为新冠疫情加速了物联网从新兴技术演变为主流技术的发展进程,而且,新冠疫情促进了业界纷纷采用先前被视为利基解决方案的技术.在数字医疗保健、居家工作、资产跟踪、游戏和虚拟现实/增强现实 (VR/AR)等领域,这些技术获得市场大力采纳而得以蓬勃发展.     

Practical knowledge and ethics

Systematic research in the wide field of practical knowledge is a recent phenomenon. In this paper, the approaches which have been developed in the main centres of research into practical knowledge in Norway and Sweden are compared with an emphasis on their potential for revitalizing the study of ethics. The focus on narratives and reflection based on the researcher’s own professional experience which is the distinguishing feature of the centre for practical knowledge at the University of Nordland is seen as a very promising addition to the traditional repertory of ethical studies.     

A shape-analysis approach for diagnosis of stiction in control valves

The paper describes a method for automatic diagnosis of stiction in control valves. The diagnosis is performed using a shape analysis of the wave form of the oscillations that appear in the process output during stick-slip motion. The procedure is automatic in the sense that no process information is assumed except the one that is already available in the controllers. The procedure can be used both online and off-line. Results from industrial tests are provided in the paper.