Thesis (M.S.)--Wisconsin. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-85).

The water-energy-food nexus approach, where closely-connected water, energy and food sectors and their interlinkages are considered together, can be useful to fully understand and address impediments to these sectors’ security and their sustainable development. This study is a review of the current status of the water-energy-food nexus in India, main interlinkages and main challenges to the sustainable development of the nexus. One of the main interlinkages is irrigation in the water-food connection, as the majority of water withdrawn in India is used for agriculture. The water-energy interlinkages are crucial not only in the context of hydropower generation, but also due to the large amounts of water being used for cooling of fossil fuel and nuclear power plants. The pressure on water resources is exacerbated by rainfall reductions in India caused by climate change. Social and economic factors, such as population growth, change in food habits, economic growth and technological advances, further increase the demand for water, energy and food. This all poses significant challenges related to water availability and, as a result, water, food and energy security in India.

We are somewhat surprised about the extent of the feedback that we received upon our publication [1], in terms of the not entirely new connection between mobile phone radiation, brain activity, and food intake, being previously explored by EEG, association studies, and animal experiments (as outlined in the introduction of our paper). Ten years ago, scientists found “alarming” evidence of a long-term association between mobile phone radiation and obesity in humans [2]. Specifically, we are perplexed by the partly emotional character of the discussion among our readers. However, back to the facts: We thank our scientific colleagues for their detailed analyses and considerations [3] regarding our study and are pleased to explain the open points for more clarity.

<p>Apstrakt je obrađen tehnologijama za optičko prepoznavanje teksta (OCR).</p><p>Maltodekstini, hidrolizati skroba niskog stepena konverzije (dekstrozni ekvivalent manji od 20), imaju &scaron;iroku upotrebu u prehrambenoj, kozmetičkoj i farmaceutskoj industriji. U prehrambenoj industriji koriste se u niskoenergetskim prehrambenim emulzijama (majonez, salatni prelivi, namazi) kao zamena za masne materije da bi obezbedili viskozitet, poželjne senzorne osobine i smanjenje energetske vrednosti proizvoda.<br />Viskozitet razblaženih rastora maltodekstrina različitog dekstroznog ekvivalenta i botaničkog porekla meren je kapilarnim viskozimetrom i izračunate su vrednosti unutra&scaron;njeg viskoziteta za pojedine maltodekstrine. Vrednosti untra&scaron;njeg viskoziteta i molekulske mase pokoravaju se zavisnosti &Scaron;taudingerove jednačine, iako su molekuli maltodekstrina relativno kratki i ne spadaju u grupu polimera. Utvrđena je mogućnost odredivanja DE- vrednosti viskozimetrijskin putem i izvedene su jednačine za dva opsega DE (5-10 / 10-20).<br />Da bi se ispitalo pona&scaron;anje emulzija sa maltodekstrinima (emulgovanje) u procesnim uslovima, kao i osobine fmalnih proizvoda (tečljivost, mazivost) ispitivana je dinamika emulgovanja, veličina kapljica i reolo&scaron;ko pona&scaron;anje, tj. uticaj različitih faktora na disperzione karakteristike emulzija suncokretovog ulja u vodi stabilizovanih prehrambenim emulgatorom, sa dodatkom maltodekstrina u kontinualnoj fazi.<br />Utvrđeno je da osobine maltodekstina kao &scaron;to je stepen konverzije (DE-vrednost) tj. veličina molekula maltodekstrina, utiču na dispezione i reolo&scaron;ke osobine emulzija. Uticaj koncentracije ulja i maltodekstrina, kao i delimična zamena ulja maltodekstrinom, na osobine emulzija su takode ispitivane. Sa povećanjem koncentracije ulja, pri istoj koncentraciji maltodekstrina u kontinualnoj fazi, emulzije menjaju tip proticanja od pseudoplastičnog preko tiksotropnog do antitiksotrpnog. Atitiksotropija izazvana smicanjem rezultat je formiranja unutra&scaron;nje strukture emulzije usled povezivanja kapljica ulja preko molekula maltodekstrina kao i orijentacije i deformacije kapljica ulja i maltodekstrina.<br />Dodatkom maltodekstrina za pri istoj koncentraciju ulja i vremenu emulgovanja dobijene su se emulzije sitnijih kapi.<br />Emulzije sa niskom koncentracijom ulja (30%) sa maltodekstrinom u kontinualnoj fazi bile su nestabilne i pokazivale efekat isplivavanja na povr&scaron;inu (creaming), &scaron;to je posledica interakcija molekula maltodekstrina i molekula emulgatora Tween 80 u kontinualnoj fazi i na povr&scaron;ini kapi.</p> / <p>Abstract was processed by technology for Optical character recognition (OCR).</p><p>Maltodextrins, low converted products of starch hydrolysis (dextrose equivalent less than 20), have been subject of various investigations due to their wide application in food industry, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. They are used in various low energy food emulsions (mayonnaise, salad dressing, spreads) as fat replacer to provide desirable viscosity, texture and sensory fat-like mouthfeel.<br />Viscosity of diluted maltodextrin solutions of different dextrose equivalent and botanical origin were determined by capillary visometer and intrinsic viscosity [q] of each tested maltodextrin was calculated. The values of [q] together with molecular mass M have shown applicability of Staudinger equation, regardless maltodextrin molecules are rather short. The possibility for the determination of DE-values of maltodextrins by viscometric method has been deduced and the equation was calculated for two ranges of DE (5-10/ 10-20).<br />In order to assess behavior of sunflower oil in water emulsions stabilized with food grade emulsifier with addition of maltodextrins in continuous phase in processing (emulsification), as well as end products in application (pouring, spreading) the emulsification dynamics, globule size changes and rheological behavior, as well as, the influence of different factors on dispersion characteristics of such emulsions were studied.<br />Dispersion and viscous properties of emulsions were influenced by certain specific maltodextrin characteristics such as degree of conversion (DE value) i.e. size of maltodextrin molecules. Influence of oil and maltodextrin concentration and partial substitution of oil with equivalent quantity of maltodextrin were investigated too. With increase of oil concentration at the same concentration of maltodextrin in continuous phase, emulsions undergo changes in flow type from shear-thinning to thixotropic and antithixotropic. Antithxotropy induced by shear, was result of formation of network due to two competing factors; linking of oil droplets through maltodextrin molecules as well as orientation of deformed oil droplets and maltodextrin molecules.<br />Addition of maltodextrin, at the same oil concentration and emulsification time, resulted in formation of emulsions with smaller oil droplets.<br />Emulsions with low oil concentration (30%) with maltodextrin in continuous phase were unstable, showing so called creaming effect. This was mainly due to interactions between maltodextrin and emulsifier Tween 80 molecules which took place in continuous phase and on droplet surfaces.</p>

The energy-food-water nexus is of fundamental significance in the goal towards sustainable development. The Zambezi River Basin, situated in southern Africa, currently offers vast water resources for social and economic development for the eight riparian countries that constitute the watershed. Hydropower generation and agriculture are the main water users in the watershed with great potential of expansion, plus urban water supply materialise the largest consumers of this resource. Climate and social changes are pressuring natural resources availability which might show severe alterations due to enhances in the variability of precipitation patterns. This study thus examines the present water resources in the transboundary basin and executes low and high case future climate change incited scenarios in order to estimate the possible availability of water for the period 2060-2099 by performing water balances. Along with projections of water accessibility, approximations on water demands from the main consumer sectors are performed. Results show an annual positive balance for both projected scenarios due to an increase in precipitation during the wet season. They also present a severe increase in overall temperature for the region contributing to a strong increase in evapotranspiration. Projections further inform of an acute increase in water demand for irrigation and urban supply, nevertheless, evaporation from hydropower storage reservoirs continues to exceed water with drawals in volume. Acknowledging the uncertainty contained in this report allows a broader offer of recommendations to be considered when planning for future developments with a sustainable approach. Improvement of hydrological collection systems in the Zambezi basin is indispensable to accomplish a deeper and cohesive understanding of the watershed waterresources. Cooperation and knowledge communication between riparian countries seems to be the right beginning towards social and economic sustainable development for the Zambezi River Basin.

Energy-nutrient conversion ratios, as a measure of relative agricultural efficiency for Mexico, India, in the United States, and Japan between 1951 and 1974, were calculated for protein, B-vitamins, calcium, iron and food energy production. Estimates from the different nutrient ratios showed a range in percent change of production efficiency over the twenty-four year period. Indian estimates were the most consistent with only a 7 percent variability. Japan (23 percent), United States (42 percent), and Mexico (43 percent) each showed greater variability in their efficiency estimate ranges from aggregate energy-nutrient conversion ratios. Japan was the only country for which negative trends in efficiency were observed, as estimated from calcium and iron data. There did not appear to be any pattern in the relationship of one estimate to another in the countries studied. The variability of different nutrient efficiencies suggested that conventional methods of efficiency estimation based on a conversion ratio for a single nutrient may be inappropriate. There were significant differences in mean production efficiency estimates between countries but there was no uniformity among the determinations from different nutrients. The relative rank of efficiency for the countries changed for each of the efficiency estimates, except B-vitamins, over the time period studied. Diminishing returns in energy efficiency occurred as useful energy inputs increased. In addition, individual crops displayed tendencies toward diminishing returns. Plant foods were shown to be more efficient than animal sources of food. Efficiency increases appear to be related to increased use of effective energy inputs such as fertilizers.

In this thesis, a conceptual framework and related methodological approaches for complex system design are developed and tested. The approaches are based on insights from the fields of Systems Engineering (SE) and System-of-Systems Engineering (SoSE), as well as Natural Resources Management (NRM). The focus of this thesis is on: 1) the development of the System-of-Systems Design Framework “FRESCO”, 2) the development of a methodological framework for participatory systems design, 3) the application of the framework in two case studies, and 4) the development of an evaluation scheme to qualitatively measure the effectiveness of the methodological framework. The overall objectives of this doctoral dissertation are to highlight synergies between SE and NRM and to develop a methodological framework for designing decision making processes in a human-nature-technology context. The complexity of coupled and complex adaptive systems (CAS) such as the Water-Energy-Food Nexus (WEF-Nexus) and sustainability strategies, influences the design of decision-making processes and strategy building. Integrated process design which is promoted by the developed frameworks can assist in such tasks on an urban, regional, and national level.

This interdisciplinary thesis studies the diverse multi-stakeholder networks that are constitutive of contemporary water governance. It examines collaborative governance networks from a relational perspective in two case study watersheds in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Collaborative and networked governance approaches are increasingly promoted to address complex water challenges, but relatively little is known about how the everyday collaborative relationships (i.e. collaboration practices) among the multiple actors involved in the development, management and use of water, shape contemporary water governance processes. In this thesis, I advance, based on intensive fieldwork data collection, a conceptual and methodological framework for studying collaboration networks pertaining to watershed management. I examine local collaborative governance networks in two watersheds, in Ethiopia and Tanzania, from a relational perspective, using complementary qualitative and quantitative social network research methods. The thesis explores the opportunities and limitations of such collaborative governance networks in their concrete functioning, thereby contributing to a more context-sensitive, and nuanced, understanding of the role of governance networks and collaborative governance approaches in the management of water and related resources.