Käppala wastewater treatment plant situated on the island of Lidingö northeast of Stockholm is running a project during 2004 and 2005 with the purpose to map out the capacity of anaerobic digestion in the digesters that treat primary and excess sludge. The purpose of this thesis work, which is part of that project, was to characterize the present anaerobic digestion process and to investigate its capacity to treat other organic wastes such as restaurant waste and waste from water works. To decide the potential of both methane and biogas production from different substrates batch laboratory tests were carried out. To imitate the anaerobic digestion process at Käppala continuous tests with small scale reactors were carried out. These reactors were later fed with restaurant waste. The batch laboratory tests showed that primary sludge had a potential biogas and methane production of 0,62 and 0,35 Ndm3/g VS respectively after 40 days of digestion. After 15 to 20 days of digestion (average retention time in the digester at Käppala wastewater treayment plant that treats primary sludge) the biogas production was between 0,55 and 0,60 Ndm3/g VS, which is within the range of the production at the digester that treats the primary sludge. This leads to the conclusion that the digestion of primary sludge is well functioning at the plant. Batch laboratory tests showed that excess sludge had a potential biogas and methane production of 0,31 and 0,16 Ndm3/g VS respectively after 40 days of digestion. Batch laboratory tests with restaurant waste showed a potential biogas and methane production of 0,81 and 0,38 Ndm3/g VS respectively after 47 days of digestion. This means that the total production of methane gas can increase with 7-8 per cent with an annual load of 3500 tonnes of restaurant waste (estimated amount of available restaurant waste). Tests to imitate transport of restaurant waste with influent wastewater showed that 35-60 per cent of the increase of gas production would be “washed out” if the waste was tranported this way to the plant. Batch laboratory tests with waste from water works showed that no gas was produced from this substrate. The continuous tests with small scale reactors which were fed with restaurant waste resulted in an increase of biogas production with 12 per cent (corresponding to an annual load of 3500 tonnes of restaurant waste) compared to the present process. / Avloppsreningsverket Käppalaverket på Lidingö driver under år 2004-2005 ett projekt med syftet att kartlägga rötningskapaciteten i den befintliga anläggningen där primär- och överskottsslam behandlas i två rötkammare. Syftet med examensarbetet, som är en del av kartläggningsprojektet, var att karakterisera Käppalaverkets nuvarande rötningsprocess och undersöka processens kapacitet att behandla organiskt avfall i form av restaurangavfall och vatttenverksslam. För att bestämma potentialen hos olika substrat har satsvisa utrötningar genomförts. För att efterlikna processen på Käppalaverket har kontinuerliga försök med små reaktorer bedrivits. Till dessa reaktorer har sedan restaurangavfall tillsats. De satsvisa utrötningarna av primärslam visade en potentiell bio- respektive metangasproduktion om 0,62 respektive 0,35 Ndm3/g VS efter 40 dagars utrötning. Efter 15-20 dagars utrötning (som är den genomsnittliga uppehållstiden i Käppalaverkets rötkammare där primärslammet behandlas) var biogasproduktionen mellan 0,55 och 0,60 Ndm3/g VS, vilket är inom samma intervall som vid den verkliga driften av rötkamrarna vid Käppalaverket. Detta betyder att utrötningen av primärslammet fungerar bra vid Käppalaverket. De satsvisa utrötningarna av överskottsslammet visade en potentiell bio- respektive metangasproduktion om 0,31 respektive 0,16 Ndm3/g VS efter 40 dagars utrötning. För restaurangavfallet visade de satsvisa utrötningarna på en potentiell bio- respektive metangasproduktion om 0,81 respektive 0,38 Ndm3/g VS efter 47 dagars utrötning. Detta innebär att den totala metangasproduktionen vid Käppalaverket skulle kunna ökas med 7-8 procent om 3500 ton restaurangavfall skulle tas emot årligen (uppskattad mängd restaurangavfall som finns att tillgå). Försök att efterlikna transport av restaurangavfallet via avloppsledningsnätet visade dock att 35-60 procent av den ökade metangasproduktionen skulle ”tvättas ur” om avfallet fördes till verket via avloppsledningsnätet. Försöken med satsvis utrötning av vattenverksslam visade att detta substrat inte bidrar med någon produktion av biogas eller metangas. De kontinuerliga försöken med tillsats av restaurangavfall (motsvarande en årlig belastning med 3500 ton) resulterade i en ökning av biogasproduktionen med 12 procent.

<p>Enzymes are useful tools as specific analytical reagents. Two different analysis methods were developed for use in the separate fields of protein science and organic synthesis. Both methods rely on the substrate specificity of enzymes. Enzyme catalysis and substrate specificity is described and put in context with each of the two developed methods.</p><p>In <strong>paper I </strong>a method for C-terminal peptide sequencing was developed based on conventional Carboxypeptidase Y digestion combined with matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. An alternative nucleophile was used to obtain a stable peptide ladder and improve sequence coverage.</p><p>In paper<strong> II </strong>and <strong>III</strong>, three different enzymes were used for rapid analysis of enantiomeric excess and conversion of O-acylated cyanohydrins synthesized by a defined protocol. Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase,<em> Candida antarctica</em> lipase<strong> </strong>B<strong> </strong>and pig liver esterase were sequentially added to a solution containing the O-acylated cyanohydrin. Each enzyme caused a drop in absorbance from oxidation of NADH to NAD⁺. The conversion and enantiomeric excess of the sample could be calculated from the relative differences in absorbance.</p>

Τα τελευταία χρόνια διεξάγεται µια έντονη ερευνητική προσπάθεια µε στόχο την ανά- πτυξη αποτελεσµατικών καταλυτών για την εκλεκτική οξείδωση του CO παρουσία περίσσειας H2. Το ενδιαφέρον για αυτήν την διεργασία εντοπίζεται στην εφαρµογή της για τον καθαρισµό από το περιεχόµενο CO, πλούσιων σε Η2 αέριων µιγµάτων τα οποία χρησιµοποιούνται ως καύσιµο σε κυψελίδες καυσίµου τύπου PEM. Στην παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή εξετάστηκαν οι καταλυτικές ιδιότητες τριών συ- στηµάτων: Au/α-Fe2O3, Pt/γ-Al2O3 και CuO-CeO2, για την εν λόγω διεργασία. Η µελέτη εντοπί- στηκε, κατά κύριο λόγο, στους καταλύτες CuO-CeO2, οι οποίοι δε περιέχουν πολύτιµο µέταλλο. Στους εν λόγω καταλύτες, παράµετροι της µελέτης ήταν η µέθοδος παρασκευής, η φόρτιση των καταλυτών σε ενεργό φάση και η θερµοκρασία ενεργοποίησής τους. Σε κάθε περίπτωση εξετά- στηκε η ενεργότητα, εκλεκτικότητα και σταθερότητα των καταλυτών, καθώς και η ανθεκτικότητά τους στην παρουσία CO2 και Η2Ο στην τροφοδοσία. Για το χαρακτηρισµό των καταλυτών χρησι- µοποιήθηκαν: α) φασµατοσκοπία ατοµικής απορρόφησης, β) ρόφηση Ν2, γ) περίθλαση ακτίνων Χ, δ) ηλεκτρονική µικροσκοπία, ε) θερµοσταθµική ανάλυση, στ) φασµατοσκοπία φωτοηλεκτρο- νίων ακτίνων Χ και ζ) δυναµικά πειράµατα µε προγραµµατισµό θερµοκρασίας. Επιπλέον, κινητι- κές µελέτες πραγµατοποιήθηκαν σε επιλεγµένα δείγµατα CuO-CeO2. Οι καταλύτες CuO-CeO2 βρέθηκαν να έχουν σχεδόν ιδανική εκλεκτικότητα σε θερµο- κρασίες µικρότερες από 130οC. Ενεργοί και εξαιρετικά εκλεκτικοί καταλύτες CuO-CeO2 παρα- σκευάστηκαν µε διαφορετικές τεχνικές, και εµφάνισαν µεγάλη σταθερότητα µε το χρόνο αντί- δρασης και ικανοποιητική ανθεκτικότητα στην παρουσία Η2Ο και CO2. H σειρά ενεργότητας των καταλυτών, µε βάση τη µέθοδο παρασκευής τους, ήταν: (sol-gel) > (καύση) > (κιτρικά-υδρο- θερµική) > (συγκαταβύθιση) > (εµποτισµός). Ο βέλτιστος καταλύτης CuO-CeO2, ο οποίος παρα- σκευάστηκε µε τεχνική sol-gel, έδωσε ~99% µετατροπή του CO, µε ~87% εκλεκτικότητα, στους 175οC, σε συνθήκες εκλεκτικής οξείδωσης του CO (παρουσία CO2 και Η2Ο). Γενικά, η ένταση της αλληλεπίδρασης CuO-CeO2 βρέθηκε να εξαρτάται από τη θερµοκρασία ενεργοποίησης των καταλυτών. Σε χαµηλές θερµοκρασίες ενεργοποίησης η προω- θητική δράση της δηµήτριας εντοπίζεται στην αύξηση της ειδικής επιφάνειας των καταλυτών και στη δηµιουργία νέων ενεργών κέντρων, πιθανά στη διεπιφάνεια των δύο φάσεων. Απ’ την άλλη πλευρά, η ένταση της αλληλεπίδρασης ενισχύεται σε υψηλές θερµοκρασίες ενεργοποίησης, µε συνέπεια την αύξηση της εγγενούς ενεργότητας των ενεργών κέντρων. Στα περισσότερα καταλυ- τικά δείγµατα το οξείδιο του χαλκού βρισκόταν πολύ καλά διασπαρµένο στην επιφάνεια της δηµήτριας. Επιπλέον, η παρουσία και σταθεροποίηση ιόντων Cu1+ στους καταλύτες που παρα- σκευάστηκαν µε καύση, συγκαταβύθιση και sol-gel, και ενεργοποιήθηκαν σε υψηλές θερµοκρασίες, αποτελεί ένδειξη ισχυρής αλληλεπίδρασης ανάµεσα στο οξείδιο του χαλκού και στη δηµήτρια, µε αποτέλεσµα την εισχώρηση ιόντων Cu1+ στα πρώτα επιφανειακά στρώµατα της δηµήτριας. Κινητικά µοντέλα βασιζόµενα σε έναν οξειδοαναγωγικό µηχανισµό, µπορούν να περι- γράψουν τις αντιδράσεις οξείδωσης του CO και του Η2, τόσο στο καθαρό CuO, όσο και στους κα- ταλύτες CuO-CeO2. H αλληλεπίδραση ανάµεσα στο CuO και τη δηµήτρια έχει ως αποτέλεσµα την ευκολότερη αναγωγή των οξειδωµένων ενεργών κέντρων, σε σχέση µε το καθαρό CuO. Η ευχερέστερη αναγωγή αυτών των κέντρων από το CO, σε σχέση µε το Η2, είναι η αιτία της υψη- λής εκλεκτικότητας των καταλυτών CuO-CeO2. Η ενεργότητα των καταλυτών Au βρέθηκε να εξαρτάται από την επιφανειακή συγκέ- ντρωση του Au, γεγονός που καταδεικνύει τη σηµασία ύπαρξης καλώς διασπαρµένων νανοσωµα- τιδίων Au (µεγέθους ~3 nm), για την επίτευξη υψηλής καταλυτικής ενεργότητας. Την καλύτερη συµπεριφορά παρουσίασε το δείγµα µε 2.94 wt% Au, για το οποίο προσδιορίστηκε η µεγαλύτερη τιµή επιφανειακής συγκέντρωσης Au. Με αυτό το δείγµα επιτεύχθηκε µετατροπή του CO µεγαλύτερη από 99% (µε 52% εκλεκτικότητα), στους 100οC, σε ρεαλιστικές συνθήκες εκλεκτικής oξείδωσης του CO (παρουσία CO2 και Η2Ο). Η σύγκριση της καταλυτικής συµπεριφοράς καταλυτών Au/α-Fe2O3, Pt/γ-Al2O3 και CuOCeO2 έδειξε ότι σε σχετικά χαµηλές θερµοκρασίες λειτουργίας (<80oC) ο καταλύτης Au/α-Fe2O3 εµφανίζει τη βέλτιστη συµπεριφορά για την εκλεκτική οξείδωση του CO. Σε υψηλότερες θερµοκρασίες, καλύτερα αποτελέσµατα έδωσαν οι καταλύτες CuO-CeO2, ο οποίοι ήταν αντί- στοιχα ενεργοί, και σε κάθε περίπτωση πιο εκλεκτικοί από τον καταλύτη Pt/γ-Al2O3. Η παρουσία H2O και CO2 στο αντιδρόν µίγµα προκάλεσε σηµαντική µείωση στην ενεργότητα των καταλυτών Au/α-Fe2O3 και CuO-CeO2, αλλά δεν επηρέασε, τουλάχιστον αρνητικά, την ενεργότητα του Pt/γ- Al2O3. Οι καταλύτες CuO-CeO2 και Pt/γ-Al2O3 παρουσίασαν σταθερή καταλυτική συµπεριφορά για το χρονικό διάστηµα που εξετάστηκαν σε ρεαλιστικές συνθήκες αντίδρασης (7-8 ηµέρες), σε αντίθεση µε τον καταλύτη Au/α-Fe2O3. / The development of efficient catalysts for the selective oxidation of CO in the presence of excess H2 is the goal of intense research effort during the last years, due to the application of this process in removal of CO from H2-rich gas mixtures, which are used as fuel in PEM fuel cells. The catalytic properties of three systems: Au/α-Fe2O3, Pt/γ-Al2O3 και CuO-CeO2, were investigated for the title process of the present thesis. The study was focused mainly on the CuOCeO2 catalysts, which do not contain a noble metal. Parameters of the study were: the preparation method, the metal loading and the activation temperature. The activity, selectivity and stability of catalysts, and also their tolerance in the presence of CO2 and Η2Ο in the feed, were examined. The catalysts were characterized by: a) atomic adsorption spectroscopy, b) N2 adsorption, c) X-ray diffraction, d) electron microscopy, e) thermogravimetry, f) X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and g) temperature-programmed dynamic tests. Additionally, kinetic studies were performed with selected CuO-CeO2 samples. CuO-CeO2 catalysts were found to be almost ideally selective in temperatures lower than 130οC. Active and selective CuO-CeO2 catalysts were prepared with various techniques, and showed high stability with time on stream and good resistance towards Η2Ο and CO2. Based on the preparation method, the activity ranking of the catalysts was: (sol-gel) > (combustion) > (citrate- hydrothermal) > (coprecipitation) > (impregnation). The best CuO-CeO2 catalyst, prepared with a sol-gel technique, showed ~99% CO conversion, with ~87% selctivity, at 175οC (in the presence of CO2 and Η2Ο). The interaction intensity between copper oxide and ceria was generally found to depend on the activation temperature of the catalysts. At low activation temperatures, the promoting effect of ceria causes enhancement of surface area and creation of additional active sites, probably at the interface of the two phases. On the other hand, the interaction is enhanced at high activation temperatures, resulting in increase of intrinsic activity of active sites. In most of the catalytic samples, copper oxide was well dispersed on the ceria surface. In addition, the presence and stabilization of Cu1+ ions in the catalysts that were prepared with combustion, coprecipitation and sol-gel, and were activated at high temperatures, indicates the presence of strong interaction between copper v oxide and ceria, resulting to the penetration of Cu1+ ions into the first surface layers of ceria. Kinetic models, based on the redox mechanism, can describe the oxidation reactions of CO and Η2, for both pure CuO and CuO-CeO2 catalysts. The interaction between CuO and ceria results in easier reduction of oxidized active sites, compared to pure CuO. The easier reduction of these sites from CO, compared to Η2, is the cause of high selectivity of CuO-CeO2 catalysts. The activity of gold catalysts was found to depend on the surface concentration of Au, implying that well-dipersed gold nanoparticles (size of ~3 nm) are essential for the achievement of high catalytic activity. The best performance was found for the sample with 2.94 wt% Au, which had the highest value of surface concentration of gold. In this case, CO conversion higher than 99% (with 52% selectivity) was obtained at 100οC, under realistic conditions of selective CO oxidation (in the presence of CO2 and Η2Ο). Comparison of the catalytic performance of Au/α-Fe2O3, Pt/γ-Al2O3 and CuO-CeO2 catalysts, showed that the Au/α-Fe2O3 catalyst is superior for the selective oxidation of CO at relatively low operation temperatures (<80oC). At higher temperatures, best results were obtained with the CuO-CeO2 catalysts, which proved to be comparably active, and in any case more selective than the Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalyst. The presence of H2O and CO2 in the reactant mixture caused a significant decrease in the catalytic activity of Au/α-Fe2O3 and CuO-CeO2 catalysts, but didn’t affect, at least negatively, the activity of Pt/γ-Al2O3. With the exception of Au/α-Fe2O3, the CuO-CeO2 and Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalysts exhibited a stable catalytic performance for at least 7-8 days under realistic reaction conditions.

Traditionally, source coding (data compression) and channel coding (error protection) are performed separately and sequentially, resulting in what we call a tandem (separate) coding system. In practical implementations, however, tandem coding might involve a large delay and a high coding/decoding complexity, since one needs to remove the redundancy in the source coding part and then insert certain redundancy in the channel coding part. On the other hand, joint source-channel coding (JSCC), which coordinates source and channel coding or combines them into a single step, may offer substantial improvements over the tandem coding approach. This thesis deals with the fundamental Shannon-theoretic limits for a variety of communication systems via JSCC. More specifically, we investigate the reliability function (which is the largest rate at which the coding probability of error vanishes exponentially with increasing blocklength) for JSCC for the following discrete-time communication systems: (i) discrete memoryless systems; (ii) discrete memoryless systems with perfect channel feedback; (iii) discrete memoryless systems with source side information; (iv) discrete systems with Markovian memory; (v) continuous-valued (particularly Gaussian) memoryless systems; (vi) discrete asymmetric 2-user source-channel systems. For the above systems, we establish upper and lower bounds for the JSCC reliability function and we analytically compute these bounds. The conditions for which the upper and lower bounds coincide are also provided. We show that the conditions are satisfied for a large class of source-channel systems, and hence exactly determine the reliability function. We next provide a systematic comparison between the JSCC reliability function and the tandem coding reliability function (the reliability function resulting from separate source and channel coding). We show that the JSCC reliability function is substantially larger than the tandem coding reliability function for most cases. In particular, the JSCC reliability function is close to twice as large as the tandem coding reliability function for many source-channel pairs. This exponent gain provides a theoretical underpinning and justification for JSCC design as opposed to the widely used tandem coding method, since JSCC will yield a faster exponential rate of decay for the system error probability and thus provides substantial reductions in complexity and coding/decoding delay for real-world communication systems. / Thesis (Ph.D, Mathematics & Statistics) -- Queen's University, 2008-05-13 22:31:56.425

While sorting through my experiences as a student teacher, my research question has shifted from “How can teacher education be improved?” to “How is teacher education represented?” I am interested in the juxtaposition of these two inquiries, and use them not to suggest pedagogical rules, but to draw attention to the kinds of spaces such a juxtaposition opens up. The shift in my research question is influenced by the discursive turn—the movement from social justice theories to poststructuralist theories, from theories based on experience to theories based on discourse. Questions of representation are the focus not only of poststructuralist theories but also of psychoanalytic theories, or theories of the unconscious, and both theories acknowledge that representations of reality are excessive: they contain more and less than that which they represent (Orner et al., 2005). The concept of excess enables me to make sense of moments in my teacher education program that could not be contained by dominant educational discourses of knowledge, reflection, and inclusion. The excessiveness of a teaching strategy called the Six Thinking Hats troubles the theory/practice binary in discourses of knowledge. The excessiveness of an assignment about philosophies of teaching, and a class discussion in response to the film Submission trouble the enlightenment/ignorance binary in discourses of reflection. And, the excessiveness of my attempt to question curricular content troubles the normal/exceptional binary in discourses of inclusion. I use excessive moments from my teacher education program to question existing discourses, and to suggest that we need to change the stories we tell ourselves about education (King, 2003). Our current educational discourses perpetuate histories of violence that we have inherited, and I suggest that social justice, poststructuralist, and psychoanalytic theories will enable us to more effectively heal from these inherited histories. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2007-12-04 16:19:40.676 / This work was funded in part by a Canadian Graduate Scholarship granted by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (766-2006-0775).

This doctoral thesis is a collection of four papers on the analysis of the term structure of interest rates with a focus at the intersection of macroeconomics and finance. "Risk in Macroeconomic Fundamentals and Bond Return Predictability" documents that factors related to risks underlying the macroeconomy such as expectations, uncertainty and downside (upside) macroeconomic risks are able to explain variation in bond risk premia. The information provided is found to be, to a large extent, unrelated to that contained in forward rates and current macroeconomic conditions. "Out-of-sample bond excess returns predictability" provides evidence that macroeconomic variables, risks in macroeconomic outcomes as well as the combination of these different sources of information are able to generate statistical as well as economic bond excess returns predictability in an out-of-sample setting. Results suggest that this finding is not driven by revisions in macroeconomic data. The term spread (yield curve slope) is largely used as an indicator of future economic activity. "Re-examining the predictive power of the yield curve with quantile regression" provides new evidence on the predictive ability of the term spread by studying the whole conditional distribution of GDP growth. "Modeling and forecasting the yield curve by extended Nelson-Siegel class of models: a quantile regression approach" deals with yield curve prediction. More flexible Nelson-Siegel models are found to provide better fitting to the data, even when penalizing for additional model complexity. For the forecasting exercise, quantile-based models are found to overcome all competitors. / <p>Diss. Stockholm :  Stockholm School of Economics, 2014. Introduction together with 4 papers.</p>

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) were grown in a fine sandy loam soil in southern Manitoba in a three-year field study comparing four water management treatments: No Drainage with No Irrigation (NDNI), No Drainage with Overhead Irrigation (NDIR), Free Drainage with Overhead Irrigation (FDIR), and Controlled Drainage with Subirrigation (CDSI). The objectives of the study were (i) to evaluate the effect of the four treatments on yield and quality of potatoes, (ii) to evaluate the effect of water management on the environment, (iii) to estimate the shallow groundwater contribution to potato water requirement, and (iv) to simulate the shallow groundwater hydrology using the DRAINMOD and HYDRUS 1-D model. Subsurface drains were installed at 0.9 m depth and at spacings of 15 m (FDIR) and 8 m (CDSI). Subirrigation was done by pumping water back into the tiles through the drainage control structures. Overhead irrigation was carried out using a travelling gun. Water table depth, soil water content, drainage outflow, nutrient concentration in drainage water, irrigation rate, weather variables, potato yield and quality parameters, and biomass were measured. Compared to the NDNI treatment, the potato yield increase in the other treatments ranged between 15-32% in 2011 and 2-14% in 2012. In 2011, potato yield from FDIR was higher than CDSI (p = 0.011) and NDNI (p = 0.001), and yield from NDIR was higher than NDNI (p = 0.034). In 2012, potato yield was higher in FDIR in comparison to NDNI (p = 0.021). In 2012, the NDIR gave higher dark ends (p = 0.008) compared to other treatments. Under dry conditions, up to 92% of the potato crop water demand could be met by shallow groundwater contribution. Compared to free drainage, controlled drainage was able to lower the nitrate export by 98% (p = 0.033) in 2010 and by 67% (p = 0.076) in 2011, and the phosphate export decreased by 94% (p = 0.0117) in 2010. A major part of the drainage flow and nutrient export took place between April and June in southern Manitoba. DRAINMOD was able to accurately predict the shallow groundwater hydrology for this particular research site.

Photovoltaic Systems in Sweden has longbeen heavily dependent on subsidies and grants to bring in a profit for the investor. Production of excess electricity is a major reason for this as the compensation for excess electricity today is low. However, there are businesses that have an electricityneed that are particularly suitable for solar electricity. These businesses have an electricity demand when the sun shines the brightest and if the Photovoltaic System is properly scaled, the excess electricity can be minimized. A golf club is that kind of a business and this thesis aims to examinate the solar power potential for golf businesses in Sweden. Nine golf clubs was selected from different locations in Sweden. The load profiles from these golf clubs was simulated in the software HOMER against solar radiation data from each site. The system sizes that produces 5% excess electricity was calculated for each club. Finally the profitability for these systems was evaluated. The result shows that the golf clubs in Sweden can make profitable investments in PV systems without subsidies and grants. When the excess production is allowed to be 5% of the total production, solar electricity covers about 20 % of the yearly electricity need. For many of the clubs, the netpresent value is greater than the investment after 40 years. This means that the investment has more than doubled its value. Production price will be about 80 Swedish cents per kWh and the payback time is estimated to be 18 years. / Sveriges energisystem står inför en förändring. Enligt dagens miljöpolitik ska förnybara energikällor som vindkraft, bioenergi och solenergi på sikt ersätta kärnkraft och fossila energikällor. Solel står idag för en nästan obefintlig del av den svenska elmixen vilket främst beror på att priserna på solcellssystem tidigare har varit för höga. Höga subventioner har varit nödvändiga för att en investering inte ska innebära en förlust. Idag har systempriserna sjunkit till en nivå där en ekonomisk vinst är möjlig även utan subventioner. En förutsättning för en ekonomisk vinst är att solcellerna integreras på rätt sätt i verksamheten. För att en investering i ett solcellssystem ska vara ekonomiskt lönsam utan subventioner krävs det att producenten själv konsumerar den producerade elen. Det beror på att ersättningen för överproducerad el, så kallad överskottsel, i dagsläget inte motsvarar lönsamheten som uppstår då elen konsumeras av verksamheten själv. För att kunna få en låg andel överskottsel i produktionen krävs det att verksamheten i fråga har ett elbehov vid den tid då solcellerna producerar el, alltså då solen skiner som starkast. Examensarbetet är inriktat mot att studera verksamheter som, till skillnad från en normal villa, har ett elbehov under dagtid och under sommarhalvåret. En golfverksamhet har ett sådant elbehov och dessutom finns det stora markytor och flera byggnader i verksamheten, vilket är ett stort plus vid installation av solceller. Det fördelaktiga elbehovet medför att relativt stora solcellsanläggningar kan integreras i golfverksamheterna utan att det produceras för mycket överskottsel. För att bestämma golfverksamheters lämplighet för solelsproduktion i Sverige har 9 golfklubbars elbehov analyserats mot solinstrålningsdata från respektive plats. De nio klubbarna är valda från olika delar av landet för att påvisa skillnader i produktion och lönsamhet beroende på lokalisation. För varje golfklubb framtogs systemstorlekar som producerar omkring 5 % respektive 10 % överskottsel per år. I rapporten presenteras huvudsakligen resultaten för systemstorlekar med 5 % överskottsel eftersom en sådan mängd anses vara försumbar. Ekonomin för de framtagna systemen analyserades och presenteras i form av nettonuvärde vid livslängdens slut, produktionspris samt återbetalningstid. Resultaten från undersökningen visar att golfverksamheter i Sverige kan göra lönsamma investeringar i solcellssystem även utan subventioner eller bidrag. För många klubbar är nettonuvärdet större än investeringen efter 40 år, vilket innebär att investeringen har mer än dubblerat sitt värde. Produktionspriset hamnar på runt 80 öre per kWh och återbetalningstiden blir omkring 18 år. Med investeringsstöd är nettonuvärdet större än investeringen redan efter 25 år. Produktionspriset blir runt 60 öre per kWh och återbetalningstiden sjunker till omkring 10 år. Att göra en investering i solceller innebär inte bara en ekonomisk lönsamhet för investeraren. En investering medför också positiva fördelar för miljön då solceller producerar förnybar el. Stora delar av världen arbetar idag aktivt för att få in mer förnybar el i energisystemet. Sverige har som mål att 50 % av energianvändningen i Sverige ska försörjas av förnybara energikällor år 2020. Idag är drygt 40 % av energiförsörjningen förnybar, vilket innebär att det återstår en del arbete tills målet är uppfyllt. Om golfklubbar i Sverige utnyttjar sitt fördelaktiga elbehov och investerar i solceller kan de bidra till att målet uppnås samtidigt som de gör en god ekonomisk affär. Därför rekommenderas det att Sveriges golfklubbar ser över sina möjligheter att integrera solcellsystem i sina verksamheter.

La prévalence de l’excès de poids (EP) est en pleine croissance à travers le monde. Au Canada, elle serait de 59,1% dans la population générale, dont 23,1% d’obésité et 36,0% d’embonpoint. Ces pourcentages sont encore plus élevés dans la population autochtone, en plus d’une forte prévalence d’insécurité alimentaire (IA) et une alimentation en transition vers de moins en moins de nourritures traditionnelles, et de plus en plus de nourritures commerciales de faible densité nutritionnelle. L’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) recommande des initiatives pour documenter le statut sanitaire de cette population afin d’orienter les actions pouvant prévenir les conséquences négatives sur la santé. Notre étude visait donc à décrire les phénomènes de l’EP et de l’IA chez les Premières Nations (PN) adultes de 19 ans et plus, vivant sur les réserves en Colombie-Britannique (CB). Cet échantillon est en effet le premier d’un projet de 10 ans dénommé « First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study » ou (FNFNES), visant à documenter l’état nutritionnel et l’exposition à certains contaminants chez les PN vivant au sud du 60ème parallèle au Canada. Plus particulièrement, cette thèse cherche à associer trois dimensions de la santé, soit l’EP, la qualité de l’alimentation (QA) et l’IA. Nous avons voulu en effet vérifier dans le contexte des PN de la CB: 1) si une QA inadéquate serait associée à un risque plus élevé d’EP; 2) si l’IA des ménages serait associée à une qualité inadéquate de l’alimentation; et 3) si la QA et l’IA expliqueraient ensemble la présence d’EP. A l’issue des analyses (univariées, bivariées, MANOVA et régressions logistiques) de nos données transversales colligées en 2008/2009, les prévalences respectives chez les femmes (n = 493) et les hommes (n = 356) adultes étaient de 44,8% et 35,4% pour l’obésité, de 31,6% et 41,3% pour l’embonpoint, soit un total de 76,4% et 76,7% d’EP. Elles étaient de 39,3% et de 34,8% pour l’IA. Seuls 42,4% des femmes et 43,8% des hommes avaient un accès suffisant aux aliments traditionnels. Après ajustement pour les variables sociodémographiques et du mode de vie, les résultats des analyses multivariées ont montré ii que bien que les prévalences d’EP et d’IA soient assez similaires dans les deux sexes, les processus reliant l’EP, la QA et l’IA seraient différents. En effet, chez les femmes, l’EP serait expliqué par une QA compromise par des apports énergétiques relativement élevés (RC = 2,26; IC: 1,13 - 4,52), la consommation fréquente des boissons gazeuses (pour l’embonpoint, RC = 2,70; IC: 1,11 - 6,56 et pour l’obésité, RC = 2,53; IC: 1,05 - 6,09), en synergie avec l’inactivité physique (RC = 0,52; IC: 0,28 – 0,98 pour le groupe à activité modérée, et RC = 0,36; IC: 0,18 – 0,72 pour le groupe le plus actif), tandis que les produits céréaliers (RC = 0,35; IC: 0,16 - 0,75) et le lait et substituts (RC = 0,40; IC: 0,16 - 0,95) joueraient un rôle protecteur contre l’EP. D’autre part, l’IA des ménages influencerait la QA (à travers les gras saturés, p = 0,02) mais lorsque les trois variables sont étudiées ensemble, seules des dimensions de la QA apparaissent associées à l’EP. Par contre chez les hommes, le seul facteur alimentaire associé à l’EP est le pain blanc mais dans un rôle protecteur (pour l’embonpoint, RC = 0,38; IC: 0,18 - 0,76 et pour l’obésité, RC = 0,36; IC: 0,16 - 0,80); de même, lorsque les trois variables sont étudiées ensemble, l’IA joue un rôle protecteur de l’EP, dans un contexte de tabagisme relativement élevé et également protecteur, ce qui n’expliquerait pas la forte prévalence d’EP observée chez les hommes PN vivant sur les réserves de la CB. Des études plus approfondies et sur des échantillons plus grands seraient nécessaires pour mieux cerner la nature des relations mais d’ores et déjà, notre travail suggère que des effets positifs sur l’EP peuvent être attendus des politiques et programmes visant à réduire la consommation des boissons gazeuses et l’inactivité physique, et à encourager la consommation des produits céréaliers et de lait et substituts chez les femmes. Quant aux hommes, les conclusions de notre étude ne nous permettent pas encore de formuler des recommandations précises. Alors, les comportements santé recommandés aux femmes devraient être généralisés aux hommes en attendant les conclusions d’autres études. / There is consistent evidence showing that the prevalence of excess weight is increasing all over the world. In Canada, the prevalence is 59.4%, of which 23.1% can be ascribed to obesity and 36.0% to overweight. These proportions are higher in aboriginal populations, along with higher prevalence of food insecurity and a transition diet characterized by less traditional foods known to be of high nutrient content, and more market foods of lower nutritional density. Because of this situation, the World Health Organization has recommended new research strategies and initiatives in order to document the health status of these populations and prevent negative health consequences. Our study aimed to describe the phenomena of excess weight and food insecurity among adult First Nations (FN), aged 19 years and over, living on the reserves of British Columbia (BC); this sample is the first of a ten year project, the “First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study” (FNFNES) aiming to document the nutritional status and exposure to contaminants in Canadian First Nations communities living south of the 60th parallel. Specifically, this thesis aims to link three health dimensions: excess weight, diet quality and food insecurity. We explored whether in the context of FN people living on the reserves of BC, 1) an inadequate diet quality is associated with a higher risk of excess weight; 2) household food insecurity is associated with inadequate diet quality; and 3) together, diet quality and food insecurity might explain the high prevalence of excess weight. Our results (from univariate, bivariate, MANOVA and logistic regression analysis of data collected in 2008/2009) show that among women (n = 493) and men (n = 356) respectively, the prevalences were 44.8% and 35.4% for obesity, and 31.6% and 41.3% for overweight, for a total of 76.4% and 76.7% for excess weight; for food insecurity, the prevalence was 39.3% for women and 34.8% for men. Only 42.4% of women and 43.8% of men had sufficient access to traditional foods. After controlling for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables, the results of multivariate analysis suggest that although the prevalences of iv excess weight and food insecurity were similar between genders, the process linking excess weight, diet quality and food insecurity was different among men and women. Indeed, in women, the excess weight might be explained by compromised diet quality, as observed through relatively high energy intakes (OR = 2.26; 95% CI: 1.13 - 4.52), more frequent consumption of carbonated beverages (OR = 2.70; CI: 1.11- 6.56 for overweight and OR = 2.53; CI: 1.05 - 6.09 for obesity), together with physical inactivity (OR = 0.52; CI: 0.28 - 0.58 for the moderate physical activity group and OR = 0.36; CI: 0.18 - 0.72 for the active group). Cereals (OR = 0.35; CI: 0.16- 0.75) and dairy products (OR = 0.40; CI: 0.16 - 0.95) played a protective role against excess weight. Moreover, household food insecurity influenced diet quality (through saturated fatty acids, p = 0.02) but when the three variables were analysed together, the only dimension associated with excess weight in women was diet quality, but not food insecurity. In men, the only dietary factor associated with excess weight was white bread, in a paradoxically protective role (OR = 0.38; CI: 0.18-0.76 for overweight and OR= 0.36; CI: 0.16-0.80 for obesity); also, when the three variables were put together, food insecurity played a protective role for excess weight, in the context of relatively high rate of smoking, also known to be protective of excess weight, which cannot help explain the high prevalence of excess weight in men living on the reserves of BC. More detailed studies, carried out in larger samples, would be necessary to better understand these relationships. This study already suggests that positive effects on the reduction of excess weight could result from policies and programmes aiming to reduce carbonated drink intakes and physical inactivity, and to encourage consumption of cereals and dairy products, especially in women. Regarding men, our results do not permit specific recommendations. However, healthy behaviours recommended for women might be extended to men, while waiting for results from further studies.

隨著資本市場的多元發展，近年來台灣企業發行可轉換公司債之件數倍增，可轉換公司債之所以受到企業青睞，成為愈來愈受歡迎的籌資工具，必有它的獨特之處，而海外可轉換公司債也是公司擴張海外市場的一大助力。本論文的研究目的即在了解台灣上市上櫃公司以國內可轉換公司債(Convertible Bond；簡稱CB)或海外可轉換公司債(Euro Convertible Bond；簡稱ECB)進行融資對其財務績效之影響，並驗證台灣企業發行ECB是否支持Merton(1987)之投資者認可假說。 本論文以1999至2003年間，96家僅發行國內可轉換公司債、70家僅發行海外可轉換公司債、11家同時發行國內與海外可轉換公司債的公司為樣本，實證研究之主要結論如下： 1.公司發行CB或ECB後財務槓桿顯著上升，尤以CB為甚，顯示其財務 風險增加，降低公司財務彈性。若以市值衡量負債比率，則ECB發 行公司在發行前的負債比率較CB發行公司略高，但發行後二年顯著 下降較快。 2.僅發行CB或ECB之樣本公司發行後系統風險皆顯著上升，但同時發 行CB與ECB之樣本，在發行CB後系統風險顯著上升，發行ECB後系統 風險則無顯著變化。 3.在發行公司的績效表現方面，本論文以可轉換公司債發行後的α係 數變化情形為超額報酬之衡量指標，發現三組樣本結果皆顯示CB與 ECB發行後其股價績效表現不佳，前兩組樣本較為顯著。 4.以僅發行ECB組別的70家公司為樣本進行實證，結果顯示發行ECB確 實能增進公司之能見度；但在投資者認可假說方面，台灣市場ECB 的發行並不支持投資者認可假說。故雖然ECB的發行增加公司的能 見度，但財務彈性降低與系統風險增加可能使投資者對公司之未來 前景產生更高之不確定性。 / With diverse development and further integration among international capital markets, more and more companies in Taiwan tend to issue convertible bond for financing in the past few years. In addition, Euro Convertible Bond (ECB) also facilitates firms to expand overseas markets and becomes popular. This study not only focuses on risk and stock price performance changes around convertible bond offerings, but also compares the differences between CB and ECB on research topics. It takes issuing companies that listed in Taiwan Stock Exchange or OTC as objects of study. Moreover, the study tests firm visibility as well as Merton’s investor recognition hypothesis of ECB. Picking 177 samples from Taiwan companies during 1999 and 2003, and I divide them into three groups. 96 firms in the first group only issue CB, 70 firms in the second group only issue ECB, and 11 firms in the final group issue both CB and ECB. According to the empirical results, this study points out several conclusions as follows. First, financial leverage increases after issuing CB or ECB, especially CB firms show more significant increase, and it reduces financial flexibility. Second, systematic risk of companies which only issuing CB or ECB reveal significant increase. However, the 11 firms in the third group show systematic risk that measured with beta increases significantly following CB issuances, but doesn’t change evidently following ECB issuances. Third, I would like to view stock price performance of CB and ECB issuers. The finding shows that relative long-term excess return of three groups all decrease, and the former two groups appear significant drop. Finally, Merton’s investor recognition hypothesis isn’t supported by 70 ECB samples even though issuing ECB could promote firm visibility. This outcome is probably attributed to decrease of financial flexibility and increase of systematic risk.