Although seemingly effortless, the control of the human hand is backed by an elaborate neuro-muscular mechanism. The end result is typically a smooth action with the precise positioning of the joints of the hand and an exerted force that can be modulated to enable precise interaction with the surroundings. Unfortunately, even the most sophisticated technology cannot replace such a comprehensive ro

The impact of pilot flame operation on the combustion of pure methane and hydrogen-enriched methane (H2/CH4: 50/50 in vol%) fuels was investigated in a gas turbine model combustor under atmospheric conditions. The burner assembly was designed to mimic the geometry of an industrial burner, the Siemens DLE Burner, in which a concentric annular ring equipped with pilot flame burners is implemented in

This book explores the role of agriculture in long-term economic growth. With a particular focus on Ethiopia, the role of the state in igniting agricultural growth and in sustaining economic growth is highlighted as essential for low-income countries. Taking ideas from both economic history and development economics, the ability of Ethiopia and the rest of Africa to sustain recent rapid growth intThe twenty-frst century has seen the concurrent rise of optimism about economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa and the return of the agricultural sector to the top of the development agenda. Ethiopia—with its rapid economic growth for two decades, achieved during a policy focus on the agricultural sector—is at the forefront of both these developments. This chapter introduces the book’s main theme of

Brake-related particulate matter contributes considerably to the non-exhaust emissions of the transport sector in urban areas of the world. The airborne particle emissions from automotive brakes currently lack any proper regulations. Future regulations require test stands, test cycles and particle instruments to be suitable for measuring the brake emissions. This present work focuses on the design

The number of medically fragile children cared for at home is increasing; however, there are few studies about the professional support these families receive in their homes. The aim of the study was to understand the meanings that parents had about the support they received from health care professionals who offered care for their ventilator-assisted child in the family home. A phenomenological-h

Alkyl glycoside surfactants with elongated carbohydrate chains are useful in different applications due to their improved biocompatibility. Cyclodextrin glucanotransferases can catalyse the elongation process through the coupling reaction. However, due to the presence of a hydrophobic tail, the interaction between an alkyl glycoside acceptor and the active site residues is weaker than the interact

Today, semi-conductor nanowires can be grown with very high precision, using epitaxy. This allows for studies of new nanowire-based quantum devices, likely to be part of novel quantum technologies in the future. This thesis concerns nanostructures based on InAs nanowires. More specifically, it concerns the theoretical treatment of two types of nanowire-based structures: InAs/GaSb core-shell (and c

Introduction: The acoustic environment in the intensive care unit patient room, with high sound levels and unpredictable sounds, is known to be poor and stressful. Therefore, the present study had two aims: to investigate staff knowledge concerning noise in the intensive care unit and: to identify staff suggestions for improving the sound environment in the intensive care unit patient room. Method

Aim: This study explored the cost consequences of introducing hexaminolevulinate hydrochloride-guided blue-light flexible cystoscopy (HAL BLFC) as an adjunct to white-light flexible cystoscopy compared with white-light flexible cystoscopy alone, for the detection and management of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer in Sweden. Methods: The model evaluated 231 patients in the outpatient setting after

In this brief text we look at one instance of how gender norms continue to inform institutional treatment of parents regarding care for children: specifically, at how the exercise of fathers' responsibilities for their children can be discouraged or altogether blocked.