Developments in greenhouse gas emissions and net energy use in Danish agriculture - how to achieve substantial CO(2) reductions?

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture are a significant contributor to total Danish emissions. Consequently, much effort is currently given to the exploration of potential strategies to reduce agricultural emissions. This paper presents results from a study estimating agricultural GHG emissions in the form of methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide (including carbon sources and sinks, and the impact of energy consumption/bioenergy production) from Danish agriculture in the years 1990-2010. An analysis of possible measures to reduce the GHG emissions indicated that a 50-70% reduction of agricultural emissions by 2050 relative to 1990 is achievable, including mitigation measures in relation to the handling of manure and fertilisers, optimization of animal feeding, cropping practices, and land use changes with more organic farming, afforestation and energy crops. In addition, the bioenergy production may be increased significantly without reducing the food production, whereby Danish agriculture could achieve a positive energy balance.

[Rehabilitation of discharged patients is beneficial. Medical and economical analysis]. / Rehabilitering av klinikfärdiga patienter ger vinst. Medicinsk och ekonomisk analys.

Even after the Swedish "Adel"-reform in 1992, large Swedish emergency hospitals still have many "bed-blockers" waiting to be discharged for further care by the social services. In Malmö a special ward, run by the social services, was created in 1994 for the purpose of treating, rehabilitating and planning the discharge of "bed-blockers" from the university hospital. The "bed-blockers" treated at this ward during an 18 month period (patient group, n = 223) were compared with a control group of "bed-blockers" (n = 285) who were not admitted to this ward. Although the patients in the patient group seemed to be more sick and handicapped than those in the control group, emergency in-hospital care during a follow-up period of one year was four times greater in the control group than in the patient group. Economic analysis showed that rehabilitation of the patient group was cheap and effective. The study has shown that municipal care of "bed-blockers" needs to be improved and better organised.

Use of the radiolabeled murine monoclonal antibody, 111In-CYT-103, in the management of colon cancer.

Monoclonal antibodies directed at tumor-associated antigens may be useful adjuncts for the management of patients with colorectal cancer. The murine monoclonal antibody, B72.3, binds Tag-72, a cell-surface antigen, which is expressed by colorectal carcinoma cells. We investigated the benefit of indium-111-labeled B72.3, 111In-CYT-103, in localizing the presence and extent of disease in patients with suspected or biopsy-proven primary colorectal cancer and in patients with apparently localized recurrent colorectal adenocarcinoma. Twenty patients were enrolled in this study. Each patient received 1 mg of B72.3 labeled with 4 to 5 mCi of 111In. Patients then underwent planar and single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging 2 to 5 days after infusion. Fifteen patients underwent surgery 1 to 14 days after scanning. There were 11 true positives, 1 false positive, 2 true negatives, and 1 false negative. The 111In-CYT-103 scan correctly identified the presence or absence of tumor in the 15 patients in whom biopsies were obtained, for an accuracy rate of 87%. Overall, 111In-CYT-103 supplied clinically useful information regarding the extent of disease that was not previously reported by standard techniques in 33% (5 of 15) of patients who underwent surgical exploration. We conclude that 111In-CYT-103 is a promising imaging agent for patients with potentially resectable recurrences and for those patients with a presumed isolated primary tumor requiring preoperative staging.