U of M News Wire
March 13, 2008
Tilting toward turbines
By Deanne Morrison
U of M News Wire
A lone sentinel on the windswept plain of western Minnesota, the 367-foot turbine hums as its spinning blades generate electricity for the University of Minnesota, Morris campus. But it won't be lonely for long.
Morris has received authorization from the IRS to issue three Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) to build a second wind turbine, to add an electricity-generating steam turbine at the new biomass heating facility for the campus and to purchase a third wind turbine to be shared with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
The move puts Morris on track to reach its goal of energy self-sufficiency by 2010. The campus is integrating a mix of energy technologies into a single system with built-in flexibility, not only to supply its own needs but to demonstrate how renewable energy will likely be delivered in the future.
"I don't know of anybody else, any other college or university doing this on site," said Lowell Rasmussen, vice chancellor for finance and facilities at Morris.
A fourth CREB bond was also approved by the IRS. Its intent is to use the CREB-funded renewable energy system to enhance a green building office addition at the University's West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) in Morris, a project now in the university's capital request to the Minnesota Legislature.
The total value of the IRS-authorized CREB bonds is about $5.6 million. The University's board of regents will decide by December 31 whether to issue the bonds.
A favorable spin
The second wind turbine, like the first, will stand a mile from the Morris campus, at WCROC's Renewable Energy Research and Demonstration Center. It will send electricity to the campus and will also – pending negotiation of a purchase agreement with a power company – sell some to the power grid in order to cover costs, Rasmussen said.
Besides wind, Morris will soon draw energy from different kinds of renewable biomass, or plant material. The new campus biomass facility is scheduled to start up in May, said Joel Tallaksen, biomass project coordinator at WCROC. It will run on material such as corn stover and wood chips supplied by farmers; also, the campus harvested 300 tons of prairie grass last fall to use for both experimentation and fuel.
Currently, the boiler that supplies steam heat to the campus uses $900,000 worth of natural gas per year, said Tallaksen.
"We're replacing the $900,000 in natural gas with $400,000 to $500,000 worth of biomass," he said. "There will probably be additional costs in processing the biomass, but that money will go back to the community in the form of hires, plus renting or purchasing equipment locally."
The biomass facility works through gasification, a process in which biomass is heated to release carbon monoxide and hydrogen. These gases are then piped about 20 feet to the boiler, where they are burned to turn water into steam.
"We estimate that biomass heat will meet about 80 percent of the peak need in mid-winter," said Tallaksen. "The rest of the year, it should meet the need."
The steam will come out of the boiler at much too high a pressure for the campus steam pipes to handle. The excess pressure will be funneled to the new CREB-funded steam turbine to generate electricity. That, plus the electricity from the wind turbines, should meet at least 96 percent of the power needs on campus, says Rasmussen.
"The addition of two more wind turbines and one steam turbine, combined with the biomass plant/gasification system currently under construction on our campus, enhances the Morris campuses stewardship of the environment, something that is part of our legacy," said Morris Chancellor Jacqueline Johnson.
"Achieving energy independence by 2010 is a phenomenal goal," said University President Robert Bruininks. "But, more importantly, the data and information gathered along the way will help to inform other hybrid renewable energy initiatives across the state and nation."
Research, including research opportunities for undergraduates, will be part of the new technologies at Morris. All the projects are expected to be operational by summer 2009.
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Well done
An unusual hamburger experiment, from the University's dietary research annals
By Jack El-Hai
U of M News Wire
What happens when you take a healthy young man and feed him nothing but hamburgers and water for three months? It sounds like the genesis of an edgy film – and in fact “Super Size Me,” a 2004 documentary, followed one man's 30-day immersion in McDonald's cuisine--but a real-life version of this experiment took place at the University of Minnesota in the early 1930s.
This tale of experimental hamburger gluttony had its genesis during the 1920s in the mind of Edgar Waldo "Billy" Ingram, owner of the White Castle fast food chain. Then headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, White Castle was growing quickly, but widely held skepticism about the cleanliness and healthfulness of hamburgers concerned Ingram.
"The hamburger habit is just about as safe as walking in a garden while the arsenic spray is being applied," wrote the authors of a cautionary book of that era about nutrition, "and about as safe as getting your meat out of a garbage can standing in the hot sun. For beyond all doubt, the garbage can is where the chopped meat sold by most butchers belongs, as well as a large percentage of all the hamburger that goes into sandwiches."
Slyders only
Ingram resolved to convince a university researcher to put the healthfulness of hamburgers to a test. He found a taker in Jesse McClendon, Ph.D., a 49-year-old native of Alabama who had accepted a position in the University of Minnesota's Department of Physiological Chemistry after teaching at Cornell University and Randolph Macon College.
Considered one of the most important figures in American biochemistry, McClendon was a talented researcher who had made his name studying the composition of hemoglobin, the mechanics of human digestion, the connection between dietary fluoride and reductions in tooth decay and the effects of iodine deficiency. Experimentation on humans did not frighten him: He once had swallowed a bulky electrical device to measure the acidity of his own duodenum.
The White Castle project allowed the biochemist to devise a study that would influence public thought (as well as hamburger sales) for years to come. McClendon knew that earlier studies had shown that adult dogs fed for a month on only lean meat appeared to fare well, and that humans on temporary all-meat diets lost calcium and phosphorus but didn't develop deficiency diseases. He planned to feed the experimental subject only White Castle hamburgers – including the bun, onions and pickles – and water for 13 weeks.
A willing subject presented himself: Bernard Flesche, a U of M medical student working his way through school. Flesche kept a diary during the ordeal. "He started out very enthusiastic about eating 10 burgers at a sitting," notes his daughter, Deirdre Flesche, "but a couple of weeks into it, he was losing his enthusiasm." His sister frequently tried to tempt him with fresh vegetables, but Flesche allowed nothing but White Castle SlydersTM to pass his lips.
Too much of a good thing
Flesche lasted through all 13 weeks of his White Castle hamburger binge. "The student maintained good health throughout the three-month period and was eating 20 to 24 hamburgers a day during the last few weeks," fast-food mogul Ingram stated, adding that the research proved that customers "could eat nothing but our sandwiches and water, and fully develop all [their] physical and mental faculties." McClendon's study became a prominent part of White Castle's advertising.
Flesche went on to practice medicine in Lake City, Minnesota. He died from heart problems at the age of 54. One immediate and chronic effect of his participation in the study: "He never willingly ate hamburgers again," said his daughter.
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Opinion: Celebrate Minnesota’s Deep Agricultural Roots
By University of Minnesota Robert Bruininks
U of M News Wire
Forty years ago, University of Minnesota alumnus Don Neth was digging in his garden when a thought occurred to him: Farmers work hard – why don’t they have a day, like everyone else? The idea took root, and Neth started National Agricultural Day. As a result, each year on the first day of spring, we pause to recognize the critical contributions farmers make to the economy of our state and nation. This year, March 20 is the day to celebrate.
Minnesota’s agricultural roots run deep. Agriculture represents roughly 20 percent of Minnesota’s economy and supports more than 400,000 jobs statewide in industries as diverse as manufacturing, transportation, wholesale and retail trade, and real estate. You see the impact of our farmers clearly on the Main Streets of towns like Caledonia, Luverne , and Ada. Look a little more closely and you can also see it in our burgeoning food and renewable energy industries, which benefit citizens from across the state.
Minnesota is blessed with rich agricultural diversity. We have both large and small farms, and we are a national leader in both conventional and organic production of crops and livestock. Our farm families are leaders in their local communities, stewards of our natural resources, and innovators who deal on a daily basis with Minnesota’s various landscapes, microclimates, and other environmental challenges.
Agriculture is also critically important to the University of Minnesota’s research, education and Extension mission. The College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences in considered one of the nation’s finest and most productive – devoted to food production and safety; nutrition and human health; and the stewardship of our natural resources. Our world-class researchers generate discoveries that help improve the quality, quantity, and safety of our food and the health of the state’s crops and livestock. Our educational programs graduate the next generation of agricultural leaders, scientists, and large-animal veterinarians. Our Extension programs provide research-based information that guides producers to economic and environmental success. And all of these efforts enable new generations to follow in the footsteps of Norman Borlaug, the University of Minnesota’s most famous agriculturist, who received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to reduce world hunger.
When Borlaug was a University of Minnesota student, our agricultural efforts focused on food. That’s still important and our researchers are making discoveries that will help control soybean aphids, reduce the damage caused to pigs by PRRS disease, and improve dairy cow comfort. Thirty-five years ago we expanded our definition to include fuel production and built the state’s first research ethanol plant in Morris. Now we have more than 100 University research projects focused on biofuels alone. These projects range from helping corn ethanol plants increase their efficiency to exploring the next generation of renewable fuels.
Agriculture is also important to me personally. I grew up on in farm country in rural Michigan, and learned firsthand the hard work and care that goes in to every acre of productive ground. I know you may not be able to take National Agriculture Day off – but perhaps you can celebrate in other ways.
If you’re a farmer, take a few minutes to know that your hard work to produce food and fuel, your environmental stewardship, and your contribution to our economy and quality of life is noticed – and greatly appreciated.
If you’re a consumer, use the day as a reminder that most food doesn’t grow itself, and that Minnesota-grown biofuels are not only contributing to cleaner air in the short term, but are also fueling the search for new sources of scalable and sustainable bioenergy.
And if you’re one of my colleagues at the University of Minnesota, National Agriculture Day is a perfect time to remember the legacy of world-class agricultural research and Extension at our University. Continuing our long tradition of excellence in agricultural education, research, and Extension is the ideal way for all of us to show our appreciation.
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Growing Concerns
A parenting question-and-answer column with Dr. Martha Erickson of the University of Minnesota
Question: Some time ago you wrote about postpartum depression in new mothers, but I’m wondering if there’s such a thing as postpartum depression for new dads too. Beginning a couple of weeks after the birth of our first child, my husband seemed to sink into a deep slump. Could this be postpartum depression? And, if it is, how could this affect our son’s development?
Answer: “Postpartum depression” specifically refers to depression in a woman following childbirth. The hormonal changes that occur in a woman’s body at that time are thought to be a contributing factor. However, depression can occur in both males and females at all stages of life. It is certainly plausible that the many changes associated with the birth of a baby could contribute to the onset of depression in a father.
No matter how much a couple wants a child, adjusting to life with a baby is stressful -– emotionally and, in many cases, financially. A baby demands almost constant care and attention, challenging both mom and dad to figure out how to manage their new roles, share responsibilities equitably and keep the household, and their relationship, running smoothly. The sleep disruptions that are an inevitable part of life with a new baby can put both parents on edge.
On top of that, a father may struggle to find his place in the new family constellation, especially during those early weeks when baby and mom (particularly a breastfeeding mom) seem inseparable. Sometimes, seeing his wife’s attention consumed by the baby, a father feels a sense of loss. (When will my wife have time and energy for me again?) These are normal aspects of adjusting to parenthood. But for someone pre-disposed to depression, these could contribute to the onset.
That said, without more details about your husband’s “slump,” it’s hard to say if it indicates depression. Typical signs of depression include:
• Lack of motivation
• Loss of interest in activities that usually bring pleasure
• Sleep disturbances, such as either wanting to sleep all the time or having difficulty sleeping (Granted, this indicator is confounded by the presence of a new baby.)
• Prolonged sadness and/or irritability
• Feelings of hopelessness
If your husband exhibits these symptoms over a period of several weeks, it is likely that he is depressed. This can have serious consequences for him, you and your child. At this time of great change and new responsibility, you need your husband’s full engagement and support. In these early months of life, your baby is forming important attachments with both you and dad; connections that are meant to provide a secure foundation for later learning and development. In order for these attachments to develop as they should, both you and your husband need to be emotionally available to respond warmly and consistently to your baby’s needs. Needless to say, this is difficult for a parent hampered by depression.
So, if you do have a strong reason to suspect that your husband is depressed, urge him to see a mental health professional as soon as possible for a formal diagnosis and treatment. Millions of people have been helped by treatment, which often includes anti-depressants and/or therapy to enhance coping skills. Frequent exercise and regular contact with supportive friends or family members can be helpful in conjunction with formal treatment.
Sometimes people shy away from seeking mental health treatment because they see it as a sign of weakness. But, to the contrary, seeking help is active coping, a sign of strength. And when there’s a child involved, seeking help is a sign of good parenting.
Want to hear more parenting advice?
Dr. Erickson and her daughter can be heard every Sunday, from 2 - 4 pm, on “Good Enough Moms,” on FM107.1 radio in the Twin Cities or via Webcast at www.FM1071.com
