Technology and development requirements for advanced coal conversion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

A compendium of coal conversion process descriptions is presented. The SRS and MC data bases were utilized to provide information paticularly in the areas of existing process designs and process evaluations. Additional information requirements were established and arrangements were made to visit process developers, pilot plants, and process development units to obtain information that was not otherwise available. Plant designs, process descriptions and operating conditions, and performance characteristics were analyzed and requirements for further development identified and evaluated to determine the impact of these requirements on the process commercialization potential from the standpoint of economics and technical feasibility. A preliminary methodology was established for the comparative technical and economic assessment of advanced processes.

13 CFR 303.6 - EDA-funded CEDS process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... PLANNING INVESTMENTS AND COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES § 303.6 EDA-funded CEDS process. If EDA awards Investment Assistance to a Planning Organization to develop, revise or replace a CEDS, the... must appoint a Strategy Committee. The Strategy Committee must represent the main economic interests of...

Economic Liberalization and Its Impact on Human Development: A Comparative Analysis of Turkey and Azerbaijan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gulaliyev, Mayis G.; Ok, Nuri I.; Musayeva, Fargana Q.; Efendiyev, Rufat J.; Musayeva, Jamila Q.; Agayeva, Samira R.

2016-01-01

The aim of the article is to study the nature of liberalization as a specific economic process, which is formed and developed under the influence of the changing conditions of the globalization and integration processes in the society, as well as to identify the characteristic differences in the processes of liberalization of Turkey and Azerbaijan…

Economic corridor of industrial development in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berawi, M. A.; Miraj, P.; Sidqi, H.

2017-12-01

Indonesia as an archipelago country categorize its regional development into six corridors from Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali-Nusa Tenggara and Papua-Maluku. Currently, industrial development becomes one of the highest contributing factors to the national economic growth. However, each region in the nation experience inequality of development mainly related to the infrastructure sector. Thus, the research aims to develop a sustainable economic corridor by considering the characteristics and its potential. The research uses a qualitative approach through a desk study, benchmarking and in-depth interview. Location Quotient is used for the method of the analysis tool. The results show each characteristic of every corridor in the country. Sumatera as national plantation and processing industry corridor, Java as cyber technology innovation and services center, Kalimantan as national energy reserves and processing, Sulawesi as national aquaculture and processing industry, Bali - Nusa Tenggara as national eco-tourism center, and Papua - Maluku as national ore mining and processing.

Lognormal field size distributions as a consequence of economic truncation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Attanasi, E.D.; Drew, L.J.

1985-01-01

The assumption of lognormal (parent) field size distributions has for a long time been applied to resource appraisal and evaluation of exploration strategy by the petroleum industry. However, frequency distributions estimated with observed data and used to justify this hypotheses are conditional. Examination of various observed field size distributions across basins and over time shows that such distributions should be regarded as the end result of an economic filtering process. Commercial discoveries depend on oil and gas prices and field development costs. Some new fields are eliminated due to location, depths, or water depths. This filtering process is called economic truncation. Economic truncation may occur when predictions of a discovery process are passed through an economic appraisal model. We demonstrate that (1) economic resource appraisals, (2) forecasts of levels of petroleum industry activity, and (3) expected benefits of developing and implementing cost reducing technology are sensitive to assumptions made about the nature of that portion of (parent) field size distribution subject to economic truncation. ?? 1985 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

An empirical analysis of the effects of consanguineous marriages on economic development.

PubMed

Bildirici, Melike; Kökdener, Meltem; Ersin, Oezgür ömer

2010-01-01

In this study, development experiences toward economic development are investigated to provide an alternative analysis of economic development, human capital, and genetic inheritance in the light of consanguineous marriages. The countries analyzed in the study are discussed in accordance with consanguineous marriage practices and classified by their per capita gross domestic product (GDP) growth. A broad range of countries are analyzed in the study. Arab countries that experienced high rates of growth in their gross national income during the twentieth century but failed to fulfill adequate development measures as reflected in the growth in national income, countries undergoing transition from tight government regulation to free market democracy, and African nations that have experienced complications in the process of development show important differences in the process of economic development. It is shown that the countries that have reached high average development within the context of per capita GDP have overcome problems integral to consanguineous marriage.

Unplanned Terminology Development: A Synchronic and Diachronic Study on Economic Terms in Turkish Newspapers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karabacak, Erkan

2009-01-01

This study deals with unplanned terminology development in the subject field of economics within media discourse. It examines how economic terms in Turkish newspapers emerge, are used, and cease. This developmental process is also analyzed through productivity of economic terms and the factors affect them. The subject terms are also analyzed as a…

Development of cost-effective surfactant flooding technology, Quarterly report, October 1995--December 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pope, G.A.; Sepehrnoori, K.

1995-12-31

The objective of this research is to develop cost-effective surfactant flooding technology by using simulation studies to evaluate and optimize alternative design strategies taking into account reservoir characteristics process chemistry, and process design options such as horizontal wells. Task 1 is the development of an improved numerical method for our simulator that will enable us to solve a wider class of these difficult simulation problems accurately and affordably. Task 2 is the application of this simulator to the optimization of surfactant flooding to reduce its risk and cost. In this quarter, we have continued working on Task 2 to optimizemore » surfactant flooding design and have included economic analysis to the optimization process. An economic model was developed using a spreadsheet and the discounted cash flow (DCF) method of economic analysis. The model was designed specifically for a domestic onshore surfactant flood and has been used to economically evaluate previous work that used a technical approach to optimization. The DCF model outputs common economic decision making criteria, such as net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and payback period.« less

An Application of Convergence Theory to Japan's Post-WWII Economic "Miracle."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdes, Benigno

2003-01-01

Provides an explanation of the post-World War II economic phenomenon of Japan as a process of economic convergence within the framework of the neoclassical Solo-Swan model of economic growth. States that this interpretation helps students understand economic growth and development and Japan's modern economic history. (JEH)

Management of local economic and ecological system of coal processing company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiseleva, T. V.; Mikhailov, V. G.; Karasev, V. A.

2016-10-01

The management issues of local ecological and economic system of coal processing company - coal processing plant - are considered in the article. The objectives of the research are the identification and the analysis of local ecological and economic system (coal processing company) performance and the proposals for improving the mechanism to support the management decision aimed at improving its environmental safety. The data on the structure of run-of-mine coal processing products are shown. The analysis of main ecological and economic indicators of coal processing enterprises, characterizing the state of its environmental safety, is done. The main result of the study is the development of proposals to improve the efficiency of local enterprise ecological and economic system management, including technical, technological and business measures. The results of the study can be recommended to industrial enterprises to improve their ecological and economic efficiency.

Pahoa geothermal industrial park. Engineering and economic analysis for direct applications of geothermal energy in an industrial park at Pahoa, Hawaii

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreau, J.W.

1980-12-01

This engineering and economic study evaluated the potential for developing a geothermal industrial park in the Puna District near Pahoa on the Island of Hawaii. Direct heat industrial applications were analyzed from a marketing, engineering, economic, environmental, and sociological standpoint to determine the most viable industries for the park. An extensive literature search produced 31 existing processes currently using geothermal heat. An additional list was compiled indicating industrial processes that require heat that could be provided by geothermal energy. From this information, 17 possible processes were selected for consideration. Careful scrutiny and analysis of these 17 processes revealed three thatmore » justified detailed economic workups. The three processes chosen for detailed analysis were: an ethanol plant using bagasse and wood as feedstock; a cattle feed mill using sugar cane leaf trash as feedstock; and a papaya processing facility providing both fresh and processed fruit. In addition, a research facility to assess and develop other processes was treated as a concept. Consideration was given to the impediments to development, the engineering process requirements and the governmental support for each process. The study describes the geothermal well site chosen, the pipeline to transmit the hydrothermal fluid, and the infrastructure required for the industrial park. A conceptual development plan for the ethanol plant, the feedmill and the papaya processing facility was prepared. The study concluded that a direct heat industrial park in Pahoa, Hawaii, involves considerable risks.« less

Strategic and Market Analysis | Bioenergy | NREL

Science.gov Websites

recent efforts in comparative techno-economic analysis. Our analysis considers a wide range of conversion Intermediates NREL has developed first-of-its-kind process models and economic assessments of the co-processing work strives to understand the economic incentives, technical risks, and key data gaps that need to be

Static and dynamic models in economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safiullin, N. Z.; Safiullin, B. L.

2018-05-01

In this article, the authors consider the impact of information and advertising on consumer behavior and the process of producing differentiation formation. Advertising, television, radio, magazines and direct mail as major constraints of mass media may act as sources of information. Economic modernization is aimed at development of acceleration of the knowledge intensive industries, which contribute to Russia’s position in terms of the world economy; the recovering process of the Russian economic manufacturing base; development of import substitution industries and limited participation in international labor specialization.

United States transportation fuel economics (1975 - 1995)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, A. D., III

1975-01-01

The United States transportation fuel economics in terms of fuel resources options, processing alternatives, and attendant economics for the period 1975 to 1995 are evaluated. The U.S. energy resource base is reviewed, portable fuel-processing alternatives are assessed, and selected future aircraft fuel options - JP fuel, liquid methane, and liquid hydrogen - are evaluated economically. Primary emphasis is placed on evaluating future aircraft fuel options and economics to provide guidance for future strategy of NASA in the development of aviation and air transportation research and technology.

Economics of polysilicon processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yaws, C. L.; Li, K. Y.; Chou, S. M.

1986-01-01

Techniques are being developed to provide lower cost polysilicon material for solar cells. Existing technology which normally provides semiconductor industry polysilicon material is undergoing changes and also being used to provide polysilicon material for solar cells. Economics of new and existing technologies are presented for producing polysilicon. The economics are primarily based on the preliminary process design of a plant producing 1,000 metric tons/year of silicon. The polysilicon processes include: Siemen's process (hydrogen reduction of trichlorosilane); Union Carbide process (silane decomposition); and Hemlock Semiconductor process (hydrogen reduction of dichlorosilane). The economics include cost estimates of capital investment and product cost to produce polysilicon via the technology. Sensitivity analysis results are also presented to disclose the effect of major paramentes such as utilities, labor, raw materials and capital investment.

Supporting economic development with highway investment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-11-01

Federal transportation regulations and law direct State and local transportation agencies to account for economic development plans in transportation planning processes. While Federal law is not prescriptive about how State and local agencies account...

Health economics of market access for biopharmaceuticals and biosimilars.

PubMed

Simoens, Steven

2009-09-01

This article discusses health economic challenges of research and development, registration, pricing and reimbursement of biopharmaceuticals and biosimilars. A literature search was carried out of PubMed, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination databases, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and EconLit up to March 2009. The development process of biopharmaceuticals is risky, lengthy, complex and expensive. Registration is complicated by the inherent variation between biopharmaceuticals. Also, as biopharmaceuticals are likely to be efficacious in a subgroup of the patient population, there is a need to select the most responsive target population and to identify biomarkers. To inform pricing and reimbursement decisions, the development process needs to collect comparative data to calculate the incremental cost effectiveness and budget impact of biopharmaceuticals. There is a role for innovative mechanisms such as risk-sharing arrangements to reimburse biopharmaceuticals. Given that biosimilars are similar, but not identical to the reference biopharmaceutical, the development process needs to generate clinical trial data in order to gain marketing authorisation. From a health economic perspective, the question arises whether inherent differences between biopharmaceuticals and biosimilars produce differences in safety, effectiveness and costs: to date, this question is unresolved. The early inclusion of health economics in the process of developing biopharmaceuticals and biosimilars is imperative with a view to demonstrating their relative (cost) effectiveness and informing registration, pricing and reimbursement decisions.

[The impact of the social economic conditions on the reproduction processes].

PubMed

Leonova, N G

2007-01-01

The social economic conditions of population reproduction in the Trans-Dniester Region with the emphasis on its specifics are analyzed. The natural dynamics of population is estimated including gender and age peculiarities, marriage and divorces statistics, migration processes and population health in the region. It is shown that the population reproduction dynamics follows the natural laws and processes. The role of the post-Soviet period social economic conditions harmful to health are considered. The interdependencies between the social economic development and population reproduction are revealed. The recommendations related to the means of the further enhancement of social economic conditions as related to population reproduction in the Trans-Dniester Region are proposed.

Developing models that analyze the economic/environmental trade-offs implicit in water resource management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howitt, R. E.

2016-12-01

Hydro-economic models have been used to analyze optimal supply management and groundwater use for the past 25 years. They are characterized by an objective function that usually maximizes economic measures such as consumer and producer surplus subject to hydrologic equations of motion or water distribution systems. The hydrologic and economic components are sometimes fully integrated. Alternatively they may use an iterative interactive process. Environmental considerations have been included in hydro-economic models as inequality constraints. Representing environmental requirements as constraints is a rigid approximation of the range of management alternatives that could be used to implement environmental objectives. The next generation of hydro-economic models, currently being developed, require that the environmental alternatives be represented by continuous or semi-continuous functions which relate water resource use allocated to the environment with the probabilities of achieving environmental objectives. These functions will be generated by process models of environmental and biological systems which are now advanced to the state that they can realistically represent environmental systems and flexibility to interact with economic models. Examples are crop growth models, climate modeling, and biological models of forest, fish, and fauna systems. These process models can represent environmental outcomes in a form that is similar to economic production functions. When combined with economic models the interacting process models can reproduce a range of trade-offs between economic and environmental objectives, and thus optimize social value of many water and environmental resources. Some examples of this next-generation of hydro-enviro- economic models are reviewed. In these models implicit production functions for environmental goods are combined with hydrologic equations of motion and economic response functions. We discuss models that show interaction between environmental goods and agricultural production, and others that address alternative climate change policies, or habitat provision.

India's Social Development in a Decade of Reforms: 1990-91/1999-2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ray, Amal Kanti

2008-01-01

The economic reforms initiated in India in 1991 have brought about visible upliftment of economic conditions of the country. This paper examines if the economic process is associated with an enhancement of India's social development in equal measure in the reform decade of nineties. Ray (1989) considered thirteen social indicators of India and…

Economic Gardening through Entrepreneurship Education: A Service-Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desplaces, David E.; Wergeles, Fred; McGuigan, Patrick

2009-01-01

This article outlines the implementation of a service-learning approach in an entrepreneurship programme using an "economic gardening" strategy. Economic Gardening through Service-Learning (EGS-L) is an approach to economic development that helps local businesses and students grow through a facilitated learning process. Learning is made possible…

23 CFR 450.306 - Scope of the metropolitan transportation planning process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns; (6) Enhance the... transportation system development, land use, employment, economic development, human and natural environment, and... CFR part 940. (g) Preparation of the coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan, as...

Supping with the Dismal Scientists: Practical Interdisciplinarity in Language Education and Development Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruthiaux, Paul

2000-01-01

Explores historical and intellectual causes for the lack of interdisciplinarity between language education and development economics. Reviews three development settings in Bangladesh, Egypt, and Latin America that illustrate the need to devolve responsibility for development and notes language and literacy play a vital role in this process.…

Guide to conducting state recycling economic development finance workshops

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-12-31

The objective of this project was to demonstrate a two-pronged program for educating economic development and recycling officials about recycling business development opportunities. The project consisted of conducting a stat recycling finance workshop in each of three Northeastern states, as well as recycling economic development finance training program for the region`s economic development and recycling officials. The goal of the project is to facilitate the expansion of recycling businesses in the Northeast. The guide details seven steps to conducting a recycling economic development finance workshop: (1) establish a workshop planning committee, (2) select the target audience, (3) develop the workshopmore » message, (4) identify the message deliverer, (5) choose workshop topics and structure the workshop, (6) attract the audience, and (7) Conduct follow-up. In the process of planning and conducting the three state workshops for this project, NERC learned several important lessons: (1) Conduct workshops that are specific to the recycling and economic development programs in the state. (2) Include recycling business case studies on the workshop agenda. (3) Enhance the workshop with recycling economic development finance training. Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy.« less

A multi-modal approach to economic development in the metropolitan area transportation planning process

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-06

This white paper provides a review of research and current practices of integrating economic development goals in metropolitan area transportation planning. The information presented is intended to serve as a technical resource for transportation pla...

Xylo-Oligosaccharide Process Development, Composition, and Techno-Economic Analysis. Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-12-483

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shekiro, Joe; Elander, Richard

2015-12-01

The purpose of this cooperative work agreement between General Mills Inc. (GMI) and NREL is to determine the feasibility of producing a valuable food ingredient (xylo-oligosaccharides or XOS), a highly soluble fiber material, from agricultural waste streams, at an advantaged cost level relative to similar existing ingredients. The scope of the project includes pilot-scale process development (Task 1), compositional analysis (Task 2), and techno-economic analysis (Task 3).

[Coupling coordinated development of ecological-economic system in Loess Plateau].

PubMed

Zhang, Qing-Feng; Wu, Fa-Qi; Wang, Li; Wang, Jian

2011-06-01

Based on system theory, a coupling coordinated development model of ecological-economic system in Loess Plateau was established, and the evaluation criteria and basic types of the coordinated development of the ecological-economic system were proposed. The county-level coupling coordinated development of the ecological-economic system was also discussed, based on the local characteristics. The interactions between the ecological and economic systems in Loess Plateau could be divided into four stages, i.e., seriously disordered development stage, mild-disordered development stage, low-level coordinated development stage, and high level well-coordinated development stage. At each stage, there existed a cyclic process of profit and loss-antagonist-running-dominant-synchronous development. The coupling development degree of the ecological-economic system in Loess Plateau was overall at a lower level, being about 62.7% of the counties at serious disorder, 30.1% of the counties at mild disorder, and 7.1% of the counties at low but coordinated level. The coupling development degree based on the model established in this study could better reflect the current social-economic and ecological environment situations, especially the status of coordination. To fully understand the coupling of ecological-economic system and to adopt appropriate development mode would be of significance to promote the county-level coordinated development in Loess Plateau.

Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Imbalanced Regional Development in Mainland China Using Dmsp-Ols Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, K.; Jia, T.

2017-09-01

The Defense Meteorological Satellite Programs Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) nighttime lights imagery has been widely used to monitor economic activities and regional development in recent decades. In this paper, we firstly processed the nighttime light imageries of the Mainland China from 1992 to 2013 due to the radiation or geometric errors. Secondly, by dividing the Mainland China into seven regions, we found high correlation between the sum light values and GDP of each region. Thirdly, we extracted the economic centers of each region based on their nighttime light images. Through the analysis, we found the distribution of these economic centers was relatively concentrated and the migration of these economic centers showed certain directional trend or circuitous changes, which suggested the imbalanced socio-economic development of each region. Then, we calculated the Regional Development Gini of each region using the nighttime light data, which indicated that social-economic development in South China presents great imbalance while it is relatively balanced in Southwest China. This study would benefit the macroeconomic control to regional economic development and the introduction of appropriate economic policies from the national level.

Never Waste a Good Crisis: Towards Social Sustainable Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bijl, Rob

2011-01-01

The report by the Stiglitz Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress highlighted the idea that sustainability in essence is about quality of life. This paper discusses and elaborates this notion. It argues that sustainable development should be seen as a process which does not focus on economic development alone,…

Beyond Economic Growth: Meeting the Challenges of Global Development. WBI Learning Resources Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soubbotina, Tatyana P.

This book is designed primarily to help readers broaden their knowledge of global issues, gain insight into their country's situation in a global context, and understand the problems of sustainable development nationally and globally. Because development is a comprehensive process involving economic as well as social and environmental changes, the…

Political, Social, Economic and Educational Forces Influencing Economics Education in the United States (1885-2007): A Case Study in Liberal Arts Advocacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Sandra K.

2009-01-01

This historical research will provide school leaders with a broad conception of the conditions, forces and processes behind the development of Economics Education. It serves as a case study of past and current practices and approaches to advocacy in economics education. Since it began in 1885, economics education has experienced many obstacles and…

Tools for Collaboration: Using and Designing Tools in Interorganizational Economic-Crime Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puonti, Anne

2004-01-01

Economic-crime investigation in Finland is in transition from hierarchically organized, sequential collaboration between authorities toward parallel, interorganizational collaboration. This article describes the tools used and developed for managing the new collaborative economic-crime-investigation process. The challenge is to find…

Conversion of bioprocess ethanol to industrial chemical products - Applications of process models for energy-economic assessments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rohatgi, Naresh K.; Ingham, John D.

1992-01-01

An assessment approach for accurate evaluation of bioprocesses for large-scale production of industrial chemicals is presented. Detailed energy-economic assessments of a potential esterification process were performed, where ethanol vapor in the presence of water from a bioreactor is catalytically converted to ethyl acetate. Results show that such processes are likely to become more competitive as the cost of substrates decreases relative to petrolium costs. A commercial ASPEN process simulation provided a reasonably consistent comparison with energy economics calculated using JPL developed software. Detailed evaluations of the sensitivity of production cost to material costs and annual production rates are discussed.

Low-cost Solar Array Project. Feasibility of the Silane Process for Producing Semiconductor-grade Silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The feasibility of Union Carbide's silane process for commercial application was established. An integrated process design for an experimental process system development unit and a commercial facility were developed. The corresponding commercial plant economic performance was then estimated.

"Competing Conceptions of Globalization" Revisited: Relocating the Tension between World-Systems Analysis and Globalization Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, Thomas

2004-01-01

In recent years, many scholars have become fascinated by a contemporary, multidimensional process that has come to be known as "globalization." Globalization originally described economic developments at the world level. More specifically, scholars invoked the concept in reference to the process of global economic integration and the seemingly…

Daniel J. Schell | NREL

Science.gov Websites

processing High solids biomass conversion Fermentation process development Separation processes Techno ; Bioresour. Technol. (2010) "An economic comparison of different fermentation configurations to convert

Demand driven salt clean-up in a molten salt fast reactor - Defining a priority list.

PubMed

Merk, B; Litskevich, D; Gregg, R; Mount, A R

2018-01-01

The PUREX technology based on aqueous processes is currently the leading reprocessing technology in nuclear energy systems. It seems to be the most developed and established process for light water reactor fuel and the use of solid fuel. However, demand driven development of the nuclear system opens the way to liquid fuelled reactors, and disruptive technology development through the application of an integrated fuel cycle with a direct link to reactor operation. The possibilities of this new concept for innovative reprocessing technology development are analysed, the boundary conditions are discussed, and the economic as well as the neutron physical optimization parameters of the process are elucidated. Reactor physical knowledge of the influence of different elements on the neutron economy of the reactor is required. Using an innovative study approach, an element priority list for the salt clean-up is developed, which indicates that separation of Neodymium and Caesium is desirable, as they contribute almost 50% to the loss of criticality. Separating Zirconium and Samarium in addition from the fuel salt would remove nearly 80% of the loss of criticality due to fission products. The theoretical study is followed by a qualitative discussion of the different, demand driven optimization strategies which could satisfy the conflicting interests of sustainable reactor operation, efficient chemical processing for the salt clean-up, and the related economic as well as chemical engineering consequences. A new, innovative approach of balancing the throughput through salt processing based on a low number of separation process steps is developed. Next steps for the development of an economically viable salt clean-up process are identified.

Academic Institutions as Change Agents for Territorial Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aranguren, Mari Jose; Guibert, José María; Valdaliso, Jesús M.; Wilson, James R.

2016-01-01

There is increasing interest in the role academic institutions can play as catalysts of change within the territories in which they are located, by contributing proactively to shaping socio-economic development processes. This role for universities takes us beyond the typical focus on knowledge transfer activities or broad economic impacts. It…

Indonesia: Internal Conditions, the Global Economy, and Regional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leitner, Helga; Sheppard, Eric S.

1987-01-01

Describes recent trends in the economic and regional development of Indonesia and examines the internal and external forces influencing the process. Shows how these forces account for the rise of a strong centralized state. Discusses Indonesia's current problems. Includes tables, maps, and graphs of economic investment figures, world trade, and…

1978 Decision-Making Casebook for Business and Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tedesco, Paul H., Ed.; And Others

These teacher developed case studies taken from the business world are presented to help secondary students develop an understanding of economics and of the decision-making process. The studies describe real business situations. All historical and current facts are provided, and students must analyze the data and make business decisions. Teacher…

A practical model for economic evaluation of tissue-engineered therapies.

PubMed

Tan, Tien-En; Peh, Gary S L; Finkelstein, Eric A; Mehta, Jodhbir S

2015-01-01

Tissue-engineered therapies are being developed across virtually all fields of medicine. Some of these therapies are already in clinical use, while others are still in clinical trials or the experimental phase. Most initial studies in the evaluation of new therapies focus on demonstration of clinical efficacy. However, cost considerations or economic viability are just as important. Many tissue-engineered therapies have failed to be impactful because of shortcomings in economic competitiveness, rather than clinical efficacy. Furthermore, such economic viability studies should be performed early in the process of development, before significant investment has been made. Cost-minimization analysis combined with sensitivity analysis is a useful model for the economic evaluation of new tissue-engineered therapies. The analysis can be performed early in the development process, and can provide valuable information to guide further investment and research. The utility of the model is illustrated with the practical real-world example of tissue-engineered constructs for corneal endothelial transplantation. The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The economical utilization of geothermal energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rose, G.

1982-12-01

The geothermal energy which is stored in hot dry rock could be theoretically utilized for the generation of power. The hot-dry-rock procedure can provide a flow of hot water. The considered binary system can transform the obtained thermal energy into electrical energy. The system makes use of a Rankine cycle with a working fluid having a low boiling point. Heat from the hot water is transferred to the working fluid. The present investigation is concerned with the development of a method for the calculation of the entire process. The results obtained with the computational method are to provide a basis for the determination of the operational characteristics. The development method is used for the study of a process based on the use of carbon dioxide as working fluid. The economics of a use of the hot-dry-rock process with the binary system is also investigated. It is found that the considered procedure is not economical. Economical operation requires, in particular, hot water supplied at a much lower cost.

Thermodynamic and economic analysis of heat pumps for energy recovery in industrial processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urdaneta-B, A. H.; Schmidt, P. S.

1980-09-01

A computer code has been developed for analyzing the thermodynamic performance, cost and economic return for heat pump applications in industrial heat recovery. Starting with basic defining characteristics of the waste heat stream and the desired heat sink, the algorithm first evaluates the potential for conventional heat recovery with heat exchangers, and if applicable, sizes the exchanger. A heat pump system is then designed to process the residual heating and cooling requirements of the streams. In configuring the heat pump, the program searches a number of parameters, including condenser temperature, evaporator temperature, and condenser and evaporator approaches. All system components are sized for each set of parameters, and economic return is estimated and compared with system economics for conventional processing of the heated and cooled streams (i.e., with process heaters and coolers). Two case studies are evaluated, one in a food processing application and the other in an oil refinery unit.

Investment Incentives and the Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Evidence from Zambia

PubMed Central

Drope, Jeffrey; Labonte, Ronald; Zulu, Richard; Goma, Fastone

2016-01-01

Purpose Policy misalignment across different sectors of government serves as one of the pivotal barriers to WHO Framework convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) implementation. This paper examines the logic used by government officials to justify providing investment incentives to increase tobacco processing and manufacturing in the context of FCTC implementation in Zambia. Methods We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with key informants from government, civil society and intergovernmental economic organizations (n=23). We supplemented the interview data with an analysis of public documents pertaining to economic development policy in Zambia. Results We found gross misalignments between the policies of the economic sector and efforts to implement the provisions of the FCTC. Our interviews uncovered the rationale used by officials in the economic sector to justify providing economic incentives to bolster tobacco processing and manufacturing in Zambia: 1) tobacco is not consumed by Zambians/tobacco is an export commodity, 2) economic benefits outweigh health costs, and 3) tobacco consumption is a personal choice. Conclusions Much of the struggle Zambia has experienced implementing the FCTC can be attributed to misalignments between the economic and health sectors. Zambia’s development agenda seeks to bolster agricultural processing and manufacturing. Tobacco control proponents must understand and work within this context of economic development in order to foster productive strategies with those working on tobacco supply issues. These findings are broadly applicable to the global analysis on the barriers and facilitators of FCTC implementation. It is important that the Ministry of Health monitors the tobacco policy of other sectors and engages with these sectors to find ways of harmonizing FCTC implementation across sectors. PMID:26135987

Bringing a Global Perspective to Economics. Field Test Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woyach, Robert B.; And Others

Eight lessons on integrated global economics provide detailed instructional materials on world food and energy systems, international cartels, and the nature and process of foreign investments. The materials are designed to help high school social studies teachers develop student understanding of key economic systems and activities and reinforce…

Economic Disadvantage in Complex Family Systems: Expansion of Family Stress Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Melissa A.

2008-01-01

Economic disadvantage is associated with multiple risks to early socioemotional development. This article reviews research regarding family stress frameworks to model the pathways from economic disadvantage to negative child outcomes via family processes. Future research in this area should expand definitions of family and household to incorporate…

Analysis and evalaution in the production process and equipment area of the low-cost solar array project. [including modifying gaseous diffusion and using ion implantation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldman, H.; Wolf, M.

1979-01-01

The manufacturing methods for photovoltaic solar energy utilization are assessed. Economic and technical data on the current front junction formation processes of gaseous diffusion and ion implantation are presented. Future proposals, including modifying gaseous diffusion and using ion implantation, to decrease the cost of junction formation are studied. Technology developments in current processes and an economic evaluation of the processes are included.

Technical and economic assessment of processes for the production of butanol and acetone. Phase two: analysis of research advances. Energy Conversion and Utilization Technologies Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1984-08-01

The initial objective of this work was to develop a methodology for analyzing the impact of technological advances as a tool to help establish priorities for R and D options in the field of biocatalysis. As an example of a biocatalyzed process, butanol/acetone fermentation (ABE process) was selected as the specific topic of study. A base case model characterizing the technology and economics associated with the ABE process was developed in the previous first phase of study. The project objectives were broadened in this second phase of work to provide parametric estimates of the economic and energy impacts of amore » variety of research advances in the hydrolysis, fermentation and purification sections of the process. The research advances analyzed in this study were based on a comprehensive literature review. The six process options analyzed were: continuous ABE fermentaton; vacuum ABE fermentation; Baelene solvent extraction; HRI's Lignol process; improved prehydrolysis/dual enzyme hydrolysis; and improved microorganism tolerance to butanol toxicity. Of the six options analyzed, only improved microorganism tolerance to butanol toxicity had a significant positive effect on energy efficiency and economics. This particular process option reduced the base case production cost (including 10% DCF return) by 20% and energy consumption by 16%. Figures and tables.« less

Feasibility of Biomass Biodrying for Gasification Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamidian, Arash

An important challenge of biomass gasification is the limitation of feedstock quality especially the moisture content, which plays a significant role on the performance of gasification process. Gasification requires low moisture levels (20% and less) and several reports have emphasized on the moisture as a typical problem while gasifying biomass. Moisture affects overall reaction rates in the gasifiers as a result of temperature drop and ultimately increases tar content, decreases gas yield, changes the composition of produced gas and affects the efficiency. Therefore, it is mandatory to pre-treat the biomass before gasification and reduce the moisture content to the suitable and economic level. The well-known solutions are either natural drying (not practical for commercial plants) or conventional drying technologies (have high operating costs). Biodrying is an alternative process, which uses both convective air and heat of biological reactions as a source of energy, to reduce the moisture. In the biodrying reactor heat is generated from exothermic decomposition of organic fraction of biomass and that is why the process is called "self-heating process". Employing such technology for drying biomass at pre-treatment units of gasification process returns several economic and environmental advantages to mills. In Europe, municipal waste treatment (MSW) plants use the biodrying at commercial scale to degrade a part of the biodegradable fraction of waste to generate heat and reduce the moisture content for high quality SRF (Solid Recovered Fuel) production. In Italy, wine industry is seeking to develop biodrying for energy recovery of grape wastes after fermentation and distillation, which returns economic benefits to the industry. In Canada, the development of biodrying technology for pulp and paper industry was started at Ecole polytechnique de Montreal as an option for sludge management solution. Therefore, batch biodrying reactor was successfully developed in 2004 and the pilot-scale continuous system was designed in 2010 to demonstrate the feasibility of mixed sludge biodrying for efficient combustion in biomass boilers. Mixed sludge was biodried in the reactor to 45% moisture level, which was the suitable level for boiler application. Techno-economic analysis also revealed the potential economic benefits for pulp and paper mills. However, considerable uncertainties existed in terms of feasibility of the biodrying technology for other types of biomass that are usually used in the gasification process, mainly because of low nutrient level of typical lignocellulosic biomass used as feedstock. Furthermore, the technology had not been shown to be economically viable in conjunction with gasification process at pulp and paper mills. In this work the feasibility of low-nutrient biomass biodrying was tested by experiments and techno-economic model was developed to identify the performance of biodrying process for commercial-scale application. In the economic analysis, a comprehensive approach for biodrying cost assessment was introduced that is based on the well-known approach widely used in the process industry and few sources of benefits were identified.

Advanced in-duct sorbent injection for SO{sub 2} control. Final technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stouffer, M.R.; Withium, J.A.; Rosenhoover, W.A.

1994-12-01

The objective of this research project was to develop a second generation duct sorbent injection technology as a cost-effective compliance option for the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Research and development work was focused on the Advanced Coolside process, which showed the potential for exceeding the original performance targets of 90% SO{sub 2} removal and 60% sorbent utilization. Process development was conducted in a 1000 acfm pilot plant. The pilot plant testing showed that the Advanced Coolside process can achieve 90% SO{sub 2} removal at sorbent utilizations up to 75%. The testing also showed that the process has the potentialmore » to achieve very high removal efficiency (90 to >99%). By conducting conceptual process design and economic evaluations periodically during the project, development work was focused on process design improvements which substantially lowered process capital and operating costs, A final process economic study projects capital costs less than one half of those for limestone forced oxidation wet FGD. Projected total SO{sub 2} control cost is about 25% lower than wet FGD for a 260 MWe plant burning a 2.5% sulfur coal. A waste management study showed the acceptability of landfill disposal; it also identified a potential avenue for by-product utilization which should be further investigated. Based on the pilot plant performance and on the above economic projections, future work to scale up the Advanced Coolside process is recommended.« less

Learning in a Postindustrial Place: Reading the Multiple Texts of the City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodle, Aaron Thomas

2012-01-01

In the second half of the Twentieth Century, many Western industrial cities underwent a gradual process of de-industrialization. This process reached its apex for many U.S. cities in the 1990s. The dramatic economic and social devastation that developed concomitantly with these economic changes left many urban policy makers, service workers, and…

The Bologna Process as a Trojan Horse: Restructuring Higher Education in Hungary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pusztai, Gabriella; Szabo, Peter Cs.

2008-01-01

Changes in higher education in Hungary are strongly related to those in the economic and social environment. Since the change of the political system in the late 1980s, Hungarian economic development has been marked by periods of contraction and expansion. Notwithstanding this process, influenced in part by the state's imposition of restrictive…

Management of corporate socio-economic policy by the energy corporations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simpson, R.E. Jr.

1982-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the energy corporations in the mitigation of the socio-economic impacts of rapid development. The study employed an exploratory descriptive research design. The sample was limited to an in-depth study of the socio-economic managerial processes at the Standard Oil Company (Indiana) and the Standard Oil Company of California, two of the nation's largest and wealthiest energy corporations. Findings demonstrated that division managers believe that socio-economic expenses are a normal cost of doing business and can, in fact, lead to cost savings for the corporation. The study confirmed other research findingsmore » that corporate executive management has a further role to play in the design of administrative systems that govern the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of socio-economic policy. The study recommended the development of specific centralized corporate socio-economic policies for energy-impact development, decentralization of policy implementation, integration of trained socio-economic project managers into the formal authority hierarchy, inclusion of specific socio-economic criterion in the formal performance-evaluation system, incorporation of socio-economic expenses into the operating budget format, and the development of a formal corporate-level socio-economic policy-evaluation committee.« less

The Bologna Process and the Economic Impacts of Research and Development within the Context of Europeanization: The Case of Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habti, Driss

2010-01-01

Higher education and public research play an important role in economic development, mainly in industrial research and development (R & D) and innovation through the manufacturing sector. Finland has taken great strides in this regard as it represents a Europeanization of a knowledge system in the European Union, being relevant at the…

Methyl chloride via oxyhydrochlorination of methane: A building block for chemicals and fuels from natural gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benson, R.L.; Brown, S.S.D.; Ferguson, S.P.

1995-12-31

The objectives of this program are to (a) develop a process for converting natural gas to methyl chloride via an oxyhydrochlorination route using highly selective, stable catalysts in a fixed-bed, (b) design a reactor capable of removing the large amount of heat generated in the process so as to control the reaction, (c) develop a recovery system capable of removing the methyl chloride from the product stream and (d) determine the economics and commercial viability of the process. The general approach has been as follows: (a) design and build a laboratory scale reactor, (b) define and synthesize suitable OHC catalystsmore » for evaluation, (c) select first generation OHC catalyst for Process Development Unit (PDU) trials, (d) design, construct and startup PDU, (e) evaluate packed bed reactor design, (f) optimize process, in particular, product recovery operations, (g) determine economics of process, (h) complete preliminary engineering design for Phase II and (i) make scale-up decision and formulate business plan for Phase II. Conclusions regarding process development and catalyst development are presented.« less

Rural Development Through Electronic Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Stanley E.

Rural Development is viewed as a process of improving the quality of life of rural residents. Quality of life has a number of aspects, but the economic is viewed as a particularly strategic one for promoting overall life quality. The economic is defined as providing jobs for rural residents. Two techniques for doing this, inducing firms to locate…

1980/1981 Decision-Making Casebook for Business and Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tedesco, Paul H., Ed.; And Others

These teacher developed case studies taken from the business world are presented to help secondary students develop an understanding of economics and of the decision-making process. The studies describe real business situations. All historical and current facts are provided, and students must analyze the data and make business decisions. Teacher…

Decision-Making Casebook for Business and Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tedesco, Paul H., Ed.; And Others

These teacher developed case studies taken from the business world are presented to help secondary students develop an understanding of economics and of the decision-making process. The studies describe real business situations. All historical and current facts are provided for each of the seven case studies. In the first case, students debate…

When Science is Not Enough: A Framework Towards More Customer-Focused Drug Development.

PubMed

Oraiopoulos, Nektarios; Dunlop, William C N

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the key barriers to a customer-focused drug development process and develop a comprehensive framework to overcome them. The paper draws on existing literature, both academic and practitioner, across a range of disciplines (innovation management, marketing, organizational behavior, behavioral economics, health economics, industry reports). On the basis of this extensive review, a conceptual framework is developed that offers concrete suggestions on how organizations can overcome the barriers and enable a more customer-focused development process. The barriers to collaboration are organized into three distinct categories (economic, behavioral, organizational), and within each category, a one-to-one mapping between barriers and solutions is developed. The framework is specifically designed with the objective of offering actionable and practical advice to executives who face these challenges in their organizations. The paper provides a unique theoretical contribution by synthesizing findings from several academic disciplines with concrete examples from the pharmaceutical industry. Mundipharma International Limited.

Principles of the Organization of the Global Economic System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyatlov, Sergey A.; Bulavko, Olga A.; Balanovskaya, Anna V.; Nikitina, Natalia V.; Chudaeva, Alexandra A.

2016-01-01

The development of the economic system is not a spontaneous but a programmed and controlled process. Economy is always a controlled system in which there is always an appropriate subject of management. The article considers principles of the organization of the global economic system. The characteristic of the principle of "hierarchy of…

Designing Economic Socialization System in the Educational Process of Technological University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaidullina, Rimma M.; Amirov, Artur F.; Muhametshin, Vyacheslav S.; Tyncherov, Kamil T.

2017-01-01

The relevance of this study is related to the fact that the necessity of compliance between the professional education system and progressive tendencies of world economy development demanded the formation of a new generation of economically socialized engineering and technical specialists, who own a sufficient level of economic competences, that…

Your Economics Textbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Helen C.

How economics can be taught through a student-developed textbook is described. Having secondary students construct their own economics textbook can be an exciting process. During the initial six- or nine-week segment of a course, materials can be collected and organized to make a book that the class can study for the rest of the semester or year.…

Harnessing the Sun for development: Actions for consideration by the international community at the UN Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy for promoting the use of renewable energy in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jhirad, D. J.; Mubayi, V.; Weingart, J.

1981-08-01

The technical and economic evidence is reviewed for solar industrial process heat, highlighting the fact that financial parameters such as tax credits and depreciation allowance play a very large role in determining the economic competitiveness of solar investments. An analysis of the energy (and oil) consumed in providing industrial process heat in a number of selected developing countries is presented. Solar industrial process heat technology is discussed including the operating experience of several demonstration plants in the US Solar ponds are also described briefly. A financial and economic analysis of solar industrial process heat systems under different assumptions on future oil prices and various financial parameters is given. Financial analyses are summarized for a solar industrial process heat retrofit of a brewery in Zimbabwe and a high efficiency system operating in financial conditions typical of the US and a number of other industrialized nations. A set of recommended policy actions for countries wishing to enhance the commercial feasibility of renewable energy technologies in the commercial and industrial sections is presented.

Allogeneic cell therapy bioprocess economics and optimization: downstream processing decisions.

PubMed

Hassan, Sally; Simaria, Ana S; Varadaraju, Hemanthram; Gupta, Siddharth; Warren, Kim; Farid, Suzanne S

2015-01-01

To develop a decisional tool to identify the most cost effective process flowsheets for allogeneic cell therapies across a range of production scales. A bioprocess economics and optimization tool was built to assess competing cell expansion and downstream processing (DSP) technologies. Tangential flow filtration was generally more cost-effective for the lower cells/lot achieved in planar technologies and fluidized bed centrifugation became the only feasible option for handling large bioreactor outputs. DSP bottlenecks were observed at large commercial lot sizes requiring multiple large bioreactors. The DSP contribution to the cost of goods/dose ranged between 20-55%, and 50-80% for planar and bioreactor flowsheets, respectively. This analysis can facilitate early decision-making during process development.

Chinese Scientific and Technical Information Institutions: Development and Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yanning, Zheng

2011-01-01

The collection, storage, processing, and dissemination of scientific and technical information make an important basis for economic and social development as well as for scientific development. A nation has to develop the right mechanisms and modalities to collect, store, process, and disseminate scientific and technical information tailored to…

Demand driven salt clean-up in a molten salt fast reactor – Defining a priority list

PubMed Central

Litskevich, D.; Gregg, R.; Mount, A. R.

2018-01-01

The PUREX technology based on aqueous processes is currently the leading reprocessing technology in nuclear energy systems. It seems to be the most developed and established process for light water reactor fuel and the use of solid fuel. However, demand driven development of the nuclear system opens the way to liquid fuelled reactors, and disruptive technology development through the application of an integrated fuel cycle with a direct link to reactor operation. The possibilities of this new concept for innovative reprocessing technology development are analysed, the boundary conditions are discussed, and the economic as well as the neutron physical optimization parameters of the process are elucidated. Reactor physical knowledge of the influence of different elements on the neutron economy of the reactor is required. Using an innovative study approach, an element priority list for the salt clean-up is developed, which indicates that separation of Neodymium and Caesium is desirable, as they contribute almost 50% to the loss of criticality. Separating Zirconium and Samarium in addition from the fuel salt would remove nearly 80% of the loss of criticality due to fission products. The theoretical study is followed by a qualitative discussion of the different, demand driven optimization strategies which could satisfy the conflicting interests of sustainable reactor operation, efficient chemical processing for the salt clean-up, and the related economic as well as chemical engineering consequences. A new, innovative approach of balancing the throughput through salt processing based on a low number of separation process steps is developed. Next steps for the development of an economically viable salt clean-up process are identified. PMID:29494604

Development of economic consequence methodology for process risk analysis.

PubMed

Zadakbar, Omid; Khan, Faisal; Imtiaz, Syed

2015-04-01

A comprehensive methodology for economic consequence analysis with appropriate models for risk analysis of process systems is proposed. This methodology uses loss functions to relate process deviations in a given scenario to economic losses. It consists of four steps: definition of a scenario, identification of losses, quantification of losses, and integration of losses. In this methodology, the process deviations that contribute to a given accident scenario are identified and mapped to assess potential consequences. Losses are assessed with an appropriate loss function (revised Taguchi, modified inverted normal) for each type of loss. The total loss is quantified by integrating different loss functions. The proposed methodology has been examined on two industrial case studies. Implementation of this new economic consequence methodology in quantitative risk assessment will provide better understanding and quantification of risk. This will improve design, decision making, and risk management strategies. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Hegemon and Potential Peer Competitor: An Analysis of the United States Security Strategy Towards China

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-16

in the region. The organization deals with economic development, crime and diseases. Since 1989, China has been a member of APEC . The ...Gjerde, 110 pages. China is in the middle of a comprehensive economic , political and military transformation process, and the economic ... economic and military threat in the East Asian region, and not to predict when or to what degree a

MATERIAL AND PROCESS DEVELOPMENT LEADING TO ECONOMICAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE THIN-FILM SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jie Guan; Atul Verma; Nguyen Minh

2003-04-01

This document summarizes the technical progress from September 2002 to March 2003 for the program, Material and Process Development Leading to Economical High-Performance Thin-Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, contract number DE-AC26-00NT40711. The causes have been identified for the unstable open circuit voltage (OCV) and low performance exhibited by the anode-supported lanthanum gallate based cells from the earlier development. Promising results have been obtained in the area of synthesis of electrolyte and cathode powders, which showed excellent sintering and densification at low temperatures. The fabrication of cells using tapecalendering process for anode-supported thin lanthanum gallate electrolyte cells and their performance optimizationmore » is in progress.« less

[Political ecology, ecological economics, and public health: interfaces for the sustainability of development and health promotion].

PubMed

Porto, Marcelo Firpo; Martinez-Alier, Joan

2007-01-01

This article proposes to focus contributions from political ecology and ecological economics to the field of collective health with a view towards integrating the discussions around health promotion, socio-environmental sustainability, and development. Ecological economics is a recent interdisciplinary field that combines economists and other professionals from the social, human, and life sciences. The field has developed new concepts and methodologies that seek to grasp the relationship between the economy and ecological and social processes such as social metabolism and metabolic profile, thereby interrelating economic, material, and energy flows and producing indicators and indexes for (un)sustainability. Meanwhile, political ecology approaches ecological issues and socio-environmental conflicts based on the economic and power dynamics characterizing modern societies. Collective health and the discussions on health promotion can expand our understanding of territory, communities, and the role of science and institutions based on the contributions of political ecology and ecological economics in analyzing development models and the distributive and socio-environmental conflicts generated by them.

Techno-economic analysis of ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse using a Liquefaction plus Simultaneous Saccharification and co-Fermentation process.

PubMed

Gubicza, Krisztina; Nieves, Ismael U; Sagues, William J; Barta, Zsolt; Shanmugam, K T; Ingram, Lonnie O

2016-05-01

A techno-economic analysis was conducted for a simplified lignocellulosic ethanol production process developed and proven by the University of Florida at laboratory, pilot, and demonstration scales. Data obtained from all three scales of development were used with Aspen Plus to create models for an experimentally-proven base-case and 5 hypothetical scenarios. The model input parameters that differed among the hypothetical scenarios were fermentation time, enzyme loading, enzymatic conversion, solids loading, and overall process yield. The minimum ethanol selling price (MESP) varied between 50.38 and 62.72 US cents/L. The feedstock and the capital cost were the main contributors to the production cost, comprising between 23-28% and 40-49% of the MESP, respectively. A sensitivity analysis showed that overall ethanol yield had the greatest effect on the MESP. These findings suggest that future efforts to increase the economic feasibility of a cellulosic ethanol process should focus on optimization for highest ethanol yield. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The objective of the contract is to consolidate the advances made during the previous contract in the conversion of syngas to motor fuels using Molecular Sieve-containing catalysts and to demonstrate the practical utility and economic value of the new catalyst/process systems with appropriate laboratory runs. Work on the program is divided into the following six tasks: (1) preparation of a detailed work plan covering the entire performance of the contract; (2) preliminary techno-economic assessment of the UCC catalyst/process system; (3) optimization of the most promising catalyst developed under prior contract; (4) optimization of the UCC catalyst system in a mannermore » that will give it the longest possible service life; (5) optimization of a UCC process/catalyst system based upon a tubular reactor with a recycle loop containing the most promising catalyst developed under Tasks 3 and 4 studies; and (6) economic evaluation of the optimal performance found under Task 5 for the UCC process/catalyst system. Progress reports are presented for tasks 2 through 5. 232 figs., 19 tabs.« less

Eco-Efficiency Analysis of biotechnological processes.

PubMed

Saling, Peter

2005-07-01

Eco-Efficiency has been variously defined and analytically implemented by several workers. In most cases, Eco-Efficiency is taken to mean the ecological optimization of overall systems while not disregarding economic factors. Eco-Efficiency should increase the positive ecological performance of a commercial company in relation to economic value creation--or to reduce negative effects. Several companies use Eco-Efficiency Analysis for decision-making processes; and industrial examples of best practices in developing and implementing Eco-Efficiency have been reviewed. They clearly demonstrate the environmental and business benefits of Eco-Efficiency. An instrument for the early recognition and systematic detection of economic and environmental opportunities and risks for production processes in the chemical industry began use in 1997, since when different new features have been developed, leading to many examples. This powerful Eco-Efficiency Analysis allows a feasibility evaluation of existing and future business activities and is applied by BASF. In many cases, decision-makers are able to choose among alternative processes for making a product.

Developing tourist attraction simulation in Jayengan Kampoeng Permata for stimulating economic friendly city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astuti, Winny; Qomarun; Febela, Alfa; Putri, Rufia A.; Mukaromah, H.

2018-03-01

Concept of friendly city mentions about better employment options and more opportunities of the local communities. Tourism development and creative industry effectively enhance regional economic development and community welfare. Kampoeng Jayengan is located in Serengan District, Surakarta, which the local community was originally come from Banjar in 1746; with the main economic activity was Jewels Trader. Jayengan Jewels Kampoeng (JKP) will support development of Surakarta as a creative city integrated with other creative tourism Kampoengs. In fact, JKP has been launched by the Secretary of Surakarta Government in 2015 indicated the Government’s attention and support to development of the area. This research aims for Developing Attraction Simulation based on the local economic activities of the communities in order to stimulate Economic friendly city. The methods used mixed methods combining quantitative through field observation and qualitative approach through interview and FGD. The results developed two directions of Tourism Attraction destination, the West and the East Direction. The sequence process of the jewels craft making is challenging for creating the path of tourism attraction in JKP. This implies for increasing tourist visits, enhancing regional economic development and community welfare.

Predator Force Structure Changes at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nevada Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-07-01

Office Agency for Nuclear Projects Energy Agriculture Business & Industry Minerals Economic Development Tourism Fire Marshal Human Resources...Agriculture Business & Industry Minerals Economic Development Tourism Fire Marshal Human Resources A in Services Indian Commission Colorado...Data EIAP Environmental Impact Analysis Process EMCS Central Energy Management System ERP Environmental Restoration Program ESA Endangered

Skills Needs Assessment Process To Support Economic Development. HRD & ALL Research Series. Paper 90-01.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geroy, Gary D.; Kaman, Vickie

The purpose of skills-training needs-assessment is to identify what type of skills and knowledge are needed to support economic strategies and, as a result, improve organizational decisionmaking related to training investments and general work force development. This paper presents findings of 11 skills-retraining, needs-assessment,…

Poverty in the Developing Countries--1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clausen, A. W.

Although the number of people in developing nations who are too poor to provide themselves with an adequate diet is rising, this is not reason to assume that such poverty is inevitable. Strategies that foster economic growth and include poor people in the growth process can be found in countries with such diverse political and economic systems as…

The Role of Educational Quality and Quantity in the Process of Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castello-Climent, Amparo; Hidalgo-Cabrillana, Ana

2012-01-01

We develop a theory of human capital investment to study the effects of school quality on student choices of education, and to understand its effect on economic growth. In a dynamic general equilibrium closed economy, primary education is mandatory but there is an opportunity to continue to secondary education and beyond. High-quality education…

Exploring the Use of Electroencephalography to Gather Objective Evidence of Cognitive Processing during Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delahunty, Thomas; Seery, Niall; Lynch, Raymond

2018-01-01

Currently, there is significant interest being directed towards the development of STEM education to meet economic and societal demands. While economic concerns can be a powerful driving force in advancing the STEM agenda, care must be taken that such economic imperative does not promote research approaches that overemphasize pragmatic application…

EconoMe-Develop - a calculation tool for multi-risk assessment and benefit-cost-analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bründl, M.

2012-04-01

Public money is used to finance the protection of human life, material assets and the environment against natural hazards. This limited resource should be used in a way that it achieves the maximum possible effect by minimizing as many risks as possible. Hence, decision-makers are facing the question which mitigation measures should be prioritised. Benefit-Cost-Analysis (BCA) is a recognized method for determining the economic efficiency of investments in mitigation measures. In Switzerland, the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) judges the benefit-cost-ratio of mitigation projects on the base of the results of the calculation tool "EconoMe" [1]. The check of the economic efficiency of mitigation projects with an investment of more than 1 million CHF (800,000 EUR) by using "EconoMe" is mandatory since 2008 in Switzerland. Within "EconoMe", most calculation parameters cannot be changed by the user allowing for comparable results. Based on the risk guideline "RIKO" [2] an extended version of the operational version of "EconoMe", called "EconoMe-Develop" was developed. "EconoMe-Develop" is able to deal with various natural hazard processes and thus allows multi-risk assessments, since all restrictions of the operational version of "EconoMe" like e.g. the number of scenarios and expositions, vulnerability, spatial probability of processes and probability of presence of objects, are not existing. Additionally, the influences of uncertainty of calculation factors, like e.g. vulnerability, on the final results can be determined. "EconoMe-Develop" offers import and export of data, e.g. results of GIS-analysis. The possibility for adapting the tool to user specific requirements makes EconoMe-Develop an easy-to-use tool for risk assessment and assessment of economic efficiency of mitigation projects for risk experts. In the paper we will present the most important features of the tool and we will illustrate the application by a practical example.

Proceedings of the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project Workshop on Low-Cost Polysilicon for Terrestrial Photovoltaic Solar-Cell Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

Sessions conducted included: polysilicon material requirements; economics; process development in the U.S.; international process development; and polysilicon market and forecasts. Twenty-one papers were presented and discussed.

Economic assessment of single-walled carbon nanotube processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaacs, J. A.; Tanwani, A.; Healy, M. L.; Dahlben, L. J.

2010-02-01

The carbon nanotube market is steadily growing and projected to reach 1.9 billion by 2010. This study examines the economics of manufacturing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) using process-based cost models developed for arc, CVD, and HiPco processes. Using assumed input parameters, manufacturing costs are calculated for 1 g SWNT for arc, CVD, and HiPco, totaling 1,906, 1,706, and 485, respectively. For each SWNT process, the synthesis and filtration steps showed the highest costs, with direct labor as a primary cost driver. Reductions in production costs are calculated for increased working hours per day and for increased synthesis reaction yield (SRY) in each process. The process-based cost models offer a means for exploring opportunities for cost reductions, and provide a structured system for comparisons among alternative SWNT manufacturing processes. Further, the models can be used to comprehensively evaluate additional scenarios on the economics of environmental, health, and safety best manufacturing practices.

Population growth and development: the case of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Nakibullah, A

1998-04-01

In a poor, overly populated country such as Bangladesh, some believe that a high rate of population growth is a cause of poverty which impedes economic development. Population growth would therefore be exogenous to economic development. However, others believe that rapid population growth is a consequence rather than a cause of poverty. Population growth is therefore endogenous to economic development. Findings are presented from an investigation of whether population growth has been exogenous or endogenous with respect to Bangladesh's development process during the past 3 decades. The increase in per capita real gross domestic product (GDP) is used as a measure of development. Data on population, real GDP per capita, and real investment share of GDP are drawn from the Penn World Table prepared by Summers and Heston in 1991. The data are annual and cover the period 1959-90. Analysis of the data indicate that population growth is endogenous to Bangladesh's development process. These findings are reflected both in the Granger causality tests and the decompositions of variances of detrended real GDP per capita and population growth.

Impact of the Bologna Process on Turkish Higher Education: The Case of Izmir University of Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esen, Oguz; Gürleyen, Isik; Binatli, Ayla Ogus

2012-01-01

This article focuses on Turkey's experience of the Bologna Process. Its main objective is to contribute to the literature on the impact of Bologna Process on national higher education systems regarding the issue of curricula development. It argues that the Bologna Process has fostered development of transparent and systematic curricula, which…

Senegal: The Economic Reforms and the Influence of the Informal Sector on the Economic Reform Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-06-01

policies were implemented: the Agricultural Policy (NAP), and the New Industrial Policy (NIP). The NAP reduced the number of rural development agencies as...planned to solve the economic crisis through various measures such as the Agricultural Policy (NAP) and the New Industrial Policy (NIP). Despite all...Mission For the Republic of Congo NAP: New Agricultural Policy NIP: New Industrial Policy OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Self-Assembling Process for Fabricating Tailored Thin Films

ScienceCinema

Sandia

2017-12-09

A simple, economical nanotechnology coating process that enables the development of nanoparticle thin films with architectures and properties unattainable by any other processing method. 2007 R&D 100 winner (SAND2007-1878P)

International Comparison of Water Resources Utilization Efficiency in the Silk Road Economic Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Long; Ma, Jing; Deng, Wei; Wang, Yong

2018-03-01

In order to get knowledge of the standard of water utilization of the Silk Road Economic Belt from international point of view, the paper analyzes the annual variation of water resources utilization in the Silk Road Economic Belt, and compares with other typical countries. The study shows that Water resources utilization efficiency has been greatly improved in recent 20 years and the water consumption per USD 10000 of GDP has been declined 87.97%. the improvement of industrial water consumption efficiency is the key driving factors for substantial decrease in water consumption.The comparison of water utilization and human development shows that the higher HDI the country is, the more efficient water utilization the country has. water consumption per USD 10000 of GDP in country with HDI>0.9 is 194m³, being 8.5% of that in country with HDI from 0.5 to 0.6. On the premise of maintaining the stable economic and social development of the Silk Road Economic Belt, the realization of the control target of total water consumption must depend on the strict control over the disorderly expansion of irrigated area, the change in the mode of economic growth, the implementation of the development strategy for new industrialization and urbanization, vigorous development of the processing industry with low water consumption as well as the high-tech and high value-added industry. Only in this way, the control target of total water consumption can be realized in the process of completing the industrialization task.

Recent advances and state-of-the-art strategies in strain and process engineering for biobutanol production by Clostridium acetobutylicum.

PubMed

Xue, Chuang; Zhao, Jingbo; Chen, Lijie; Yang, Shang-Tian; Bai, Fengwu

Butanol as an advanced biofuel has gained great attention due to its environmental benefits and superior properties compared to ethanol. However, the cost of biobutanol production via conventional acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by Clostridium acetobutylicum is not economically competitive, which has hampered its industrial application. The strain performance and downstream process greatly impact the economics of biobutanol production. Although various engineered strains with carefully orchestrated metabolic and sporulation-specific pathways have been developed, none of them is ideal for industrial biobutanol production. For further strain improvement, it is necessary to develop advanced genome editing tools and a deep understanding of cellular functioning of genes in metabolic and regulatory pathways. Processes with integrated product recovery can increase fermentation productivity by continuously removing inhibitory products while generating butanol (ABE) in a concentrated solution. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advances in C. acetobutylicum strain engineering and process development focusing on in situ product recovery. With deep understanding of systematic cellular bioinformatics, the exploration of state-of-the-art genome editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas for targeted gene knock-out and knock-in would play a vital role in Clostridium cell engineering for biobutanol production. Developing advanced hybrid separation processes for in situ butanol recovery, which will be discussed with a detailed comparison of advantages and disadvantages of various recovery techniques, is also imperative to the economical development of biobutanol. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promises Of Political Dialogue: Changes In Myanmar’s Ceasefire Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

groups’ decisions of whether to sign the accord. Due to the built-up mistrust of the military government from broken ceasefire promises of economic ...the accord. Due to the built-up mistrust of the military government from broken ceasefire promises of economic development and political dialogue...1989–1995) .......................................17 A. POLITICAL- ECONOMIC CONTEXT PRIOR TO THE BILATERAL CEASEFIRES

Russia, America, and Security in the Asia-Pacific

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

the Chinese and Indian markets. Russia has grown increasingly interested in multilateral mechanisms for security and economic integration in the Asia... negotiating process. The project’s participants proposed some recommendations for policy makers The transnational, economic , and ecological security...historical backgrounds, their cultures , and the levels of their economic development. The countries of the region tend to demonstrate tolerance toward

The Economic and Workforce Development Program (ED>Net) Annual Report, 2001-02 [and] Addendum to FY 01-02 Annual Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Community Colleges, Sacramento. Economic Development Coordination Network (EDNet).

This document contains an annual report and its addendum from the Economic and Workforce Development Program of California Community Colleges. The annual report provides an overview of the Program's evaluation processes, regional centers, short-term projects, legislation, strategic plan, etc. It also provides vital facts about the program such as…

Technical and economic assessment of processes for the production of butanol and acetone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

This report represents a preliminary technical and economic evaluation of a process which produces mixed solvents (butaol/acetone/ethanol) via fermentation of sugars derived from renewable biomass resources. The objective is to assess the technology of producing butanol/acetone from biomass, and select a viable process capable of serving as a base case model for technical and economic analysis. It is anticipated that the base case process developed herein can then be used as the basis for subsequent studies concerning biomass conversion processes capable of producing a wide range of chemicals. The general criteria utilized in determining the design basis for the process are profit potential and non-renewable energy displacement potential. The feedstock chosen, aspen wood, was selected from a number of potential renewable biomass resources as the most readily available in the United States and for its relatively large potential for producing reducing sugars.

Integrated rural development programs: a skeptical perspective.

PubMed

Ruttan, V W

1975-11-01

In examining integrated rural development programs the question that arises is why is it possible to identify several relatively successful small-scale or pilot rural development projects yet so difficult to find examples of successful rural development programs. 3 bodies of literature offer some insight into the morphology of rural development projects, programs, and processes: the urban-industrial impact hypothesis; the theory of induced technical change; and the new models of institutional change that deal with institution building and the economics of bureaucratic behavior. The urban-industrial impact hypothesis helps in the clarification of the relationships between the development of rural areas and the development of the total society of which rural areas are a part. It is useful in understanding the spatial dimensions of rural development where rural development efforts are likely to be most successful. Formulation of the hypothesis generated a series of empirical studies designed to test its validity. The effect of these studies has been the development of a rural development model in which the rural community is linked to the urban-industrial economy through a series of market relationships. Both the urban economy's rate of growth and the efficiency of the intersector product and factor markets place significant constraints on the possibilities of rural area development. It is not possible to isolate development processes in the contemporary rural community in a developing society from development processes in the larger society. The induced technical change theory provides a guide as to what must be done to gain access to efficient sources of economic growth, the new resources and incomes that are necessary to sustain rural development. Design of a successful rural development strategy involves a combination of technical and institutional change. The ability of rural areas to respond to the opportunities for economic growth generated by local urban-industrial development, or by the expansion of national and international markets, depends on the capacity for adaptive responses on the part of cultural, political, and economic institutions as well as on technical innovations which can generate substantial new income flows in response to the new economic opportunities. Improvements in the welfare of the rural population in poor regions will call for institutional innovations which effectively link urban and rural areas through a series of nonmarket and market relationships. A major implication of the models is that given the "markets" in which they operate, bureaucracies will be successful in capturing a relatively large share of the economic gains generated by their activities.

Economic compensation standard for irrigation processes to safeguard environmental flows in the Yellow River Estuary, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Aiping; Sun, Tao; Yang, Zhifeng

2013-03-01

SummaryAgriculture and ecosystems are increasingly competing for water. We propose an approach to assess the economic compensation standard required to release water from agricultural use to ecosystems while taking into account seasonal variability in river flow. First, we defined agricultural water shortage as the difference in water volume between agricultural demands and actual supply after maintaining environmental flows for ecosystems. Second, we developed a production loss model to establish the relationship between production losses and agricultural water shortages in view of seasonal variation in river discharge. Finally, we estimated the appropriate economic compensation for different irrigation stakeholders based on crop prices and production losses. A case study in the Yellow River Estuary, China, demonstrated that relatively stable economic compensation for irrigation processes can be defined based on the developed model, taking into account seasonal variations in river discharge and different levels of environmental flow. Annual economic compensation is not directly related to annual water shortage because of the temporal variability in river flow rate and environmental flow. Crops that have stable planting areas to guarantee food security should be selected as indicator crops in economic compensation assessments in the important grain production zone. Economic compensation may be implemented by creating funds to update water-saving measures in agricultural facilities.

7 CFR 4284.504 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Value-Added to farm products through processing or marketing activities. Development activities may... economic development in rural areas through the creation and enhancement of cooperatives. ...

7 CFR 4284.504 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Value-Added to farm products through processing or marketing activities. Development activities may... economic development in rural areas through the creation and enhancement of cooperatives. ...

7 CFR 4284.504 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Value-Added to farm products through processing or marketing activities. Development activities may... economic development in rural areas through the creation and enhancement of cooperatives. ...

7 CFR 4284.504 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Value-Added to farm products through processing or marketing activities. Development activities may... economic development in rural areas through the creation and enhancement of cooperatives. ...

The macroeconomic determinants of health.

PubMed

Subramanian, S V; Belli, Paolo; Kawachi, Ichiro

2002-01-01

Why are some societies healthier than others? The consensus in development economics is that the health achievement of nations has to do with their levels of economic development. Higher per capita incomes, through steady and stable economic growth, increase a nation's capacity to purchase the necessary economic goods and services that promote health. In this paper, we review the conceptual and empirical linkages between poverty and poor health in both developing and developed countries. The empirical evidence is overwhelming that poverty, measured at the level of societies as well as individuals, is causally related to poor health of societies and individuals, respectively. Recent macroeconomic research has also drawn attention to the role of health as a form of human capital that is vital for achieving economic stability. In particular, attention has been drawn toward the ways in which unhealthy societies impede the process of economic development. However, the reciprocal connection between economic prosperity and improved health is neither automatic nor universal. Other features of society, such as the equality in the distribution of the national wealth, seem to matter as well for improving average population health and especially for reducing inequalities in health. We conclude by arguing for a need to reexamine the way in which health is conceptualized within the macroeconomic development framework.

Mental health economics: insights from Brazil.

PubMed

Cruz, Luciane; Lima, Ana Flavia Da Silva; Graeff-Martins, Ana; Maia, Carlos Renato Moreira; Ziegelmann, Patricia; Miguel, Sandoro; Fleck, Marcelo; Polanczyk, Carisi

2013-04-01

As the responsibility and demand on health care grows and resources do not increase at the same pace, the healthcare system has been forced to reconsider the benefits and costs of their actions, to ensure a rational and effective decision-making process regarding the adoption of interventions and allocation of resources. Cost-effectiveness (CE) studies represent one of the basic tools to achieve this goal. To present the current state of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and health economics in mental health in Brazil and its importance to the decision-making process. Descriptive paper on HTA and health economics in Brazil. Databases from government and universities as well as some scientific databases to assess the information are presented. Economic analysis to evaluate interventions in mental health care is a relatively recent addition to the field of health economics; in Brazil, it is also considered a topic within Epidemiology research area. There have been an increased number of studies developed in high-income countries. However, there are fewer CE studies in low- and middle-income ones. Psychiatric disorders represent a significant burden in developing countries, where resources devoted to health care are even scarcer.

Analytic hierarchy process helps select site for limestone quarry expansion in Barbados.

PubMed

Dey, Prasanta Kumar; Ramcharan, Eugene K

2008-09-01

Site selection is a key activity for quarry expansion to support cement production, and is governed by factors such as resource availability, logistics, costs, and socio-economic-environmental factors. Adequate consideration of all the factors facilitates both industrial productivity and sustainable economic growth. This study illustrates the site selection process that was undertaken for the expansion of limestone quarry operations to support cement production in Barbados. First, alternate sites with adequate resources to support a 25-year development horizon were identified. Second, technical and socio-economic-environmental factors were then identified. Third, a database was developed for each site with respect to each factor. Fourth, a hierarchical model in analytic hierarchy process (AHP) framework was then developed. Fifth, the relative ranking of the alternate sites was then derived through pair wise comparison in all the levels and through subsequent synthesizing of the results across the hierarchy through computer software (Expert Choice). The study reveals that an integrated framework using the AHP can help select a site for the quarry expansion project in Barbados.

Nation Building as a Determinent of Economic Growth

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-18

Consortium for Political and Social Reserch (2007). Mankiw , N. Gregory, David Romer, and David N. Weil. “A Contribution to the Empirics of Economic Growth...Determinent of Economic Growth 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6 . AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Creasey. Ellyn Ann 5e. TASK NUMBER 51...J ss istance and econom ic aid impact the development process. The primary resu lts suggest a 1% increase in spending on nation building result s

Challenges in the development and reimbursement of personalized medicine-payer and manufacturer perspectives and implications for health economics and outcomes research: a report of the ISPOR personalized medicine special interest group.

PubMed

Faulkner, Eric; Annemans, Lieven; Garrison, Lou; Helfand, Mark; Holtorf, Anke-Peggy; Hornberger, John; Hughes, Dyfrig; Li, Tracy; Malone, Daniel; Payne, Katherine; Siebert, Uwe; Towse, Adrian; Veenstra, David; Watkins, John

2012-12-01

Personalized medicine technologies can improve individual health by delivering the right dose of the right drug to the right patient at the right time but create challenges in deciding which technologies offer sufficient value to justify widespread diffusion. Personalized medicine technologies, however, do not neatly fit into existing health technology assessment and reimbursement processes. In this article, the Personalized Medicine Special Interest Group of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research evaluated key development and reimbursement considerations from the payer and manufacturer perspectives. Five key areas in which health economics and outcomes research best practices could be developed to improve value assessment, reimbursement, and patient access decisions for personalized medicine have been identified. These areas are as follows: 1 research prioritization and early value assessment, 2 best practices for clinical evidence development, 3 best practices for health economic assessment, 4 addressing health technology assessment challenges, and 5 new incentive and reimbursement approaches for personalized medicine. Key gaps in health economics and outcomes research best practices, decision standards, and value assessment processes are also discussed, along with next steps for evolving health economics and outcomes research practices in personalized medicine. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic principles for resource allocation decisions at national level to mitigate the effects of disease in farm animal populations.

PubMed

Howe, K S; Häsler, B; Stärk, K D C

2013-01-01

This paper originated in a project to develop a practical, generic tool for the economic evaluation of surveillance for farm animal diseases at national level by a state veterinary service. Fundamental to that process is integration of epidemiological and economic perspectives. Using a generalized example of epidemic disease, we show that an epidemic curve maps into its economic equivalent, a disease mitigation function, that traces the relationship between value losses avoided and mitigation resources expended. Crucially, elementary economic principles show that mitigation, defined as loss reduction achieved by surveillance and intervention, must be explicitly conceptualized as a three-variable process, and the relative contributions of surveillance and intervention resources investigated with regard to the substitution possibilities between them. Modelling the resultant mitigation surfaces for different diseases should become a standard approach to animal health policy analysis for economic efficiency, a contribution to the evolving agenda for animal health economics research.

Current technologies, economics, and perspectives for 2,5-dimethylfuran production from biomass-derived intermediates.

PubMed

Saha, Basudeb; Abu-Omar, Mahdi M

2015-04-13

Since the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a perspective article that described the potential of the top ten biomass-derived platform chemicals as petroleum replacements for high-value commodity and specialty chemicals, researchers around the world have been motivated to develop technologies for the conversion of biomass and biomass-derived intermediates into chemicals and fuels. Among several biorefinery processes, the conversion of biomass carbohydrates into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) has received significant attention because of its low oxygen content, high energy content, and high octane value. DMF can further serve as a petroleum-replacement, biorenewable feedstock for the production of p-xylene (pX). In this review, we aim specifically to present a concise and up-to-date analysis of DMF production technologies with a critical discussion on catalytic systems, mechanistic insight, and process economics, which includes sensitivity analysis, so that more effective catalysts can be designed. Special emphasis has been given to bifunctional catalysts that improve DMF yields and selectivity and the synergistic effect of the bifunctional sites. Process economics for the current processes and the scope for further improvement are discussed. It is anticipated that the chemistry detailed in this review will guide researchers to develop more practical catalytic processes to enable the economic production of bio-based DMF. Processes for the upgrade of DMF to pX are also described. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development of an economic skill building intervention to promote women's safety and child development in Karachi, Pakistan.

PubMed

Hirani, Saima Shams; Karmaliani, Rozina; McFarlane, Judith; Asad, Nargis; Madhani, Farhana; Shehzad, Shireen; Ali, Nazbano Ahmed

2010-02-01

Violence against women is a global epidemic phenomenon that can result in major mental health problems. Not only are women affected but also the health and well-being of their children are in jeopardy. To prevent violence and promote women's safety, several strategies have been tested in various cultural contexts. This article describes the process of developing and validating an economic skill building intervention for women of an urban slum area of Karachi, Pakistan. The purpose of the intervention is to increase women's economic independence, promote women's safety, and improve the behavioral functioning of their children.

Poverty, Disease, and the Ecology of Complex Systems

PubMed Central

Pluciński, Mateusz M.; Murray, Megan B.; Farmer, Paul E.; Barrett, Christopher B.; Keenan, Donald C.

2014-01-01

Understanding why some human populations remain persistently poor remains a significant challenge for both the social and natural sciences. The extremely poor are generally reliant on their immediate natural resource base for subsistence and suffer high rates of mortality due to parasitic and infectious diseases. Economists have developed a range of models to explain persistent poverty, often characterized as poverty traps, but these rarely account for complex biophysical processes. In this Essay, we argue that by coupling insights from ecology and economics, we can begin to model and understand the complex dynamics that underlie the generation and maintenance of poverty traps, which can then be used to inform analyses and possible intervention policies. To illustrate the utility of this approach, we present a simple coupled model of infectious diseases and economic growth, where poverty traps emerge from nonlinear relationships determined by the number of pathogens in the system. These nonlinearities are comparable to those often incorporated into poverty trap models in the economics literature, but, importantly, here the mechanism is anchored in core ecological principles. Coupled models of this sort could be usefully developed in many economically important biophysical systems—such as agriculture, fisheries, nutrition, and land use change—to serve as foundations for deeper explorations of how fundamental ecological processes influence structural poverty and economic development. PMID:24690902

Poverty, disease, and the ecology of complex systems.

PubMed

Ngonghala, Calistus N; Pluciński, Mateusz M; Murray, Megan B; Farmer, Paul E; Barrett, Christopher B; Keenan, Donald C; Bonds, Matthew H

2014-04-01

Understanding why some human populations remain persistently poor remains a significant challenge for both the social and natural sciences. The extremely poor are generally reliant on their immediate natural resource base for subsistence and suffer high rates of mortality due to parasitic and infectious diseases. Economists have developed a range of models to explain persistent poverty, often characterized as poverty traps, but these rarely account for complex biophysical processes. In this Essay, we argue that by coupling insights from ecology and economics, we can begin to model and understand the complex dynamics that underlie the generation and maintenance of poverty traps, which can then be used to inform analyses and possible intervention policies. To illustrate the utility of this approach, we present a simple coupled model of infectious diseases and economic growth, where poverty traps emerge from nonlinear relationships determined by the number of pathogens in the system. These nonlinearities are comparable to those often incorporated into poverty trap models in the economics literature, but, importantly, here the mechanism is anchored in core ecological principles. Coupled models of this sort could be usefully developed in many economically important biophysical systems--such as agriculture, fisheries, nutrition, and land use change--to serve as foundations for deeper explorations of how fundamental ecological processes influence structural poverty and economic development.

Process and utility water requirements for cellulosic ethanol production processes via fermentation pathway

EPA Science Inventory

The increasing need of additional water resources for energy production is a growing concern for future economic development. In technology development for ethanol production from cellulosic feedstocks, a detailed assessment of the quantity and quality of water required, and the ...

Novel shortcut estimation method for regeneration energy of amine solvents in an absorption-based carbon capture process.

PubMed

Kim, Huiyong; Hwang, Sung June; Lee, Kwang Soon

2015-02-03

Among various CO2 capture processes, the aqueous amine-based absorption process is considered the most promising for near-term deployment. However, the performance evaluation of newly developed solvents still requires complex and time-consuming procedures, such as pilot plant tests or the development of a rigorous simulator. Absence of accurate and simple calculation methods for the energy performance at an early stage of process development has lengthened and increased expense of the development of economically feasible CO2 capture processes. In this paper, a novel but simple method to reliably calculate the regeneration energy in a standard amine-based carbon capture process is proposed. Careful examination of stripper behaviors and exploitation of energy balance equations around the stripper allowed for calculation of the regeneration energy using only vapor-liquid equilibrium and caloric data. Reliability of the proposed method was confirmed by comparing to rigorous simulations for two well-known solvents, monoethanolamine (MEA) and piperazine (PZ). The proposed method can predict the regeneration energy at various operating conditions with greater simplicity, greater speed, and higher accuracy than those proposed in previous studies. This enables faster and more precise screening of various solvents and faster optimization of process variables and can eventually accelerate the development of economically deployable CO2 capture processes.

Energy recovery from solid waste. Volume 1: Summary report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

A systems analysis of energy recovery from solid waste which demonstrates the feasibility of several processes for converting solid waste to an energy form is presented. The social, legal, environmental, and political factors are considered and recommendations made in regard to legislation and policy. A technical and economic evaluation of available and developing energy-recovery processes is given with emphasis on thermal decomposition and biodegradation. A pyrolysis process is suggested. The use of prepared solid waste as a fuel supplemental to coal is considered to be the most economic process for recovery of energy from solid waste. Markets are discussed with suggestions for improving market conditions and for developing market stability. A decision procedure is given to aid a community in deciding on its options in dealing with solid waste.

Network model of project "Lean Production"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khisamova, E. D.

2018-05-01

Economical production implies primarily new approaches to culture of management and organization of production and offers a set of tools and techniques that allows reducing losses significantly and making the process cheaper and faster. Economical production tools are simple solutions that allow one to see opportunities for improvement of all aspects of the business, to reduce losses significantly, to constantly improve the whole spectrum of business processes, to increase significantly the transparency and manageability of the organization, to take advantage of the potential of each employee of the company, to increase competitiveness, and to obtain significant economic benefits without making large financial expenditures. Each of economical production tools solves a specific part of the problems, and only application of their combination will allow one to solve the problem or minimize it to acceptable values. The research of the governance process project "Lean Production" permitted studying the methods and tools of lean production and developing measures for their improvement.

Street Gangs: The New Urban Insurgency

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

instability and political war—injustice, repression, inequity, and corruption. The intent would be to generate the political-economic- social ...economic- social development that will defi ne the processes of national reform, regeneration, and well- being. The challenge, then, is to come to terms...lack of political and socio-economic justice. The consequences are seen in such forms as social violence, criminal anarchy, refugee fl ows, illegal

America's Basic Research: Prosperity Through Discovery. A Policy Statement by the Research and Policy Committee of the Committee for Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Committee for Economic Development, 1998

1998-01-01

This policy statement looks at America's basic research enterprise and lays out the processes and systematic reforms needed to meet emerging risks to the outcomes from investments in basic research. The Committee for Economic Development (CED) undertook this project in the belief that significant progress with many of society's problems and new…

Africa’s Militaries: A Missing Link in Democratic Transitions

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

This generates a political authority that can more effectively man- age and sustain security, as well as economic and social development . Legitimate...In Rwanda, the military grows, buys, processes, and exports commercial crops through a military-owned company.1 Military officers in An- gola ...practices are not only counterproductive to democratic governance, but also undermine stabil- ity, economic development , and even the interests of the

TECHNOLOGY FOR ENHANCED BIODIESEL ECONOMICS - PHASE II

EPA Science Inventory

The overall goal of this project is to complete the research and development of an innovative process technology to enhance the economics of biodiesel production, through upgrading the byproduct glycerol to a propane fuel (LPG), which (a) is widely used today, (b) has an exist...

Influence of Building Material Solution of Structures to Effectiveness of Real Estate Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somorová, Viera

2015-11-01

Real estate development is in its essence the development process characterized by a considerable dynamics. The purpose of the development process is the creation of buildings which can be either rented by future unknown users or sold in the real estate market. A first part of the paper is dedicated to the analysis of the parameters of buildings solutions considering the future operating costs in a phase of designing. Material solution of external structures is a main factor not only in determining the future operating costs but also in achieving the subsequent economic effectiveness of the real estate development. To determine the relationship between economic efficiency criteria and determine the optimal material variant of building constructions for the specific example is the aim of the second part of paper.

Assessing the economics of processing end-of-life vehicles through manual dismantling.

PubMed

Tian, Jin; Chen, Ming

2016-10-01

Most dismantling enterprises in a number of developing countries, such as China, usually adopt the "manual+mechanical" dismantling approach to process end-of-life vehicles. However, the automobile industry does not have a clear indicator to reasonably and effectively determine the manual dismantling degree for end-of-life vehicles. In this study, five different dismantling scenarios and an economic system for end-of-life vehicles were developed based on the actual situation of end-of-life vehicles. The fuzzy analytic hierarchy process was applied to set the weights of direct costs, indirect costs, and sales and to obtain an optimal manual dismantling scenario. Results showed that although the traditional method of "dismantling to the end" can guarantee the highest recycling rate, this method is not the best among all the scenarios. The profit gained in the optimal scenario is 100.6% higher than that in the traditional scenario. The optimal manual dismantling scenario showed that enterprises are required to select suitable parts to process through manual dismantling. Selecting suitable parts maximizes economic profit and improves dismantling speed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative and qualitative approaches in the study of poverty and adolescent development: separation or integration?

PubMed

Leung, Janet T Y; Shek, Daniel T L

2011-01-01

This paper examines the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches to study the impact of economic disadvantage on family processes and adolescent development. Quantitative research has the merits of objectivity, good predictive and explanatory power, parsimony, precision and sophistication of analysis. Qualitative research, in contrast, provides a detailed, holistic, in-depth understanding of social reality and allows illumination of new insights. With the pragmatic considerations of methodological appropriateness, design flexibility, and situational responsiveness in responding to the research inquiry, a mixed methods approach could be a possibility of integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches and offers an alternative strategy to study the impact of economic disadvantage on family processes and adolescent development.

Gaining the Competitive Edge: Design for Manufacturing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batill, Stephen M.; Pinkelman, Jim; Sellar, Richard

1993-01-01

The successful design of a commercial aircraft which is intended to be in direct competition with existing aircraft requires a market analysis to establish design requirements, the development of a concept to achieve those goals. and the ability to economically manufacture the aircraft. It is often the case that an engineer designs system components with only the perspective of a particular discipline. The relationship of that component to the entire system is often a minor consideration. In an effort to highlight the interaction that is necessary during the design process, the students were organized into design/build teams and required to integrate aspects of market analysis, engineering design, production and economics into their concepts. In order to facilitate this process a hypothetical "Aeroworld" was established. Having been furnished relevant demographic and economic data for "Aeroworld". students were given the task of designing and building an aircraft for a specific market while achieving an economically competitive design. Involvement of the team in the evolution of the design from market definition to technical development to manufacturing allowed the students to identify critical issues in the design process and to encounter many of the conflicting requirements which arise in an aerospace systems design.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The objective of the contract is to consolidate the advances made during the previous contract in the conversion of syngas to motor fuels using Molecular Sieve-containing catalysts and to demonstrate the practical utility and economic value of the new catalyst/process systems with appropriate laboratory runs. Work on the program is divided into the following six tasks: (1) preparation of a detailed work plan covering the entire performance of the contract; (2) techno-economic studies that will supplement those that are presently being carried out by MITRE; (3) optimization of the most promising catalysts developed under prior contract; (4) optimization of themore » UCC catalyst system in a manner that will give it the longest possible service life; (5) optimization of a UCC process/catalyst system based upon a tubular reactor with a recycle loop containing the most promising catalyst developed under Tasks 3 and 4 studies; and (6) economic evaluation of the optimal performance found under Task 5 for the UCC process/catalyst system. Progress reports are presented for Tasks 1, 3, 4, and 5.« less

A combined model to assess technical and economic consequences of changing conditions and management options for wastewater utilities.

PubMed

Giessler, Mathias; Tränckner, Jens

2018-02-01

The paper presents a simplified model that quantifies economic and technical consequences of changing conditions in wastewater systems on utility level. It has been developed based on data from stakeholders and ministries, collected by a survey that determined resulting effects and adapted measures. The model comprises all substantial cost relevant assets and activities of a typical German wastewater utility. It consists of three modules: i) Sewer for describing the state development of sewer systems, ii) WWTP for process parameter consideration of waste water treatment plants (WWTP) and iii) Cost Accounting for calculation of expenses in the cost categories and resulting charges. Validity and accuracy of this model was verified by using historical data from an exemplary wastewater utility. Calculated process as well as economic parameters shows a high accuracy compared to measured parameters and given expenses. Thus, the model is proposed to support strategic, process oriented decision making on utility level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indicators and Metrics for Evaluating the Sustainability of Chemical Processes

EPA Science Inventory

A metric-based method, called GREENSCOPE, has been developed for evaluating process sustainability. Using lab-scale information and engineering assumptions the method evaluates full-scale epresentations of processes in environmental, efficiency, energy and economic areas. The m...

Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). Volume 3. Air Force Abstracts of Phase 1 Awards 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

The development of low-cost fabrication processes for high-performance composites is of paramount importance in the economical use of composites in...This proposal offers to evaluate the feasibility of marrying multiscale image processing techniques to multisensor image data. The product would be a...biotechnology to the production of 4-hydroxybenzocyclobutene will allow bulk manufacture of this polymer precursor by more economical means than is

Overview of processing activities aimed at higher efficiencies and economical production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bickler, D. B.

1985-01-01

An overview of processing activities aimed at higher efficiencies and economical production were presented. Present focus is on low-cost process technology for higher-efficiency cells of up to 18% or higher. Process development concerns center on the use of less than optimum silicon sheet, the control of production yields, and making uniformly efficient large-area cells. High-efficiency cell factors that require process development are bulk material perfection, very shallow junction formation, front-surface passivation, and finely detailed metallization. Better bulk properties of the silicon sheet and the keeping of those qualities throughout large areas during cell processing are required so that minority carrier lifetimes are maintained and cell performance is not degraded by high doping levels. When very shallow junctions are formed, the process must be sensitive to metallizatin punch-through, series resisitance in the cell, and control of dopant leaching during surface passivation. There is a need to determine the sensitivity to processing by mathematical modeling and experimental activities.

On prediction and discovery of lunar ores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haskin, Larry A.; Colson, Russell O.; Vaniman, David

1991-01-01

Sampling of lunar material and remote geochemical, mineralogical, and photogeologic sensing of the lunar surface, while meager, provide first-cut information about lunar composition and geochemical separation processes. Knowledge of elemental abundances in known lunar materials indicates which common lunar materials might serve as ores if there is economic demand and if economical extraction processes can be developed, remote sensing can be used to extend the understanding of the Moon's major geochemical separations and to locate potential ore bodies. Observed geochemical processes might lead to ores of less abundant elements under extreme local conditions.

Reviewing an Economics Curriculum in the Context of University-Wide Reforms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Vardaman R.; And Others

1992-01-01

Reviews the process and method used by the department of economics at James Madison University in developing a coherent and substantive curriculum review within the broader context of university general education reforms. Considers departmental objectives for student outcomes, assessment methods, operational definitions, strategies for…

Some reciprocal roles between behavior analysis and institutional economics in post-darwinian science

PubMed Central

Glenn, Sigrid S.

1985-01-01

Behavior analysis and institutional economics are viewed as having common origins in the early 20th century effort to benefit from the conceptual revolution spurred by Darwin's synthesis. Institutional economics, initiated by Thorstein Veblen, appears to have failed to develop a progressive scientific technology, while behavior analysis has done so. It is suggested that institutional economics has been held back by lack of a synthesizing scientific mechanism that elucidates the relation between technological and ceremonial processes, the two cultural forces described by Veblen. The theory of institutional economist C. E. Ayres, built on Veblen's distinction, is used to clarify the concepts of technological and ceremonial processes for the reader. An analysis of the behavioral processes that might underlie the cultural processes described by Veblen/Ayres suggests that the experimental analysis of behavior has provided concepts that might function as a synthesizing mechanism for the social sciences and, in particular, institutional economics. The Veblen/Ayres dichotomy, now seen in terms of underlying behavioral processes, is used to examine the field of behavior analysis in terms of its origins, its relation to psychology and its current state. The paper concludes with a few practical suggestions as to how behavior analysts might work to enhance survival. PMID:22478617

Revisiting the modernization of the educational process IT component in Russia on the basis of the model of "economic cross"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putilov, A. V.; Bugaenko, M. V.; Timokhin, D. V.

2017-01-01

In the article approaches to the modernization of the national education system with the use of IT-technologies are offered, the review of the problems and obstacles of such modernization is held and concrete steps on the adaptation of the educational process to the labor market requirements are stated. On the basis of the previously proposed model of "economic cross" strategic directions of informatization of the educational process are defined, the analysis of conditions and intensity of the use of IT-technologies at the time of this writing is conducted, the recommendations on the improvement of known modernization tools and the development of new ones for Russian education are developed.

Screening for EIA in India: enhancing effectiveness through ecological carrying capacity approach.

PubMed

Rajaram, T; Das, Ashutosh

2011-01-01

Developing countries across the world have embraced the policy of high economic growth as a means to reduce poverty. This economic growth largely based on industrial output is fast degrading the ecosystems, jeopardizing their long term sustainability. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has long been recognized as a tool which can help in protecting the ecosystems and aid sustainable development. The Screening guidelines for EIA reflect the level of commitment the nation displays towards tightening its environmental protection system. The paper analyses the screening process for EIA in India and dissects the rationale behind the exclusions and thresholds set in the screening process. The screening process in India is compared with that of the European Union with the aim of understanding the extent of deviations from a screening approach in the context of better economic development. It is found that the Indian system excludes many activities from the purview of screening itself when compared to the EU. The constraints responsible for these exclusions are discussed and the shortcomings of the current command and control system of environmental management in India are also explained. It is suggested that an ecosystem carrying capacity based management system can provide significant inputs to enhance the effectiveness of EIA process from screening to monitoring. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Demands, Potentials, and Economic Aspects of Thermal Spraying with Suspensions: A Critical Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toma, Filofteia-Laura; Potthoff, Annegret; Berger, Lutz-Michael; Leyens, Christoph

2015-10-01

Research and development work for about one decade have demonstrated many unique thermal spray coating properties, particularly for oxide ceramic coatings by using suspensions of fine powders as feedstock in APS and HVOF processes. Some particular advantages are direct feeding of fine nano- and submicron-scale particles avoiding special feedstock powder preparation, ability to produce coating thicknesses ranging from 10 to 50 µm, homogeneous microstructure with less anisotropy and lower surface roughness compared to conventional coatings, possibility of retention of the initial crystalline phases, and others. This paper discusses the main aspects of thermal spraying with suspensions which have been taken into account in order to produce these coatings on an economical way. The economic efficiency of the process depends on the availability of suitable additional system components (suspension feeder, injectors), on the development and handling of stable suspensions, as well as on the high process stability for acceptance at industrial scale. Special focus is made on the development and processability of highly concentrated water-based suspensions. While costs and operational safety clearly speak for use of water as a liquid media for preparing suspensions on an industrial scale, its use is often critically discussed due to the required higher heat input during spraying compared to alcoholic suspensions.

A FRAMEWORK TO DESIGN AND OPTIMIZE CHEMICAL FLOODING PROCESSES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mojdeh Delshad; Gary A. Pope; Kamy Sepehrnoori

2005-07-01

The goal of this proposed research is to provide an efficient and user friendly simulation framework for screening and optimizing chemical/microbial enhanced oil recovery processes. The framework will include (1) a user friendly interface to identify the variables that have the most impact on oil recovery using the concept of experimental design and response surface maps, (2) UTCHEM reservoir simulator to perform the numerical simulations, and (3) an economic model that automatically imports the simulation production data to evaluate the profitability of a particular design. Such a reservoir simulation framework is not currently available to the oil industry. The objectivesmore » of Task 1 are to develop three primary modules representing reservoir, chemical, and well data. The modules will be interfaced with an already available experimental design model. The objective of the Task 2 is to incorporate UTCHEM reservoir simulator and the modules with the strategic variables and developing the response surface maps to identify the significant variables from each module. The objective of the Task 3 is to develop the economic model designed specifically for the chemical processes targeted in this proposal and interface the economic model with UTCHEM production output. Task 4 is on the validation of the framework and performing simulations of oil reservoirs to screen, design and optimize the chemical processes.« less

A Framework to Design and Optimize Chemical Flooding Processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mojdeh Delshad; Gary A. Pope; Kamy Sepehrnoori

2006-08-31

The goal of this proposed research is to provide an efficient and user friendly simulation framework for screening and optimizing chemical/microbial enhanced oil recovery processes. The framework will include (1) a user friendly interface to identify the variables that have the most impact on oil recovery using the concept of experimental design and response surface maps, (2) UTCHEM reservoir simulator to perform the numerical simulations, and (3) an economic model that automatically imports the simulation production data to evaluate the profitability of a particular design. Such a reservoir simulation framework is not currently available to the oil industry. The objectivesmore » of Task 1 are to develop three primary modules representing reservoir, chemical, and well data. The modules will be interfaced with an already available experimental design model. The objective of the Task 2 is to incorporate UTCHEM reservoir simulator and the modules with the strategic variables and developing the response surface maps to identify the significant variables from each module. The objective of the Task 3 is to develop the economic model designed specifically for the chemical processes targeted in this proposal and interface the economic model with UTCHEM production output. Task 4 is on the validation of the framework and performing simulations of oil reservoirs to screen, design and optimize the chemical processes.« less

A FRAMEWORK TO DESIGN AND OPTIMIZE CHEMICAL FLOODING PROCESSES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mojdeh Delshad; Gary A. Pope; Kamy Sepehrnoori

2004-11-01

The goal of this proposed research is to provide an efficient and user friendly simulation framework for screening and optimizing chemical/microbial enhanced oil recovery processes. The framework will include (1) a user friendly interface to identify the variables that have the most impact on oil recovery using the concept of experimental design and response surface maps, (2) UTCHEM reservoir simulator to perform the numerical simulations, and (3) an economic model that automatically imports the simulation production data to evaluate the profitability of a particular design. Such a reservoir simulation framework is not currently available to the oil industry. The objectivesmore » of Task 1 are to develop three primary modules representing reservoir, chemical, and well data. The modules will be interfaced with an already available experimental design model. The objective of the Task 2 is to incorporate UTCHEM reservoir simulator and the modules with the strategic variables and developing the response surface maps to identify the significant variables from each module. The objective of the Task 3 is to develop the economic model designed specifically for the chemical processes targeted in this proposal and interface the economic model with UTCHEM production output. Task 4 is on the validation of the framework and performing simulations of oil reservoirs to screen, design and optimize the chemical processes.« less

A Framework for Developing the Structure of Public Health Economic Models.

PubMed

Squires, Hazel; Chilcott, James; Akehurst, Ronald; Burr, Jennifer; Kelly, Michael P

2016-01-01

A conceptual modeling framework is a methodology that assists modelers through the process of developing a model structure. Public health interventions tend to operate in dynamically complex systems. Modeling public health interventions requires broader considerations than clinical ones. Inappropriately simple models may lead to poor validity and credibility, resulting in suboptimal allocation of resources. This article presents the first conceptual modeling framework for public health economic evaluation. The framework presented here was informed by literature reviews of the key challenges in public health economic modeling and existing conceptual modeling frameworks; qualitative research to understand the experiences of modelers when developing public health economic models; and piloting a draft version of the framework. The conceptual modeling framework comprises four key principles of good practice and a proposed methodology. The key principles are that 1) a systems approach to modeling should be taken; 2) a documented understanding of the problem is imperative before and alongside developing and justifying the model structure; 3) strong communication with stakeholders and members of the team throughout model development is essential; and 4) a systematic consideration of the determinants of health is central to identifying the key impacts of public health interventions. The methodology consists of four phases: phase A, aligning the framework with the decision-making process; phase B, identifying relevant stakeholders; phase C, understanding the problem; and phase D, developing and justifying the model structure. Key areas for further research involve evaluation of the framework in diverse case studies and the development of methods for modeling individual and social behavior. This approach could improve the quality of Public Health economic models, supporting efficient allocation of scarce resources. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

System of environmental and economic accounting for water pollution and the result analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Yarong

2017-10-01

With the gradual acceleration of China's industrialization process, the environmental pollution caused by industrial production is more and more serious, especially water pollution. To construct a System of Environmental and Economic Accounting for water pollution, to a certain extent, can promote the green development of national economy in China. The System of Environmental and Economic Accounting for water pollution is analyzed and studied in this paper.

The interface between population and development models, plans and policies.

PubMed

Cohen, S I

1989-01-01

Scant attention has been given to integrating policy issues in population economics and development economics into more general frameworks. Reviewing the state of the art, this paper examines problems in incorporating population economics variables in development planning. Specifically, conceptual issues in defining population economics variables, modelling relationships between them, and operationalizing frameworks for decision making are explored with hopes of yielding tentative solutions. Several controversial policy issues affecting the development process are also examined in the closing section. 2 of these issues would be the social efficiency of interventions with fertility, and of resource allocations to human development. The effective combination between agriculture and industry in promoting and equitably distributing income growth among earning population groups is a 3rd issue of consideration. Finally, the paper looks at the optimal combination between transfer payments and provisions in kind in guaranteeing minimum consumption needs for poverty groups. Overall, the paper finds significant obstacles to refining the integration of population economics and development policy. Namely, integrating time and place dimensions in classifying people by activity, operationalizing population economics variable models to meet the practical situations of planning and programs, and assessing conflicts and complementarities between alternative policies pose problems. 2 scholarly comments follow the main body of the paper.

Food Processors Skills Building Project. Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Eileen Casey

The Food Processors Skills Building project was undertaken by four Oregon community colleges, with funds from the Oregon Economic Development Department and 11 local food processing companies, to address basic skills needs in the food processing industry through the development and implementation of an industry-specific curriculum. Based on…

Academic Excellence/Economic Development Working Group Progress Report to the Board

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon University System, 2004

2004-01-01

A knowledge economy produces new knowledge; transforms knowledge into innovative products, processes, and services; moves innovations into the marketplace; and ultimately, develops new markets. It is global in perspective, collaborative in process, and dynamic in its responsiveness to changing conditions. Most important, it is fed by a healthy…

Integrating developed and developing world knowledge into global discussions and strategies for sustainability. 2. Economics and governance.

PubMed

Ramaswami, Anu; Zimmerman, Julie B; Mihelcic, James R

2007-05-15

Knowledge transfer from the developing to the developed world is described in the domain of economics and governance for sustainable development. Three system areas are explored: the structure of commons governance institutions, the process of community-based participatory action research, and the role of microfinance and microenterprise for the development, adoption, and diffusion of sustainable technologies. Case studies from both the developed and developing world demonstrate the effectiveness of social networks and community cooperative strategies in a wide range of sectors. Developing world experiences are shown to be particularly rich in the application of local knowledge and social capital toward sustainable development.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anastasia M. Gribik; Ronald E. Mizia; Harry Gatley

This project addresses both the technical and economic feasibility of replacing industrial gas in lime kilns with synthesis gas from the gasification of hog fuel. The technical assessment includes a materials evaluation, processing equipment needs, and suitability of the heat content of the synthesis gas as a replacement for industrial gas. The economic assessment includes estimations for capital, construction, operating, maintenance, and management costs for the reference plant. To perform these assessments, detailed models of the gasification and lime kiln processes were developed using Aspen Plus. The material and energy balance outputs from the Aspen Plus model were used asmore » inputs to both the material and economic evaluations.« less

Women's Marginalization, Economic Flows, and Environmental Flows: A Classroom Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Lear, Shannon

1999-01-01

Discusses environmental security, focusing on the meaning of "security." Defines the global economy as a process in which the security of groups is sought, maintained, or threatened. Illustrates connections among environmental security, the global economy, and abuse of women and children in less economically developed places,…

Implications of a Non-Unified Command System and the Need for a Unified Command System in Zambia

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-12

vein, it is indicated that the concept of Chief of General Staff would have been advantageous in the development of the Defence Forces had it been well...process. For example, British failures during the Crimean War caused the British to look towards the German General Staff system in effect during the...economic and social development . Nevertheless, any meaningful economic and social development needs to be well protected and anchored upon an effective

Investment incentives and the implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: evidence from Zambia.

PubMed

Lencucha, Raphael; Drope, Jeffrey; Labonte, Ronald; Zulu, Richard; Goma, Fastone

2016-07-01

Policy misalignment across different sectors of government serves as one of the pivotal barriers to WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) implementation. This paper examines the logic used by government officials to justify investment incentives to increase tobacco processing and manufacturing in the context of FCTC implementation in Zambia. We conducted qualitative semistructured interviews with key informants from government, civil society and intergovernmental economic organisations (n=23). We supplemented the interview data with an analysis of public documents pertaining to the policy of economic development in Zambia. We found gross misalignments between the policies of the economic sector and efforts to implement the provisions of the FCTC. Our interviews uncovered the rationale used by officials in the economic sector to justify providing economic incentives to bolster tobacco processing and manufacturing in Zambia: (1) tobacco is not consumed by Zambians/tobacco is an export commodity, (2) economic benefits outweigh health costs and (3) tobacco consumption is a personal choice. Much of the struggle Zambia has experienced in implementing the FCTC can be attributed to misalignments between the economic and health sectors. Zambia's development agenda seeks to bolster agricultural processing and manufacturing. Tobacco control proponents must recognise and work within this context in order to foster productive strategies with those working on tobacco supply issues. These findings are broadly applicable to the global context. It is important that the Ministry of Health monitors the tobacco policy of and engages with these sectors to find ways of harmonising FCTC implementation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Health, "illth," and economic growth: medicine, environment, and economics at the crossroads.

PubMed

Egger, Garry

2009-07-01

Economic growth has been the single biggest contributor to population health since the Industrial Revolution. The growth paradigm, by definition, is dynamic, implying similar diminishing returns on investment at both the macro- and the micro-economic levels. Changes in patterns of health in developing countries, from predominantly microbial-related infectious diseases to lifestyle-related chronic diseases (e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes) beyond a point of economic growth described as the epidemiologic transition, suggest the start of certain declining benefits from further investment in the growth model. These changes are reflected in slowing improvements in some health indices (e.g., mortality, infant mortality) and deterioration in others (e.g., disability-associated life years, obesity, chronic diseases). Adverse environmental consequences, such as climate change from economic development, are also related to disease outcomes through the development of inflammatory processes due to an immune reaction to new environmental and lifestyle-related inducers. Both increases in chronic disease and climate change can be seen as growth problems with a similar economic cause and potential economic and public health-rather than personal health-solutions. Some common approaches for dealing with both are discussed, with a plea for greater involvement by health scientists in the economic and environmental debates in order to deal effectively with issues like obesity and chronic disease.

A comparison of the energy use of in situ product recovery techniques for the Acetone Butanol Ethanol fermentation.

PubMed

Outram, Victoria; Lalander, Carl-Axel; Lee, Jonathan G M; Davis, E Timothy; Harvey, Adam P

2016-11-01

The productivity of the Acetone Butanol Ethanol (ABE) fermentation can be significantly increased by application of various in situ product recovery (ISPR) techniques. There are numerous technically viable processes, but it is not clear which is the most economically viable in practice. There is little available information about the energy requirements and economics of ISPR for the ABE fermentation. This work compares various ISPR techniques based on UniSim process simulations of the ABE fermentation. The simulations provide information on the process energy and separation efficiency, which is fed into an economic assessment. Perstraction was the only technique to reduce the energy demand below that of a batch process, by approximately 5%. Perstraction also had the highest profit increase over a batch process, by 175%. However, perstraction is an immature technology, so would need significant development before being integrated to an industrial process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New electrostatic coal cleaning method cuts sulfur content by 40%

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1985-12-01

An emission control system that electrically charges pollutants and coal particles promises to reduce sulfur 40% at half the cost. The dry coal cleaning processes offer superior performance and better economics than conventional flotation cleaning. Advanced Energy Dynamics, Inc. (AED) is developing both fine and ultra fine processes which increase combustion efficiency and boiler reliability and reduced operating costs. The article gives details from the performance tests and comparisons and summarizes the economic analyses. 4 tables.

Relevance of deterministic chaos theory to studies in functioning of dynamical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glagolev, S. N.; Bukhonova, S. M.; Chikina, E. D.

2018-03-01

The paper considers chaotic behavior of dynamical systems typical for social and economic processes. Approaches to analysis and evaluation of system development processes are studies from the point of view of controllability and determinateness. Explanations are given for necessity to apply non-standard mathematical tools to explain states of dynamical social and economic systems on the basis of fractal theory. Features of fractal structures, such as non-regularity, self-similarity, dimensionality and fractionality are considered.

Dynamics of coupled human-landscape systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, B. T.; McNamara, D. E.

2007-11-01

A preliminary dynamical analysis of landscapes and humans as hierarchical complex systems suggests that strong coupling between the two that spreads to become regionally or globally pervasive should be focused at multi-year to decadal time scales. At these scales, landscape dynamics is dominated by water, sediment and biological routing mediated by fluvial, oceanic, atmospheric processes and human dynamics is dominated by simplifying, profit-maximizing market forces and political action based on projection of economic effect. Also at these scales, landscapes impact humans through patterns of natural disasters and trends such as sea level rise; humans impact landscapes by the effect of economic activity and changes meant to mitigate natural disasters and longer term trends. Based on this analysis, human-landscape coupled systems can be modeled using heterogeneous agents employing prediction models to determine actions to represent the nonlinear behavior of economic and political systems and rule-based routing algorithms to represent landscape processes. A cellular model for the development of New Orleans illustrates this approach, with routing algorithms for river and hurricane-storm surge determining flood extent, five markets (home, labor, hotel, tourism and port services) connecting seven types of economic agents (home buyers/laborers, home developers, hotel owners/ employers, hotel developers, tourists, port services developer and port services owners/employers), building of levees or a river spillway by political agents and damage to homes, hotels or port services within cells determined by the passage or depth of flood waters. The model reproduces historical aspects of New Orleans economic development and levee construction and the filtering of frequent small-scale floods at the expense of large disasters.

Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol Process Design and Economics Utilizing Co-Current Dilute Acid Prehydrolysis and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Corn Stover

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aden, A.; Ruth, M.; Ibsen, K.

This report is an update of NREL's ongoing process design and economic analyses of processes related to developing ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstocks. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is promoting the development of ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstocks as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based transportation fuels. DOE funds both fundamental and applied research in this area and needs a method for predicting cost benefits of many research proposals. To that end, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has modeled many potential process designs and estimated the economics of each process during the last 20 years. This report is an update ofmore » the ongoing process design and economic analyses at NREL. We envision updating this process design report at regular intervals; the purpose being to ensure that the process design incorporates all new data from NREL research, DOE funded research and other sources, and that the equipment costs are reasonable and consistent with good engineering practice for plants of this type. For the non-research areas this means using equipment and process approaches as they are currently used in industrial applications. For the last report, published in 1999, NREL performed a complete review and update of the process design and economic model for the biomass-to-ethanol process utilizing co-current dilute acid prehydrolysis with simultaneous saccharification (enzymatic) and co-fermentation. The process design included the core technologies being researched by the DOE: prehydrolysis, simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation, and cellulase enzyme production. In addition, all ancillary areas--feed handling, product recovery and purification, wastewater treatment (WWT), lignin combustor and boiler-turbogenerator, and utilities--were included. NREL engaged Delta-T Corporation (Delta-T) to assist in the process design evaluation, the process equipment costing, and overall plant integration. The process design and costing for the lignin combustor and boiler turbogenerator was reviewed by Reaction Engineering Inc. (REI) and Merrick & Company reviewed the wastewater treatment. Since then, NREL has engaged Harris Group (Harris) to perform vendor testing, process design, and costing of critical equipment identified during earlier work. This included solid/liquid separation and pretreatment reactor design and costing. Corn stover handling was also investigated to support DOE's decision to focus on corn stover as a feedstock for lignocellulosic ethanol. Working with Harris, process design and costing for these areas were improved through vendor designs, costing, and vendor testing in some cases. In addition to this work, enzyme costs were adjusted to reflect collaborative work between NREL and enzyme manufacturers (Genencor International and Novozymes Biotech) to provide a delivered enzyme for lignocellulosic feedstocks. This report is the culmination of our work and represents an updated process design and cost basis for the process using a corn stover feedstock. The process design and economic model are useful for predicting the cost benefits of proposed research. Proposed research results can be translated into modifications of the process design, and the economic impact can be assessed. This allows DOE, NREL, and other researchers to set priorities on future research with an understanding of potential reductions to the ethanol production cost. To be economically viable, ethanol production costs must be below market values for ethanol. DOE has chosen a target ethanol selling price of $1.07 per gallon as a goal for 2010. The conceptual design and costs presented here are based on a 2010 plant start-up date. The key research targets required to achieve this design and the $1.07 value are discussed in the report.« less

Co-Production of Electricity and Hydrogen Using a Novel Iron-based Catalyst

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hilaly, Ahmad; Georgas, Adam; Leboreiro, Jose

2011-09-30

The primary objective of this project was to develop a hydrogen production technology for gasification applications based on a circulating fluid-bed reactor and an attrition resistant iron catalyst. The work towards achieving this objective consisted of three key activities: Development of an iron-based catalyst suitable for a circulating fluid-bed reactor; Design, construction, and operation of a bench-scale circulating fluid-bed reactor system for hydrogen production; Techno-economic analysis of the steam-iron and the pressure swing adsorption hydrogen production processes. This report describes the work completed in each of these activities during this project. The catalyst development and testing program prepared and iron-basedmore » catalysts using different support and promoters to identify catalysts that had sufficient activity for cyclic reduction with syngas and steam oxidation and attrition resistance to enable use in a circulating fluid-bed reactor system. The best performing catalyst from this catalyst development program was produced by a commercial catalyst toll manufacturer to support the bench-scale testing activities. The reactor testing systems used during material development evaluated catalysts in a single fluid-bed reactor by cycling between reduction with syngas and oxidation with steam. The prototype SIP reactor system (PSRS) consisted of two circulating fluid-bed reactors with the iron catalyst being transferred between the two reactors. This design enabled demonstration of the technical feasibility of the combination of the circulating fluid-bed reactor system and the iron-based catalyst for commercial hydrogen production. The specific activities associated with this bench-scale circulating fluid-bed reactor systems that were completed in this project included design, construction, commissioning, and operation. The experimental portion of this project focused on technical demonstration of the performance of an iron-based catalyst and a circulating fluid-bed reactor system for hydrogen production. Although a technology can be technically feasible, successful commercial deployment also requires that a technology offer an economic advantage over existing commercial technologies. To effective estimate the economics of this steam-iron process, a techno-economic analysis of this steam iron process and a commercial pressure swing adsorption process were completed. The results from this analysis described in this report show the economic potential of the steam iron process for integration with a gasification plant for coproduction of hydrogen and electricity.« less

Globalization and Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bencze, J. Lawrence; Carter, Lyn; Chiu, Mei-Hung; Duit, Reinders; Martin, Sonya; Siry, Christina; Krajcik, Joseph; Shin, Namsoo; Choi, Kyunghee; Lee, Hyunju; Kim, Sung-Won

2013-06-01

Processes of globalization have played a major role in economic and cultural change worldwide. More recently, there is a growing literature on rethinking science education research and development from the perspective of globalization. This paper provides a critical overview of the state and future development of science education research from the perspective of globalization. Two facets are given major attention. First, the further development of science education as an international research domain is critically analyzed. It seems that there is a predominance of researchers stemming from countries in which English is the native language or at least a major working language. Second, the significance of rethinking the currently dominant variants of science instruction from the perspectives of economic and cultural globalization is given major attention. On the one hand, it is argued that processes concerning globalization of science education as a research domain need to take into account the richness of the different cultures of science education around the world. At the same time, it is essential to develop ways of science instruction that make students aware of the various advantages, challenges and problems of international economic and cultural globalization.

Globalization and Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bencze, J. Lawrence; Carter, Lyn; Chiu, Mei-Hung; Duit, Reinders; Martin, Sonya; Siry, Christina; Krajcik, Joseph; Shin, Namsoo; Choi, Kyunghee; Lee, Hyunju; Kim, Sung-Won

2012-12-01

Processes of globalization have played a major role in economic and cultural change worldwide. More recently, there is a growing literature on rethinking science education research and development from the perspective of globalization. This paper provides a critical overview of the state and future development of science education research from the perspective of globalization. Two facets are given major attention. First, the further development of science education as an international research domain is critically analyzed. It seems that there is a predominance of researchers stemming from countries in which English is the native language or at least a major working language. Second, the significance of rethinking the currently dominant variants of science instruction from the perspectives of economic and cultural globalization is given major attention. On the one hand, it is argued that processes concerning globalization of science education as a research domain need to take into account the richness of the different cultures of science education around the world. At the same time, it is essential to develop ways of science instruction that make students aware of the various advantages, challenges and problems of international economic and cultural globalization.

Produkt turystyczny jako czynnik rozwoju lokalnego gmin w powiatach myślenickim i bocheńskim

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banasik, Włodzimierz; Molenda, Marcin

2009-01-01

Tourism, next to telecommunication and computer science, is one of the most dynamically developing branches of economic activity and it brings significant profits. World Tourism and Travel Council has been pointing out the fact that while judging the economic effects of tourism, not only the direct revenue from this branch should be taken into account, but also all kind of side effects, which influence the economic development. During past years in Poland, the responsibility burden of tourist development was moved from national to the level of local government, which began to be an independent economic entity, responsible for its actions and managing the municipality's economy. Development strategy began to be one of the essential documents in the process of planning and prediction of the development direction of territorial structure and tourist product. Not only is it the most comprehensive compendium of the information concerning the region, but also it points out its strengths and prospects, identifies the weaknesses and threats and determines targets and execution schedule.

Outward foreign direct investments and home country's economic growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciesielska, Dorota; Kołtuniak, Marcin

2017-09-01

The study examines the time stability of the causality direction and cross-correlations between the home country's economic growth and pace of growth of its outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) stocks within the complex system of the Polish national economy. The research has been performed in order to verify, using both the time and frequency domains time series analyses, if economic agents' long term decisions on outward foreign direct investments, leading to cross-border value chains and production fragmentation processes, are of adaptive or predictive character. Consequently, the aim was to check if the home country's economic growth leads the internationalization processes of domestic enterprises, which stays in line with Dunning's Investment Development Path (IDP) paradigm, or if these complex processes, thanks to entrepreneurs' ability to formulate relevant rational expectations, precede the home country's economic growth, which would be supported with the introduction of the policy on reinforcing the internationalization processes of domestic enterprises. The presence of the unidirectional economic growth-led internationalization, consistent with the IDP concept's base assumptions, has been ascertained by the results of the short term Granger causality tests. Nevertheless, the results of the wavelet analyses, supported with the results of the econometric block exogeneity long term causality Wald tests, have revealed that in the long term the OFDI stocks' growth permanently precedes the home country's economic growth, which stays in the unequivocal contrast with the IDP paradigm's premises, as well as with the indicated above short term Granger causality tests' outcomes and indicates that economic agents' choices are not strictly of adaptive but also of predictive character, which influences the current state of knowledge on economic complex systems' characteristics. Such a result is of a great importance in the light of the existence of the significant and still unexploited internationalization potential of Polish enterprises.

Efficiency improvement of technological preparation of power equipment manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milukov, I. A.; Rogalev, A. N.; Sokolov, V. P.; Shevchenko, I. V.

2017-11-01

Competitiveness of power equipment primarily depends on speeding-up the development and mastering of new equipment samples and technologies, enhancement of organisation and management of design, manufacturing and operation. Actual political, technological and economic conditions cause the acute need in changing the strategy and tactics of process planning. At that the issues of maintenance of equipment with simultaneous improvement of its efficiency and compatibility to domestically produced components are considering. In order to solve these problems, using the systems of computer-aided process planning for process design at all stages of power equipment life cycle is economically viable. Computer-aided process planning is developed for the purpose of improvement of process planning by using mathematical methods and optimisation of design and management processes on the basis of CALS technologies, which allows for simultaneous process design, process planning organisation and management based on mathematical and physical modelling of interrelated design objects and production system. An integration of computer-aided systems providing the interaction of informative and material processes at all stages of product life cycle is proposed as effective solution to the challenges in new equipment design and process planning.

Water footprint characteristic of less developed water-rich regions: Case of Yunnan, China.

PubMed

Qian, Yiying; Dong, Huijuan; Geng, Yong; Zhong, Shaozhuo; Tian, Xu; Yu, Yanhong; Chen, Yihui; Moss, Dana Avery

2018-03-30

Rapid industrialization and urbanization pose pressure on water resources in China. Virtual water trade proves to be an increasingly useful tool in water stress alleviation for water-scarce regions, while bringing opportunities and challenges for less developed water-rich regions. In this study, Yunnan, a typical province in southwest China, was selected as the case study area to explore its potential in socio-economic development in the context of water sustainability. Both input-output analysis and structural decomposition analysis on Yunnan's water footprint for the period of 2002-2012 were performed at not only an aggregated level but also a sectoral level. Results show that although the virtual water content of all economic sectors decreased due to technological progress, Yunnan's total water footprint still increased as a result of economic scale expansion. From the sectoral perspective, sectors with large water footprints include construction sector, agriculture sector, food manufacturing & processing sector, and service sector, while metal products sector and food manufacturing & processing sector were the major virtual water exporters, and textile & clothing sector and construction sector were the major importers. Based on local conditions, policy suggestions were proposed, including economic structure and efficiency optimization, technology promotion and appropriate virtual water trade scheme. This study provides valuable insights for regions facing "resource curse" by exploring potential socio-economic progress while ensuring water security. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coupling of a distributed stakeholder-built system dynamics socio-economic model with SAHYSMOD for sustainable soil salinity management - Part 1: Model development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inam, Azhar; Adamowski, Jan; Prasher, Shiv; Halbe, Johannes; Malard, Julien; Albano, Raffaele

2017-08-01

Effective policies, leading to sustainable management solutions for land and water resources, require a full understanding of interactions between socio-economic and physical processes. However, the complex nature of these interactions, combined with limited stakeholder engagement, hinders the incorporation of socio-economic components into physical models. The present study addresses this challenge by integrating the physical Spatial Agro Hydro Salinity Model (SAHYSMOD) with a participatory group-built system dynamics model (GBSDM) that includes socio-economic factors. A stepwise process to quantify the GBSDM is presented, along with governing equations and model assumptions. Sub-modules of the GBSDM, describing agricultural, economic, water and farm management factors, are linked together with feedbacks and finally coupled with the physically based SAHYSMOD model through commonly used tools (i.e., MS Excel and a Python script). The overall integrated model (GBSDM-SAHYSMOD) can be used to help facilitate the role of stakeholders with limited expertise and resources in model and policy development and implementation. Following the development of the integrated model, a testing methodology was used to validate the structure and behavior of the integrated model. Model robustness under different operating conditions was also assessed. The model structure was able to produce anticipated real behaviours under the tested scenarios, from which it can be concluded that the formulated structures generate the right behaviour for the right reasons.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The objective of the contract is to consolidate the advances made during the previous contract in the conversion of syngas to motor fuels using Molecular Sieve-containing catalysts and to demonstrate the practical utility and economic value of the new catalyst/process systems with appropriate laboratory runs. Work on the program is divided into the following six tasks: (1) preparation of a detailed work plan covering the entire performance of the contract; (2) preliminary techno-economic assessment of the UCC catalyst/process system; (3) optimization of the most promising catalysts developed under prior contract; (4) optimization of the UCC catalyst system in a mannermore » that will give it the longest possible service life; (5) optimization of a UCC process/catalyst system based upon a tubular reactor with a recycle loop; and (6) economic evaluation of the optimal performance found under Task 5 for the UCC process/catalyst system. Accomplishments are reported for Tasks 2 through 5.« less

Flat-plate solar array project: Experimental process system development unit for producing semiconductor-grade silicon using the silane-to-silicon process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The engineering design, fabrication, assembly, operation, economic analysis, and process support research and development for an Experimental Process System Development Unit for producing semiconductor-grade silicon using the slane-to-silicon process are reported. The design activity was completed. About 95% of purchased equipment was received. The draft of the operations manual was about 50% complete and the design of the free-space system continued. The system using silicon power transfer, melting, and shotting on a psuedocontinuous basis was demonstrated.

Improving early cycle economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies.

PubMed

Steuten, Lotte M G; Ramsey, Scott D

2014-08-01

The rapidly increasing range and expense of new diagnostics, compels consideration of a different, more proactive approach to health economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies. Early cycle economic evaluation is a decision analytic approach to evaluate technologies in development so as to increase the return on investment as well as patient and societal impact. This paper describes examples of 'early cycle economic evaluations' as applied to diagnostic technologies and highlights challenges in its real-time application. It shows that especially in the field of diagnostics, with rapid technological developments and a changing regulatory climate, early cycle economic evaluation can have a guiding role to improve the efficiency of the diagnostics innovation process. In the next five years the attention will move beyond the methodological and analytic challenges of early cycle economic evaluation towards the challenge of effectively applying it to improve diagnostic research and development and patient value. Future work in this area should therefore be 'strong on principles and soft on metrics', that is, the metrics that resonate most clearly with the various decision makers in this field.

The Evolving Role of Foreign Direct Investment in China From 1978 Onward

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

its economy through the strategic use of foreign direct investment (FDI). This thesis demonstrates how Chinese economic reforms since 1978 have led...to an increase in FDI inflows and illustrates how the government channeled those FDI flows to prioritize a process of economic development evolving...1978 and the present day, FDI has increased dramatically, reflecting China’s economic priorities. The Chinese government’s decision to use FDI to

Applying economic principles to health care.

PubMed Central

Scott, R. D.; Solomon, S. L.; McGowan, J. E.

2001-01-01

Applying economic thinking to an understanding of resource use in patient care is challenging given the complexities of delivering health care in a hospital. Health-care markets lack the characteristics needed to determine a "market" price that reflects the economic value of resources used. However, resource allocation in a hospital can be analyzed by using production theory to determine efficient resource use. The information provided by hospital epidemiologists is critical to understanding health-care production processes used by a hospital and developing economic incentives to promote antibiotic effectiveness and infection control. PMID:11294724

Fuel quality processing study, volume 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohara, J. B.; Bela, A.; Jentz, N. E.; Syverson, H. T.; Klumpe, H. W.; Kessler, R. E.; Kotzot, H. T.; Loran, B. L.

1981-04-01

A fuel quality processing study to provide a data base for an intelligent tradeoff between advanced turbine technology and liquid fuel quality, and also, to guide the development of specifications of future synthetic fuels anticipated for use in the time period 1985 to 2000 is given. Four technical performance tests are discussed: on-site pretreating, existing refineries to upgrade fuels, new refineries to upgrade fuels, and data evaluation. The base case refinery is a modern Midwest refinery processing 200,000 BPD of a 60/40 domestic/import petroleum crude mix. The synthetic crudes used for upgrading to marketable products and turbine fuel are shale oil and coal liquids. Of these syncrudes, 50,000 BPD are processed in the existing petroleum refinery, requiring additional process units and reducing petroleum feed, and in a new refinery designed for processing each syncrude to produce gasoline, distillate fuels, resid fuels, and turbine fuel, JPGs and coke. An extensive collection of synfuel properties and upgrading data was prepared for the application of a linear program model to investigate the most economical production slate meeting petroleum product specifications and turbine fuels of various quality grades. Technical and economic projections were developed for 36 scenarios, based on 4 different crude feeds to either modified existing or new refineries operated in 2 different modes to produce 7 differing grades of turbine fuels. A required product selling price of turbine fuel for each processing route was calculated. Procedures and projected economics were developed for on-site treatment of turbine fuel to meet limitations of impurities and emission of pollutants.

Fuel quality processing study, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohara, J. B.; Bela, A.; Jentz, N. E.; Syverson, H. T.; Klumpe, H. W.; Kessler, R. E.; Kotzot, H. T.; Loran, B. L.

1981-01-01

A fuel quality processing study to provide a data base for an intelligent tradeoff between advanced turbine technology and liquid fuel quality, and also, to guide the development of specifications of future synthetic fuels anticipated for use in the time period 1985 to 2000 is given. Four technical performance tests are discussed: on-site pretreating, existing refineries to upgrade fuels, new refineries to upgrade fuels, and data evaluation. The base case refinery is a modern Midwest refinery processing 200,000 BPD of a 60/40 domestic/import petroleum crude mix. The synthetic crudes used for upgrading to marketable products and turbine fuel are shale oil and coal liquids. Of these syncrudes, 50,000 BPD are processed in the existing petroleum refinery, requiring additional process units and reducing petroleum feed, and in a new refinery designed for processing each syncrude to produce gasoline, distillate fuels, resid fuels, and turbine fuel, JPGs and coke. An extensive collection of synfuel properties and upgrading data was prepared for the application of a linear program model to investigate the most economical production slate meeting petroleum product specifications and turbine fuels of various quality grades. Technical and economic projections were developed for 36 scenarios, based on 4 different crude feeds to either modified existing or new refineries operated in 2 different modes to produce 7 differing grades of turbine fuels. A required product selling price of turbine fuel for each processing route was calculated. Procedures and projected economics were developed for on-site treatment of turbine fuel to meet limitations of impurities and emission of pollutants.

Enterprise Pattern: integrating the business process into a unified enterprise model of modern service company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ying; Luo, Zhiling; Yin, Jianwei; Xu, Lida; Yin, Yuyu; Wu, Zhaohui

2017-01-01

Modern service company (MSC), the enterprise involving special domains, such as the financial industry, information service industry and technology development industry, depends heavily on information technology. Modelling of such enterprise has attracted much research attention because it promises to help enterprise managers to analyse basic business strategies (e.g. the pricing strategy) and even optimise the business process (BP) to gain benefits. While the existing models proposed by economists cover the economic elements, they fail to address the basic BP and its relationship with the economic characteristics. Those proposed in computer science regardless of achieving great success in BP modelling perform poorly in supporting the economic analysis. Therefore, the existing approaches fail to satisfy the requirement of enterprise modelling for MSC, which demands simultaneous consideration of both economic analysing and business processing. In this article, we provide a unified enterprise modelling approach named Enterprise Pattern (EP) which bridges the gap between the BP model and the enterprise economic model of MSC. Proposing a language named Enterprise Pattern Description Language (EPDL) covering all the basic language elements of EP, we formulate the language syntaxes and two basic extraction rules assisting economic analysis. Furthermore, we extend Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) to support EPDL, named BPMN for Enterprise Pattern (BPMN4EP). The example of mobile application platform is studied in detail for a better understanding of EPDL.

Low cost solar array project. Experimental process system development unit for producing semiconductor-grade silicon using the silane-to-silicon process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Technical activities are reported in the design of process, facilities, and equipment for producing silicon at a rate and price comensurate with production goals for low cost solar cell modules. The silane-silicone process has potential for providing high purity poly-silicon on a commercial scale at a price of fourteen dollars per kilogram by 1986, (1980 dollars). Commercial process, economic analysis, process support research and development, and quality control are discussed.

JPRS Report, China: Qiushi (Seeking Truth) No 12, 16 December 1988

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-07

engage in profiteering or to exchange for materials and commodities that are in short supply, reaping benefits during the process. Some of them have...tries with high social benefit but low economic results, such as agriculture, to continuously get the necessary funds for development. To a...developing nation as big as China, the benefits of agriculture cannot be judged simply by economic stan- dards; agriculture not only plays a role of

Directions of development of road in terms of interregional integration in Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seleznev, Alexander; Mottaeva, Angela; Andreeva, Larisa; Izmaylova, Svetlana

2017-10-01

The article is aimed at disclosure of the theoretical foundations of the development of transport infrastructure in the region. Sustainable transport and transport links allow to determine the direction of development of modern economy in the regions. Ensuring the availability of strategically important resources for many economic entities is one of the priorities of economic development of regions. the article presents the author’s approach to determination of perspective directions of development of relations of economic systems of regions and regional infrastructure. Important role in the processes of spatial integration of the regions transport infrastructure plays, which, on the one hand, determines the level of development of intra-regional production of goods and services, the availability of social welfare for the entire population, on the other hand, helps to establish strong intra-regional ties, thereby bringing together the socio-economic situation of neighbouring regions. Technological solutions for the transportation may be different in Russia, the developed network of Railways, efficiently functioning system of inter-regional pipelines, experiencing a rebirth water transport, however, a special place is occupied by road transportation.

Development and population growth: the Indian experience.

PubMed

Chandna, R C

1996-01-01

This paper analyzes the prevailing demographic trends and development processes in India. Data were taken from the World Development Report and the Human Development Reports of South Asia and India, Census of India, and Government of India's Economic Survey. A much slower economic progress and human development was observed in South Asia as compared to those in East Asia. At present, the income levels in East Asia are 27 times higher and have a human development index twice that of South Asia. India had a better economic performance as compared to other countries in South Asia. However, the human deprivations within India continue to hinder the country's emergence as a politico-economic power on the international scene. Investigation of the diversity in population growth and development in India was presented in this paper using indicators such as: average annual population growth; couple protection rate; female literacy; mean age at marriage for females; infrastructural facilities; proportion below poverty line; and the per capita income. Finally, specific suggestions on how to accelerate the fertility transition in the country were enumerated.

Optimization Control of the Color-Coating Production Process for Model Uncertainty

PubMed Central

He, Dakuo; Wang, Zhengsong; Yang, Le; Mao, Zhizhong

2016-01-01

Optimized control of the color-coating production process (CCPP) aims at reducing production costs and improving economic efficiency while meeting quality requirements. However, because optimization control of the CCPP is hampered by model uncertainty, a strategy that considers model uncertainty is proposed. Previous work has introduced a mechanistic model of CCPP based on process analysis to simulate the actual production process and generate process data. The partial least squares method is then applied to develop predictive models of film thickness and economic efficiency. To manage the model uncertainty, the robust optimization approach is introduced to improve the feasibility of the optimized solution. Iterative learning control is then utilized to further refine the model uncertainty. The constrained film thickness is transformed into one of the tracked targets to overcome the drawback that traditional iterative learning control cannot address constraints. The goal setting of economic efficiency is updated continuously according to the film thickness setting until this reaches its desired value. Finally, fuzzy parameter adjustment is adopted to ensure that the economic efficiency and film thickness converge rapidly to their optimized values under the constraint conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed optimization control strategy is validated by simulation results. PMID:27247563

Optimization Control of the Color-Coating Production Process for Model Uncertainty.

PubMed

He, Dakuo; Wang, Zhengsong; Yang, Le; Mao, Zhizhong

2016-01-01

Optimized control of the color-coating production process (CCPP) aims at reducing production costs and improving economic efficiency while meeting quality requirements. However, because optimization control of the CCPP is hampered by model uncertainty, a strategy that considers model uncertainty is proposed. Previous work has introduced a mechanistic model of CCPP based on process analysis to simulate the actual production process and generate process data. The partial least squares method is then applied to develop predictive models of film thickness and economic efficiency. To manage the model uncertainty, the robust optimization approach is introduced to improve the feasibility of the optimized solution. Iterative learning control is then utilized to further refine the model uncertainty. The constrained film thickness is transformed into one of the tracked targets to overcome the drawback that traditional iterative learning control cannot address constraints. The goal setting of economic efficiency is updated continuously according to the film thickness setting until this reaches its desired value. Finally, fuzzy parameter adjustment is adopted to ensure that the economic efficiency and film thickness converge rapidly to their optimized values under the constraint conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed optimization control strategy is validated by simulation results.

Material flow-based economic assessment of landfill mining processes.

PubMed

Kieckhäfer, Karsten; Breitenstein, Anna; Spengler, Thomas S

2017-02-01

This paper provides an economic assessment of alternative processes for landfill mining compared to landfill aftercare with the goal of assisting landfill operators with the decision to choose between the two alternatives. A material flow-based assessment approach is developed and applied to a landfill in Germany. In addition to landfill aftercare, six alternative landfill mining processes are considered. These range from simple approaches where most of the material is incinerated or landfilled again to sophisticated technology combinations that allow for recovering highly differentiated products such as metals, plastics, glass, recycling sand, and gravel. For the alternatives, the net present value of all relevant cash flows associated with plant installation and operation, supply, recycling, and disposal of material flows, recovery of land and landfill airspace, as well as landfill closure and aftercare is computed with an extensive sensitivity analyses. The economic performance of landfill mining processes is found to be significantly influenced by the prices of thermal treatment (waste incineration as well as refuse-derived fuels incineration plant) and recovered land or airspace. The results indicate that the simple process alternatives have the highest economic potential, which contradicts the aim of recovering most of the resources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Finite element analysis as a design tool for thermoplastic vulcanizate glazing seals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gase, K.M.; Hudacek, L.L.; Pesevski, G.T.

1998-12-31

There are three materials that are commonly used in commercial glazing seals: EPDM, silicone and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs). TPVs are a high performance class of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), where TPEs have elastomeric properties with thermoplastic processability. TPVs have emerged as materials well suited for use in glazing seals due to ease of processing, economics and part design flexibility. The part design and development process is critical to ensure that the chosen TPV provides economics, quality and function in demanding environments. In the design and development process, there is great value in utilizing dual durometer systems to capitalize on the benefitsmore » of soft and rigid materials. Computer-aided design tools, such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA), are effective in minimizing development time and predicting system performance. Examples of TPV glazing seals will illustrate the benefits of utilizing FEA to take full advantage of the material characteristics, which results in functional performance and quality while reducing development iterations. FEA will be performed on two glazing seal profiles to confirm optimum geometry.« less

INCORPORATING ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS INTO PROCESS DESIGN: THE WASTE REDUCTION (WAR) ALGORITHM

EPA Science Inventory

A general theory known as the WAste Reduction (WASR) algorithm has been developed to describe the flow and the generation of potential environmental impact through a chemical process. This theory integrates environmental impact assessment into chemical process design Potential en...

Proceduralism and its role in economic evaluation and priority setting in health.

PubMed

Jan, Stephen

2014-05-01

This paper provides a critical overview of Gavin Mooney's proceduralist approach to economic evaluation and priority setting in health. Proceduralism is the notion that the social value attached to alternative courses of action should be determined not only by outcomes, but also processes. Mooney's brand of proceduralism was unique and couched within a broader critique of 'neo-liberal' economics. It operated on a number of levels. At the micro level of the individual program, he pioneered the notion that 'process utility' could be valued and measured within economic evaluation. At a macro level, he developed a framework in which the social objective of equity was defined by procedural justice in which communitarian values were used as the basis for judging how resources should be allocated across the health system. Finally, he applied the notion of procedural justice to further our understanding of the political economy of resource allocation; highlighting how fairness in decision making processes can overcome the sometimes intractable zero-sum resource allocation problem. In summary, his contributions to this field have set the stage for innovative programs of research to help in developing health policies and programs that are both in alignment with community values and implementable. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling of materials supply, demand and prices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The societal, economic, and policy tradeoffs associated with materials processing and utilization, are discussed. The materials system provides the materials engineer with the system analysis required for formulate sound materials processing, utilization, and resource development policies and strategies. Materials system simulation and modeling research program including assessments of materials substitution dynamics, public policy implications, and materials process economics was expanded. This effort includes several collaborative programs with materials engineers, economists, and policy analysts. The technical and socioeconomic issues of materials recycling, input-output analysis, and technological change and productivity are examined. The major thrust areas in materials systems research are outlined.

Historic Frontier Processes active in Future Space-Based Mineral Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, D. M.

2000-01-01

The forces that shaped historic mining frontiers are in many cases not bound by geographic or temporal limits. The forces that helped define historic frontiers are active in today's physical and virtual frontiers, and will be present in future space-based frontiers. While frontiers derived from position and technology are primarily economic in nature, non-economic conditions affect the success or failure of individual frontier endeavors, local "mining camps" and even entire frontiers. Frontiers can be defined as the line of activity that divides the established markets and infrastructure of civilization from the unclaimed resources and potential wealth of a wilderness. At the frontier line, ownership of resources is established. The resource can then be developed using capital, energy and information. In a mining setting, the resource is concentrated for economic shipment to the markets of civilization. Profits from the sale of the resource are then used to fund further development of the resource and/or pay investors. Both positional and technical frontiers develop as a series of generations. The profits from each generation of development provides the capital and/or investment incentive for the next round of development. Without profit, the self-replicating process of frontiers stops.

A Team Training Model: A Regional Approach to Changing Economic Conditions. Hard Times: Communities in Transition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Lorna Michael; Coppedge, Robert O.

A guide for community leaders, extension staff, and community or rural development practitioners outlines the evolution of a regional training model for community-based problem solving in rural areas experiencing economic decline. The paper discusses the model's underlying concepts and implementation process and includes descriptions of four…

Migration: Pre-Requisite for Rural Economic Regeneration?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockdale, Aileen

2006-01-01

Migration from and to depopulating areas is related to the prospects for rural economic regeneration. The focus is on whether or not migration processes give rise to the necessary human capital required for successful endogenous development. Data from Scottish case studies pertaining to in-, out- and return migrants are analysed. Only by leaving…

Classical Social Justice: A Philosophical Exploration of the Roots of Social and Economic Inequities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucey, Thomas A.; Agnello, Mary Frances; Hawkins, Jeffrey M.

2010-01-01

For a socially just community to occur, decision-making must employ respectful procedures that value input from representatives of all economic contexts. By considering philosophical roots of Western societal development, it is possible to gain insight into the systemic processes underlying these circumstances. By understanding these bases,…

On the Economic Approach to Bilingual Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiong, Zhiwei; Shao, Cheng

2009-01-01

In the process of globalization, each country culture retains an independence from the others besides in reality a fusion of several cultures. Bilingual education as an effective means and intangible resource, which have long been neglected, will play an important part in social and economic development in China. Bilingual education, in this…

Imperatives for "Right" Educational Choices in Swedish Educational Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puaca, Goran

2014-01-01

The present article is based on a critical semiotic investigation of the Swedish Long-Term Survey on economic development. It aims to examine how recent Swedish policy trends bring specific economic, political and social processes together to form a system of meaning for both motivation and regulation over individuals' educational choices. What is…

The Development of Occupations in Health Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Carol Anderson

The study examined the general question of how the place of an occupation in the economic division of labor becomes shaped and defined. The shaping was seen as basically a political process, a utilization of power in various forms by interested parties acting with the conscious intention of gaining control over the economic activity of themselves…

Education in Thailand: When Economic Growth Is No Longer Enough

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michel, Sandrine

2015-01-01

After fifty years of almost continuous economic growth in Thailand, it is now possible to reevaluate the developmental process of the education system. Until now, the structural indicators of education development that have been mainly used are the level and pace of the increases in public expenditure on education, the effect of increasing…

Foreign Experience of Formation of Anti-Corruption Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almaganbetov, Pernebay; Kenzhibekova, Elmira; Khvedelidze, Teimuraz; Buranbayeva, Saliman; Sailibayeva, Zhanel

2016-01-01

Corruption is the main obstacle on the way toward state's economic and political growth. Corrupt practices are one of the oldest forms of crime that arose with an appearance of nationhood. Nowadays, corruption harms the economies of developing countries that are undergoing a process of an economic model transformation. Kazakhstan is among these…

Population and development.

PubMed

Rao, S V

1992-01-01

A unified approach to development is recommended: one in which the social, economic, and political components are accounted for within a multidimensional process of reorganization and reorientation of structures and attitudes, customs, and beliefs. During the 1970s, development was construed as improvement in employment within a growing economy and elimination of poverty and inequality--a redistribution of growth. Development should increase and widen the distribution of basic life sustaining goods, increase levels of living, and expand economic and social choices and free people from dependence on other people and servitude to ignorance and poverty. Six basic issues linking population growth and development were identified; the interrelationships between economic, social, and demographic variables were explained. The aims of educational development and educational progress as affected by urbanization were discussed. It is inappropriate to isolate economic, social, and demographic concerns as separate entities and as separate from the development process. The population problem of rapid population growth is intertwined with the problem of unmet human needs; problematic are illiteracy, extreme deprivation, insufficient income to purchase essential health services and basic nutrition, and inadequate diets. Improvements have not kept pace with needs. The theories of Malthus are no longer germane, and demographic transition theory is not as effective in achieving or explaining the reduction of birth rates. An approach which attacks poverty and low quality of life would be directed to core motivations. The hidden momentum of population growth and the impact of literacy and age and sex composition are discussed as features of improvement in quality of life and of fertility reduction. Economic and social development are dependent on human resources, not on capital or material resources. The institutional mechanism for developing human potential is the educational system. Even though enrollments have increased over the past 30 years, employment opportunities and standard of living have not changed markedly. India was given as an example of the dynamics of facilities management. Education also impacts on fertility and is affected by the distribution of the population.

Integrated microbial processes for biofuels and high value-added products: the way to improve the cost effectiveness of biofuel production.

PubMed

da Silva, Teresa Lopes; Gouveia, Luísa; Reis, Alberto

2014-02-01

The production of microbial biofuels is currently under investigation, as they are alternative sources to fossil fuels, which are diminishing and their use has a negative impact on the environment. However, so far, biofuels derived from microbes are not economically competitive. One way to overcome this bottleneck is the use of microorganisms to transform substrates into biofuels and high value-added products, and simultaneously taking advantage of the various microbial biomass components to produce other products of interest, as an integrated process. In this way, it is possible to maximize the economic value of the whole process, with the desired reduction of the waste streams produced. It is expected that this integrated system makes the biofuel production economically sustainable and competitive in the near future. This review describes the investigation on integrated microbial processes (based on bacteria, yeast, and microalgal cultivations) that have been experimentally developed, highlighting the importance of this approach as a way to optimize microbial biofuel production process.

Examining Urban Expansion Using Multi-Temporal Landsat Imagery: a Case Study of the Montreal Census Metropolitan Area from 1975 TO 2015, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Lingfei; Zhao, He; Li, Jonathan

2016-06-01

Urban expansion, particularly the movement of residential and commercial land use to sub-urban areas in metropolitan areas, has been considered as a significant signal of regional economic development. In 1970s, the economic centre of Canada moved from Montreal to Toronto. Since some previous research have been focused on the urbanization process in Greater Toronto Area (GTA), it is significant to conduct research in its counterpart. This study evaluates urban expansion process in Montréal census metropolitan area (CMA), Canada, between 1975 and 2015 using satellite images and socio-economic data. Spatial and temporal dynamic information of urbanization process was quantified using Landsat imagery, supervised classification algorithms and the post-classification change detection technique. Accuracy of the Landsat-derived land use classification map ranged from 80% to 97%. The results indicated that continuous growth of built-up areas in the CMA over the study period resulted in a decrease in the area of cultivated land and vegetation. The results showed that urban areas expanded 442 km2 both along major river systems and lakeshores, as well as expanded from urban centres to surrounded areas. The analysis revealed that urban expansion has been largely driven by population growth and economic development. Consequently, the urban expansion maps produced in this research can assist decision-makers to promote sustainable urban development, and forecast potential changes in urbanization growth patterns.

Development of small and medium business (SMES) of mango dodol processing to increase the added value (a case study in Ujungjaya Village, Indramayu District, West Java)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulistyowati, L.; Pardian, P.; Syamsyiah, N.; Deliana, Y.

2018-03-01

In the national economic development in Indonesia, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) become a priority to be developed, because SMEs can be the backbone of the populist economic system to reduce the problem of poverty. In addition, the development of SMEs is able to expand the economic base and can contribute to the increase of added value, in addition it would also serve to open employment opportunities in rural areas. Indramayu is one of the three mango production centers in West Java that face the problem that there are about 20% of the mangoes that is not worth selling. This opportunity is utilized by women who are members of KUB (Joint Business Group) to be processed into mango dodol at household scale. But this effort has not been widespread, only pioneered by a small portion of women. This study aims toobserve the driving force of women to participate in the processing of mango dodol, and whether the mango processing business to become mango dodol is profitable, also how much added value obtained. This study uses case study method with interview for data collection, participant observation and documentation study. While the data analysis technique using Hayami Value-added Method and descriptive analysis. The results revealed that the factors that affect the women’s participation in the processing of dodol is to increase family income, take advantage of spare time and take advantage of rejected mangoes. The added value obtained in mango dodol processing is Rp.50.600,00 per kilogram of input, with a value-added ratio of 52.8%. For the development of SMEs mangoes Training and socialization are needed for the good dodol processing and hygienic according to SOP (Standard Operational Procedure) from the relevant institutions, innovation in packaging, pioneering business partnerships with stores in the city of Indramayu and surrounding areas, and support financing from banks with an affordable interest rate.

Comparative techno-economic analysis of steam explosion, dilute sulfuric acid, ammonia fiber explosion and biological pretreatments of corn stover.

PubMed

Baral, Nawa Raj; Shah, Ajay

2017-05-01

Pretreatment is required to destroy recalcitrant structure of lignocelluloses and then transform into fermentable sugars. This study assessed techno-economics of steam explosion, dilute sulfuric acid, ammonia fiber explosion and biological pretreatments, and identified bottlenecks and operational targets for process improvement. Techno-economic models of these pretreatment processes for a cellulosic biorefinery of 113.5 million liters butanol per year excluding fermentation and wastewater treatment sections were developed using a modelling software-SuperPro Designer. Experimental data of the selected pretreatment processes based on corn stover were gathered from recent publications, and used for this analysis. Estimated sugar production costs ($/kg) via steam explosion, dilute sulfuric acid, ammonia fiber explosion and biological methods were 0.43, 0.42, 0.65 and 1.41, respectively. The results suggest steam explosion and sulfuric acid pretreatment methods might be good alternatives at present state of technology and other pretreatment methods require research and development efforts to be competitive with these pretreatment methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic analysis and assessment of syngas production using a modeling approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Hakkwan; Parajuli, Prem B.; Yu, Fei

Economic analysis and modeling are essential and important issues for the development of current feedstock and process technology for bio-gasification. The objective of this study was to develop an economic model and apply to predict the unit cost of syngas production from a micro-scale bio-gasification facility. An economic model was programmed in C++ computer programming language and developed using a parametric cost approach, which included processes to calculate the total capital costs and the total operating costs. The model used measured economic data from the bio-gasification facility at Mississippi State University. The modeling results showed that the unit cost ofmore » syngas production was $1.217 for a 60 Nm-3 h-1 capacity bio-gasifier. The operating cost was the major part of the total production cost. The equipment purchase cost and the labor cost were the largest part of the total capital cost and the total operating cost, respectively. Sensitivity analysis indicated that labor costs rank the top as followed by equipment cost, loan life, feedstock cost, interest rate, utility cost, and waste treatment cost. The unit cost of syngas production increased with the increase of all parameters with exception of loan life. The annual cost regarding equipment, labor, feedstock, waste treatment, and utility cost showed a linear relationship with percent changes, while loan life and annual interest rate showed a non-linear relationship. This study provides the useful information for economic analysis and assessment of the syngas production using a modeling approach.« less

Development and Interdependence. A One-Semester Model Curriculum for Secondary Schools and Undergraduate Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaeffler, Walter S.; Collier, Anne B.

The interdisciplinary curriculum on global economic and social development and interdependence traces Western development trends, investigates current issues and processes in development, and offers a development planning exercise. An introductory section serves as a teacher's guide. It discusses the skills developed by the activities, suggests…

The analysis of the influence of the intellectual capital on the results of the commercial activity of financial institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shkolik, Oleg; Chirkova, Larisa; Chirkova, Polina

2016-08-01

Developing (underdeveloped) countries are territories of slow economic growth (catch-up growth). Perspectives of their economic growth largely depend on developing and introducing financial and technological innovations in the sphere of the financial markets. The level and quality of those innovations should enable provision of faster growth of the financial sector of the national economy by rising stability and effectiveness of the financial institutions. Powerful and stable financial sector is the basic element for attracting investments and upsurge of liquidity in the economic system of a developing country that aims to have developed economy. Intellectual capital is the most important of the fundamental factors of production in the financial sphere. It is a catalytic element of the process of the economic development. From this position, the researchers' collective develops and presents a mathematical model which characterizes the connection between the intellectual capital and financial results of the commercial activity of financial institutions. The model is applied in the analysis of the activity of financial institutions that are part of the EEU.

76 FR 19976 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of EDA Grant Process Improvement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-11

...; Comment Request; Survey of EDA Grant Process Improvement AGENCY: Economic Development Administration.... In 2010, EDA made improvements in its grant application process. The proposed short survey of five to... improvements to the grant application process and to make any necessary adjustments. EDA would like to conduct...

Techno-economic analysis for the evaluation of three UCG synthesis gas end use approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakaten, Natalie; Kempka, Thomas; Burchart-Korol, Dorota; Krawczyk, Piotr; Kapusta, Krzysztof; Stańczyk, Krzysztof

2016-04-01

Underground coal gasification (UCG) enables the utilization of coal reserves that are economically not exploitable because of complex geological boundary conditions. In the present study we investigate UCG as a potential economic approach for conversion of deep-seated coals into a synthesis gas and its application within three different utilization options. Related to geological boundary conditions and the chosen gasification agent, UCG synthesis gas composes of varying methane, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide amounts. In accordance to its calorific value, the processed UCG synthesis gas can be utilized in different manners, as for electricity generation in a combined cycle power plant or for feedstock production making use of its various chemical components. In the present study we analyze UCG synthesis gas utilization economics in the context of clean electricity generation with an integrated carbon capture and storage process (CCS) as well as synthetic fuel and fertilizer production (Kempka et al., 2010) based on a gas composition achieved during an in situ UCG trial in the Wieczorek Mine. Hereby, we also consider chemical feedstock production in order to mitigate CO2 emissions. Within a sensitivity analysis of UCG synthesis gas calorific value variations, we produce a range of capital and operational expenditure bandwidths that allow for an economic assessment of different synthesis gas end use approaches. To carry out the integrated techno-economic assessment of the coupled systems and the sensitivity analysis, we adapted the techno-economic UCG-CCS model developed by Nakaten et al. (2014). Our techno-economic modeling results demonstrate that the calorific value has a high impact on the economics of UCG synthesis gas utilization. In the underlying study, the synthesis gas is not suitable for an economic competitive electricity generation, due to the relatively low calorific value of 4.5 MJ/Nm³. To be a profitable option for electricity production, the UCG synthesis gas should have a calorific value of at least 7 MJ/Nm³. However, UCG feedstock production in view of the underlying geological and chemical boundary conditions can compete on the market. Kempka, T., Plötz, M.L., Hamann, J., Deowan, S.A., Azzam, R. (2010) Carbon dioxide utilisation for carbamide production by application of the coupled UCG-urea process. Energy Procedia 4: 2200-2205. Nakaten, N., Schlüter, R., Azzam, R., Kempka, T. (2014) Development of a techno-economic model for dynamic calculation of COE, energy demand and CO2 emissions of an integrated UCG-CCS process. Energy (in print). Doi 10.1016/j.energy.2014.01.014

Flat-plate solar array project: Experimental process system development unit for producing semiconductor-grade silicon using the silane-to-silicon process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The process technology for the manufacture of semiconductor-grade silicon in a large commercial plant by 1986, at a price less than $14 per kilogram of silicon based on 1975 dollars is discussed. The engineering design, installation, checkout, and operation of an Experimental Process System Development unit was discussed. Quality control of scaling-up the process and an economic analysis of product and production costs are discussed.

Nuclear driven water decomposition plant for hydrogen production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, G. H.; Brecher, L. E.; Farbman, G. H.

1976-01-01

The conceptual design of a hydrogen production plant using a very-high-temperature nuclear reactor (VHTR) to energize a hybrid electrolytic-thermochemical system for water decomposition has been prepared. A graphite-moderated helium-cooled VHTR is used to produce 1850 F gas for electric power generation and 1600 F process heat for the water-decomposition process which uses sulfur compounds and promises performance superior to normal water electrolysis or other published thermochemical processes. The combined cycle operates at an overall thermal efficiency in excess of 45%, and the overall economics of hydrogen production by this plant have been evaluated predicated on a consistent set of economic ground rules. The conceptual design and evaluation efforts have indicated that development of this type of nuclear-driven water-decomposition plant will permit large-scale economic generation of hydrogen in the 1990s.

Agricultural Model for the Nile Basin Decision Support System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Bolt, Frank; Seid, Abdulkarim

2014-05-01

To analyze options for increasing food supply in the Nile basin the Nile Agricultural Model (AM) was developed. The AM includes state-of-the-art descriptions of biophysical, hydrological and economic processes and realizes a coherent and consistent integration of hydrology, agronomy and economics. The AM covers both the agro-ecological domain (water, crop productivity) and the economic domain (food supply, demand, and trade) and allows to evaluate the macro-economic and hydrological impacts of scenarios for agricultural development. Starting with the hydrological information from the NileBasin-DSS the AM calculates the available water for agriculture, the crop production and irrigation requirements with the FAO-model AquaCrop. With the global commodity trade model MAGNET scenarios for land development and conversion are evaluated. The AM predicts consequences for trade, food security and development based on soil and water availability, crop allocation, food demand and food policy. The model will be used as a decision support tool to contribute to more productive and sustainable agriculture in individual Nile countries and the whole region.

Guide to Considering Children's Health When Developing EPA Actions: Implementing Executive Order 13045 and EPA's Policy on Evaluating Health Risks to Children

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Recommendations on integrating children's health considerations into EPA's Action Development Process (ADP). Also how to identify economically significant actions, disproportionate risk, and developing the Analytical Blueprint.

South Carolina Wins the Prize.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Fred

1992-01-01

Discusses factors involved in locating new BMW car-manufacturing plant in South Carolina. Discusses state's business environment, transportation, and education system. Describes development process, site selection, and implications for economic development. Describes importance of state's labor-force development via regional technical colleges and…

Potencjał turystyczny regionu lubelskiego

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucki, Andrzej

2009-01-01

The process of economic and political transformation held in the 90's contributed to the increase of significance of the local authorities (commune) in shaping of the economic processes and phenomena. The authorities of commune (administrative district, local authority) became the real owner of the area. Basing on the commune resources and the preferences of local society the authorities of commune may determine the directions of its development. The perception of the potential possibilities of the development of the tourism may have a crucial meaning for the improvement of the local society life standard, especially thanks to the economic usage of the natural resources, creation of new work places, as well as increasing the spending power of people. The merithorical range of this paper is devoted to the tourist potential, which is described as all elements of the geographical environment used directly for strict tourism reasons or organization of tourism. Taking into consideration the character of the factors of the tourism development, we can single out two major groups of the tourist potential elements: the structural and functional ones. The structural elements create the tourist values of the natural and cultural environment., the tourist land development and communications infrastructure. The external conditions of the tourism development such as political, administrative, technological, economic etc…ones can be included into the functional resources. The commune has been chosen the point of reference, as it is the base of gathering the information on socio-economic phenomena. The other point of reference is the area of regional and local activities of the local administration and authorities. The analysis of the tourist potential were conducted in 209 communes of the Lublin voivodship between 2004-2006, but the detailed analysis of the tourist potential relates only to the years:2005 and 2006.

Assessment of the Economic Structure of Brazilian Agribusiness.

PubMed

Rodrigues Moreira, Vilmar; Kureski, Ricardo; Pereira da Veiga, Claudimar

2016-01-01

This paper presents an economic assessment of Brazilian agribusiness and its relationship with other economic sectors. It was found that, in 2011, agribusiness had a share of 18.45% (basic prices) and 19.77% (market prices) of Brazilian GDP. The tax burden of agribusiness (20.68%) was higher than that of other sectors (13.59%), despite agribusiness being a major contributor to the generation of foreign exchange, employment, and essential products, such as food. Brazilian agribusiness is a major employer, responsible for 29.39% of national employment. However, its average income is lower than in the other sectors of the Brazilian economy. Finally, agribusiness was found to be the biggest generator of foreign exchange, with a positive balance of trade. It was possible to conclude that agribusiness forms a strong link between agriculture and livestock, industry, and services in other economic sectors. For this reason, it can be said that the development of agribusiness is highly relevant to the process of Brazilian economic development and is therefore important to the progress of economic policies.

Feasibilities of a Coal-Biomass to Liquids Plant in Southern West Virginia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhattacharyya, Debangsu; DVallance, David; Henthorn, Greg

This project has generated comprehensive and realistic results of feasibilities for a coal-biomass to liquids (CBTL) plant in southern West Virginia; and evaluated the sensitivity of the analyses to various anticipated scenarios and parametric uncertainties. Specifically the project has addressed economic feasibility, technical feasibility, market feasibility, and financial feasibility. In the economic feasibility study, a multi-objective siting model was developed and was then used to identify and rank the suitable facility sites. Spatial models were also developed to assess the biomass and coal feedstock availabilities and economics. Environmental impact analysis was conducted mainly to assess life cycle analysis and greenhousemore » gas emission. Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis were also investigated in this study. Sensitivity analyses on required selling price (RSP) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of CBTL fuels were conducted according to feedstock availability and price, biomass to coal mix ratio, conversion rate, internal rate of return (IRR), capital cost, operational and maintenance cost. The study of siting and capacity showed that feedstock mixed ratio limited the CBTL production. The price of coal had a more dominant effect on RSP than that of biomass. Different mix ratios in the feedstock and conversion rates led to RSP ranging from $104.3 - $157.9/bbl. LCA results indicated that GHG emissions ranged from 80.62 kg CO 2 eq to 101.46 kg CO2 eq/1,000 MJ of liquid fuel at various biomass to coal mix ratios and conversion rates if carbon capture and storage (CCS) was applied. Most of water and fossil energy were consumed in conversion process. Compared to petroleum-derived-liquid fuels, the reduction in GHG emissions could be between -2.7% and 16.2% with CBTL substitution. As for the technical study, three approaches of coal and biomass to liquids, direct, indirect and hybrid, were considered in the analysis. The process models including conceptual design, process modeling and process validation were developed and validated for different cases. Equipment design and capital costs were investigated on capital coast estimation and economical model validation. Material and energy balances and techno-economic analysis on base case were conducted for evaluation of projects. Also, sensitives studies of direct and indirect approaches were both used to evaluate the CBTL plant economic performance. In this study, techno-economic analysis were conducted in Aspen Process Economic Analyzer (APEA) environment for indirect, direct, and hybrid CBTL plants with CCS based on high fidelity process models developed in Aspen Plus and Excel. The process thermal efficiency ranges from 45% to 67%. The break-even oil price ranges from $86.1 to $100.6 per barrel for small scale (10000 bbl/day) CBTL plants and from $65.3 to $80.5 per barrel for large scale (50000 bbl/day) CBTL plants. Increasing biomass/coal ratio from 8/92 to 20/80 would increase the break-even oil price of indirect CBTL plant by $3/bbl and decrease the break-even oil price of direct CBTL plant by about $1/bbl. The order of carbon capture penalty is direct > indirect > hybrid. The order of capital investment is hybrid (with or without shale gas utilization) > direct (without shale gas utilization) > indirect > direct (with shale gas utilization). The order of thermal efficiency is direct > hybrid > indirect. The order of break-even oil price is hybrid (without shale gas utilization) > direct (without shale gas utilization) > hybrid (with shale gas utilization) > indirect > direct (with shale gas utilization).« less

Development of pulsed processes for the manufacture of solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minnucci, J. A.

1978-01-01

The results of a 1-year program to develop the processes required for low-energy ion implantation for the automated production of silicon solar cells are described. The program included: (1) demonstrating state-of-the-art ion implantation equipment and designing an automated ion implanter, (2) making efforts to improve the performance of ion-implanted solar cells to 16.5 percent AM1, (3) developing a model of the pulse annealing process used in solar cell production, and (4) preparing an economic analysis of the process costs of ion implantation.

Colorado geothermal commercialization program. Geothermal energy opportunities at four Colorado towns: Durango, Glenwood Springs, Idaho Springs and Ouray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coe, B. A.; Zimmerman, J.

1981-01-01

The first area of investigation was the site itself: its geographic, population, economic, energy demand characteristics and the attitudes of its residents relative to geothermal development potential. Secondly, the resource potential is described to the extent it is known, along with information concerning any exploration or development that was conducted. The third item investigated was the process required for development. There are financial, institutional, environmental, technological and economic criteria for development that must be known in order to realistically gauge the possible development. Planned, proposed and potential development are all described, along with a possible schedule for that development. An assessment of the development opportunities and constraints are included.

Information preferences for the evaluation of coastal development impacts on ecosystem services: A multi-criteria assessment in the Australian context.

PubMed

Marre, Jean-Baptiste; Pascoe, Sean; Thébaud, Olivier; Jennings, Sarah; Boncoeur, Jean; Coglan, Louisa

2016-05-15

Ecosystem based management requires the integration of various types of assessment indicators. Understanding stakeholders' information preferences is important, in selecting those indicators that best support management and policy. Both the preferences of decision-makers and the general public may matter, in democratic participatory management institutions. This paper presents a multi-criteria analysis aimed at quantifying the relative importance to these groups of economic, ecological and socio-economic indicators usually considered when managing ecosystem services in a coastal development context. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is applied within two nationwide surveys in Australia, and preferences of both the general public and decision-makers for these indicators are elicited and compared. Results show that, on average across both groups, the priority in assessing a generic coastal development project is for the ecological assessment of its impacts on marine biodiversity. Ecological assessment indicators are globally preferred to both economic and socio-economic indicators regardless of the nature of the impacts studied. These results are observed for a significantly larger proportion of decision-maker than general public respondents, questioning the extent to which the general public's preferences are well reflected in decision-making processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Poverty on Children's Socioemotional Development: An Ecological Systems Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eamon, Mary Keegan

2001-01-01

Bronfenbrenner's process-person-context-time model is used to examine theories that explain adverse effects of economic deprivation on children's socioemotional development. Processes of not only the family, but also those of the peer group and school, and in other levels of the ecological environment may also explain the relation between economic…

It Comes from the People: Community Development and Local Theology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinsdale, Mary Ann; And Others

The closing of local mines and factories collapsed the economic and social structure of Ivanhoe, Virginia, a small rural town once considered a dying community. This book is a case study that tells how the people of Ivanhoe organized to revitalize their town. It documents the community development process--a process that included hard work, a…

Review of the workshop on low-cost polysilicon for terrestrial photovoltaic solar cell applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutwack, R.

1986-01-01

Topics reviewed include: polysilicon material requirements; effects of impurities; requirements for high-efficiency solar cells; economics; development of silane processes; fluidized-bed processor development; silicon purification; and marketing.

Potential uses for cuphea oil processing byproducts and processed oils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cuphea spp. has seeds that contain high levels of medium chain fatty acids and have the potential to be commercially cultivated. In the course of processing and refining Cuphea oil a number of bi-products are generated. Developing commercial uses for these bi-products would improve the economics of...

Ecologically and economically conscious design of the injected pultrusion process via multi-objective optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasagupta, Deepak; Kardos, John L.

2004-05-01

Injected pultrusion (IP) is an environmentally benign continuous process for low-cost manufacture of prismatic polymer composites. IP has been of recent regulatory interest as an option to achieve significant vapour emissions reduction. This work describes the design of the IP process with multiple design objectives. In our previous work (Srinivasagupta D et al 2003 J. Compos. Mater. at press), an algorithm for economic design using a validated three-dimensional physical model of the IP process was developed, subject to controllability considerations. In this work, this algorithm was used in a multi-objective optimization approach to simultaneously meet economic, quality related, and environmental objectives. The retrofit design of a bench-scale set-up was considered, and the concept of exergy loss in the process, as well as in vapour emission, was introduced. The multi-objective approach was able to determine the optimal values of the processing parameters such as heating zone temperatures and resin injection pressure, as well as the equipment specifications (die dimensions, heater, puller and pump ratings) that satisfy the various objectives in a weighted sense, and result in enhanced throughput rates. The economic objective did not coincide with the environmental objective, and a compromise became necessary. It was seen that most of the exergy loss is in the conversion of electric power into process heating. Vapour exergy loss was observed to be negligible for the most part.

Utilization of eucalyptus for bioelectricity production in brazil via fast pyrolysis: a techno-economic analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, a process model of a 2000 metric ton per day (MTPD) eucalyptus Tail Gas Reactive Pyrolysis (TGRP) and electricity generation plant was developed and simulated in SimSci Pro/II software for the purpose of evaluating its techno-economic viability in Brazil. Two scenarios were compared b...

Economic Adjustment/Conversion

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-01

55 11. State and Local Economic Development Process ...................... 61 PART IV: ECNOMIC AND SOCIAL SERVICE ASSISTANCE TO PERSONS 12. Special...defense production which occurs in plants essentially ded- icated to that purpose. Although a major weapon system is usually budgeted as a single entity...and cuait; of life are essential to attracting new firms and especially important to retaining existing businesses. Research indicates that

Education for All: Exploring the Principle and Process of Inclusive Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roche, Stephen

2016-01-01

It is a truth universally acknowledged that education and economic development go hand in hand. Not only is lack of education generally recognised as a cause of poverty, it has come to be recognised as one of three core "dimensions of poverty", alongside living standard and health (World Bank 2016). Despite strong economic growth…

Economic development and environmental protection: an ecological economics perspective.

PubMed

Rees, William E

2003-01-01

This paper argues on both theoretical and empirical grounds that, beyond a certain point, there is an unavoidable conflict between economic development (generally taken to mean 'material economic growth') and environmental protection. Think for a moment of natural forests, grasslands, marine estuaries, salt marshes, and coral reefs; and of arable soils, aquifers, mineral deposits, petroleum, and coal. These are all forms of 'natural capital' that represent highly-ordered self-producing ecosystems or rich accumulations of energy/matter with high use potential (low entropy). Now contemplate despoiled landscapes, eroding farmlands, depleted fisheries, anthropogenic greenhouse gases, acid rain, poisonous mine tailings and toxic synthetic compounds. These all represent disordered systems or degraded forms of energy and matter with little use potential (high entropy). The main thing connecting these two states is human economic activity. Ecological economics interprets the environment-economy relationship in terms of the second law of thermodynamics. The second law sees economic activity as a dissipative process. From this perspective, the production of economic goods and services invariably requires the consumption of available energy and matter. To grow and develop, the economy necessarily 'feeds' on sources of high-quality energy/matter first produced by nature. This tends to disorder and homogenize the ecosphere, The ascendance of humankind has consistently been accompanied by an accelerating rate of ecological degradation, particularly biodiversity loss, the simplification of natural systems and pollution. In short, contemporary political rhetoric to the contrary, the prevailing growth-oriented global development paradigm is fundamentally incompatible with long-term ecological and social sustainability. Unsustainability is not a technical nor economic problem as usually conceived, but rather a state of systemic incompatibility between a economy that is a fully-contained, growing, dependent sub-system of a non-growing ecosphere. Potential solutions fly in the face of contemporary development trends and cultural values.

Fully aligned academic health centers: a model for 21st-century job creation and sustainable economic growth.

PubMed

Reece, E Albert; Chrencik, Robert A; Miller, Edward D

2012-07-01

Alignment is the degree to which component parts of academic health centers (AHCs) work cohesively. Full alignment allows AHCs to act quickly and cohesively toward common goals and to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves, particularly where collaboration is essential. Maryland's two major AHCs-University of Maryland Medicine (UMM) and Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM)-have experienced periods of significant misalignment during each of their histories. Their most recent periods of misalignment caused significant negative economic and academic impacts. However, the process of realigning their clinical and research missions has not only given them a renewed economic vigor but has also paid significant dividends for the state of Maryland, helping it weather the current recession much better than other regions of the country. The two AHCs' continued economic success during the recession has led Maryland lawmakers to increasingly seek out their expertise in attempts to stimulate economic development. Indeed, UMM, JHM, and other fully aligned AHCs have shown that they can be powerful economic engines and offer a model of job growth and economic development in the 21st century.

New decision-making processes for the pricing of health technologies in Japan: The FY 2016/2017 pilot phase for the introduction of economic evaluations.

PubMed

Shiroiwa, Takeru; Fukuda, Takashi; Ikeda, Shunya; Takura, Tomoyuki

2017-08-01

Economic evaluation is used for decision-making processes in healthcare technologies in many developed countries. In Japan, no health economic data have been requested for drugs, medical devices, and interventions till date. However, economic evaluation is gradually gaining importance, and a trial implementation of the cost-effectiveness evaluation of drugs and medical devices has begun. Discussions on economic evaluation began in May 2012 within a newly established sub-committee of the Chuikyo, referred to as the "Special Committee on Cost Effectiveness." After four years of discussions, this committee determined that during the trial implementation, the results of the cost-effectiveness evaluation would be used for the re-pricing of drugs and medical devices at the end of fiscal year (FY) 2017. Chuikyo selected 13 products (7 drugs and 6 medical devices) as targets for this evaluation. These products will be evaluated until the end of FY 2017 based on the following process: manufacturers will submit the data of economic evaluation; the National Institute of Public Health will coordinate the review process; academic groups will perform the actual review of the submitted data, and the expert committee will appraise these data. This represents the first step to introducing cost-effectiveness analysis in the Japanese healthcare system. We believe that these efforts will contribute to the efficiency and sustainability of the Japanese healthcare system. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimating economic losses from earthquakes using an empirical approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jaiswal, Kishor; Wald, David J.

2013-01-01

We extended the U.S. Geological Survey's Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) empirical fatality estimation methodology proposed by Jaiswal et al. (2009) to rapidly estimate economic losses after significant earthquakes worldwide. The requisite model inputs are shaking intensity estimates made by the ShakeMap system, the spatial distribution of population available from the LandScan database, modern and historic country or sub-country population and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data, and economic loss data from Munich Re's historical earthquakes catalog. We developed a strategy to approximately scale GDP-based economic exposure for historical and recent earthquakes in order to estimate economic losses. The process consists of using a country-specific multiplicative factor to accommodate the disparity between economic exposure and the annual per capita GDP, and it has proven successful in hindcast-ing past losses. Although loss, population, shaking estimates, and economic data used in the calibration process are uncertain, approximate ranges of losses can be estimated for the primary purpose of gauging the overall scope of the disaster and coordinating response. The proposed methodology is both indirect and approximate and is thus best suited as a rapid loss estimation model for applications like the PAGER system.

Empirical analyses on the development trend of non-ferrous metal industry under China’s new normal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, C. X.; Liu, C. X.; Zhang, Q. L.

2017-08-01

The CGE model of Yunnan’s macro economy was constructed based on the input-output data of Yunnan in 2012, and the development trend of the non-ferrous metals industry (NMI) under the China’s new normal was simulated. In view of this, according to different expected economic growth, and optimized economic structure, the impact on development of Yunnan NMI was simulated. The results show that the NMI growth rate is expected to decline when the economic growth show a downward trend, but the change of the proportion is relatively small. Moreover, the structure in proportion was adjusted to realize the economic structure optimization, while the proportion of NMI in GDP will decline. In contrast, the biggest influence on the NMI is the change of economic structure. From the statistics of last two years, we can see that NMI is growing, and at the same time, its proportion is declining, which is consistent with the results of simulation. But the adjustment of economic structure will take a long time. It is need to improve the proportion of deep-processing industry, extend the industrial chain, enhance the value chain, so as to be made good use of resource advantage.

GREENSCOPE: A Method for Modeling Chemical Process Sustainability

EPA Science Inventory

Current work within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory is focused on the development of a method for modeling chemical process sustainability. The GREENSCOPE methodology, defined for the four bases of Environment, Economics, Ef...

Geographical Theories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golledge, Reginald G.

1996-01-01

Discusses the origin of theories in geography and particularly the development of location theories. Considers the influence of economic theory on agricultural land use, industrial location, and geographic location theories. Explores a set of interrelated activities that show how the marketing process illustrates process theory. (MJP)

Participatory Approach to Long-Term Socio-Economic Scenarios as Building Block of a Local Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Tool - The Case Study Lienz (East-Tyrol)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Ina; Eder, Brigitte; Hama, Michiko; Leitner, Markus

2016-04-01

Risks associated with climate change are mostly still understood and analyzed in a sector- or hazard-specific and rarely in a systemic, dynamic and scenario-based manner. In addition, socio-economic trends are often neglected in local vulnerability and risk assessments although they represent potential key determinants of risk and vulnerability. The project ARISE (Adaptation and Decision Support via Risk Management Through Local Burning Embers) aims at filling this gap by applying a participatory approach to socio-economic scenario building as building block of a local vulnerability assessment and risk management tool. Overall, ARISE aims at developing a decision support system for climate-sensitive iterative risk management as a key adaptation tool for the local level using Lienz in the East-Tyrol as a test-site City. One central building block is participatory socio-economic scenario building that - together with regionalized climate change scenarios - form a centrepiece in the process-oriented assessment of climate change risks and vulnerability. Major vulnerabilities and risks may stem from the economic performance, the socio-economic or socio-demographic developments or changes in asset exposition and not from climate change impacts themselves. The IPCC 5th assessment report underlines this and states that for most economic sectors, the impact of climate change may be small relative to the impacts of other driving forces such as changes in population growth, age, income, technology, relative prices, lifestyle, regulation, governance and many other factors in the socio-economy (Arent et al., 2014). The paper presents the methodology, process and results with respect to the building of long-term local socio-economic scenarios for the City of Lienz and the surrounding countryside. Scenarios were developed in a participatory approach using a scenario workshop that involved major stakeholders from the region. Participatory approaches are increasingly recognized as an important element in management and decision-making as problems in today's world are complex and require knowledge from many different domains and disciplines. Participation is also said to be a process of collective learning that changes the way people think and act which is a relevant point in forming appropriate region-specific climate adaptation strategies. The scenarios are based on an analysis of data on recent states and trends in major local sector developments concerning absolute and relative employment and value creation as well as on distinct socio-demographic developments in the region. Categories discussed in the scenario workshop cover inter alia institutions and governance, demographics, production and demand, markets, value-chains and trade, scientific and technological innovations, education and health. The derived stakeholder-based socio-economic scenarios were, in a second step, matched with the Shared Socio-economic reference Pathways (SSPs) in order to frame the locally produced scenarios with global narratives. Both strains were, in a third step, combined and backed-up by scientific literature in order to build the local socio-economic scenarios that served as background information in the analysis of risks, vulnerability and appropriate adaptation measures in the case-study region.

A production-theory-based framework for analysing recycling systems in the e-waste sector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmidt, Mario

2005-07-15

Modern approaches in the production theory of business and management economics propose that objects (e.g. materials) be divided into good, bad or neutral. In transformation processes such as occur in production or recycling this makes it possible to distinguish stringently between the economic revenue of a process and the economic and ecological expenditures for it. This approach can be transferred to entire systems of processes in order to determine the system revenue and the system expenditure. Material flow nets or graphs are used for this purpose. In complex material flow systems it becomes possible to calculate not only the costs,more » but also the direct and indirect environmental impacts of an individual process or a system revenue (for example a product or the elimination of waste) consistently. The approach permits a stringent analysis as well as different analysis perspectives of a material flow system. It is particularly suitable for closed-loop economic systems in which material backflows occur. With the aid of an example developed jointly with Hewlett Packard Europe, the paper outlines how this approach can be employed in the field of e-waste management.« less

Economic benefit evaluation for renewable energy transmitted by HVDC based on production simulation (PS) and analytic hierarchy process(AHP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jinfang; Zheng, Kuan; Liu, Jun; Huang, Xinting

2018-02-01

In order to support North and West China’s RE (RE) development and enhance accommodation in reasonable high level, HVDC’s traditional operation curves need some change to follow the output characteristic of RE, which helps to shrink curtailment electricity and curtailment ratio of RE. In this paper, an economic benefit analysis method based on production simulation (PS) and Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been proposed. PS is the basic tool to analyze chosen power system operation situation, and AHP method could give a suitable comparison result among many candidate schemes. Based on four different transmission curve combinations, related economic benefit has been evaluated by PS and AHP. The results and related index have shown the efficiency of suggested method, and finally it has been validated that HVDC operation curve in following RE output mode could have benefit in decreasing RE curtailment level and improving economic operation.

SADCC: challenging the "South African connection.".

PubMed

Liebenow, J G

1982-01-01

The Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) which unites 9 states with a combined population of 60 million, has as its objective the task of promoting economic development and realizing economic independence. In many respects the strain of neocolonialism that Southern Africa faces at this time is even more virulent than that facing West, Central, and East Africa. In the latter regions the surrender of political authority by colonial administrators frequently left the commercial, agricultural, and industrial interests of the European powers in continued control of the economies of the former colonies. The fate of economic development plans was determined by situations and decisions made in places distant from the African continent. In the case of Southern Africa, the withdrawal or expulsion of European colonialists has found whites in neighboring South Africa most eager to step into the economic breech. For most of the Southern African states this variant strain of the neocolonial virus creates a dual problem: the independent states acting separately have been no match for South Africa; and the acquiescence of independent African states in forging economic links with South Africa has impeded the liberation efforts of Africans in Namibia and the Republic of South Africa. Discussion focus turns to the challenges that confront SADCC; transport as the most significant factor accounting for the dependency of SADCC states upon South Africa; the role of minerals in dependency; other aspects of dependency; South Africa's proposed Constellation of States; the origins and objectives of SADCC; and dollars and donors. SADCC planning for economic liberation has been conducted against the background of a counterproposal advanced by South Africa's government, which put the Republic at the center of an expanded network of economic linkages within the entire southern African region. While being formally rejected, the Constellation of States scheme does have direct implications for 3 SADCC states. A marked characteristic of SADCC is the determination of the leaders to avoid having regional cooperation turn into a series of administrative institutions. SADCC needs to be viewed as a process, leading both to coordination of effort and stimulation of economic growth within the region. A manifestation of the SADCC process is the farming out of special projects to the member states. A 2nd manifestation of SADCC as a process has been the escalation in the number of bilateral and multilateral agreements among the SADCC countries since 1979.

The need for guidelines and the use of economic evidence in decision-making in Thailand: lessons learnt from the development of the national list of essential drugs.

PubMed

Wibulpolprasert, Suwit

2008-06-01

Since 2004, the Subcommittee for Development of the National List of Essential Drugs (NLED) has embarked upon an historical evolution of applying evidence to the revision, inclusion and exclusion of medicines into and from the list. Then, the revision of the 2008 NLED was the first time in Thai history where the drug selection process in Thailand formally incorporated pharmacoeconomics. At present, the lack of a standard methodology for conducting economic evaluation is a major barrier that diminishes the potential use of economic evidence. The development of national economic evaluation guidelines by a group of national experts was subsequently endorsed by members in the Subcommittee as useful tools for future NLED revision. They emphasize that these guidelines should be applied not only to those evaluations conducted by public institutions but also by private pharmaceutical companies that often use this evidence for their marketing, or even for future requirements of economic information from industry, as complementary evidence for inclusion of health technology.

An analysis of international nuclear fuel supply options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, J'tia Patrice

As the global demand for energy grows, many nations are considering developing or increasing nuclear capacity as a viable, long-term power source. To assess the possible expansion of nuclear power and the intricate relationships---which cover the range of economics, security, and material supply and demand---between established and aspirant nuclear generating entities requires models and system analysis tools that integrate all aspects of the nuclear enterprise. Computational tools and methods now exist across diverse research areas, such as operations research and nuclear engineering, to develop such a tool. This dissertation aims to develop methodologies and employ and expand on existing sources to develop a multipurpose tool to analyze international nuclear fuel supply options. The dissertation is comprised of two distinct components: the development of the Material, Economics, and Proliferation Assessment Tool (MEPAT), and analysis of fuel cycle scenarios using the tool. Development of MEPAT is aimed for unrestricted distribution and therefore uses publicly available and open-source codes in its development when possible. MEPAT is built using the Powersim Studio platform that is widely used in systems analysis. MEPAT development is divided into three modules focusing on: material movement; nonproliferation; and economics. The material movement module tracks material quantity in each process of the fuel cycle and in each nuclear program with respect to ownership, location and composition. The material movement module builds on techniques employed by fuel cycle models such as the Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation (VISION) code developed at the Idaho National Laboratory under the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) for the analysis of domestic fuel cycle. Material movement parameters such as lending and reactor preference, as well as fuel cycle parameters such as process times and material factors are user-specified through a Microsoft Excel(c) data spreadsheet. The material movement module is the largest of the three, and the two other modules that assess nonproliferation and economics of the options are dependent on its output. Proliferation resistance measures from literature are modified and incorporated in MEPAT. The module to assess the nonproliferation of the supply options allows the user to specify defining attributes for the fuel cycle processes, and determines significant quantities of materials as well as measures of proliferation resistance. The measure is dependent on user-input and material information. The economics module allows the user to specify costs associated with different processes and other aspects of the fuel cycle. The simulation tool then calculates economic measures that relate the cost of the fuel cycle to electricity production. The second part of this dissertation consists of an examination of four scenarios of fuel supply option using MEPAT. The first is a simple scenario illustrating the modules and basic functions of MEPAT. The second scenario recreates a fuel supply study reported earlier in literature, and compares MEPAT results with those reported earlier for validation. The third, and a rather realistic, scenario includes four nuclear programs with one program entering the nuclear energy market. The fourth scenario assesses the reactor options available to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which is currently assessing available options to introduce nuclear power in the country. The methodology developed and implemented in MEPAT to analyze the material, proliferation and economics of nuclear fuel supply options is expected to help simplify and assess different reactor and fuel options available to utilities, government agencies and international organizations.

Economic and environmental assessment of propionic acid production by fermentation using different renewable raw materials.

PubMed

Tufvesson, Pär; Ekman, Anna; Sardari, Roya R R; Engdahl, Kristina; Tufvesson, Linda

2013-12-01

Production of propionic acid by fermentation of glycerol as a renewable resource has been suggested as a means for developing an environmentally-friendly route for this commodity chemical. However, in order to quantify the environmental benefits, life cycle assessment of the production, including raw materials, fermentation, upstream and downstream processing is required. The economic viability of the process also needs to be analysed to make sure that any environmental savings can be realised. In this study an environmental and economic assessment from cradle-to-gate has been conducted. The study highlights the need for a highly efficient bioprocess in terms of product titre (more than 100g/L and productivity more than 2g/(L · h)) in order to be sustainable. The importance of the raw materials and energy production for operating the process to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases is also shown. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The affordability of antiretroviral therapy in developing countries: what policymakers need to know.

PubMed

Forsythe, S S

1998-01-01

The objective of this paper is to assist policymakers in developing countries and international donors by providing an outline of economic information needed to make a decision regarding the purchase of drugs to provide highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The following paper: (i) reviews existing experiences of policymakers in developing countries regarding the purchase of drugs needed for HAART, (ii) identifies issues that would need to be addressed and data that would be required to make more informed decisions regarding this issue, (iii) develops a cost-benefit model that could be utilized in designing an economic research project evaluating the economic costs and benefits of HAART, and (iv) performs a preliminary test of this model with data from Costa Rica. A review of experiences with this issue reveals that there are growing political, legal and budgetary pressures for countries to make tenable decisions regarding the purchase of drugs for HAART. An economic model describing the costs and benefits of HAART is proposed, although much of the required data for using such a model is currently neither available or in the process of being collected. It is imperative that economic data be collected to better inform policymakers in developing countries about their decision regarding the purchase of these drugs. It is recommended that such economic data be collected as organizations such as the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/ AIDS (UNAIDS) initiate their medical assessments of HAART in developing countries.

Teaching Methods Influencing the Sustainability of the Teaching Process in Technology Education in General Education Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soobik, Mart

2014-01-01

The sustainability of technology education is related to a traditional understanding of craft and the methods used to teach it; however, the methods used in the teaching process have been influenced by the innovative changes accompanying the development of technology. In respect to social and economic development, it is important to prepare young…

The Historical Process of Development of Engineering Sciences as a School Discipline in France

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christian, Hamon; Joël, Lebeaume

2016-01-01

This paper describes the historical process of development of engineering sciences as a school discipline and as an academic subject. It aims to understand the evolution of contents and their structuration, mainly, of the industrial technology for men and of the home economics for women, from the Liberation to today. It contributes to analyze the…

Process Design and Economics for the Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Hydrocarbon Fuels. Thermochemical Research Pathways with In Situ and Ex Situ Upgrading of Fast Pyrolysis Vapors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dutta, Abhijit; Sahir, Asad; Tan, Eric

This report was developed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office’s efforts to enable the development of technologies for the production of infrastructurecompatible, cost-competitive liquid hydrocarbon fuels from biomass. Specifically, this report details two conceptual designs based on projected product yields and quality improvements via catalyst development and process integration. It is expected that these research improvements will be made within the 2022 timeframe. The two conversion pathways detailed are (1) in situ and (2) ex situ upgrading of vapors produced from the fast pyrolysis of biomass. While the base case conceptual designs and underlying assumptionsmore » outline performance metrics for feasibility, it should be noted that these are only two of many other possibilities in this area of research. Other promising process design options emerging from the research will be considered for future techno-economic analysis.« less

Socially Inclusive Development: The Foundations for Decent Societies in East and Southern Africa.

PubMed

Abbott, Pamela; Wallace, Claire; Sapsford, Roger

2017-01-01

This article is concerned with how social processes and social provision are conceptualised and measured in societies in order to offer guidance on how to improve developmental progress. Significant advances have been made in developing multidimensional measures of development, but they provide little guidance to governments on how to build sustainable societies. We argue for the need to develop a theoretically informed social and policy framework that permits the foundations for building decent societies to be put in place by governments. In our view the recently developed Decent Society Model provides such a framework. Our example is the assessment of government provision, by function, within fourteen countries of East and Southern Africa. The context is the current debates about socially inclusive development, but we argue that it is necessary to range more widely, as social processes of different kinds are multiply interrelated. Social inclusion is recognised by governments as well as international agencies, including the World Bank and the United Nations, as not only an ethical imperative but smart economics; socially inclusive societies are more stable and have greater potential for economic growth. Societies that can develop sustainably need not only to be inclusive, however, but to provide economic security for all, to be socially cohesive and to empower citizens so that as individuals and communities they can take control over their own lives.

Bench-scale Development of an Advanced Solid Sorbent-based CO 2 Capture Process for Coal-fired Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, Thomas; Kataria, Atish; Soukri, Mustapha

It is increasingly clear that CO 2 capture and sequestration (CCS) must play a critical role in curbing worldwide CO 2 emissions to the atmosphere. Development of these technologies to cost-effectively remove CO 2 from coal-fired power plants is very important to mitigating the impact these power plants have within the world’s power generation portfolio. Currently, conventional CO 2 capture technologies, such as aqueous-monoethanolamine based solvent systems, are prohibitively expensive and if implemented could result in a 75 to 100% increase in the cost of electricity for consumers worldwide. Solid sorbent CO 2 capture processes – such as RTI’s Advancedmore » Solid Sorbent CO 2, Capture Process – are promising alternatives to conventional, liquid solvents. Supported amine sorbents – of the nature RTI has developed – are particularly attractive due to their high CO 2 loadings, low heat capacities, reduced corrosivity/volatility and the potential to reduce the regeneration energy needed to carry out CO 2 capture. Previous work in this area has failed to adequately address various technology challenges such as sorbent stability and regenerability, sorbent scale-up, improved physical strength and attrition-resistance, proper heat management and temperature control, proper solids handling and circulation control, as well as the proper coupling of process engineering advancements that are tailored for a promising sorbent technology. The remaining challenges for these sorbent processes have provided the framework for the project team’s research and development and target for advancing the technology beyond lab- and bench-scale testing. Under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Energy, and part of NETL’s CO 2 Capture Program, RTI has led an effort to address and mitigate the challenges associated with solid sorbent CO 2 capture. The overall objective of this project was to mitigate the technical and economic risks associated with the scale-up of solid sorbent-based CO 2 capture processes, enabling subsequent larger pilot demonstrations and ultimately commercial deployment. An integrated development approach has been a key focus of this project in which process development, sorbent development, and economic analyses have informed each of the other development processes. Development efforts have focused on improving the performance stability of sorbent candidates, refining process engineering and design, and evaluating the viability of the technology through detailed economic analyses. Sorbent advancements have led to a next generation, commercially-viable CO 2 capture sorbent exhibiting performance stability in various gas environments and a physically strong fluidizable form. The team has reduced sorbent production costs and optimized the production process and scale-up of PEI-impregnated, fluidizable sorbents. Refinement of the process engineering and design, as well as the construction and operation of a bench-scale research unit has demonstrated promising CO 2 capture performance under simulated coal-fired flue gas conditions. Parametric testing has shown how CO 2 capture performance is impacted by changing process variables, such as Adsorber temperature, Regenerator temperature, superficial flue gas velocity, solids circulation rate, CO 2 partial pressure in the Regenerator, and many others. Long-term testing has generated data for the project team to set the process conditions needed to operate a solids-based system for optimal performance, with continuous 90% CO 2 capture, and no operational interruptions. Data collected from all phases of testing has been used to develop a detailed techno-economic assessment of RTI’s technology. These detailed analyses show that RTI’s technology has significant economic advantages over current amine scrubbing and potential to achieve the DOE’s Carbon Capture Program’s goal of >90% CO 2 capture rate at a cost of < $40/T-CO 2 captured by 2025. Through this integrated technology development approach, the project team has advanced RTI’s CO 2 capture technology to TRL-4 (nearly TRL-5, with the missing variable being testing on actual, coal-fired flue gas), according to the DOE/FE definitions for Technology Readiness Levels. At a broader level, this project has advanced the whole of the solid sorbent CO 2 capture field, with advancements in process engineering and design, technical risk mitigation, sorbent scale-up optimization, and an understanding of the commercial viability and applicability of solid sorbent CO 2 capture technologies for the U.S. existing fleet of coal-fired power plants.« less

A risk explicit interval linear programming model for uncertainty-based environmental economic optimization in the Lake Fuxian watershed, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoling; Huang, Kai; Zou, Rui; Liu, Yong; Yu, Yajuan

2013-01-01

The conflict of water environment protection and economic development has brought severe water pollution and restricted the sustainable development in the watershed. A risk explicit interval linear programming (REILP) method was used to solve integrated watershed environmental-economic optimization problem. Interval linear programming (ILP) and REILP models for uncertainty-based environmental economic optimization at the watershed scale were developed for the management of Lake Fuxian watershed, China. Scenario analysis was introduced into model solution process to ensure the practicality and operability of optimization schemes. Decision makers' preferences for risk levels can be expressed through inputting different discrete aspiration level values into the REILP model in three periods under two scenarios. Through balancing the optimal system returns and corresponding system risks, decision makers can develop an efficient industrial restructuring scheme based directly on the window of "low risk and high return efficiency" in the trade-off curve. The representative schemes at the turning points of two scenarios were interpreted and compared to identify a preferable planning alternative, which has the relatively low risks and nearly maximum benefits. This study provides new insights and proposes a tool, which was REILP, for decision makers to develop an effectively environmental economic optimization scheme in integrated watershed management.

A Risk Explicit Interval Linear Programming Model for Uncertainty-Based Environmental Economic Optimization in the Lake Fuxian Watershed, China

PubMed Central

Zou, Rui; Liu, Yong; Yu, Yajuan

2013-01-01

The conflict of water environment protection and economic development has brought severe water pollution and restricted the sustainable development in the watershed. A risk explicit interval linear programming (REILP) method was used to solve integrated watershed environmental-economic optimization problem. Interval linear programming (ILP) and REILP models for uncertainty-based environmental economic optimization at the watershed scale were developed for the management of Lake Fuxian watershed, China. Scenario analysis was introduced into model solution process to ensure the practicality and operability of optimization schemes. Decision makers' preferences for risk levels can be expressed through inputting different discrete aspiration level values into the REILP model in three periods under two scenarios. Through balancing the optimal system returns and corresponding system risks, decision makers can develop an efficient industrial restructuring scheme based directly on the window of “low risk and high return efficiency” in the trade-off curve. The representative schemes at the turning points of two scenarios were interpreted and compared to identify a preferable planning alternative, which has the relatively low risks and nearly maximum benefits. This study provides new insights and proposes a tool, which was REILP, for decision makers to develop an effectively environmental economic optimization scheme in integrated watershed management. PMID:24191144

Economics of recombinant antibody production processes at various scales: Industry-standard compared to continuous precipitation.

PubMed

Hammerschmidt, Nikolaus; Tscheliessnig, Anne; Sommer, Ralf; Helk, Bernhard; Jungbauer, Alois

2014-06-01

Standard industry processes for recombinant antibody production employ protein A affinity chromatography in combination with other chromatography steps and ultra-/diafiltration. This study compares a generic antibody production process with a recently developed purification process based on a series of selective precipitation steps. The new process makes two of the usual three chromatographic steps obsolete and can be performed in a continuous fashion. Cost of Goods (CoGs) analyses were done for: (i) a generic chromatography-based antibody standard purification; (ii) the continuous precipitation-based purification process coupled to a continuous perfusion production system; and (iii) a hybrid process, coupling the continuous purification process to an upstream batch process. The results of this economic analysis show that the precipitation-based process offers cost reductions at all stages of the life cycle of a therapeutic antibody, (i.e. clinical phase I, II and III, as well as full commercial production). The savings in clinical phase production are largely attributed to the fact that expensive chromatographic resins are omitted. These economic analyses will help to determine the strategies that are best suited for small-scale production in parallel fashion, which is of importance for antibody production in non-privileged countries and for personalized medicine. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A life cycle assessment and economic analysis of the Scum-to-Biodiesel technology in wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Mu, Dongyan; Addy, Min; Anderson, Erik; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

2016-03-01

This study used life cycle assessment and technical economic analysis tools in evaluating a novel Scum-to-Biodiesel technology and compares the technology with scum digestion and combustion processes. The key variables that control environmental and economic performance are identified and discussed. The results show that all impacts examined for the Scum-to-Biodiesel technology are below zero indicating significant environmental benefits could be drawn from it. Of the three technologies examined, the Scum-to-Biodiesel technology has the best environmental performance in fossil fuel depletion, GHG emissions, and eutrophication, whereas combustion has the best performance on acidification. Of all process inputs assessed, process heat, glycerol, and methanol uses had the highest impacts, much more than any other inputs considered. The Scum-to-Biodiesel technology also makes higher revenue than other technologies. The diesel price is a key variable for its economic performance. The research demonstrates the feasibility and benefits in developing Scum-to-Biodiesel technology in wastewater treatment facilities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contribution to a Holistic Response to the International Financial and Economic Crisis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camara, Boubacar

2009-01-01

The response to the ongoing international crisis is a holistic response due to the multiple effects impacting on the various segments of societies around the world. Since 1945, the world has to perform again, a new leap in terms of development process based on the pressing need for socio-economic reconstruction. The level of globalisation and…

Science You Can Use Bulletin: Wildfire triage: Targeting mitigation based on social, economic, and ecological values

Treesearch

Karl Malcolm; Matthew Thompson; Dave Calkin; Mark Finney; Alan Ager

2012-01-01

Evaluating the risks of wildfire relative to the valuable resources found in any managed landscape requires an interdisciplinary approach. Researchers at the Rocky Mountain Research Station and Western Wildland Threat Assessment Center developed such a process, using a combination of techniques rooted in fire modeling and ecology, economics, decision sciences, and the...

Widening the Educational Capabilities of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Students through a Model of Social and Cultural Capital Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannon, Cliona; Faas, Daniel; O'Sullivan, Katriona

2017-01-01

Widening participation programmes aim to increase the progression of students from low socio-economic status (SES) groups to higher education. This research proposes that the human capabilities approach is a good justice-based framework within which to consider the social and cultural capital processes that impact upon the educational capabilities…

Lightweight, high-opacity paper : process costs and energy use reduction

Treesearch

John H. Klungness; Fabienne Pianta; Mathew L. Stroika; Marguerite Sykes; Freya Tan; Said AbuBakr

1999-01-01

Fiber loading is an environmentally friendly, energy efficient, and economical method for depositing precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) partly within pulp fibers. Fiber loading can easily be done within the existing pulp processing system. This paper is a review of the process development from bench-scale to industrial-scale demonstrations, with additional...

Low-cost high purity production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kapur, V. K.

1978-01-01

Economical process produces high-purity silicon crystals suitable for use in solar cells. Reaction is strongly exothermic and can be initiated at relatively low temperature, making it potentially suitable for development into low-cost commercial process. Important advantages include exothermic character and comparatively low process temperatures. These could lead to significant savings in equipment and energy costs.

Effect of a food waste disposer policy on solid waste and wastewater management with economic implications of environmental externalities.

PubMed

Maalouf, Amani; El-Fadel, Mutasem

2017-11-01

In this study, the carbon footprint of introducing a food waste disposer (FWD) policy was examined in the context of its implications on solid waste and wastewater management with economic assessment of environmental externalities emphasizing potential carbon credit and increased sludge generation. For this purpose, a model adopting a life cycle inventory approach was developed to integrate solid waste and wastewater management processes under a single framework and test scenarios for a waste with high organic food content typical of developing economies. For such a waste composition, the results show that a FWD policy can reduce emissions by nearly ∼42% depending on market penetration, fraction of food waste ground, as well as solid waste and wastewater management schemes, including potential energy recovery. In comparison to baseline, equivalent economic gains can reach ∼28% when environmental externalities including sludge management and emissions variations are considered. The sensitivity analyses on processes with a wide range in costs showed an equivalent economic impact thus emphasizing the viability of a FWD policy although the variation in the cost of sludge management exhibited a significant impact on savings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling uncertainty in producing natural gas from tight sands

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chermak, J.M.; Dahl, C.A.; Patrick, R.H

1995-12-31

Since accurate geologic, petroleum engineering, and economic information are essential ingredients in making profitable production decisions for natural gas, we combine these ingredients in a dynamic framework to model natural gas reservoir production decisions. We begin with the certainty case before proceeding to consider how uncertainty might be incorporated in the decision process. Our production model uses dynamic optimal control to combine economic information with geological constraints to develop optimal production decisions. To incorporate uncertainty into the model, we develop probability distributions on geologic properties for the population of tight gas sand wells and perform a Monte Carlo study tomore » select a sample of wells. Geological production factors, completion factors, and financial information are combined into the hybrid economic-petroleum reservoir engineering model to determine the optimal production profile, initial gas stock, and net present value (NPV) for an individual well. To model the probability of the production abandonment decision, the NPV data is converted to a binary dependent variable. A logit model is used to model this decision as a function of the above geological and economic data to give probability relationships. Additional ways to incorporate uncertainty into the decision process include confidence intervals and utility theory.« less

A Technological Teacher Education Program Planning Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Ronald E.

1993-01-01

A model for technology teacher education curriculum has three facets: (1) purpose (experiential learning, personal development, technological enlightenment, economic well-being); (2) content (professional knowledge, curriculum development competence, pedagogical knowledge and skill, technological foundations); and (3) process (planned reflection,…

7 CFR 3430.401 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., breeding, and processing methods; (2) Evaluating the potential economic benefits to producers and... produced agricultural products; and (8) Developing new and improved seed varieties that are particularly...

7 CFR 3430.401 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., breeding, and processing methods; (2) Evaluating the potential economic benefits to producers and... produced agricultural products; and (8) Developing new and improved seed varieties that are particularly...

7 CFR 3430.401 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., breeding, and processing methods; (2) Evaluating the potential economic benefits to producers and... produced agricultural products; and (8) Developing new and improved seed varieties that are particularly...

7 CFR 3430.401 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., breeding, and processing methods; (2) Evaluating the potential economic benefits to producers and... produced agricultural products; and (8) Developing new and improved seed varieties that are particularly...

PVD thermal barrier coating applications and process development for aircraft engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigney, D. V.; Viguie, R.; Wortman, D. J.; Skelly, D. W.

1997-06-01

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) have been developed for application to aircraft engine components to improve service life in an increasingly hostile thermal environment. The choice of TBC type is related to the component, intended use, and economics. Selection of electron beam physical vapor deposition proc-essing for turbine blade is due in part to part size, surface finish requirements, thickness control needs, and hole closure issues. Process development of PVD TBCs has been carried out at several different sites, including GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE). The influence of processing variables on microstructure is dis-cussed, along with the GEAE development coater and initial experiences of pilot line operation.

Process development for automated solar cell and module production. Task 4: Automated array assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

A process sequence which can be used in conjunction with automated equipment for the mass production of solar cell modules for terrestrial use was developed. The process sequence was then critically analyzed from a technical and economic standpoint to determine the technological readiness of certain process steps for implementation. The steps receiving analysis were: back contact metallization, automated cell array layup/interconnect, and module edge sealing. For automated layup/interconnect, both hard automation and programmable automation (using an industrial robot) were studied. The programmable automation system was then selected for actual hardware development.

Towards a Theory of Rural Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haque, Wahidul; And Others

Historical developments in rural India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and China are the empirical basis of this study which offers a theory of rural development for all Asia keyed to fundamental humanistic values rather than narrower techno-economic considerations. Previous efforts have often been "top-down" processes tending to serve…

Economic development: the need for an alternative approach. [Case of Libya

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pinches, C.R.

1977-10-01

The economic growth of Libya is used to illustrate the need for a more relevant way of assessing development so that it includes an appreciation for the process of change. It is shown that many changes do not appear in the traditional economic statistics. A new approach is suggested that would enable a society to handle changes in ways that are in accord with its national goals and traditions. This would take into account future developments, international relations, the basic skill levels, and other factors rather than a limited measurement of the country's ability to absorb capital. Libya has chosen,more » as an alternative to increased consumption, policies for developing self-sufficiency, a limited foreign investment, and an emphasis on education as a basis for modernization. The goal is to evolve a national identity and ideology that will be unique to the Arab world. (DCK)« less

The use of economic evaluation for guiding the pharmaceutical reimbursement list in Thailand.

PubMed

Teerawattananon, Yot; Tritasavit, Nattha; Suchonwanich, Netnapis; Kingkaew, Pritaporn

2014-01-01

Medicines expenditure consumes a significant proportion of public health expenditure in Thailand, where Universal Health Coverage has been in place since 2002. The National List of Essential Medicines has been successfully used as a pharmaceutical benefits package for all public health plans. All patients are eligible for all medicines included in the list free of charge by law. Health economic evaluation has been employed as a tool for the development of this list, including price negotiation of medicines before inclusion, especially of high-cost medicines or medicines with high budget implications. This paper illustrates the current process, mechanisms, and impact and informs of seven success factors that have contributed to the successful use of health economic evaluation in Thailand. These include strong political commitment, development of individual and institutional capacity, participation of all relevant stakeholders, establishment of standard methodological and process guidelines, consideration of several elements in the decision-making process, using evidence as a starting point rather than a deciding factor, and strong enforcement. The lessons learned from this study are likely to be applicable to other settings committed to evidence-based decision making. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Wind turbine siting: A summary of the state of the art

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hiester, T. R.

1982-01-01

The process of siting large wind turbines may be divided into two broad steps: site selection, and site evaluation. Site selection is the process of locating windy sites where wind energy development shows promise of economic viability. Site evaluation is the process of determining in detail for a given site the economic potential of the site. The state of the art in the first aspect of siting, site selection is emphasized. Several techniques for assessing the wind resource were explored or developed in the Federal Wind Energy Program. Local topography and meteorology will determine which of the techniques should be used in locating potential sites. None of the techniques can do the job alone, none are foolproof, and all require considerable knowledge and experience to apply correctly. Therefore, efficient siting requires a strategy which is founded on broad based application of several techniques without relying solely on one narrow field of expertise.

Accounting- versus economic-based rates of return: implications for profitability measures in the pharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Skrepnek, Grant H

2004-01-01

Accounting-based profits have indicated that pharmaceutical firms have achieved greater returns relative to other sectors. However, partially due to the theoretically inappropriate reporting of research and development (R&D) expenditures according to generally accepted accounting principles, evidence suggests that a substantial and upward bias is present in accounting-based rates of return for corporations with high levels of intangible assets. Given the intensity of R&D in pharmaceutical firms, accounting-based profit metrics in the drug sector may be affected to a greater extent than other industries. The aim of this work was to address measurement issues associated with corporate performance and factors that contribute to the bias within accounting-based rates of return. Seminal and broadly cited works on the subject of accounting- versus economic-based rates of return were reviewed from the economic and finance literature, with an emphasis placed on issues and scientific evidence directly related to the drug development process and pharmaceutical industry. With international convergence and harmonization of accounting standards being imminent, stricter adherence to theoretically sound economic principles is advocated, particularly those based on discounted cash-flow methods. Researchers, financial analysts, and policy makers must be cognizant of the biases and limitations present within numerous corporate performance measures. Furthermore, the development of more robust and valid economic models of the pharmaceutical industry is required to capture the unique dimensions of risk and return of the drug development process. Empiric work has illustrated that estimates of economic-based rates of return range from approximately 2 to approximately 11 percentage points below various accounting-based rates of return for drug companies. Because differences in the nature of risk and uncertainty borne by drug manufacturers versus other sectors make comparative assessments of performance challenging and often inappropriate, continued work in this area is warranted.

A sustainable approach to empower the bio-based future: upgrading of biomass via process intensification

EPA Science Inventory

An economically viable and environmentally benign continuous flow intensified process has been developed to demonstrate the ability to upgrade biomass into potential biofuels, solvents, and pharmaceutical feedstocks using a bimetallic AgPd@g-C3N4 catalyst.

78 FR 21912 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Processed Products Family of Forms

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-12

... Collection; Comment Request; Processed Products Family of Forms AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric... NOAA in the economic and social analyses developed when proposing and evaluating fishery management... collection). Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations. Estimated Number of Respondents...

Development Challenges and Opportunities Confronting Economies in Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estes, Richard J.

2007-01-01

"Economies in Transition" (hereafter EIT or EITs) are countries in the process of shifting from "command" to "more open", liberalized, free market economic systems. In addition to achieving major structural adjustments to their economies, the transformational process requires the introduction of a high degree of…

DEVELOPMENT OF CONTINUOUS SOLVENT EXTRACTION PROCESSES FOR COAL DERIVED CARBON PRODUCTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elliot B. Kennel; Chong Chen; Dady Dadyburjor

2005-04-13

The purpose of this DOE-funded effort is to develop continuous processes for solvent extraction of coal for the production of carbon products. These carbon products include materials used in metals smelting, especially in the aluminum and steel industries, as well as porous carbon structural material referred to as ''carbon foam'' and carbon fibers. Table 1 provides an overview of the major markets for carbon products. Current sources of materials for these processes generally rely on petroleum distillation products or coal tar distillates obtained as a byproduct of metcoke production facilities. In the former case, the American materials industry, just asmore » the energy industry, is dependent upon foreign sources of petroleum. In the latter case, metcoke production is decreasing every year due to the combined difficulties associated with poor economics and a significant environmental burden. Thus, a significant need exists for an environmentally clean process which can used domestically obtained raw materials and which can still be very competitive economically.« less

Energy recovery from solid waste. Volume 2: Technical report. [pyrolysis and biodegradation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, C. J.; Dalton, C.

1975-01-01

A systems analysis of energy recovery from solid waste demonstrates the feasibility of several current processes for converting solid waste to an energy form. The social, legal, environmental, and political factors are considered in depth with recommendations made in regard to new legislation and policy. Biodegradation and thermal decomposition are the two areas of disposal that are considered with emphasis on thermal decomposition. A technical and economic evaluation of a number of available and developing energy-recovery processes is given. Based on present technical capabilities, use of prepared solid waste as a fuel supplemental to coal seems to be the most economic process by which to recover energy from solid waste. Markets are considered in detail with suggestions given for improving market conditions and for developing market stability. A decision procedure is given to aid a community in deciding on its options in dealing with solid waste, and a new pyrolysis process is suggested. An application of the methods of this study are applied to Houston, Texas.

Assessment of the Economic Structure of Brazilian Agribusiness

PubMed Central

Rodrigues Moreira, Vilmar; Kureski, Ricardo; Pereira da Veiga, Claudimar

2016-01-01

This paper presents an economic assessment of Brazilian agribusiness and its relationship with other economic sectors. It was found that, in 2011, agribusiness had a share of 18.45% (basic prices) and 19.77% (market prices) of Brazilian GDP. The tax burden of agribusiness (20.68%) was higher than that of other sectors (13.59%), despite agribusiness being a major contributor to the generation of foreign exchange, employment, and essential products, such as food. Brazilian agribusiness is a major employer, responsible for 29.39% of national employment. However, its average income is lower than in the other sectors of the Brazilian economy. Finally, agribusiness was found to be the biggest generator of foreign exchange, with a positive balance of trade. It was possible to conclude that agribusiness forms a strong link between agriculture and livestock, industry, and services in other economic sectors. For this reason, it can be said that the development of agribusiness is highly relevant to the process of Brazilian economic development and is therefore important to the progress of economic policies. PMID:27243040

Development of modified FT (MFT) process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jinglai Zhou; Zhixin Zhang; Wenjie Shen

1995-12-31

Two-Stage Modified FT (MFT) process has been developed for producing high-octane gasoline from coal-based syngas. The main R&D are focused on the development of catalysts and technologies process. Duration tests were finished in the single-tube reactor, pilot plant (100T/Y), and industrial demonstration plant (2000T/Y). A series of satisfactory results has been obtained in terms of operating reliability of equipments, performance of catalysts, purification of coal - based syngas, optimum operating conditions, properties of gasoline and economics etc. Further scaling - up commercial plant is being considered.

[Evaluation on the eco-economic benefits of small watershed in Beijing mountainous area: a case of Yanqi River watershed].

PubMed

Xiao, Hui-Jie; Wei, Zi-Gang; Wang, Qing; Zhu, Xiao-Bo

2012-12-01

Based on the theory of harmonious development of ecological economy, a total of 13 evaluation indices were selected from the ecological, economic, and social sub-systems of Yanqi River watershed in Huairou District of Beijing. The selected evaluation indices were normalized by using trapezoid functions, and the weights of the evaluation indices were determined by analytic hierarchy process. Then, the eco-economic benefits of the watershed were evaluated with weighted composite index method. From 2004 to 2011, the ecological, economic, and social benefits of Yanqi River watershed all had somewhat increase, among which, ecological benefit increased most, with the value changed from 0.210 in 2004 to 0.255 in 2011 and an increment of 21.5%. The eco-economic benefits of the watershed increased from 0.734 in 2004 to 0.840 in 2011, with an increment of 14.2%. At present, the watershed reached the stage of advanced ecosystem, being in beneficial circulation and harmonious development of ecology, economy, and society.

A survey of the economics of materials processing in space. [accenting biomedical materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, B. P.

1975-01-01

A survey of the economics of space materials processing has been performed with the objectives of identifying those areas of space materials processing that give preliminary indication of significant economic potential, and to identify possible approaches to quantify the economic potential. It is concluded that limited economic studies have been performed to date, primarily in the area of the processing of inorganic materials, but that the economics of space processing of biological material has not received adequate attention. Specific studies are recommended to evaluate the economic impact of human lymphocyte subgroup separation on organ transplantation, and on the separation and concentration of urokinase producing cells.

The political effects of ideas and markets on China's economic reforms: The case of electrical power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dodge, Laura Washington

This study examines factors influencing contemporary economic policy-making and reform in China's electric power industry. Results of the study suggest that there is an ongoing paradigm change in China's policy-making. However, institutional resistance to changes in the policy process is strong. Policy outcomes in the case of electric power reforms reflect the interaction of both dynamics. In the early 1990s, the central government in Beijing began to consider restructuring the electric power industry to introduce competition and establish markets for electricity supply. Until then, economic policies had resulted from a process of deliberation within the upper echelons of the Communist Party. Although the Party considered the interests of dominant economic actors, particularly the large State-owned sector, its channels for participation in the policy process were closed to most economic actors. Central bureaucratic and provincial interests largely governed policy processes, leading observers to describe the Chinese State as bureaucratic authoritarian. Bureaucracy's heavy role in the economy led to what some called a corporatist State, whereby organs of government infiltrated most aspects of the economy. This institutional arrangement perpetuated bureaucracy's influence in policy-making. This study hypothesizes that transformation in domestic financial markets poses a threat to the entrenched institutions of the electric power industry. The integration of China's economy with foreign firms and markets enabled actors outside of the dominant State-owned economy to improve their positions vis-a-vis the state-owned sector, and eventually to play a role in the policy process. At the same time, Beijing's adaptation of foreign-designed restructuring policies threatened the deep-rooted institutions. The study analyzes the behavior, statements and channels utilized by those actors affected by power sector policies. Based on interviews conducted between 2000 through 2002, documents and reports from various power industry actors, and available academic literature analyzing current developments in the industry, I analyze the process of making deregulatory policies in electric power. Specifically, I ask whether or not the developments described above resulted in a shift in the relative power of contending actors in the industry, and consequently influenced policy outcomes.

Population causes and consequences of leading chronic diseases: a comparative analysis of prevailing explanations.

PubMed

Stuckler, David

2008-06-01

The mortality numbers and rates of chronic disease are rising faster in developing than in developed countries. This article compares prevailing explanations of population chronic disease trends with theoretical and empirical models of population chronic disease epidemiology and assesses some economic consequences of the growth of chronic diseases in developing countries based on the experiences of developed countries. Four decades of male mortality rates of cardiovascular and chronic noncommunicable diseases were regressed on changes in and levels of country income per capita, market integration, foreign direct investment, urbanization rates, and population aging in fifty-six countries for which comparative data were available. Neoclassical economic growth models were used to estimate the effect of the mortality rates of chronic noncommunicable diseases on economic growth in high-income OECD countries. Processes of economic growth, market integration, foreign direct investment, and urbanization were significant determinants of long-term changes in mortality rates of heart disease and chronic noncommunicable disease, and the observed relationships with these social and economic factors were roughly three times stronger than the relationships with the population's aging. In low-income countries, higher levels of country income per capita, population urbanization, foreign direct investment, and market integration were associated with greater mortality rates of heart disease and chronic noncommunicable disease, less increased or sometimes reduced rates in middle-income countries, and decreased rates in high-income countries. Each 10 percent increase in the working-age mortality rates of chronic noncommunicable disease decreased economic growth rates by close to a half percent. Macrosocial and macroeconomic forces are major determinants of population rises in chronic disease mortality, and some prevailing demographic explanations, such as population aging, are incomplete on methodological, empirical, and policy grounds. Rising chronic disease mortality rates will significantly reduce economic growth in developing countries and further widen the health and economic gap between the developed and developing world.

Population Causes and Consequences of Leading Chronic Diseases: A Comparative Analysis of Prevailing Explanations

PubMed Central

Stuckler, David

2008-01-01

Context The mortality numbers and rates of chronic disease are rising faster in developing than in developed countries. This article compares prevailing explanations of population chronic disease trends with theoretical and empirical models of population chronic disease epidemiology and assesses some economic consequences of the growth of chronic diseases in developing countries based on the experiences of developed countries. Methods Four decades of male mortality rates of cardiovascular and chronic noncommunicable diseases were regressed on changes in and levels of country income per capita, market integration, foreign direct investment, urbanization rates, and population aging in fifty-six countries for which comparative data were available. Neoclassical economic growth models were used to estimate the effect of the mortality rates of chronic noncommunicable diseases on economic growth in high-income OECD countries. Findings Processes of economic growth, market integration, foreign direct investment, and urbanization were significant determinants of long-term changes in mortality rates of heart disease and chronic noncommunicable disease, and the observed relationships with these social and economic factors were roughly three times stronger than the relationships with the population's aging. In low-income countries, higher levels of country income per capita, population urbanization, foreign direct investment, and market integration were associated with greater mortality rates of heart disease and chronic noncommunicable disease, less increased or sometimes reduced rates in middle-income countries, and decreased rates in high-income countries. Each 10 percent increase in the working-age mortality rates of chronic noncommunicable disease decreased economic growth rates by close to a half percent. Conclusions Macrosocial and macroeconomic forces are major determinants of population rises in chronic disease mortality, and some prevailing demographic explanations, such as population aging, are incomplete on methodological, empirical, and policy grounds. Rising chronic disease mortality rates will significantly reduce economic growth in developing countries and further widen the health and economic gap between the developed and developing world. PMID:18522614

Development of processes and techniques for molding thermally stable, fire-retardant, low-smoke-emitting polymeric materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverman, B.

1979-01-01

All available newly developed nonmetallic thermally stable polymers were examined for the development of processes and techniques by compression molding, injection molding, or thermoforming cabin interior parts. Efforts were directed toward developing molding techniques of new polymers to economically produce usable nonmetallic molded parts. Data on the flame resistant characteristics of the materials were generated from pilot plant batches. Preliminary information on the molding characteristics of the various thermoplastic materials was obtained by producing actual parts.

A Research on Performance Measurement Based on Economic Valued-Added Comprehensive Scorecard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qin; Zhang, Xiaomei

With the development of economic, the traditional performance mainly rely on financial indicators could not satisfy the need of work. In order to make the performance measurement taking the best services for business goals, this paper proposed Economic Valued-Added Comprehensive Scorecard based on research of shortages and advantages of EVA and BSC .We used Analytic Hierarchy Process to build matrix to solve the weighting of EVA Comprehensive Scorecard. At last we could find the most influence factors for enterprise value forming the weighting.

Fully Aligned Academic Health Centers: A Model for 21st-Century Job Creation and Sustainable Economic Growth

PubMed Central

Reece, E. Albert; Chrencik, Robert A.; Miller, Edward D.

2013-01-01

Alignment is the degree to which component parts of academic health centers (AHCs) work cohesively. Full alignment allows AHCs to act quickly and cohesively toward common goals and to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves, particularly where collaboration is essential. Maryland’s two major AHCs—University of Maryland Medicine (UMM) and Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM)—have experienced periods of significant misalignment during each of their histories. Their most recent periods of misalignment caused significant negative economic and academic impacts. However, the process of realigning their clinical and research missions has not only given them a renewed economic vigor but has also paid significant dividends for the state of Maryland, helping it weather the current recession much better than other regions of the country. The two AHCs’ continued economic success during the recession has led Maryland lawmakers to increasingly seek out their expertise in attempts to stimulate economic development. Indeed, UMM, JHM, and other fully aligned AHCs have shown that they can be powerful economic engines and offer a model of job growth and economic development in the 21st century. PMID:22622215

The Development of the E-Learning Course "Sociology"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aleksic-Maslac, Karmela; Magzan, Masa; Maslac, Ilena

2008-01-01

The fast development of information and communication technologies (ICT) improves greatly education quality. E-learning is an important education component at Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZSEM) and, in addition, it is obligatory for all our teachers and students. In this paper, the development process of course "Sociology"…

The Role of Elective Courses in Students' Professional Development: Foreign Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Movchan, Larysa; Zarishniak, Inna

2017-01-01

The article considers the role of elective courses in professional development of students of economics. Modern European education is developing on the principles of democratization and humanization, where democratization implies the involvement of all agents/participants of the education process into forming its content and solving numerous…

Globalization and Industrialization in 64 Developing Countries, 1980-2003

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaya, Yunus

2010-01-01

This study investigates the effect of the latest wave of economic globalization on manufacturing employment in developing countries. It revisits the classic debate on the effect of internal and external influences on industrialization, and extends this debate to contemporary developing countries. In the process, it assesses the evidence for…

New constraints in absorptive capacity and the optimum rate of petroleum output

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

El Mallakh, R

1980-01-01

Economic policy in four oil-producing countries is analyzed within a framework that combines a qualitative assessment of the policy-making process with an empirical formulation based on historical and current trends in these countries. The concept of absorptive capacity is used to analyze the optimum rates of petroleum production in Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. A control solution with an econometric model is developed which is then modified for alternative development strategies based on analysis of factors influencing production decisions. The study shows the consistencies and inconsistencies between the goals of economic growth, oil production, and exports, and the constraintsmore » on economic development. Simulation experiments incorporated a number of the constraints on absorptive capacity. Impact of other constraints such as income distribution and political stability is considered qualitatively. (DLC)« less

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine: economic issues of the introduction of a new childhood vaccine.

PubMed

Ray, G Thomas

2002-06-01

In February 2000, a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was licensed for use in the USA. This vaccine has been shown to be effective in reducing pneumococcal disease, and has been recommended for universal use in infants. However, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is by far the most expensive child vaccine series routinely administered in the USA, alone accounting for over 40% of the total purchase price of vaccines for the recommended childhood schedule. This article reviews the existing efficacy and economic studies of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and discusses the process by which routine use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was introduced and the role economic analysis played in that process. Some of the scientific and funding issues relating to its use in both the industrialized and developing world are also discussed.

Capacity Building for Entrepreneurship Education: The Challenge for the Developing Nations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eze, John F.; Nwali, Anthony C.

2012-01-01

Entrepreneurship is one of the key drivers for development in any society. The level of awareness of individual members, of a society, of their capacity to contribute to the economic, social and political development of their society is a key factor in development. A process of creating this self-awareness and the development of individual…

Marine Sciences in CMEA Countries: Programme and Results of Co-operation. Unesco Reports in Marine Science No. 38.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksionov, A. A.

In 1971, the 25th Session of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) adopted a Programme for the Development of Socialist Economic Integration. Later, part of this program became a program of cooperation in the field of oceanography, particularly the chemical, physical, and biological processes of certain important areas of the ocean. To…

Changes and Threats to the Employee Development under Social and Economic Conditions within Global Labour Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sikora, Jan

2014-01-01

The main theme of the article is the thesis that man's engagement in the process of professional work is engaged in a number of antinomies. The problem of contemporary economics has been analyzed. It has been revealed that situation in which the majority of people excluded from social debate due to their lack of competences become a useful medium…

Economic and technological aspects of the market introduction of renewable power technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worlen, Christine M.

Renewable energy, if developed and delivered with appropriate technologies, is cleaner, more evenly distributed, and safer than conventional energy systems. Many countries and several states in the United States promote the development and introduction of technologies for "green" electricity production. This dissertation investigates economic and technological aspects of this process for wind energy. In liberalized electricity markets, policy makers use economic incentives to encourage the adoption of renewables. Choosing from a large range of possible policies and instruments is a multi-criteria decision process. This dissertation evaluates the criteria used and the trade-offs among the criteria, and develops a hierarchical flow scheme that policy makers can use to choose the most appropriate policy for a given situation. Economic incentives and market transformation programs seek to reduce costs through mass deployment in order to make renewable technologies competitive. Cost reduction is measured in "experience curves" that posit negative exponential relationships between cumulative deployment and production cost. This analysis reveals the weaknesses in conventional experience curve analyses for wind turbines, and concludes that the concept is limited by data availability, a weak conceptual foundation, and inappropriate statistical estimation. A revised model specifies a more complete set of economic and technological forces that determine the cost of wind power. Econometric results indicate that experience and upscaling of turbine sizes accounted for the observed cost reduction in wind turbines in the United States, Denmark and Germany between 1983 and 2001. These trends are likely to continue. In addition, future cost reductions will result from economies of scale in production. Observed differences in the performance of theoretically equivalent policy instruments could arise from economic uncertainty. To test this hypothesis, a methodology for the quantitative comparison of economic incentive schemes and their effect on uncertainty and investor behavior in renewable power markets is developed using option value theory of investment. Critical investment thresholds compared with actual benefit-cost ratios for several case studies in Germany indicate that uncertainty in prices for wind power and green certificates would delay investment. In Germany, the fixed-tariff system effectively removes this barrier.

Economic analysis of fuel ethanol production from hulled barley by the EDGE (Enhanced Dry Grind Enzymatic) process

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A cost model was developed for fuel ethanol production from barley based on the EDGE (Enhanced Dry Grind Enzymatic) process (Nghiem, et al., 2008). In this process, in addition to beta-glucanases, which is added to reduce the viscosity of the barley mash for efficient mixing, another enzyme, beta-...

New integrated information system for pusan national university hospital.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung Hoi; Cho, Kyung-Won; Kim, Hye Sook; Kim, Ju-Sim; Kim, Jung Hyun; Han, Sang Pil; Park, Chun Bok; Kim, Seok; Chae, Young Moon

2011-03-01

This study presents the information system for Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH), evaluates its performance qualitatively, and conducts economic analysis. Information system for PNUH was designed by component-based development and developed by internet technologies. Order Communication System, Electronic Medical Record, and Clinical Decision Support System were newly developed. The performance of the hospital information system was qualitatively evaluated based on the performance reference model in order to identify problem areas for the old system. The Information Economics approach was used to analyze the economic feasibility of hospital information system in order to account for the intangible benefits. Average performance scores were 3.16 for input layer, 3.35 for process layer, and 3.57 for business layer. In addition, the cumulative benefit to cost ratio was 0.50 in 2011, 1.73 in 2012, 1.76 in 2013, 1.71 in 2014, and 1.71 in 2015. The B/C ratios steadily increase as value items are added. While overall performance scores were reasonably high, doctors were less satisfied with the system, perhaps due to the weak clinical function in the systems. The information economics analysis demonstrated the economic profitability of the information systems if all intangible benefits were included. The second qualitative evaluation survey and economic analysis were proposed to evaluate the changes in performance of the new system.

Integrating global socio-economic influences into a regional land use change model for China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xia; Gao, Qiong; Peng, Changhui; Cui, Xuefeng; Liu, Yinghui; Jiang, Li

2014-03-01

With rapid economic development and urbanization, land use in China has experienced huge changes in recent years; and this will probably continue in the future. Land use problems in China are urgent and need further study. Rapid land-use change and economic development make China an ideal region for integrated land use change studies, particularly the examination of multiple factors and global-regional interactions in the context of global economic integration. This paper presents an integrated modeling approach to examine the impact of global socio-economic processes on land use changes at a regional scale. We develop an integrated model system by coupling a simple global socio-economic model (GLOBFOOD) and regional spatial allocation model (CLUE). The model system is illustrated with an application to land use in China. For a given climate change, population growth, and various socio-economic situations, a global socio-economic model simulates the impact of global market and economy on land use, and quantifies changes of different land use types. The land use spatial distribution model decides the type of land use most appropriate in each spatial grid by employing a weighted suitability index, derived from expert knowledge about the ecosystem state and site conditions. A series of model simulations will be conducted and analyzed to demonstrate the ability of the integrated model to link global socioeconomic factors with regional land use changes in China. The results allow an exploration of the future dynamics of land use and landscapes in China.

Microfiltration of thin stillage: Process simulation and economic analyses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In plant scale operations, multistage membrane systems have been adopted for cost minimization. We considered design optimization and operation of a continuous microfiltration (MF) system for the corn dry grind process. The objectives were to develop a model to simulate a multistage MF system, optim...

Development of the copper and molybdenum industries and the Armenian economy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bond, A.R.; Levine, R.M.

1997-01-01

Production of copper and molybdenum in Armenia is examined, with special emphasis on the location of major deposits, former and proposed future centers of processing, and contribution of metals exports to the country's foreign trade revenues. Particular emphasis is placed on the impacts on these industries of the disruption of economic ties resulting from the dissolution of the USSR and an economic crisis precipitated by a major earthquake, Armenia's tension with Azerbaijan over armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas in Azerbaijan, an economic blockade imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan, and a consequent severe energy crisis. The paper highlights developments in the mid-1990s in copper and molybdenum and in the recent expansion of trade relations with Iran.

Integrating black liquor gasification with pulping - Process simulation, economics and potential benefits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindstrom, Erik Vilhelm Mathias

Gasification of black liquor could drastically increase the flexibility and improve the profit potential of a mature industry. The completed work was focused on research around the economics and benefits of its implementation, utilizing laboratory pulping experiments and process simulation. The separation of sodium and sulfur achieved through gasification of recovered black liquor, can be utilized in processes like modified continuous cooking, split sulfidity and green liquor pretreatment pulping, and polysulfide-anthraquinone pulping, to improve pulp yield and properties. Laboratory pulping protocols have been developed for these modified pulping technologies and different process options evaluated. The process simulation work around BLG has led to the development of a WinGEMS module for the low temperature MTCI steam reforming process, and case studies comparing a simulated conventional kraft process to different process options built around the implementation of a BLG unit operation into the kraft recovery cycle. Pulp yield increases of 1-3% points with improved product quality, and the potential for capital and operating cost savings relative to the conventional kraft process have been demonstrated. Process simulation work has shown that the net variable operating cost for a pulping process using BLGCC is highly dependent on the cost of lime kiln fuel and the selling price of green power to the grid. Under the assumptions taken in the performed case study, the BLGCC process combined with split sulfidity or PSAQ pulping operations had net variable operating cost 2-4% greater than the kraft reference. The influence of the sales price of power to the grid is the most significant cost factor. If a sales price increase to 6 ¢/KWh for green power could be achieved, cost savings of about $40/ODtP could be realized in all investigated BLG processes. Other alternatives to improve the process economics around BLG would be to modify or eliminate the lime kiln unit operations, utilizing high sulfidity green liquor pretreatment, PSAQ with auto-causticization, or converting the process to mini-sulfide sulfite-AQ.

Agricultural biodiversity as a link between traditional food systems and contemporary development, social integrity and ecological health.

PubMed

Johns, Timothy; Powell, Bronwen; Maundu, Patrick; Eyzaguirre, Pablo B

2013-11-01

Traditional food systems offer a key link between the social and economic resilience of smallholder farmers and pastoralists and the sustainable food and nutrition security of global populations. This paper addresses issues related to socio-cultural diversity and the continuing complex engagement of traditional and modern communities with the plants and animals that sustain them. In light of some of the unhealthful consequences of the 'nutrition transition' to globalized modern diets, the authors define and propose a process for a more successful food system transition that balances agro-biodiversity and processed commodities to support diet diversity, health and social equity alongside sustainable economic growth. We review empirical research in support of practice and policy changes in agriculture, economic development and health domains as well as cross-sectoral and community-based innovation. High-value food crops within domestic and global value chains can be an entry point for smallholders' participation as contributors and beneficiaries of development, while sustainable small farms, as purveyors of environmental and public health services, diversify global options for long-term adaptation in the face of environmental uncertainty. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Economic growth and biodiversity loss in an age of tradable permits.

PubMed

Rosales, Jon

2006-08-01

Tradable permits are increasingly becoming part of environmental policy and conservation programs. The efficacy of tradable permit schemes in addressing the root cause of environmental decline-economic growth--will not be achieved unless the schemes cap economic activity based on ecological thresholds. Lessons can be learned from the largest tradable permit scheme to date, emissions trading now being implemented with the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol caps neither greenhouse gas emissions at a level that will achieve climate stability nor economic growth. If patterned after the Kyoto Protocol, cap-and-trade schemes for conservation will not ameliorate biodiversity loss either because they will not address economic growth. In response to these failures to cap economic growth, professional organizations concerned about biodiversity conservation should release position statements on economic growth and ecological thresholds. The statements can then be used by policy makers to infuse these positions into the local, national, and international environmental science-policy process when these schemes are being developed. Infusing language into the science-policy process that calls for capping economic activity based on ecological thresholds represents sound conservation science. Most importantly, position statements have a greater potential to ameliorate biodiversity loss if they are created and released than if this information remains within professional organizations because there is the potential for these ideas to be enacted into law and policy.

Welding needs specified for X-80 offshore line pipe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Price, J.C.

1993-12-20

High-quality, defect-free welds can be deposited in API Grade 5L X-80 line pipe with pulsed gas-metal-arc welding (GMAW) and shielded metal-arc welding (SMAW) processes. The newly developed Grade X-80 combines higher yield-strength pipe with thinner walls to reduce fabrication costs and improve some projects' economics. Use of X-80 pipe can yield as much as 7.5% cost savings over construction with X-65 steel. Increased demand of natural gas has prompted development of large gas fields which will require large-diameter pipelines at higher operating pressures. API 5L X-80 line pipe could, therefore, become commonplace by the end of the decade if weldingmore » technology can be developed to match mechanical properties without affecting productivity. The paper discusses large-diameter projects, welding processes, GMAW shielding gas, SMAW filler wires, hardness and weldability, toughness and corrosion resistance, economics, and what's been learned.« less

Designing sustainable and economically attractive brownfield revitalization options using an integrated assessment model.

PubMed

Schädler, S; Morio, M; Bartke, S; Rohr-Zänker, R; Finkel, M

2011-03-01

We describe the development of an integrated assessment model which evaluates redevelopment options of large contaminated brownfields and we present the application of the model in a case study. Aiming to support efficient and sustainable revitalization and communication between stakeholders, the presented assessment model integrates three pinnacles of brownfield revitalization: (i) subsurface remediation and site preparation costs, (ii) market-oriented economic appraisal, and (iii) the expected contribution of planned future land use to sustainable community and regional development. For the assessment, focus is set on the early stage of the brownfield redevelopment process, which is characterized by limited data availability and by flexibility in land use planning and development scope. At this stage, revealing the consequences of adjustments and alterations in planning options can foster efficiency in communication between the involved parties and thereby facilitates the brownfield revitalization process. Results from the case-study application indicate that the integrated assessment provides help in the identification of land use options beneficial in both a sustainable and an economical sense. For the study site it is shown on one hand that brownfield redevelopment is not automatically in line with sustainable regional development, and on the other hand it is demonstrated that additional contributions to sustainability are not intrinsically tied to increased costs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flat-plate solar-array project. Experimental process system development unit for producing semiconductor-grade silicon using the silane-to-silicon process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The engineering design, fabrication, assembly, operation, economic analysis, and process support R and D for an Experimental Process System Development Unit (EPSDU) are reported. About 95% of purchased equipment is received and will be reshipped to the West Coast location. The Data Collection System is completed. In the area of melting/consolidation, to the system using silicon powder transfer, melting and shotting on a pseudocontinuous basis is demonstrated. It is proposed to continue the very promising fluid bed work.

Process feasibility study in support of silicon material task 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yaws, C. L.; Li, K. Y.; Hopper, J. R.; Fang, C. S.; Hansen, K. C.

1981-01-01

Results for process system properties, chemical engineering and economic analyses of the new technologies and processes being developed for the production of lower cost silicon for solar cells are presented. Analyses of process system properties are important for chemical materials involved in the several processes under consideration for semiconductor and solar cell grade silicon production. Major physical, thermodynamic and transport property data are reported for silicon source and processing chemical materials.

Process simulation and techno economic analysis of renewable diesel production via catalytic decarboxylation of rubber seed oil - A case study in Malaysia.

PubMed

Cheah, Kin Wai; Yusup, Suzana; Gurdeep Singh, Haswin Kaur; Uemura, Yoshimitsu; Lam, Hon Loong

2017-12-01

This work describes the economic feasibility of hydroprocessed diesel fuel production via catalytic decarboxylation of rubber seed oil in Malaysia. A comprehensive techno-economic assessment is developed using Aspen HYSYS V8.0 software for process modelling and economic cost estimates. The profitability profile and minimum fuels selling price of this synthetic fuels production using rubber seed oil as biomass feedstock are assessed under a set of assumptions for what can be plausibly be achieved in 10-years framework. In this study, renewable diesel processing facility is modelled to be capable of processing 65,000 L of inedible oil per day and producing a total of 20 million litre of renewable diesel product per annual with assumed annual operational days of 347. With the forecasted renewable diesel retail price of 3.64 RM per kg, the pioneering renewable diesel project investment offers an assuring return of investment of 12.1% and net return as high as 1.35 million RM. Sensitivity analysis conducted showed that renewable diesel production cost is most sensitive to rubber seed oil price and hydrogen gas price, reflecting on the relative importance of feedstock prices in the overall profitability profile. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The new economics of labour migration and the role of remittances in the migration process.

PubMed

Taylor, J E

1999-01-01

This analysis considers international migration remittances and their impact on development in migrant-sending areas. The new economics of labor migration (NELM) posit that remittances lessen production and market constraints faced by households in poor developing countries. The article states that remittances may be a positive factor in economic development, which should be nurtured by economic policies. The impact of remittances and migration on development varies across locales and is influenced by migrants' remittance behavior and by economic contexts. Criteria for measuring development gains may include assessments of income growth, inequity, and poverty alleviation. It is hard to gauge the level of remittances, especially when remittances may not flow through formal banking systems. The International Monetary Fund distinguishes between worker remittances sent home for over 1 year; employee compensation including the value of in-kind benefits for under 1 year; and the net worth of migrants who move between countries. This sum amounted to under $2 billion in 1970 and $70 billion in 1995. The cumulative sum of remittances, employee compensation, and transfers was almost $1 trillion, of which almost 66% was worker remittances, 25% was employee compensation, and almost 10% was transfers during 1980-95. Total world remittances surpass overseas development assistance. Remittances are unequally distributed across and between countries. Migration research does not adequately reveal the range and complexity of impacts. Push factors can limit options for use of remittances to stimulate development.

Superstructure-based Design and Optimization of Batch Biodiesel Production Using Heterogeneous Catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuh, M. Z.; Nasir, N. F.

2017-08-01

Biodiesel as a fuel comprised of mono alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from renewable lipid feedstock, such as vegetable oil and animal fat. Biodiesel production is complex process which need systematic design and optimization. However, no case study using the process system engineering (PSE) elements which are superstructure optimization of batch process, it involves complex problems and uses mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP). The PSE offers a solution to complex engineering system by enabling the use of viable tools and techniques to better manage and comprehend the complexity of the system. This study is aimed to apply the PSE tools for the simulation of biodiesel process and optimization and to develop mathematical models for component of the plant for case A, B, C by using published kinetic data. Secondly, to determine economic analysis for biodiesel production, focusing on heterogeneous catalyst. Finally, the objective of this study is to develop the superstructure for biodiesel production by using heterogeneous catalyst. The mathematical models are developed by the superstructure and solving the resulting mixed integer non-linear model and estimation economic analysis by using MATLAB software. The results of the optimization process with the objective function of minimizing the annual production cost by batch process from case C is 23.2587 million USD. Overall, the implementation a study of process system engineering (PSE) has optimized the process of modelling, design and cost estimation. By optimizing the process, it results in solving the complex production and processing of biodiesel by batch.

Exergy: its potential and limitations in environmental science and technology.

PubMed

Dewulf, Jo; Van Langenhove, Herman; Muys, Bart; Bruers, Stijn; Bakshi, Bhavik R; Grubb, Geoffrey F; Paulus, D M; Sciubba, Enrico

2008-04-01

New technologies, either renewables-based or not, are confronted with both economic and technical constraints. Their development takes advantage of considering the basic laws of economics and thermodynamics. With respect to the latter, the exergy concept pops up. Although its fundamentals, that is, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, were already established in the 1800s, it is only in the last years that the exergy concept has gained a more widespread interest in process analysis, typically employed to identify inefficiencies. However, exergy analysis today is implemented far beyond technical analysis; it is also employed in environmental, (thermo)economic, and even sustainability analysis of industrial systems. Because natural ecosystems are also subjected to the basic laws of thermodynamics, it is another subject of exergy analysis. After an introduction on the concept itself, this review focuses on the potential and limitations of the exergy conceptin (1) ecosystem analysis, utilized to describe maximum storage and maximum dissipation of energy flows (2); industrial system analysis: from single process analysis to complete process chain analysis (3); (thermo)economic analysis, with extended exergy accounting; and (4) environmental impact assessment throughout the whole life cycle with quantification of the resource intake and emission effects. Apart from technical system analysis, it proves that exergy as a tool in environmental impact analysis may be the most mature field of application, particularly with respect to resource and efficiency accounting, one of the major challenges in the development of sustainable technology. Far less mature is the exergy analysis of natural ecosystems and the coupling with economic analysis, where a lively debate is presently going on about the actual merits of an exergy-based approach.

[Methods for the costing process in the field of economic evaluation of a rehabilitation program for patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases].

PubMed

Hessel, F P; Wittmann, M; Petro, W; Wasem, J

2000-07-01

Studies in health economics especially economic evaluations of health care technologies and programmes are getting more and more important. However, in Germany there are no established, validated and commonly used instruments for the costing process. For the economic evaluation of a rehabilitation programme for patients with chronic lung diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis we developed methods for identification, measurement and validation of resource use during the inpatient rehabilitation programme and during the outpatient follow-up period. These methods are based on methodological considerations as well as on practical experience from conducting a pilot study. With regard to the inpatient setting all relevant diagnostic and therapeutic resource uses could be measured basing on routine clinical documentation and validated by using the cost accounting of the clinic. For measuring the use of resources during the follow-up period in an outpatient setting no reliable administrative data are accessible. Hence, we compared a standardised retrospective patient questionnaire used in a 20-minute interview (n = 50) and a cost diary for the continuing documentation by the patient over a period of 4 weeks (n = 50). Both tools were useful for measuring all relevant resource uses in sufficient detail, but because of higher participation rates and lower dropouts the structured interview appears to be more suitable. Average total costs per month were 1591 DM (interview), respectively 1867 DM (cost diary). Besides productivity loss, costs for medication and GP visits caused the relatively highest resource uses. Practicable instruments were developed for the costing process as part of an economic evaluation in a German rehabilitation setting for pulmonary diseases. After individual modification, these could also be used for different indications and in other institutional settings.

Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Coal and Coal Byproducts via a Closed Loop Leaching Process: Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peterson, Richard; Heinrichs, Michael; Argumedo, Darwin

Objectives: Through this grant, Battelle proposes to address Area of Interest (AOI) 1 to develop a bench-scale technology to economically separate, extract, and concentrate mixed REEs from coal ash. U.S. coal and coal byproducts provide the opportunity for a domestic source of REEs. The DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has characterized various coal and coal byproducts samples and has found varying concentrations of REE ranging up to 1,000 parts per million by weight. The primary project objective is to validate the economic viability of recovering REEs from the coal byproduct coal ash using Battelle’s patented closed-loop Acid Digestion Processmore » (ADP). This will be accomplished by selecting coal sources with the potential to provide REE concentrations above 300 parts per million by weight, collecting characterization data for coal ash samples generated via three different methods, and performing a Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) for the proposed process. The regional availability of REE-laden coal ash, the regional market for rare earth concentrates, and the system capital and operating costs for rare earth recovery using the ADP technology will be accounted for in the TEA. Limited laboratory testing will be conducted to generate the parameters needed for the design of a bench scale system for REE recovery. The ultimate project outcome will be the design for an optimized, closed loop process to economically recovery REEs such that the process may be demonstrated at the bench scale in a Phase 2 project. Project Description: The project will encompass evaluation of the ADP technology for the economic recovery of REEs from coal and coal ash. The ADP was originally designed and demonstrated for the U.S. Army to facilitate demilitarization of cast-cured munitions via acid digestion in a closed-loop process. Proof of concept testing has been conducted on a sample of Ohio-based Middle Kittanning coal and has demonstrated the feasibility of recovering REEs using the ADP technology. In AOI 1, Ohio coal sources with the potential to provide a consistent source of rare earth element concentrations above 300 parts per million will be identified. Coal sample inventories from West Virginia and Pennsylvania will also be assessed for purposes of comparison. Three methods of preparing the coal ash will be evaluated for their potential to enhance the technical feasibility and economics of REE recovery. Three sources of coal ash are targeted for evaluation of the economics of REE recovery in this project: (1) coal ash from power generation stations, to include fly ash and/or bottom ash, (2) ash generated in a lower temperature ashing process, and (3) ash residual from Battelle’s coal liquefaction process. Making use of residual ash from coal liquefaction processes directly leverages work currently being conducted by Battelle for DOE NETL in response to DE-FOA-0000981 entitled “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions Research and Development Leading to Cost-Competitive Coal-to-Liquids Based Jet Fuel Production.” Using the sample characterization results and regional information regarding REE concentration, availability and cost, a TEA will be developed. The previously generated laboratory testing results for leaching and REE recovery via the ADP will be used to perform the TEA, along with common engineering assumptions for scale up of equipment and labor costs. Finally, upon validation of the economic feasibility of the process by the TEA, limited laboratory testing will be performed to support the design of a bench scale system. In a future project phase, it is envisioned that the bench scale system will be constructed and operated to prove the process on a continuous basis.« less

Multi-objective, multiple participant decision support for water management in the Andarax catchment, Almeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Cauwenbergh, N.; Pinte, D.; Tilmant, A.; Frances, I.; Pulido-Bosch, A.; Vanclooster, M.

2008-04-01

Water management in the Andarax river basin (Almeria, Spain) is a multi-objective, multi-participant, long-term decision-making problem that faces several challenges. Adequate water allocation needs informed decisions to meet increasing socio-economic demands while respecting the environmental integrity of this basin. Key players in the Andarax water sector include the municipality of Almeria, the irrigators involved in the intensive greenhouse agricultural sector, and booming second residences. A decision support system (DSS) is developed to rank different sustainable planning and management alternatives according to their socio-economic and environmental performance. The DSS is intimately linked to sustainability indicators and is designed through a public participation process. Indicators are linked to criteria reflecting stakeholders concerns in the 2005 field survey, such as fulfilling water demand, water price, technical and economical efficiency, social and environmental impacts. Indicators can be partly quantified after simulating the operation of the groundwater reservoir over a 20-year planning period and partly through a parallel expert evaluation process. To predict the impact of future water demand in the catchment, several development scenarios are designed to be evaluated in the DSS. The successive multi-criteria analysis of the performance indicators permits the ranking of the different management alternatives according to the multiple objectives formulated by the different sectors/participants. This allows more informed and transparent decision-making processes for the Andarax river basin, recognizing both the socio-economic and environmental dimensions of water resources management.

Contemporary specificities of labour in the health care sector: introductory notes for discussion

PubMed Central

Campos, Francisco Eduardo; Albuquerque, Eduardo da Motta e

2005-01-01

Background This paper combines the literature on public health, on economics of health and on economics of technological innovation to discuss the peculiarities of labour in the health care sector. Method and framework The starting point is the investigation of the economic peculiarities of medical care. Results and discussions This investigation leads to the identification of the prevalence of non-market forms of medical care in the countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Furthermore, the health care system has a distinctive characteristic from other economic sectors: it is the intersection between social welfare and innovation systems. The relationship between technological innovation and cost in the health care sector is surveyed. Finally, the Brazilian case is discussed as an example of a developing country. Conclusion The peculiarities of labour in the health care sector suggest the need to recognize the worth of sectoral labour and to cease to treat it separately. This process should take into account the rapid development of the health innovation system and one important consequence: the obsolescence of the acquired knowledge. One way to dignify labour is to implement continued education and training of health professions personnel. PMID:16109174

Contemporary specificities of labour in the health care sector: introductory notes for discussion.

PubMed

Campos, Francisco Eduardo; Albuquerque, Eduardo da Motta e

2005-08-18

This paper combines the literature on public health, on economics of health and on economics of technological innovation to discuss the peculiarities of labour in the health care sector. METHOD AND FRAMEWORK: The starting point is the investigation of the economic peculiarities of medical care. This investigation leads to the identification of the prevalence of non-market forms of medical care in the countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Furthermore, the health care system has a distinctive characteristic from other economic sectors: it is the intersection between social welfare and innovation systems. The relationship between technological innovation and cost in the health care sector is surveyed. Finally, the Brazilian case is discussed as an example of a developing country. The peculiarities of labour in the health care sector suggest the need to recognize the worth of sectoral labour and to cease to treat it separately. This process should take into account the rapid development of the health innovation system and one important consequence: the obsolescence of the acquired knowledge. One way to dignify labour is to implement continued education and training of health professions personnel.

Applications of LANDSAT data to the integrated economic development of Mindoro, Phillipines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, T. W.; Fernandez, J. C.

1977-01-01

LANDSAT data is seen as providing essential up-to-date resource information for the planning process. LANDSAT data of Mindoro Island in the Philippines was processed to provide thematic maps showing patterns of agriculture, forest cover, terrain, wetlands and water turbidity. A hybrid approach using both supervised and unsupervised classification techniques resulted in 30 different scene classes which were subsequently color-coded and mapped at a scale of 1:250,000. In addition, intensive image analysis is being carried out in evaluating the images. The images, maps, and aerial statistics are being used to provide data to seven technical departments in planning the economic development of Mindoro. Multispectral aircraft imagery was collected to compliment the application of LANDSAT data and validate the classification results.

Continuous recovery of valine in a model mixture of amino acids and salt from Corynebacterium bacteria fermentation using a simulated moving bed chromatography.

PubMed

Park, Chanhun; Nam, Hee-Geun; Jo, Se-Hee; Wang, Nien-Hwa Linda; Mun, Sungyong

2016-02-26

The economical efficiency of valine production in related industries is largely affected by the performance of a valine separation process, in which valine is to be separated from leucine, alanine, and ammonium sulfate. Such separation is currently handled by a batch-mode hybrid process based on ion-exchange and crystallization schemes. To make a substantial improvement in the economical efficiency of an industrial valine production, such a batch-mode process based on two different separation schemes needs to be converted into a continuous-mode separation process based on a single separation scheme. To address this issue, a simulated moving bed (SMB) technology was applied in this study to the development of a continuous-mode valine-separation chromatographic process with uniformity in adsorbent and liquid phases. It was first found that a Chromalite-PCG600C resin could be eligible for the adsorbent of such process, particularly in an industrial scale. The intrinsic parameters of each component on the Chromalite-PCG600C adsorbent were determined and then utilized in selecting a proper set of configurations for SMB units, columns, and ports, under which the SMB operating parameters were optimized with a genetic algorithm. Finally, the optimized SMB based on the selected configurations was tested experimentally, which confirmed its effectiveness in continuous separation of valine from leucine, alanine, ammonium sulfate with high purity, high yield, high throughput, and high valine product concentration. It is thus expected that the developed SMB process in this study will be able to serve as one of the trustworthy ways of improving the economical efficiency of an industrial valine production process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Boundary shear stress along rigid trapezoidal bends

Treesearch

Christopher I. Thornton; Kyung-Seop Sin; Paul Sclafani; Steven R. Abt

2012-01-01

The migration of alluvial channels through the geologic landform is an outcome of the natural erosive processes. Mankind continually attempts to stabilize channel meandering processes, both vertically and horizontally, to reduce sediment discharge, provide boundary definition, and enable economic development along the river's edge. A critical component in the...

Fractionation of whey protein isolate with supercritical carbon dioxide – process modeling and cost estimation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An economical and environmentally friendly whey protein fractionation process was developed using supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) as an acid to produce enriched fractions of alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-La) and beta-lactoglobulin (beta-Lg) from a commercial whey protein isolate (WPI) containing 55% ...

Photobioreactor cultivation strategies for microalgae and cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Johnson, Tylor J; Katuwal, Sarmila; Anderson, Gary A; Gu, Liping; Zhou, Ruanbao; Gibbons, William R

2018-03-08

The current burden on fossil-derived chemicals and fuels combined with the rapidly increasing global population has led to a crucial need to develop renewable and sustainable sources of chemicals and biofuels. Photoautotrophic microorganisms, including cyanobacteria and microalgae, have garnered a great deal of attention for their capability to produce these chemicals from carbon dioxide, mineralized water, and solar energy. While there have been substantial amounts of research directed at scaling-up production from these microorganisms, several factors have proven difficult to overcome, including high costs associated with cultivation, photobioreactor construction, and artificial lighting. Decreasing these costs will substantially increase the economic feasibility of these production processes. Thus, the purpose of this review is to describe various photobioreactor designs, and then provide an overview on lighting systems, mixing, gas transfer, and the hydrodynamics of bubbles. These factors must be considered when the goal of a production process is economic feasibility. Targets for improving microalgae and cyanobacteria cultivation media, including water reduction strategies will also be described. As fossil fuel reserves continue to be depleted and the world population continues to increase, it is imperative that renewable chemical and biofuel production processes be developed toward becoming economically feasible. Thus, it is essential that future research is directed toward improving these processes. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2018. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Challenges Faced by Development Partners in Supporting the Growth and Development of Commercial Enterprises in Lira District, Northern Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eton, Marus; Mwirumubi, Richard; Edaku, Charles

2017-01-01

Entrepreneurship is defined as the process where an individual discovers, evaluates and exploit opportunities independently. Most countries have embraced entrepreneurship development as ways of creating employment and economic growth and development. The objective of the study was to examine the challenges faced by commercial enterprises in Lira…

The Developing World [and] Teaching Guide To Accompany "The Developing World." Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Harriet; Ross-Larson, Bruce

This book is about economic development, the process by which countries are improving the living conditions of their people. It is about interdependence and the efforts of people to move toward a better world. The six chapters are entitled: (1) "Inside Developing Countries"; (2) "Comparing Countries"; (3) "The Whys and Hows of Economic…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The model is designed to enable decision makers to compare the economics of geothermal projects with the economics of alternative energy systems at an early stage in the decision process. The geothermal engineering and economic feasibility computer model (GEEF) is written in FORTRAN IV language and can be run on a mainframe or a mini-computer system. An abbreviated version of the model is being developed for usage in conjunction with a programmable desk calculator. The GEEF model has two main segments, namely (i) the engineering design/cost segment and (ii) the economic analysis segment. In the engineering segment, the model determinesmore » the numbers of production and injection wells, heat exchanger design, operating parameters for the system, requirement of supplementary system (to augment the working fluid temperature if the resource temperature is not sufficiently high), and the fluid flow rates. The model can handle single stage systems as well as two stage cascaded systems in which the second stage may involve a space heating application after a process heat application in the first stage.« less

Final Technical Report on Development of an Economic and Efficient Biodiesel production Process (NC)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tirla, Cornelia; Dooling, Thomas A.; Smith, Rachel B.

The Biofuels Team at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and North Carolina A&T State University carried out a joint research project aimed at developing an efficient process to produce biodiesel. In this project, the team developed and tested various types of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts which could replace the conventionally used soluble potassium hydroxide catalyst which, traditionally, must be separated and disposed of at the end of the process. As a result of this screening, the homogeneous catalyst choline hydroxide was identified as a potential replacement for the traditional catalyst used in this process, potassium hydroxide, due tomore » its decreased corrosiveness and toxicity. A large number of heterogeneous catalysts were produced and tested in order to determine the scaffold, ion type and ion concentration which would produce optimum yield of biodiesel. The catalyst with 12% calcium on Zeolite β was identified as being highly effective and optimal reaction conditions were identified. Furthermore, a packed bed reactor utilizing this type of catalyst was designed, constructed and tested in order to further optimize the process. An economic analysis of the viability of the project showed that the cost of an independent farmer to produce the fuelstock required to produce biodiesel exceeds the cost of petroleum diesel under current conditions and that therefore without incentives, farmers would not be able to benefit economically from producing their own fuel. An educational website on biodiesel production and analysis was produced and a laboratory experiment demonstrating the production of biodiesel was developed and implemented into the Organic Chemistry II laboratory curriculum at UNCP. Five workshops for local farmers and agricultural agents were held in order to inform the broader community about the various fuelstock available, their cultivation and the process and advantages of biodiesel use and production. This project fits both Universities’ goals in the Biofuels Research Initiative, since it uses an alternative fuelstock: namely canola. The outcomes of this project may eventually aid in reducing the state’s consumption of corn and soybean, which are important food crops. The project will also encourage regional farmers to grow alternative crops for biofuel production. The success of this project has contributed towards the development of Robeson County, an economically disadvantaged region. Additionally it should be noted that Robeson County serves a large Native American population. Therefore, training and engaging this minority group in the energy industry was an important accomplishment.« less

Hydro-economic modelling in mining catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ossa Moreno, J. S.; McIntyre, N.; Rivera, D.; Smart, J. C. R.

2017-12-01

Hydro-economic models are gaining momentum because of their capacity to model both the physical processes related to water supply, and socio-economic factors determining water demand. This is particularly valuable in the midst of the large uncertainty upon future climate conditions and social trends. Agriculture, urban uses and environmental flows have received a lot of attention from researchers, as these tend to be the main consumers of water in most catchments. Mine water demand, although very important in several small and medium-sized catchments worldwide, has received less attention and only few models have attempted to reproduce its dynamics with other users. This paper describes an on-going project that addresses this gap, by developing a hydro-economic model in the upper Aconcagua River in Chile. This is a mountain catchment with large scale mining and hydro-power users at high altitudes, and irrigation areas in a downstream valley. Relevant obstacles to the model included the lack of input climate data, which is a common feature in several mining areas, the complex hydrological processes in the area and the difficulty of quantifying the value of water used by mines. A semi-distributed model developed within the Water Evaluation and Planning System (WEAP), was calibrated to reproduce water supply, and this was complemented with an analysis of the value of water for mining based on two methods; water markets and an analysis of its production processes. Agriculture and other users were included through methods commonly used in similar models. The outputs help understanding the value of water in the catchment, and its sensitivity to changes in climate variables, market prices, environmental regulations and changes in the production of minerals, crops and energy. The results of the project highlight the importance of merging hydrology and socio-economic calculations in mining regions, in order to better understand trade-offs and cost of opportunity of using water for an economic activity with high revenues, averse to water risks and with potentially large catchment impacts.

Priority setting and economic appraisal: whose priorities--the community or the economist?

PubMed

Green, A; Barker, C

1988-01-01

Scarce resources for health require a process for setting priorities. The exact mechanism chosen has important implications for the type of priorities and plans set, and in particular their relationship to the principles of primary health care. One technique increasingly advocated as an aid to priority setting is economic appraisal. It is argued however that economic appraisal is likely to reinforce a selective primary health care approach through its espousal of a technocratic medical model and through its hidden but implicit value judgements. It is suggested that urgent attention is needed to develop approaches to priority setting that incorporate the strengths of economic appraisal, but that are consistent with comprehensive primary health care.

Extension of Religious Ritual Functions in Development Process: Study of Mandi Safar in Air Hitam Ocean Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagala, Irmawati

2018-05-01

The ritual of Mandi Safar, bathing together on the beach using the prayer rajahs performed by the community on every Wednesday of the last week of Safar (second month of Hijri), has been designed by the local government as one of the supporting programs for economic development in Air HitamLaut Village, Jambi. The tradition that derived from religious rituals in the Malay society to avoid catastrophes and calamities along Safar faced controversy at first because it was considered as heresy by some Muslims. Nevertheless, the ritual evolved simultaneously into a popular cross-ethnic tradition and had been planned as one of the national tourism icons of Jambi Province since 2017. Through political sociology and psychoanalysis approaches in social change, this paper analyzes the programming processes of this agenda and its impact. The result shows that marine tourism program of Mandi Safar provides a positive basis for economic development in Air HitamLaut. The program has spurred the development of local infrastructure on the one hand and has led to social change in society on the other side. Previously, the process of desacralization of the Mandi Safar ritual as well as the role of local customary-religious elites as a mobilizer became the key variables to empowerment process.

An assessment of the economic aspects of CO2 sequestration in a route for biodiesel production from microalgae.

PubMed

Soares, Fabio Rubens; Martins, Gilberto; Seo, Emília Satoshi Miyamaru

2013-01-01

Photosynthetic microalgae are unicellular organisms that, during their cultivation, can fix carbon dioxide efficiently from various sources, including the air and exhaust gases from industrial processes. This feature can lead to economic benefits in the production process of biodiesel by way of the clean development mechanism, for which carbon credits for environmental benefits may be granted and which will contribute towards reducing costs in the production process. This study seeks to quantify the contribution of carbon credits in the operating costs of a route for biodiesel production from microalgae, as proposed by Davis et al. [Techno-economic analysis ofautotrophic microalgae for fuel production. Appl Energy. 2011; 88:3524-3531]. The results showed a reduction in annual operating costs by around 5%. This figure may be conservative, since the production process considered can be further improved to reduce operating costs and thus increase the contribution margin of carbon credits, which will reduce costs. On the other hand, the price of carbon may also rise in the future, thereby increasing its contribution towards a reduction in operating costs.

The economic production of alcohol fuels from coal-derived synthesis gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kugler, E.L.; Dadyburjor, D.B.; Yang, R.Y.K.

1995-12-31

The objectives of this project are to discover, (1) study and evaluate novel heterogeneous catalytic systems for the production of oxygenated fuel enhancers from synthesis gas. Specifically, alternative methods of preparing catalysts are to be investigated, and novel catalysts, including sulfur-tolerant ones, are to be pursued. (Task 1); (2) explore, analytically and on the bench scale, novel reactor and process concepts for use in converting syngas to liquid fuel products. (Task 1); (3) simulate by computer the most energy efficient and economically efficient process for converting coal to energy, with primary focus on converting syngas to fuel alcohols. (Task 2);more » (4) develop on the bench scale the best holistic combination of chemistry, catalyst, reactor and total process configuration integrated with the overall coal conversion process to achieve economic optimization for the conversion of syngas to liquid products within the framework of achieving the maximum cost effective transformation of coal to energy equivalents. (Tasks 1 and 2); and (5) evaluate the combustion, emission and performance characteristics of fuel alcohols and blends of alcohols with petroleum-based fuels. (Task 2)« less

Integrated mild gasification processing at the Homer City Electric Power Generating Station site. Final report, July 1989--June 1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Battista, J.J.; Zawadzki, E.A.

1993-07-01

A new process for the production of commercial grade coke, char, and carbon products has been evaluated by Penelec/NYSEG. The process, developed by Coal Technology Corporation, CTC, utilizes a unique screw reactor to produce a devolatilized char from a wide variety of coals for the production of commercial grade coke for use in blast furnaces, foundries, and other processes requiring high quality coke. This process is called the CTC Mild Gasification Process (MGP). The process economics are significantly enhanced by integrating the new technology into an existing power generating complex. Cost savings are realized by the coke producer, the cokemore » user, and the electric utility company. Site specific economic studies involving the Homer City Generating Station site in Western Pennsylvania, confirmed that an integrated MGP at the Homer City site, using coal fines produced at the Homer City Coal Preparation Plant, would reduce capital and operating costs significantly and would enable the HC Owners to eliminate thermal dryers, obtain low cost fuel in the form of combustible gases and liquids, and obtain lower cost replacement coal on the spot market. A previous report, identified as the Interim Report on the Project, details the technical and economic studies.« less

Collection Development Policies for the RWC Learning Resources Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Lucy, Comp.

This manual begins by providing background on the program, collection, and acquisition processes of the Raymond Walters College (RWC) Learning Resources Center. The next section describes collection development policies for: (1) the academic departments (Animal Health; Behavioral Sciences; Biology; Business and Economics; Chemistry; Dental…

Coupling System Dynamics and Physically-based Models for Participatory Water Management - A Methodological Framework, with Two Case Studies: Water Quality in Quebec, and Soil Salinity in Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boisvert-Chouinard, J.; Halbe, J.; Baig, A. I.; Adamowski, J. F.

2014-12-01

The principles of Integrated Water Resource Management outline the importance of stakeholder participation in water management processes, but in practice, there is a lack of meaningful engagement in water planning and implementation, and participation is often limited to public consultation and education. When models are used to support water planning, stakeholders are usually not involved in their development and use, and the models commonly fail to represent important feedbacks between socio-economic and physical processes. This paper presents the development of holistic models of the Du Chêne basin in Quebec, and the Rechna Doab basin in Pakistan, that simulate socio-economic and physical processes related to, respectively, water quality management, and soil salinity management. The models each consists of two sub-components: a System Dynamics (SD) model, and a physically based model. The SD component was developed in collaboration with key stakeholders in the basins. The Du Chêne SD model was coupled with a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, while the Rechna Doab SD model was coupled with SahysMod, a soil salinity model. The coupled models were used to assess the environmental and socio-economic impacts of different management scenarios proposed by stakeholders. Results indicate that coupled SD - physically-based models can be used as effective tools for participatory water planning and implementation. The participatory modeling process provides a structure for meaningful stakeholder engagement, and the models themselves can be used to transparently and coherently assess and compare different management options.

Economic Cognitions Among Older Adults: Parental Socialization Predicts Financial Planning for Retirement

PubMed Central

Palaci, Francisco; Jiménez, Irene; Topa, Gabriela

2017-01-01

Drawing on the model on financial planning for retirement (FPR), the aim of this work is to explore how parental economic socialization both directly and indirectly affects FPR through the mediation of financial literacy, financial planning decisions and financial management. Data from a sample of 280 participants aged between 45 and 63 years were used. The results show that parental economic socialization directly and indirectly influences FPR. Moreover, parental economic behavior acts as a positive model for the development of financial literacy and skills and for decisions about FPR. All the variables increased the explained variance of FPR. Lastly, we discuss the process by which parental economic socialization is positively related to financial literacy and skills that impact on FPR, indicating some implications and future lines of research. PMID:29209198

Economic Cognitions Among Older Adults: Parental Socialization Predicts Financial Planning for Retirement.

PubMed

Palaci, Francisco; Jiménez, Irene; Topa, Gabriela

2017-01-01

Drawing on the model on financial planning for retirement (FPR), the aim of this work is to explore how parental economic socialization both directly and indirectly affects FPR through the mediation of financial literacy, financial planning decisions and financial management. Data from a sample of 280 participants aged between 45 and 63 years were used. The results show that parental economic socialization directly and indirectly influences FPR. Moreover, parental economic behavior acts as a positive model for the development of financial literacy and skills and for decisions about FPR. All the variables increased the explained variance of FPR. Lastly, we discuss the process by which parental economic socialization is positively related to financial literacy and skills that impact on FPR, indicating some implications and future lines of research.

Teacher Learning and the Development of Inclusive Practices and Policies: Framing and Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howes, Andrew; Booth, Tony; Dyson, Alan; Frankham, Jo

2005-01-01

The process of a school becoming more inclusive involves teacher learning. The Economic and Social Research Council Teaching and Learning Research Programme (ESRC TLRP) research and development Network "Understanding and Developing Inclusive Practices in Schools" presented an opportunity both to understand the nature of this learning and…

Educational Planning Methodology for the Integrated Development of Rural Areas. Reports Studies... S.83.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

A summary of educational planning methodologies tested in Argentina, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia, the document offers opinions and proposals about integrated rural development. Integrated rural development is seen as a social, economic, political, and cultural process in rural areas, designed to improve living conditions. Chapters…

Work, Discretion and Learning: Processes of Life Learning and Development at Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billett, Stephen

2015-01-01

Knowing how adults learn through work is central to understanding their development across working lives. That development is important for their personal trajectories, and ability to contribute, sustain and advance the interests of their workplaces, and collectively to the social and economic viability of their communities and nations. This paper…

Heterarchical Coaching for Continuing Teacher Professional Learning and Development: A Transversal Analysis of Agency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charteris, Jennifer; Smardon, Dianne; Foulkes, Ruth; Bewley, Sue

2017-01-01

Aligned with the development of human capital, in-service teacher education is globally conceived as a key lever in economic development. However, teacher education is also a critically important process to leverage teacher political awareness and social justice. This article provides a socio-materialist account of continuous professional…

Use of gene expression data to determine effects on gonad phenotype in Japanese medaka after exposure to trenbolone or estradiol

EPA Science Inventory

Various aquatic bioassays using one of several fish species have been developed or are in the process of being developed by organizations like the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Economic Cooperation and Development for testing potential endocrine disrupting ...

Energy - A systems problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bourke, Roger D.

1982-01-01

Energy management in its most comprehensive sense encompasses economic, technical, environmental, and political problems. The present evaluation of prospects notes that opportunities for energy conservation are widespread, in such fields as building air conditioning, transportation, electrical appliances, and industrial processes. Further conservation is expected to be achieved through a combination of technology development and economics; the latter factor must not be unduly influenced by political measures that shield consumers from the true cost of energy.

The Relationship of Economic Variations to Mortality and Fertility Patterns on the Navajo Reservation. Lake Powell Research Project Bulletin Number 20, April 1976.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunitz, Stephen J.

Divided into three sections, this research bulletin presents: (1) a brief review of changes in the American Indian mortality and fertility rates, illustrating a transition process much like that experienced by developing nations; (2) an analysis of variations in the social and economic organization of different parts of the Navajo Reservation; (3)…

UNDERWATER MAPPING USING GLORIA AND MIPS.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chavez, Pat S.; Anderson, Jeffrey A.; Schoonmaker, James W.

1987-01-01

Advances in digital image processing of the (GLORIA) Geological Long-Range Induced Asdic) sidescan-sonar image data have made it technically and economically possible to map large areas of the ocean floor including the Exclusive Economic Zone. Software was written to correct both geometric and radiometric distortions that exist in the original raw GLORIA data. A digital mosaicking technique was developed enabling 2 degree by 2 degree quadrangles to be generated.

Demonstration of a 1 MWe biomass power plant at USMC Base Camp Lejeune. Report for July 1994-May 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cleland, J.; Purvis, C.R.

1998-06-01

The paper discusses a biomass energy conversion project being sponsored by EPA to demonstrate an enviromentally and economically sound electrical power option for government installations, industrial sites, rural cooperatives, small municipalities, and developing countries. Wood gasification combined with internal combustion engines was chosen because of (1) recent improvements in gas cleaning, (2) simple economical operation for units < 10 MW, and (3) the option of a clean cheap fuel for the many existing facilities generating expensive electricity from petroleum fuels with reciprocating engines. The plant incorporates a downdraft, moving-bed gasifier utilizing hogged waste wood from the Marine Corps Base atmore » Camp Lejeune, NC. A moving-bed bulk wood dryer and both spark ignition and diesel engines are included. Unique process design features are described briefly, relative to the gasifier, wood drying, tar separation, and process control. A test plan for process optimization and demonstration of reliability, economics, and environmental impact is outlined.« less

26 CFR 1.924(d)-1 - Requirement that economic processes take place outside the United States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 10 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Requirement that economic processes take place... Citizens of United States § 1.924(d)-1 Requirement that economic processes take place outside the United... any transaction only if economic processes with respect to such transaction take place outside the...

Multi-objective game-theory models for conflict analysis in reservoir watershed management.

PubMed

Lee, Chih-Sheng

2012-05-01

This study focuses on the development of a multi-objective game-theory model (MOGM) for balancing economic and environmental concerns in reservoir watershed management and for assistance in decision. Game theory is used as an alternative tool for analyzing strategic interaction between economic development (land use and development) and environmental protection (water-quality protection and eutrophication control). Geographic information system is used to concisely illustrate and calculate the areas of various land use types. The MOGM methodology is illustrated in a case study of multi-objective watershed management in the Tseng-Wen reservoir, Taiwan. The innovation and advantages of MOGM can be seen in the results, which balance economic and environmental concerns in watershed management and which can be interpreted easily by decision makers. For comparison, the decision-making process using conventional multi-objective method to produce many alternatives was found to be more difficult. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of Lignocellulosic Biorefinery Technologies: Recent Advances and Current Challenges

DOE PAGES

Amore, Antonella; Ciesielski, Peter N.; Lin, Chien-Yuan; ...

2016-06-06

We describe some recent developments of the biorefinery concept within this review, which focuses on the efforts required to make the lignocellulosic biorefinery a sustainable and economically viable reality. In spite of the major research and development endeavours directed towards this goal over the past several decades, the integrated production of biofuel and other bio-based products still needs to be optimized from both technical and economical perspectives. This review will highlight recent progress towards the optimization of the major biorefinery processes, including biomass pretreatment and fractionation, saccharification of sugars, and conversion of sugars and lignin into fuels and chemical precursors.more » Additionally, advances in genetic modification of biomass structure and composition for the purpose of enhancing the efficacy of conversion processes, which is emerging as a powerful tool for tailoring biomass fated for the biorefinery, will be overviewed. The continual improvement of these processes and their integration in the format of a modern biorefinery is paving the way for a sustainable bio-economy which will displace large portions of petroleum-derived fuels and chemicals with renewable substitutes.« less

Development of Lignocellulosic Biorefinery Technologies: Recent Advances and Current Challenges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amore, Antonella; Ciesielski, Peter N.; Lin, Chien-Yuan

We describe some recent developments of the biorefinery concept within this review, which focuses on the efforts required to make the lignocellulosic biorefinery a sustainable and economically viable reality. In spite of the major research and development endeavours directed towards this goal over the past several decades, the integrated production of biofuel and other bio-based products still needs to be optimized from both technical and economical perspectives. This review will highlight recent progress towards the optimization of the major biorefinery processes, including biomass pretreatment and fractionation, saccharification of sugars, and conversion of sugars and lignin into fuels and chemical precursors.more » Additionally, advances in genetic modification of biomass structure and composition for the purpose of enhancing the efficacy of conversion processes, which is emerging as a powerful tool for tailoring biomass fated for the biorefinery, will be overviewed. The continual improvement of these processes and their integration in the format of a modern biorefinery is paving the way for a sustainable bio-economy which will displace large portions of petroleum-derived fuels and chemicals with renewable substitutes.« less

23 CFR 450.208 - Coordination of planning process activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... planning carried out under this subpart with statewide trade and economic development planning activities... CFR part 500. (e) States may apply asset management principles and techniques in establishing planning...

Health economic choices in old age: interdisciplinary perspectives on economic decisions and the aging mind.

PubMed

Nielsen, Lisbeth; Phillips, John W R

2008-01-01

This chapter offers an integrative review of psychological and neurobiological differences between younger and older adults that might impact economic behavior. Focusing on key health economic challenges facing the elderly, it offers perspectives on how these psychological and neurobiological factors may influence decision-making over the life course and considers future interdisciplinary research directions. We review relevant literature from three domains that are essential for developing a comprehensive science of decision-making and economic behavior in aging (psychology, neuroscience, and economics), consider implications for prescription drug coverage and long-term care (LTC) insurance, and highlight future research directions. Older adults face many complex economic decisions that directly affect their health and well-being, including LTC insurance, prescription drug plans, and end of life care. Economic research suggests that many older Americans are not making cost-effective and economically rational decisions. While economic models provide insight into some of the financial incentives associated with these decisions, they typically do not consider the roles of cognition and affect in decision-making. Research has established that older age is associated with predictable declines in many cognitive functions and evidence is accumulating that distinct social motives and affect-processing profiles emerge in older age. It is unknown how these age differences impact the economic behaviors of older people and implies opportunities for path-breaking interdisciplinary research. Our chapter looks to develop interdisciplinary research to better understand the causes and consequences of age-related changes in economic decision-making and guide interventions to improve public programs and overall social welfare.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Neil, D.J.; Colcord, A.R.; Bery, M.K.

The objective of this project is to design, fabricate, and operate a fermentation facility which will demonstrate on a pilot-scale level (3 oven-dry tons (ODT) per day of feedstock) the economic and technical feasibility of producing anhydrous ethyl alcohol from lignocellulosic biomass residues (wood, corn stover, and wheat straw principally). The resultant process development unit (PDU) will be flexibly designed so as to evaluate current and projected unit operations, materials of construction, chemical and enzymatic systems which offer the potential of significant technological and economic breakthroughs in alcohol production from biomass. The principal focus of the project is to generatemore » fuels from biomass. As such, in addition to alcohol which can be used as a transportation fuel, by-products are to be directed where possible to fuel applications. The project consists of two parts: (1) conceptual design, and (2) detailed engineering design. The first quarter's activities have focused on a critical review of several aspects of the conceptual design of the 3 ODT/day PDU, viz.: (1) biomass cost, availability, and characterization; (2) pretreatment processes for lignocellulosic residues; (3) hydrolytic processes (enzymatic and acidic); (4) fermentation processes; (5) alcohol recovery systems; (6) by-product streams utilization; and (7) process economics.« less

Some thoughts on cartographic and geographic information systems for the 1980's

USGS Publications Warehouse

Starr, L.E.; Anderson, Kirk E.

1981-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is adopting computer techniques to meet the expanding need for cartographic base category data. Digital methods are becoming increasingly important in the mapmaking process, and the demand is growing for physical, social, and economic data. Recognizing these emerging needs, the National Mapping Division began, several years ago, an active program to develop advanced digital methods to support cartographic and geographic data processing. An integrated digital cartographic database would meet the anticipated needs. Such a database would contain data from various sources, and could provide a variety of standard and customized map and digital data file products. This cartographic database soon will be technologically feasible. The present trends in the economics of cartographic and geographic data handling and the growing needs for integrated physical, social, and economic data make such a database virtually mandatory.

Prediction of the demographic situation in urban districts as a factor of sustainable social and economic development of the transport infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davydova, Tatyana; Zhutaeva, Evgeniya; Dubrovskaya, Tatyana

2017-10-01

Article considers the significance of the demographic forecast for the effective operation of the providing system of social and economic development of the urban transport infrastructure. Analysis of the factors which influence on the population of the city of Voronezh was performed and the population forecast for the year 2020 is presented on the basis of the classification by year of birth. Calculation was performed in three variants (with consideration of the use of classification by year of birth) in connection with an impact of modern social and economic situation on the negative tendencies formed in demographic processes. In the basis of variants were grounded different approaches to the dynamics of demographic processes. The main demographic indicators are the number of permanent residents, birth rates, death rates, migration rates. According to the results of the study, population of the urban district of the city of Voronezh is expected to increase in the specified period and migration inflow of the population has a dominant role in the formation in the formation of the number of the city population.

Developing sustainability: a new metaphor for progress.

PubMed

Bensimon, Cécile M; Benatar, Solomon R

2006-01-01

In this paper, we propose a new model for development, one that transcends the North-South dichotomy and goes beyond a narrow conception of development as an economic process. This model requires a paradigm shift toward a new metaphor that develops sustainability, rather than sustains development. We conclude by defending a 'report card on development' as a means for evaluating how countries perform within this new paradigm.

Power Policy 21 Century: Growth of the Population, Economics, Ecology and Entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prisniakov, Vladimir

2002-01-01

but energy consumed by a man will be a limiting factor. Obtained values of changing in the quantity of population as well as of the consumed fuel quantity in the 21 century have been analysed. The period was defined (2005-2085) when energy hungry is possible due to a higher rate of a human reproduction comparing to the rates of energy consumption. From new position, the laws of the Earth population growth are analysed, based on the equality of the quantity of dying people to the quantity of those bornyears ago, whereis life expectancy. investigated on the base of Second law of thermodynamics. The equation of money exchange dY = (V/p)dM in going from quantity real GNP Y to consumption fuel equivalent E=pd Y takes the form: dE =VdM. General correlation between S and M is proposed: dS = (HV/T)dM, where H is enthalpy; V is velocity of money; T is temperature; p is total prices,is capacity of manufacture resources. This equation shows direction of the spontaneity development of economical processes as part of general law Universe. The original equation of removing from information to matter equation enables to control output natural resources by economic laws, and to control of activities for the restoration wrecked nature.This equation shows the direction of the spontaneity development of economical processes as part of a general Universal law. into account value of expenditure on ecology as part of price and overstated price indexes. The criterions allow to discover numerical values of a stock of money, ecology part of price, velocity of money, value of the taxes, which ensure sustainable development. These equations enable to control output natural resources by economic laws, and to control activities for the restoration of wrecked nature.

The economics of project analysis: Optimal investment criteria and methods of study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scriven, M. C.

1979-01-01

Insight is provided toward the development of an optimal program for investment analysis of project proposals offering commercial potential and its components. This involves a critique of economic investment criteria viewed in relation to requirements of engineering economy analysis. An outline for a systems approach to project analysis is given Application of the Leontief input-output methodology to analysis of projects involving multiple processes and products is investigated. Effective application of elements of neoclassical economic theory to investment analysis of project components is demonstrated. Patterns of both static and dynamic activity levels are incorporated.

Conversion of municipal solid waste to hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, J. H.; Rogers, R. S.; Thorsness, C. B.

1995-04-01

LLNL and Texaco are cooperatively developing a physical and chemical treatment method for the conversion of municipal solid waste (MSW) to hydrogen via the steps of hydrothermal pretreatment, gasification and purification. LLNL's focus has been on hydrothermal pretreatment of MSW in order to prepare a slurry of suitable viscosity and heating value to allow efficient and economical gasification and hydrogen production. The project has evolved along 3 parallel paths: laboratory scale experiments, pilot scale processing, and process modeling. Initial laboratory-scale MSW treatment results (e.g., viscosity, slurry solids content) over a range of temperatures and times with newspaper and plastics will be presented. Viscosity measurements have been correlated with results obtained at MRL. A hydrothermal treatment pilot facility has been rented from Texaco and is being reconfigured at LLNL; the status of that facility and plans for initial runs will be described. Several different operational scenarios have been modeled. Steady state processes have been modeled with ASPEN PLUS; consideration of steam injection in a batch mode was handled using continuous process modules. A transient model derived from a general purpose packed bed model is being developed which can examine the aspects of steam heating inside the hydrothermal reactor vessel. These models have been applied to pilot and commercial scale scenarios as a function of MSW input parameters and have been used to outline initial overall economic trends. Part of the modeling, an overview of the MSW gasification process and the modeling of the MSW as a process material, was completed by a DOE SERS (Science and Engineering Research Semester) student. The ultimate programmatic goal is the technical demonstration of the gasification of MSW to hydrogen at the laboratory and pilot scale and the economic analysis of the commercial feasibility of such a process.

Health Economics at the Crossroads of Centuries – From the Past to the Future

PubMed Central

Jakovljevic, Mihajlo (Michael); Ogura, Seiritsu

2016-01-01

Health economics, as an interdisciplinary science, has experienced exceptionally bold evolution through the past eight decades. Generations of committed scholars have built up huge body of knowledge and developed a set of methodological tools to assist health-care authorities with resource allocation process. Following its conception at the US National Bureau of Economic Research and Ivy League US Universities, this science has spread across the Globe. It has adapted to a myriad of local conditions and needs of the national health systems with diverse historical legacies, medical services provision, and financing patterns. Challenge of financial sustainability facing modern day health systems remains primarily attributable to population aging, prosperity diseases, large scale migrations, rapid urbanization, and technological innovation in medicine. Despite promising developments in developing countries with emerging BRICS markets on the lead, rising out-of-pocket health spending continues to threaten affordability of medical care. Universal health coverage extension will likely remain serious challenge even for some of the most advanced OECD nations. These complex circumstances create strong drivers for inevitable further development of health economics. We believe that this interdisciplinary health science shall leave long-lasting blue print to be visible for decades to come. PMID:27376055

[Environmental health and inequalities: building indicators for sustainable development].

PubMed

Carneiro, Fernando Ferreira; Franco Netto, Guilherme; Corvalan, Carlos; de Freitas, Carlos Machado; Sales, Luiz Belino Ferreira

2012-06-01

Despite its progress in terms of socio-economic indicators, Brazil is still unequal, which is due to an unequal and exclusionary historical process. In this paper we selected the Human Development Index - HDI and other social, economic, environmental and health indicators to exemplify this situation. We selected the municipalities that had the lowest HDI in the country in 2000 comparing their evolution over time between 2000 and 2010 by means of indicators linked to the economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainable development. These municipalities have an HDI classified as low (<0.500), and correspond to countries such as Laos, Yemen, Haiti and Madagascar. At national level, data for the decade show a significant improvement in economic indicators (decrease from 23% to 8.9% of people living on less than a quarter of the minimum wage); social indicators (increase from 86.5% to 90.2% of literacy in women), and the environmental indicator associated with access to the water grid, which also improved to a lesser extent (increase from 81% to 85%). It was concluded that in order to achieve sustainable development with quality of life, the improvement of sanitation and education indicators should be a priority for Brazil.

Health Economics at the Crossroads of Centuries - From the Past to the Future.

PubMed

Jakovljevic, Mihajlo Michael; Ogura, Seiritsu

2016-01-01

Health economics, as an interdisciplinary science, has experienced exceptionally bold evolution through the past eight decades. Generations of committed scholars have built up huge body of knowledge and developed a set of methodological tools to assist health-care authorities with resource allocation process. Following its conception at the US National Bureau of Economic Research and Ivy League US Universities, this science has spread across the Globe. It has adapted to a myriad of local conditions and needs of the national health systems with diverse historical legacies, medical services provision, and financing patterns. Challenge of financial sustainability facing modern day health systems remains primarily attributable to population aging, prosperity diseases, large scale migrations, rapid urbanization, and technological innovation in medicine. Despite promising developments in developing countries with emerging BRICS markets on the lead, rising out-of-pocket health spending continues to threaten affordability of medical care. Universal health coverage extension will likely remain serious challenge even for some of the most advanced OECD nations. These complex circumstances create strong drivers for inevitable further development of health economics. We believe that this interdisciplinary health science shall leave long-lasting blue print to be visible for decades to come.

Analyzing the non-stationary space relationship of a city's degree of vegetation and social economic conditions in Shanghai, China using OLS and GWR models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kejing; Zhang, Yuan; An, Youzhi; Jing, Zhuoxin; Wang, Chao

2013-09-01

With the fast urbanization process, how does the vegetation environment change in one of the most economically developed metropolis, Shanghai in East China? To answer this question, there is a pressing demand to explore the non-stationary relationship between socio-economic conditions and vegetation across Shanghai. In this study, environmental data on vegetation cover, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from MODIS imagery in 2003 were integrated with socio-economic data to reflect the city's vegetative conditions at the census block group level. To explore regional variations in the relationship of vegetation and socio-economic conditions, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) models were applied to characterize mean NDVI against three independent socio-economic variables, an urban land use ratio, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and population density. The study results show that a considerable distinctive spatial variation exists in the relationship for each model. The GWR model has superior effects and higher precision than the OLS model at the census block group scale. So, it is more suitable to account for local effects and geographical variations. This study also indicates that unreasonable excessive urbanization, together with non-sustainable economic development, has a negative influence of vegetation vigor for some neighborhoods in Shanghai.

Sustainable Development Strategy for Russian Mineral Resources Extracting Economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dotsenko, Elena; Ezdina, Natalya; Prilepskaya, Angelina; Pivnyk, Kirill

2017-11-01

The immaturity of strategic and conceptual documents in the sphere of sustainable development of the Russian economy had a negative impact on long-term strategic forecasting of its neo-industrialization. At the present stage, the problems of overcoming the mineral and raw material dependence, the negative structural shift of the Russian economy, the acceleration of the rates of economic growth, the reduction of technological gap from the developed countries become strategically in demand. The modern structure of the Russian economy, developed within the framework of the proposed market model, does not generate a sustainable type of development. It became obvious that in conditions of the market processes' entropy, without neo-industrial changes, the reconstruction of industry on a new convergence-technological basis and without increasing the share of high technology production the instability of macroeconomic system, the risks of environmental and economic security of Russia are growing. Therefore, today we need a transition from forming one industry development strategy to the national one that will take into account both the social and economic and environmental challenges facing Russia as a mineral resources extracting country.

Developing health insurance in transitional Asia.

PubMed

Ensor, T

1999-04-01

Many European and Asian economies are currently undergoing a process of economic transition away from state based command systems to market led economies. The impact of transition, such as a decline in public expenditure, break up of state enterprises and economic recession, has affected levels of funding available for social sectors. In the health sector, health insurance is being introduced as a way of alleviating the decline in funding arising from these processes. Most of the Former Soviet Union and a number of other Asian transition economies are currently introducing, extending or considering payroll based systems of health insurance. Comparisons with many Latin American countries, where social security based insurance has been encouraged since the first World War, can be illuminating. Experience suggests that, various factors have impeded or permitted development in these countries. General processes of economic change (transition factors) tend to affect all economies attempting to change the basis for public funding of services. Structural factors, such as urbanisation and the level of state or industrial employment, act as longer term inhibitors to the extension of coverage. These factors vary considerably across transition economies. This suggests that while a social security base for insurance may be a viable option for smaller industrialised European transitional economies, this is not the case for many of larger less industrialised economies. It is unclear how insurance will develop in the future. If a separate insurance fund is maintained it is important that its' purchasing function is developed. Otherwise it is not clear what value is added to the current health system. If entitlement is to be based on contribution, with the fund based on geographic or employment groups, systems for ensuring access for those not in employment and not classified as socially protected must be developed.

Key Trends in Institutional Changes Under Sustainable Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karpova, Olga; Pevneva, Inna; Dymova, Irina; Kostina, Tatiana; Li, Sergey

2017-11-01

The article is devoted to the consideration of the essential problems of accounting institution formation under the sustainable development of the country and the region. The research is based on the key research the field of the intuition economics and considers the trends of institutional changes including incremental, evolutionary and revolutionary. Approaches to the analysis of institutions are presented as well. The first approach states that economic efficiency is guaranteed by newly emerging institutions. The second approach involves certain internal and external incentives for changing institutions. Whereas the third approach insists on considering institutional changes to be the relation of individual economic entities to institutional innovations in terms of the net benefit from their implementation. The conclusion draws the leading role of the state in the process of the emergence and further development of newly created institutions focusing on the fact that not every change leads to greater efficiency. Thus it is crucial to consider the previous background of institutions development at implementing changes in accounting and control.

Politics and the world's raw materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lepkowski, W.

1979-06-04

New meaning is given to problems of raw materials scarcity in the development of national policies by mineral-rich developing countries. A combination of socio-economic and political factors is shown in countries like Zaire to be shaping decisions on ore production, which directly affects the economies of industrialized countries and world trade. The developing countries need cash from their ores to finance debts, but capitalism has not produced an adequate infrastructure and has not satisfied the poor. A debate is emerging between those who want to restructure a new international economic order and those who want to use industrial wealth andmore » existing financial institutions to secure order in these countries so that mineral production continues. Critical raw materials imported by the US from developing countries are felt by some to have created a situation of vulnerability as Union Carbide and other multinational corporations have shifted processing operations to the source of the ore. Arguments are presented for both sides of the question of whether a new economic order is needed.« less

The Structural Dynamics' Nature of Innovative Development of Russian Economy in the Framework of Its Technological Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorbach, Lyudmila A.; Rajskaya, Marina V.; Aksianova, Anna V.; Morozov, Alexander V.; Gusarova, Irina A.; Sagdeeva, Anzhella A.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the research problem is conditioned by the lack of developments in the field of management of transformational processes in modern economic systems in conditions of globalization and development in the framework of the trends of the world economy. The purpose of this paper is to substantiate directions of innovative development of…

Atypical forest products, processes, and uses: a developing component of National Forest management

Treesearch

Mike Higgs; John Sebelius; Mike Miller

1995-01-01

The silvicultural practices prescribed under an ecosystem management regimen will alter the volume and character of National Forests' marketable raw material base. This alteration will affect forest-dependent communities that have traditionally relied upon these resources for their economic and social well being. Community based atypical forest products, processes...

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 132 - Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative Antidegradation Policy

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... lower water quality is necessary to accommodate important economic or social development in the area in... concern are subject to best technology in process and treatment requirements. Lake Superior Basin... to the Lake Superior Basin shall identify the best technology in process and treatment to eliminate...

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 132 - Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative Antidegradation Policy

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... lower water quality is necessary to accommodate important economic or social development in the area in... concern are subject to best technology in process and treatment requirements. Lake Superior Basin... to the Lake Superior Basin shall identify the best technology in process and treatment to eliminate...

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 132 - Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative Antidegradation Policy

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... lower water quality is necessary to accommodate important economic or social development in the area in... concern are subject to best technology in process and treatment requirements. Lake Superior Basin... to the Lake Superior Basin shall identify the best technology in process and treatment to eliminate...

A computer-based tutorial structure for teaching and applying a complex process

Treesearch

Daniel L. Schmoldt; William G Bradshaw

1991-01-01

Economic accountability concerns for wildfire prevention planning have led to the development of an ignition management approach to fire problems. The Fire Loss Prevention Planning Process (FLPPP) systematizes fire problem analyses and concomitantly establishes a means for evaluating prescribed prevention programs. However, new users of the FLPPP have experienced...

Effects of air injection during sap processing on maple syrup color, chemical composition and flavor volatiles.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Air injection (AI) is a maple sap processing technology reported to increase the efficiency of maple syrup production by increasing production of more economically valuable light-colored maple syrup, and reducing development of loose scale mineral precipitates in syrup, and scale deposits on evapora...

How Community Development Programmes Can Foster Re-Engagement with Learning in Disadvantaged Communities: Leadership as Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millar, Pat; Kilpatrick, Sue

2005-01-01

Family and community capacity building projects in Tasmania are attempting to address the disadvantage of communities marginalised by socio-economic and other influences. Collaborations between the projects, community members and groups, and education and training organisations, have resulted in a leadership process which has fostered reengagement…

Modeling the Structural Dynamic of Industrial Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkinson, Ian F.; Wiley, James B.; Lin, Aizhong

Market systems consist of locally interacting agents who continuously pursue advantageous opportunities. Since the time of Adam Smith, a fundamental task of economics has been to understand how market systems develop and to explain their operation. During the intervening years, theory largely has stressed comparative statics analysis. Based on the assumptions of rational, utility or profit-maximizing agents, and negative, diminishing returns) feedback process, traditional economic analysis seeks to describe the, generally) unique state of an economy corresponding to an initial set of assumptions. The analysis is tatic in the sense that it does not describe the process by which an economy might get from one state to another.

Impact of hydroelectric development upon a northern Manitoba native community

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Waldram, J.B.

1983-01-01

This dissertation describes the process of underdevelopment among the Cree Indian people of South Indian Lake, in Northern Manitoba, Canada, following the construction of the Churchill-Nelson River Hydro Project in 1975. The dissertation seeks to link the ecological, political, economic, socio-cultural and health aspects of the impact of the hydro project within the framework of the historical process of underdevelopment as it has occurred in Latin America, among Native people in the United States, and among Native people in Northern Canada. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data, a process of increased dependence is described as the product of two relatedmore » processes. The first process is the impairment of the local commercial and domestic economy caused by the flooding of Southern Indian Lake, which has resulted in a decline in local productivity. The second process is the enhancement of consumerism through rising consumer expectations and a post-project increase in available goods and services which the people are increasingly unable to afford. The overall result has been a process of economic divergence at the local level. The dissertation concludes that the process of underdevelopment which has occurred in South Indian Lake has been the result primarily of changes in the local ecological system caused by the construction of the hydro project. These ecological changes have, in turn, resulted in secondary changes in the socio-economic system.« less

[Process-oriented cost calculation in interventional radiology. A case study].

PubMed

Mahnken, A H; Bruners, P; Günther, R W; Rasche, C

2012-01-01

Currently used costing methods such as cost centre accounting do not sufficiently reflect the process-based resource utilization in medicine. The goal of this study was to establish a process-oriented cost assessment of percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation of liver and lung metastases. In each of 15 patients a detailed task analysis of the primary process of hepatic and pulmonary RF ablation was performed. Based on these data a dedicated cost calculation model was developed for each primary process. The costs of each process were computed and compared with the revenue for in-patients according to the German diagnosis-related groups (DRG) system 2010. The RF ablation of liver metastases in patients without relevant comorbidities and a low patient complexity level results in a loss of EUR 588.44, whereas the treatment of patients with a higher complexity level yields an acceptable profit. The treatment of pulmonary metastases is profitable even in cases of additional expenses due to complications. Process-oriented costing provides relevant information that is needed for understanding the economic impact of treatment decisions. It is well suited as a starting point for economically driven process optimization and reengineering. Under the terms of the German DRG 2010 system percutaneous RF ablation of lung metastases is economically reasonable, while RF ablation of liver metastases in cases of low patient complexity levels does not cover the costs.

Recent advances in microbial production of mannitol: utilization of low-cost substrates, strain development and regulation strategies.

PubMed

Zhang, Min; Gu, Lei; Cheng, Chao; Ma, Jiangfeng; Xin, Fengxue; Liu, Junli; Wu, Hao; Jiang, Min

2018-02-26

Mannitol has been widely used in fine chemicals, pharmaceutical industries, as well as functional foods due to its excellent characteristics, such as antioxidant protecting, regulation of osmotic pressure and non-metabolizable feature. Mannitol can be naturally produced by microorganisms. Compared with chemical manufacturing, microbial production of mannitol provides high yield and convenience in products separation; however the fermentative process has not been widely adopted yet. A major obstacle to microbial production of mannitol under industrial-scale lies in the low economical efficiency, owing to the high cost of fermentation medium, leakage of fructose, low mannitol productivity. In this review, recent advances in improving the economical efficiency of microbial production of mannitol were reviewed, including utilization of low-cost substrates, strain development for high mannitol yield and process regulation strategies for high productivity.

Catalytic oxidation of biorefinery lignin to value-added chemicals to support sustainable biofuel production.

PubMed

Ma, Ruoshui; Xu, Yan; Zhang, Xiao

2015-01-01

Transforming plant biomass to biofuel is one of the few solutions that can truly sustain mankind's long-term needs for liquid transportation fuel with minimized environmental impact. However, despite decades of effort, commercial development of biomass-to-biofuel conversion processes is still not an economically viable proposition. Identifying value-added co-products along with the production of biofuel provides a key solution to overcoming this economic barrier. Lignin is the second most abundant component next to cellulose in almost all plant biomass; the emerging biomass refinery industry will inevitably generate an enormous amount of lignin. Development of selective biorefinery lignin-to-bioproducts conversion processes will play a pivotal role in significantly improving the economic feasibility and sustainability of biofuel production from renewable biomass. The urgency and importance of this endeavor has been increasingly recognized in the last few years. This paper reviews state-of-the-art oxidative lignin depolymerization chemistries employed in the papermaking process and oxidative catalysts that can be applied to biorefinery lignin to produce platform chemicals including phenolic compounds, dicarboxylic acids, and quinones in high selectivity and yield. The potential synergies of integrating new catalysts with commercial delignification chemistries are discussed. We hope the information will build on the existing body of knowledge to provide new insights towards developing practical and commercially viable lignin conversion technologies, enabling sustainable biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass to be competitive with fossil fuel. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of Non-Infectious Virus-Like Particle Surrogates for Viral Clearance Applications.

PubMed

Johnson, Sarah; Brorson, Kurt A; Frey, Douglas D; Dhar, Arun K; Cetlin, David A

2017-09-01

Viral clearance is a critical aspect of biopharmaceutical manufacturing process validation. To determine the viral clearance efficacy of downstream chromatography and filtration steps, live viral "spiking" studies are conducted with model mammalian viruses such as minute virus of mice (MVM). However, due to biosafety considerations, spiking studies are costly and typically conducted in specialized facilities. In this work, we introduce the concept of utilizing a non-infectious MVM virus-like particle (MVM-VLP) as an economical surrogate for live MVM during process development and characterization. Through transmission electron microscopy, size exclusion chromatography with multi-angle light scattering, chromatofocusing, and a novel solute surface hydrophobicity assay, we examined and compared the size, surface charge, and hydrophobic properties of MVM and MVM-VLP. The results revealed that MVM and MVM-VLP exhibited nearly identical physicochemical properties, indicating the potential utility of MVM-VLP as an accurate and economical surrogate to live MVM during chromatography and filtration process development and characterization studies.

Systematic optimization of fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation at high-solid loading based on enzymatic hydrolysis and dynamic metabolic modeling of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Unrean, Pornkamol; Khajeeram, Sutamat; Laoteng, Kobkul

2016-03-01

An integrative simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) modeling is a useful guiding tool for rapid process optimization to meet the techno-economic requirement of industrial-scale lignocellulosic ethanol production. In this work, we have developed the SSF model composing of a metabolic network of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell associated with fermentation kinetics and enzyme hydrolysis model to quantitatively capture dynamic responses of yeast cell growth and fermentation during SSF. By using model-based design of feeding profiles for substrate and yeast cell in the fed-batch SSF process, an efficient ethanol production with high titer of up to 65 g/L and high yield of 85 % of theoretical yield was accomplished. The ethanol titer and productivity was increased by 47 and 41 %, correspondingly, in optimized fed-batch SSF as compared to batch process. The developed integrative SSF model is, therefore, considered as a promising approach for systematic design of economical and sustainable SSF bioprocessing of lignocellulose.

Waste valorization by biotechnological conversion into added value products.

PubMed

Liguori, Rossana; Amore, Antonella; Faraco, Vincenza

2013-07-01

Fossil fuel reserves depletion, global warming, unrelenting population growth, and costly and problematic waste recycling call for renewable resources of energy and consumer products. As an alternative to the 100 % oil economy, production processes based on biomass can be developed. Huge amounts of lignocellulosic wastes are yearly produced all around the world. They include agricultural residues, food farming wastes, "green-grocer's wastes," tree pruning residues, and organic and paper fraction of urban solid wastes. The common ways currently adopted for disposal of these wastes present environmental and economic disadvantages. As an alternative, processes for adding value to wastes producing high added products should be developed, that is the upgrading concept: adding value to wastes by production of a product with desired reproducible properties, having economic and ecological advantages. A wide range of high added value products, such as enzymes, biofuels, organic acids, biopolymers, bioelectricity, and molecules for food and pharmaceutical industries, can be obtained by upgrading solid wastes. The most recent advancements of their production by biotechnological processes are overviewed in this manuscript.

Biomass, strain engineering, and fermentation processes for butanol production by solventogenic clostridia.

PubMed

Lee, Sang-Hyun; Yun, Eun Ju; Kim, Jungyeon; Lee, Sang Jun; Um, Youngsoon; Kim, Kyoung Heon

2016-10-01

Butanol is considered an attractive biofuel and a commercially important bulk chemical. However, economical production of butanol by solventogenic clostridia, e.g., via fermentative production of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE), is hampered by low fermentation performance, mainly as a result of toxicity of butanol to microorganisms and high substrate costs. Recently, sugars from marine macroalgae and syngas were recognized as potent carbon sources in biomass feedstocks that are abundant and do not compete for arable land with edible crops. With the aid of systems metabolic engineering, many researchers have developed clostridial strains with improved performance on fermentation of these substrates. Alternatively, fermentation strategies integrated with butanol recovery processes such as adsorption, gas stripping, liquid-liquid extraction, and pervaporation have been designed to increase the overall titer of butanol and volumetric productivity. Nevertheless, for economically feasible production of butanol, innovative strategies based on recent research should be implemented. This review describes and discusses recent advances in the development of biomass feedstocks, microbial strains, and fermentation processes for butanol production.

Combined Sustainability Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis for the Production of Biomass-Derived High-Octane Gasoline Blendstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, Eric C. D.; Talmadge, Michael; Dutta, Abhijit

Conversion technologies for biomass to liquid hydrocarbon fuels are being actively developed. Converting biomass into advanced hydrocarbon fuels requires detailed assessments to help prioritize research; techno-economic analysis (TEA) is a long established tool used to assess feasibility and progress. TEA provides information needed to make informed judgments about the viability of any given conceptual conversion process; it is particularly useful to identify technical barriers and measure progress toward overcoming those barriers. Expansion of the cellulosic biofuels industry at the scale needed to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard goals is also expected to have environmental impacts. Hence, the success of themore » biofuels industry depends not only on economic viability, but also on environmental sustainability. A biorefinery process that is economically feasible but suffers from key sustainability drawbacks is not likely to represent a long-term solution to replace fossil-derived fuels. Overarching concerns like environmental sustainability need to be addressed for biofuels production. Combined TEA and environmental sustainability assessment of emerging pathways helps facilitate biorefinery designs that are both economically feasible and minimally impactful to the environment. This study focuses on environmental sustainability assessment and techno-economic analysis for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via gasification and methanol/dimethyl ether intermediates. Results from the conceptual process design with economic analysis, along with the quantification and assessment of the environmental sustainability, are presented and discussed. Sustainability metrics associated with the production of high-octane gasoline include carbon conversion efficiency, consumptive water use, life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, fossil energy consumption, energy return on investment and net energy value.« less

Enhanced Versus Conventional Sludge Anaerobic Processes: Performances and Techno-Economic Assessment.

PubMed

Gianico, Andrea; Bertanza, Giorgio; Braguglia, Camilla M; Canato, Matteo; Gallipoli, Agata; Laera, Giuseppe; Levantesi, Caterina; Mininni, Giuseppe

2016-05-01

Sewage sludge processing is a key issue in water resource recovery facilities due to the inefficacy of conventional treatments to produce high quality biosolids to be safely used in agriculture. Under this framework, the performances of several enhanced stabilization processes, namely ultrasound-pretreated Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion (US+MAD), thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD), thermal-pretreated TAD (TH+TAD) and ultrasound-pretreated inverse Temperature Phased Anaerobic Digestion (US+iTPAD) have been investigated. Such enhanced processes resulted in higher biogas yields and higher destruction of pathogens with respect to conventional MAD process, thus suggesting their feasibility in full-scale implementation perspectives. A procedure for technical-economic comparison of new sludge processing lines against conventional ones (benchmarking) was developed, based on the definition of technical issues (e.g. reliability, complexity, etc.) which are rated for each situation. Moreover, capital and operating costs were estimated. The enhanced processes analyzed in this work showed some potentially critical items, mainly related to energy balance and reagent consumption.

The economics of new drugs: can we afford to make progress in a common disease?

PubMed

Hirsch, Bradford R; Schulman, Kevin A

2013-01-01

The concept of personalized medicine is beginning to come to fruition, but the cost of drug development is untenable today. To identify new initiatives that would support a more sustainable business model, the economics of drug development are analyzed, including the cost of drug development, cost of capital, target market size, returns to innovators at the product and firm levels, and, finally, product pricing. We argue that a quick fix is not available. Instead, a rethinking of the entire pharmaceutical development process is needed from the way that clinical trials are conducted, to the role of biomarkers in segmenting markets, to the use of grant support, and conditional approval to decrease the cost of capital. In aggregate, the opportunities abound.

Global economic prospects and the developing countries, 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-12-01

The report`s central message is that the increasing integration of developing countries into the global economy constitutes perhaps the most important opportunity for raising the welfare of both developing and industrial countries over the long term. But the process of integration will not be without frictions that give rise to protectionist pressures. And, as recent events in Mexico have shown, it will increase the complexity of economic management for developing country policymakers. Globalization comes with liberalization, deregulation, and more mobile and potentially volatile cross-border capital flows, which means that sound macroeconomic management commands an increasingly high premium. Penalties for policymore » errors rise. Globalization thus requires closer monitoring and quicker policy responses at the country, regional, and global levels.« less

Through The Decades - Changes in Social, Economic, Legal and Planning Determinants of Residential Development across Decades - Evidence from Suburban Areas in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Źróbek-Różańska, Alina; Zysk, Elżbieta; Źróbek, Ryszard

2017-10-01

Poland has experienced many political, legal, social and economic transformations. For the last twelve decades, this country was under foreign partition, in the war, under the influence of socialist system with centrally planned economy and finally regained autonomy and rapidly introduced market economy. Each epoch had its own characteristic, that can be recognized also in the residential buildings development. Therefore, the authors focused on the social, economic, legal and planning conditionings that shaped the development of the residential buildings with the most characteristic periods: pre-II world war, 50-ties, 60-ties, 70-ties, 80-ties, 90-ties and XXI century. Some of them are visible in the still existing residential buildings, especially in the suburban villages. The most recent process that can be observed in the study area is urban sprawl. Since the beginning of the XXI century, urban population in Poland has been gradually declining, while suburban villages transform into ‘urban-like’ districts. The aim of the study was to arrange and present in the decade-by-decade manner, the social, economic, legal and planning conditionings that were valid in particular periods. It was realized by correlating information on the contemporary social trends, economic conditions, legal framework and planning regulations. Presentation was enriched by the examples of the buildings developed in the accordance with the contemporary restrictions.

Consequences of residential development for biodiversity and human well-being

Treesearch

Liba Pejchar; Sarah E. Reed; Patrick Bixler; Lindsay Ex; Miranda H. Mockrin

2015-01-01

Residential development is a leading driver of land-use change, with important implications for biodiversity, ecosystem processes, and human well-being. We reviewed over 500 published scientific articles on the biophysical, economic, and social effects of residential development and open space in the US. We concluded that current knowledge of the effects of this type...

Open and Distance Education as a Strategy for Human Capital Development in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olakulehin, Felix Kayode

2008-01-01

The development of human capital has been identified as the most important component of all the factors employed in production economics. Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has placed great emphasis on training and education for human capital formation. However, the education process as the primary means of developing human resource has failed,…

Developing a University Course for Online Delivery Based on Learning Objects: From Ideals to Compromises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilhelm, Pierre; Wilde, Russ

2005-01-01

A course instructor and his assistant at Athabasca University investigated whether the process of transferring interoperable learning objects from online repositories facilitated course production, both pedagogically and economically. They examined the efficiency of the objects-assembly method from several perspectives while developing an online…

An Evaluation of Early Reading First (ERF) Preschool Enrichment on Language and Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Goetz, Ernest T.; Hall, Robert J.; Payne, Tara; Taylor, Aaron B.; Kim, Minjung; McCormick, Anita S.

2011-01-01

Early Reading First (ERF) was created to address problems related to language and development among economically disadvantaged and language-minority preschool children through quality classroom processes, professional development, and instruction. More than any previous initiative, ERF specifies what early literacy instruction should look like in…

Forest development leading to disturbances

Treesearch

Clinton E. Carlson; Stephen F. Arno; Jimmie Chew; Catherine A. Stewart

1995-01-01

Natural disturbance in western U.S.A. forest ecosystems is related to forest succession, growth, and structural development. Natural disturbance may be biotic (insects and diseases) or abiotic (fire, wind, avalanche, etc.). Natural disturbances are more appropriately thought of as natural processes; disturbance is a social connotation implicating economic loss. Forest...

The "Test of Financial Literacy": Development and Measurement Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walstad, William B.; Rebeck, Ken

2017-01-01

The "Test of Financial Literacy" (TFL) was created to measure the financial knowledge of high school students. Its content is based on the standards and benchmarks stated in the "National Standards for Financial Literacy" (Council for Economic Education 2013). The test development process involved extensive item writing and…

Production cost comparisons of hydrogen from fossil and nuclear fuel and water decomposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ekman, K. R.

1981-01-01

The comparative costs entailed in producing hydrogen by major technologies that rely on petroleum, natural gas, coal, thermochemical cycles, and electrolysis are examined. Techniques were developed for comparing these processes by formulating the process data and economic assessments on a uniform and consistent basis. These data were normalized to permit a meaningful comparative analysis of product costs of these processes.

Advanced development: Fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramohalli, K.

1981-05-01

The solar thermal fuels and chemicals program at Jet Propulsion Laboratory are described. High technology is developed and applied to displace fossil fuel (oil) use in the production/processing of valuable fuels and chemicals. The technical and economic feasibility is demonstrated to extent that enables the industry to participate and commercialize the product. A representative process, namely Furfural production with a bottoming of acetone, butanol and ethanol, is described. Experimental data from all solar production of furfural is discussed. Estimates are given to show the attractiveness of this process, considering its flexibility to be adaptable to dishes, troughs or central receivers. Peat, lignite and low rank coal processing, heavy oil stripping and innovative technologies for process diagnostics and control are mentioned as examples of current projects under intensive development.

Advanced development: Fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramohalli, K.

1981-01-01

The solar thermal fuels and chemicals program at Jet Propulsion Laboratory are described. High technology is developed and applied to displace fossil fuel (oil) use in the production/processing of valuable fuels and chemicals. The technical and economic feasibility is demonstrated to extent that enables the industry to participate and commercialize the product. A representative process, namely Furfural production with a bottoming of acetone, butanol and ethanol, is described. Experimental data from all solar production of furfural is discussed. Estimates are given to show the attractiveness of this process, considering its flexibility to be adaptable to dishes, troughs or central receivers. Peat, lignite and low rank coal processing, heavy oil stripping and innovative technologies for process diagnostics and control are mentioned as examples of current projects under intensive development.

Cyber Physical Systems for User Reliability Measurements in a Sharing Economy Environment

PubMed Central

Seo, Aria; Kim, Yeichang

2017-01-01

As the sharing economic market grows, the number of users is also increasing but many problems arise in terms of reliability between providers and users in the processing of services. The existing methods provide shared economic systems that judge the reliability of the provider from the viewpoint of the user. In this paper, we have developed a system for establishing mutual trust between providers and users in a shared economic environment to solve existing problems. In order to implement a system that can measure and control users’ situation in a shared economic environment, we analyzed the necessary factors in a cyber physical system (CPS). In addition, a user measurement system based on a CPS structure in a sharing economic environment is implemented through analysis of the factors to consider when constructing a CPS. PMID:28805709

Cyber Physical Systems for User Reliability Measurements in a Sharing Economy Environment.

PubMed

Seo, Aria; Jeong, Junho; Kim, Yeichang

2017-08-13

As the sharing economic market grows, the number of users is also increasing but many problems arise in terms of reliability between providers and users in the processing of services. The existing methods provide shared economic systems that judge the reliability of the provider from the viewpoint of the user. In this paper, we have developed a system for establishing mutual trust between providers and users in a shared economic environment to solve existing problems. In order to implement a system that can measure and control users' situation in a shared economic environment, we analyzed the necessary factors in a cyber physical system (CPS). In addition, a user measurement system based on a CPS structure in a sharing economic environment is implemented through analysis of the factors to consider when constructing a CPS.

The economic support index evaluation study on the pig breeding scale of the six provinces in central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, Bi-Bin; Le, Xi-lin; Yuan, Gang; Ji, Xue-Qiang

2017-11-01

Shanxi province, Anhui province, Jiangxi province, Henan province, Hubei province and Hunan province are located in the central part of China. They are playing an essential role in China’s economic and social development. In this article, we use analytic hierarchy process(AHP), on the basis of the statistical yearbook data of 2016, conduct an appraisal research about the economic support index of the pig breeding scale in the six provinces of central China. The evaluation shows that Hubei tops all of the provinces on the economic support index, followed by Hunan, Anhui, Henan, Jiangxi. The lowest index is in Shanxi province. It indicates the economic conditions in Hubei province is the most capable for it to support the pig breeding scale, Shanxi province is the opposite.

Evaluation of Mobil OCTGAIN{trademark} technology for the manufacture of reformulated gasoline via LP modeling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poddar, S.K.; Chum, K.; Ragsdale, R.

1995-09-01

Sulfur and olefins content of gasoline come primarily from the cat-cracked blendstock. Therefore hydrotreating cat cracked naphtha is a straight forward approach to reduce sulfur and olefin contents of gasoline and thereby reduce auto exhaust emission. However, this approach reduces the Octane number of gasoline which requires addition of Octane enhancer like MTBE to meet the stringent requirement of 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments and to produce Reformulated Gasoline (RFG). The paper examines the economic incentives of an innovative process technology which was developed and commercialized by Mobil known as OCTGAIN. The process utilizes fixed bed low pressure hardware andmore » uses a Mobil proprietary catalyst system to produce catalytically cracked (CC) gasoline component with thorough desulfurization and olefin reduction and practically no loss in Octane number. The economic evaluation of the OCTGAIN technology was conducted with Bechtel`s proprietary linear programming software, Process Industry Modeling System by introducing an OCTGAIN process block to a typical PADD-3 refinery configuration for gasoline production and satisfying RFG specifications. The results of the evaluation which involved twenty case studies, show that within the limitations of the study scope, the introduction of OCTGAIN technology creates a definite economic incentive over conventional hydrofinishing of CC naphtha. The profitability of OCTGAIN technology is dependent on the aromatics component of the gasoline pool. The economic advantage of OCTGAIN technology is realized primarily by higher production of premium gasoline and the ability to process lower cost high sulfur crude. The process also allows a better utilization of the FCCU and hydrocracker, if the refinery operation permits.« less

Entering the 21st century: the challenges for development

PubMed Central

Wolfensohn, J. D.

1999-01-01

By many people, the 20th century will be remembered as an era of great achievement in human endeavour, and of enormous economic growth and prosperity. Achievements in medical research, from eradicating infectious diseases to laser surgery; in engineering, from the transistor to space exploration; and in economic development have all contributed to greater well being in the world at the end of the 20th century. Among the challenges to development identified by the World Bank in the coming decades will be managing the twin processes of globalization and localization, as well as post-conflict reconstruction. These will form the backdrop of the Bank's main focus of creating a world free of poverty.

Environmental, Economic, and Scalability Considerations and Trends of Selected Fuel Economy-Enhancing Biomass-Derived Blendstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunn, Jennifer B.; Biddy, Mary; Jones, Susanne

Twenty-four biomass-derived compounds and mixtures, identified based on their physical properties, which could be blended into fuels to improve spark ignition engine fuel economy, were assessed for their economic, technology readiness, and environmental viability. These bio-blendstocks were modeled to be produced biochemically, thermochemically, or through hybrid processes. To carry out the assessment, 17 metrics were developed for which each bio-blendstock was determined to be favorable, neutral, or unfavorable. Cellulosic ethanol was included as a reference case. Overall economic and, to some extent, environmental viability is driven by projected yields for each of these processes. The metrics used in this analysismore » methodology highlight the near-term potential to achieve these targeted yield estimates when considering data quality and current technical readiness for these conversion strategies. Key knowledge gaps included the degree of purity needed for use as a bio-blendstock. Less stringent purification requirements for fuels could cut processing costs and environmental impacts. Additionally, more information is needed on the blending behavior of many of these bio-blendstocks with gasoline to support the technology readiness evaluation. Altogether, the technology to produce many of these blendstocks from biomass is emerging, and as it matures, these assessments must be revisited. Importantly, considering economic, environmental, and technology readiness factors, in addition to physical properties of blendstocks that could be used to boost engine efficiency and fuel economy, in the early stages of project research and development can help spotlight those most likely to be viable in the near term.« less

Environmental, Economic, and Scalability Considerations and Trends of Selected Fuel Economy-Enhancing Biomass-Derived Blendstocks

DOE PAGES

Dunn, Jennifer B.; Biddy, Mary; Jones, Susanne; ...

2017-10-30

Twenty-four biomass-derived compounds and mixtures, identified based on their physical properties, which could be blended into fuels to improve spark ignition engine fuel economy, were assessed for their economic, technology readiness, and environmental viability. These bio-blendstocks were modeled to be produced biochemically, thermochemically, or through hybrid processes. To carry out the assessment, 17 metrics were developed for which each bio-blendstock was determined to be favorable, neutral, or unfavorable. Cellulosic ethanol was included as a reference case. Overall economic and, to some extent, environmental viability is driven by projected yields for each of these processes. The metrics used in this analysismore » methodology highlight the near-term potential to achieve these targeted yield estimates when considering data quality and current technical readiness for these conversion strategies. Key knowledge gaps included the degree of purity needed for use as a bio-blendstock. Less stringent purification requirements for fuels could cut processing costs and environmental impacts. Additionally, more information is needed on the blending behavior of many of these bio-blendstocks with gasoline to support the technology readiness evaluation. Altogether, the technology to produce many of these blendstocks from biomass is emerging, and as it matures, these assessments must be revisited. Importantly, considering economic, environmental, and technology readiness factors, in addition to physical properties of blendstocks that could be used to boost engine efficiency and fuel economy, in the early stages of project research and development can help spotlight those most likely to be viable in the near term.« less

Economic viability of Stratified Medicine concepts: An investor perspective on drivers and conditions that favour using Stratified Medicine approaches in a cost-contained healthcare environment.

PubMed

Fugel, Hans-Joerg; Nuijten, Mark; Postma, Maarten

2016-12-25

Stratified Medicine (SM) is becoming a natural result of advances in biomedical science and a promising path for the innovation-based biopharmaceutical industry to create new investment opportunities. While the use of biomarkers to improve R&D efficiency and productivity is very much acknowledged by industry, much work remains to be done to understand the drivers and conditions that favour using a stratified approach to create economically viable products and to justify the investment in SM interventions as a stratification option. In this paper we apply a decision analytical methodology to address the economic attractiveness of different SM development options in a cost-contained healthcare environment. For this purpose, a hypothetical business case in the oncology market has been developed considering four feasible development scenarios. The article outlines the effects of development time and time to peak sales as key economic value drivers influencing profitability of SM interventions under specific conditions. If regulatory and reimbursement challenges can be solved, decreasing development time and enhancing early market penetration would most directly improve the economic attractiveness of SM interventions. Appropriate tailoring of highly differentiated patient subgroups is the prerequisite to leverage potential efficiency gains in the R&D process. Also, offering a better targeted and hence ultimately more cost-effective therapy at reimbursable prices will facilitate time to market access and allow increasing market share gains within the targeted populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modeling and simulation: A key to future defense technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muccio, Anthony B.

1993-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to express the rationale for continued technological and scientific development of the modeling and simulation process for the defense industry. The defense industry, along with a variety of other industries, is currently being forced into making sacrifices in response to the current economic hardships. These sacrifices, which may not compromise the safety of our nation, nor jeopardize our current standing as the world peace officer, must be concentrated in areas which will withstand the needs of the changing world. Therefore, the need for cost effective alternatives of defense issues must be examined. This paper provides support that the modeling and simulation process is an economically feasible process which will ensure our nation's safety as well as provide and keep up with the future technological developments and demands required by the defense industry. The outline of this paper is as follows: introduction, which defines and describes the modeling and simulation process; discussion, which details the purpose and benefits of modeling and simulation and provides specific examples of how the process has been successful; and conclusion, which summarizes the specifics of modeling and simulation of defense issues and lends the support for its continued use in the defense arena.

Is a Clean Development Mechanism project economically justified? Case study of an International Carbon Sequestration Project in Iran.

PubMed

Katircioglu, Salih; Dalir, Sara; Olya, Hossein G

2016-01-01

The present study evaluates a carbon sequestration project for the three plant species in arid and semiarid regions of Iran. Results show that Haloxylon performed appropriately in the carbon sequestration process during the 6 years of the International Carbon Sequestration Project (ICSP). In addition to a high degree of carbon dioxide sequestration, Haloxylon shows high compatibility with severe environmental conditions and low maintenance costs. Financial and economic analysis demonstrated that the ICSP was justified from an economic perspective. The financial assessment showed that net present value (NPV) (US$1,098,022.70), internal rate of return (IRR) (21.53%), and payback period (6 years) were in an acceptable range. The results of the economic analysis suggested an NPV of US$4,407,805.15 and an IRR of 50.63%. Therefore, results of this study suggest that there are sufficient incentives for investors to participate in such kind of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects.

The development of computer networks: First results from a microeconomic model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maier, Gunther; Kaufmann, Alexander

Computer networks like the Internet are gaining importance in social and economic life. The accelerating pace of the adoption of network technologies for business purposes is a rather recent phenomenon. Many applications are still in the early, sometimes even experimental, phase. Nevertheless, it seems to be certain that networks will change the socioeconomic structures we know today. This is the background for our special interest in the development of networks, in the role of spatial factors influencing the formation of networks, and consequences of networks on spatial structures, and in the role of externalities. This paper discusses a simple economic model - based on a microeconomic calculus - that incorporates the main factors that generate the growth of computer networks. The paper provides analytic results about the generation of computer networks. The paper discusses (1) under what conditions economic factors will initiate the process of network formation, (2) the relationship between individual and social evaluation, and (3) the efficiency of a network that is generated based on economic mechanisms.

Relevance of health economics in breast cancer treatment: integration of economics in the management of breast cancer at the clinic level.

PubMed

Jacobs, Volker R; Bogner, Gerhard; Schausberger, Christiane E; Reitsamer, Roland; Fischer, Thorsten

2013-03-01

Since the introduction of the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) system with cost-related and entity-specific flat-rate reimbursements for all in-patients in 2004 in Germany, economics have become an important focus in medical care, including breast centers. Since then, physicians and hospitals have had to gradually take on more and more financial responsibilities for their medical care to avoid losses for their institutions. Due to financial limitations of resources, most medical services have to be adjusted to correlating revenues, which results in the development of a variety of active measures to understand, steer, and optimize costs, resources and related processes for breast cancer treatment. In this review, the challenging task to implement microeconomic management at the clinic level for breast cancer treatment is analyzed from breast cancer-specific publications. The newly developed economic management perspective is identified for different stakeholders in the healthcare system, and successful microeconomic projects and future aspects are described.

Relevance of Health Economics in Breast Cancer Treatment: Integration of Economics in the Management of Breast Cancer at the Clinic Level

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Volker R.; Bogner, Gerhard; Schausberger, Christiane E.; Reitsamer, Roland; Fischer, Thorsten

2013-01-01

Summary Since the introduction of the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) system with cost-related and entity-specific flat-rate reimbursements for all in-patients in 2004 in Germany, economics have become an important focus in medical care, including breast centers. Since then, physicians and hospitals have had to gradually take on more and more financial responsibilities for their medical care to avoid losses for their institutions. Due to financial limitations of resources, most medical services have to be adjusted to correlating revenues, which results in the development of a variety of active measures to understand, steer, and optimize costs, resources and related processes for breast cancer treatment. In this review, the challenging task to implement microeconomic management at the clinic level for breast cancer treatment is analyzed from breast cancer-specific publications. The newly developed economic management perspective is identified for different stakeholders in the healthcare system, and successful microeconomic projects and future aspects are described. PMID:24715837

Przedsiębiorczość agroturystyczna w województwie podkarpackim

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrapek, Grzegorz; Surmiak, Marzena

2009-01-01

Agrotourism enterprise in Podkarpackie voivodeship creates a great chance for the development of rural areas of this region. Agrotourism seen as the tool generating economic activity among the examined communities leads to the transformation of usual farms into multifunctional economic subjects, which results in creating new realities of rural life. This process has a positive influence on socio-economic transformations in rural areas to be observed in job creation, changes in population structure and diminishing migration. From economic point of view, agrotourism development creates favourable conditions for the diversification of the income of local people. There is no doubt that anthropogenic and environmental values of Podkarpackie voivodeship, which uniqueness is of which confirmed by the existence of a great number of protected areas, make this region attractive for tourism. These elements in connection with typically rural character of Podkarpackie voivodeship create ideal conditions for agrotourism. The spatial diversity, however, significantly limits the growth rate of this kind of tourism in the research region.

Understanding cost drivers and economic potential of two variants of ionic liquid pretreatment for cellulosic biofuel production

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment could enable an economically viable route to produce biofuels by providing efficient means to extract sugars and lignin from lignocellulosic biomass. However, to realize this, novel IL-based processes need to be developed in order to minimize the overall production costs and accelerate commercial viability. In this study, two variants of IL-based processes are considered: one based on complete removal of the IL prior to hydrolysis using a water-wash (WW) step and the other based on a “one-pot” (OP) process that does not require IL removal prior to saccharification. Detailed techno-economic analysis (TEA) of these two routes was carried out to understand the cost drivers, economic potential (minimum ethanol selling price, MESP), and relative merits and challenges of each route. Results At high biomass loading (50%), both routes exhibited comparable economic performance with an MESP of $6.3/gal. With the possible advances identified (reduced water or acid/base consumption, improved conversion in pretreatment, and lignin valorization), the MESP could be reduced to around $3/gal ($3.2 in the WW route and $2.8 in the OP route). Conclusions It was found that, to be competitive at industrial scale, lowered cost of ILs used and higher biomass loadings (50%) are essential for both routes, and in particular for the OP route. Overall, while the economic potential of both routes appears to be comparable at higher biomass loadings, the OP route showed the benefit of lower water consumption at the plant level, an important cost and sustainability consideration for biorefineries. PMID:24932217

Exploration of aggregates in Louisiana : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-05-01

Aggregate material deposits which can be processed economically for construction materials are an important resource for the state and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD). This need, together with the shortage of aggre...

Process Evaluation of an Internet Career Fair.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIlveen, Peter; Gibson, Ellen; Fallon, Sharlene; Ross, Paul

2002-01-01

An Internet career fair for Australian college students was developed economically with a minimalist design presenting as much useful information as possible. Twenty major employers attracted 61,000 hits, a high proportion from external students. (SK)

Integrating health economics modeling in the product development cycle of medical devices: a Bayesian approach.

PubMed

Vallejo-Torres, Laura; Steuten, Lotte M G; Buxton, Martin J; Girling, Alan J; Lilford, Richard J; Young, Terry

2008-01-01

Medical device companies are under growing pressure to provide health-economic evaluations of their products. Cost-effectiveness analyses are commonly undertaken as a one-off exercise at the late stage of development of new technologies; however, the benefits of an iterative use of economic evaluation during the development process of new products have been acknowledged in the literature. Furthermore, the use of Bayesian methods within health technology assessment has been shown to be of particular value in the dynamic framework of technology appraisal when new information becomes available in the life cycle of technologies. In this study, we set out a methodology to adapt these methods for their application to directly support investment decisions in a commercial setting from early stages of the development of new medical devices. Starting with relatively simple analysis from the very early development phase and proceeding to greater depth of analysis at later stages, a Bayesian approach facilitates the incorporation of all available evidence and would help companies to make better informed choices at each decision point.

A flow-through chromatography process for influenza A and B virus purification.

PubMed

Weigel, Thomas; Solomaier, Thomas; Peuker, Alessa; Pathapati, Trinath; Wolff, Michael W; Reichl, Udo

2014-10-01

Vaccination is still the most efficient measure to protect against influenza virus infections. Besides the seasonal wave of influenza, pandemic outbreaks of bird or swine flu represent a high threat to human population. With the establishment of cell culture-based processes, there is a growing demand for robust, economic and efficient downstream processes for influenza virus purification. This study focused on the development of an economic flow-through chromatographic process avoiding virus strain sensitive capture steps. Therefore, a three-step process consisting of anion exchange chromatography (AEC), Benzonase(®) treatment, and size exclusion chromatography with a ligand-activated core (LCC) was established, and tested for purification of two influenza A virus strains and one influenza B virus strain. The process resulted in high virus yields (≥68%) with protein contamination levels fulfilling requirements of the European Pharmacopeia for production of influenza vaccines for human use. DNA was depleted by ≥98.7% for all strains. The measured DNA concentrations per dose were close to the required limits of 10ng DNA per dose set by the European Pharmacopeia. In addition, the added Benzonase(®) could be successfully removed from the product fraction. Overall, the presented downstream process could potentially represent a simple, robust and economic platform technology for production of cell culture-derived influenza vaccines. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of manufacturing processes: improved technology for ceramic engine components. Monthly report, August 1977

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Craig, D.F.; Taylor, A.J.; Weber, G.W.

Progress is described in a research program to develop advanced tooling concepts, processing techniques, and related technology for the economical high-volume manufacture of ceramic engine components. Because of the success of the initial fabrication effort for hot pressing fully dense ceramic turbine blades to shape and/or contour, the effort has been extended to include the fabrication of more complex shapes and the evaluation of alternative pressure-assisted, high-temperature, consolidation methods.

Development of polymer nano composite patterns using fused deposition modeling for rapid investment casting process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vivek, Tiwary; Arunkumar, P.; Deshpande, A. S.; Vinayak, Malik; Kulkarni, R. M.; Asif, Angadi

2018-04-01

Conventional investment casting is one of the oldest and most economical manufacturing techniques to produce intricate and complex part geometries. However, investment casting is considered economical only if the volume of production is large. Design iterations and design optimisations in this technique proves to be very costly due to time and tooling cost for making dies for producing wax patterns. However, with the advent of Additive manufacturing technology, plastic patterns promise a very good potential to replace the wax patterns. This approach can be very useful for low volume production & lab requirements, since the cost and time required to incorporate the changes in the design is very low. This research paper discusses the steps involved for developing polymer nanocomposite filaments and checking its suitability for investment castings. The process parameters of the 3D printer machine are also optimized using the DOE technique to obtain mechanically stronger plastic patterns. The study is done to develop a framework for rapid investment casting for lab as well as industrial requirements.

Probabilistic cost-benefit analysis of disaster risk management in a development context.

PubMed

Kull, Daniel; Mechler, Reinhard; Hochrainer-Stigler, Stefan

2013-07-01

Limited studies have shown that disaster risk management (DRM) can be cost-efficient in a development context. Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is an evaluation tool to analyse economic efficiency. This research introduces quantitative, stochastic CBA frameworks and applies them in case studies of flood and drought risk reduction in India and Pakistan, while also incorporating projected climate change impacts. DRM interventions are shown to be economically efficient, with integrated approaches more cost-effective and robust than singular interventions. The paper highlights that CBA can be a useful tool if certain issues are considered properly, including: complexities in estimating risk; data dependency of results; negative effects of interventions; and distributional aspects. The design and process of CBA must take into account specific objectives, available information, resources, and the perceptions and needs of stakeholders as transparently as possible. Intervention design and uncertainties should be qualified through dialogue, indicating that process is as important as numerical results. © 2013 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2013.

Economic development, income inequality and environmental degradation of fisheries resources in Mauritius.

PubMed

Sobhee, Sanjeev K

2004-07-01

This article examines how environmental degradation of fisheries resources in the context of Mauritius is linked up with human investment in education, economic growth, and income inequality. Empirical evidence shows that public-sector investment in education promotes economic growth, but at the expense of greater inequality of income. Among the vulnerable groups affected by this type of development process lies the fisherman community. In fact, children of poor families in coastal Mauritius have constrained access to complete school education because of the persistently high opportunity cost involved. Hence, this community is caught up in a vicious circle, as its children or grandchildren would barely be redeployed elsewhere other than in the fisheries sector itself. Such exclusion might account for the overexploitation of marine resources of the island and the accompanying reduction in fish catch over recent years.

Ethnic diversity, traditional norms, and marriage behaviour in Indonesia.

PubMed

Buttenheim, Alison M; Nobles, Jenna

2009-11-01

What role do cultural norms play in shaping individual behaviour and how does this relationship change with rapid socio-economic development? While modernization and convergence theories predict a weakened relationship between culture and behaviour as individuals rely less on family and community members for economic opportunities, recent research suggests that such norms can persist and continue to influence behaviour. We explored this question for Indonesia, asking whether cultural norms for age at marriage and post-marriage residence-as embodied in local ethnicity-based laws and customs known as 'adat'-relate to actual marriage behaviour. We demonstrate that adat norms are strong predictors of marriage behaviour, both over time and net of large increases in educational attainment. Our results suggest more generally that traditional marriage norms can persist even when a society is in the process of rapid socio-economic development.

A Hybrid Interval-Robust Optimization Model for Water Quality Management.

PubMed

Xu, Jieyu; Li, Yongping; Huang, Guohe

2013-05-01

In water quality management problems, uncertainties may exist in many system components and pollution-related processes ( i.e. , random nature of hydrodynamic conditions, variability in physicochemical processes, dynamic interactions between pollutant loading and receiving water bodies, and indeterminacy of available water and treated wastewater). These complexities lead to difficulties in formulating and solving the resulting nonlinear optimization problems. In this study, a hybrid interval-robust optimization (HIRO) method was developed through coupling stochastic robust optimization and interval linear programming. HIRO can effectively reflect the complex system features under uncertainty, where implications of water quality/quantity restrictions for achieving regional economic development objectives are studied. By delimiting the uncertain decision space through dimensional enlargement of the original chemical oxygen demand (COD) discharge constraints, HIRO enhances the robustness of the optimization processes and resulting solutions. This method was applied to planning of industry development in association with river-water pollution concern in New Binhai District of Tianjin, China. Results demonstrated that the proposed optimization model can effectively communicate uncertainties into the optimization process and generate a spectrum of potential inexact solutions supporting local decision makers in managing benefit-effective water quality management schemes. HIRO is helpful for analysis of policy scenarios related to different levels of economic penalties, while also providing insight into the tradeoff between system benefits and environmental requirements.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, S. P.N.; Peterson, G. R.

Coal beneficiation is a generic term used for processes that prepare run-of-mine coal for specific end uses. It is also referred to as coal preparation or coal cleaning and is a means of reducing the sulfur and the ash contents of coal. Information is presented regarding current and potential coal beneficiation processes. Several of the processes reviewed, though not yet commercial, are at various stages of experimental development. Process descriptions are provided for these processes commensurate with the extent of information and time available to perform the evaluation of these processes. Conceptual process designs, preliminary cost estimates, and economic evaluationsmore » are provided for the more advanced (from a process development hierarchy viewpoint) processes based on production levels of 1500 and 15,000 tons/day (maf) of cleaned product coal. Economic evaluations of the coal preparation plants are conducted for several project financing schemes and at 12 and 15% annual after-tax rates of return on equity capital. A 9% annual interest rate is used on the debt fraction of the plant capital. Cleaned product coal prices are determined using the discounted cash flow procedure. The study is intended to provide information on publicly known coal beneficiation processes and to indicate the relative costs of various coal beneficiation processes. Because of severe timeconstraints, several potential coal beneficiation processes are not evaluated in great detail. It is recommended that an additional study be conducted to complement this study and to more fully appreciate the potentially significant role of coal beneficiation in the clean burning of coal.« less

Philippines and Indonesia: on the way to a migration transition.

PubMed

Amjad, R

1996-01-01

"This paper, in a comparative analysis of the Philippines and Indonesia, examines first under what conditions can migration favorably contribute to the process of economic development and then to what extent can economic growth impact upon reducing emigration pressures in these labor surplus economies. The paper also argues that there is still considerable scope for putting in place [an] agreed set of rules and policies to ensure better protection for the more vulnerable migrants." excerpt

National Economic Development Procedures Manual - Agricultural Flood Damage,

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-01

based on the conceptual framework of the Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation...the planning process and the NED evaluacion ’- ". procedures for agriculture, as described in the P&G, are thei presented. Also identified are some...ood Ioss compu t at ion approach de ’(’ op4 t hie f I ond damage for hypothetical frequency flood events and weights the result to I V- II1. + . IV-11

An engineering and economic evaluation of quick germ-quick fiber process for dry-grind ethanol facilities: analysis.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Luis F; Li, Changying; Khanna, Madhu; Spaulding, Aslihan D; Lin, Tao; Eckhoff, Steven R

2010-07-01

An engineering economic model, which is mass balanced and compositionally driven, was developed to compare the conventional corn dry-grind process and the pre-fractionation process called quick germ-quick fiber (QQ). In this model, documented in a companion article, the distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) price was linked with its protein and fiber content as well as with the long-term average relationship with the corn price. The detailed economic analysis showed that the QQ plant retrofitted from conventional dry-grind ethanol plant reduces the manufacturing cost of ethanol by 13.5 cent/gallon and has net present value of nearly $4 million greater than the conventional dry-grind plant at an interest rate of 4% in 15years. Ethanol and feedstock price sensitivity analysis showed that the QQ plant gains more profits when ethanol price increases than conventional dry-grind ethanol plant. An optimistic analysis of the QQ process suggests that the greater value of the modified DDGS would provide greater resistance to fluctuations in corn price for QQ facilities. This model can be used to provide decision support for ethanol producers. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternative utilization of wheat starch, Grafton, North Dakota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-02-01

In 1978, North Dakota State University (NDSU), in cooperation with the Economic Development Administration, completed a study of the feasibility of a vital wheat gluten starch processing plant in North Dakota. The overall objective of this study is to determine the most feasible alternatives for utilizing the by-product starch slurry from a vital wheat gluten processing plant.

Commercial Use of Space: a New Economic Strength for America

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Space commerce is composed of diverse activities which fall into four broad areas: satellite communications, earth and ocean observations, materials research and processing, and space transportation and industrial services. Space has become an industrial laboratory for materials research and processing. NASA's role in the commercial use of space is discussed through its commercial development program.

Assessment of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of lignin from corn stover residue pretreated with low-moisture anhydrous ammonia and enzymatic hydrolysis process

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To improve the economic viability of biofuel production from biomass resources, it is increasingly important to develop value-added lignin co-products from this process. The main objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the lignin extracts obtained b...

Complex Economies Have a Lateral Escape from the Poverty Trap

PubMed Central

Pugliese, Emanuele; Chiarotti, Guido L.; Zaccaria, Andrea; Pietronero, Luciano

2017-01-01

We analyze the decisive role played by the complexity of economic systems at the onset of the industrialization process of countries over the past 50 years. Our analysis of the input growth dynamics, considering a further dimension through a recently introduced measure of economic complexity, reveals that more differentiated and more complex economies face a lower barrier (in terms of GDP per capita) when starting the transition towards industrialization. As a consequence, we can extend the classical concept of a one-dimensional poverty trap, by introducing a two-dimensional poverty trap: a country will start the industrialization process if it is rich enough (as in neo-classical economic theories), complex enough (using this new dimension and laterally escaping from the poverty trap), or a linear combination of the two. This naturally leads to the proposal of a Complex Index of Relative Development (CIRD) which shows, when analyzed as a function of the growth due to input, a shape of an upside down parabola similar to that expected from the standard economic theories when considering only the GDP per capita dimension. PMID:28072867

Complex Economies Have a Lateral Escape from the Poverty Trap.

PubMed

Pugliese, Emanuele; Chiarotti, Guido L; Zaccaria, Andrea; Pietronero, Luciano

2017-01-01

We analyze the decisive role played by the complexity of economic systems at the onset of the industrialization process of countries over the past 50 years. Our analysis of the input growth dynamics, considering a further dimension through a recently introduced measure of economic complexity, reveals that more differentiated and more complex economies face a lower barrier (in terms of GDP per capita) when starting the transition towards industrialization. As a consequence, we can extend the classical concept of a one-dimensional poverty trap, by introducing a two-dimensional poverty trap: a country will start the industrialization process if it is rich enough (as in neo-classical economic theories), complex enough (using this new dimension and laterally escaping from the poverty trap), or a linear combination of the two. This naturally leads to the proposal of a Complex Index of Relative Development (CIRD) which shows, when analyzed as a function of the growth due to input, a shape of an upside down parabola similar to that expected from the standard economic theories when considering only the GDP per capita dimension.

Analysis of World Economic Variables Using Multidimensional Scaling

PubMed Central

Machado, J.A. Tenreiro; Mata, Maria Eugénia

2015-01-01

Waves of globalization reflect the historical technical progress and modern economic growth. The dynamics of this process are here approached using the multidimensional scaling (MDS) methodology to analyze the evolution of GDP per capita, international trade openness, life expectancy, and education tertiary enrollment in 14 countries. MDS provides the appropriate theoretical concepts and the exact mathematical tools to describe the joint evolution of these indicators of economic growth, globalization, welfare and human development of the world economy from 1977 up to 2012. The polarization dance of countries enlightens the convergence paths, potential warfare and present-day rivalries in the global geopolitical scene. PMID:25811177

Scale-up of mild gasification to be a process development unit mildgas 24 ton/day PDU design report. Final report, November 1991--July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

From November 1991 to April 1996, Kerr McGee Coal Corporation (K-M Coal) led a project to develop the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) Mild Gasification (MILDGAS) process for near-term commercialization. The specific objectives of the program were to: design, construct, and operate a 24-tons/day adiabatic process development unit (PDU) to obtain process performance data suitable for further design scale-up; obtain large batches of coal-derived co-products for industrial evaluation; prepare a detailed design of a demonstration unit; and develop technical and economic plans for commercialization of the MILDGAS process. The project team for the PDU development program consisted of: K-M Coal,more » IGT, Bechtel Corporation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), General Motors (GM), Pellet Technology Corporation (PTC), LTV Steel, Armco Steel, Reilly Industries, and Auto Research.« less

Environment, health, and sustainable development: the role of economic instruments and policies.

PubMed Central

Warford, J. J.

1995-01-01

Recent years have seen considerable progress in integrating environmental concerns into the mainstream of development policy and planning. Economic instruments designed explicitly for environmental purposes may help to achieve cost-effective solutions, and generate public revenues. Macroeconomic and sectoral policies may impact heavily upon the environment, and there is much scope for policy reforms that are justified in both economic and environmental terms. Progress in this area has been much more rapid than in the case of health objectives, even though the rationale for environmental improvement is often ultimately related to human health and well-being. It is proposed that lessons from recent experience in the use of economic instruments and policies to achieve environmental objectives are highly relevant for the health sector, which should seek and encourage support for measures that requires consumer and producers of environmentally degrading products to pay for the economic and social costs of the damage resulting from their use. Policy reform at the macroeconomic or sectoral level may yield cost-effective solutions to some health problems, and may even bring about improvements in health status that involve no net cost at all. The countrywide impact of such policies indicate that health agencies, including WHO, should develop the capacity to understand how economic policies and the adjustment process impact upon human health, not only direct through the effect on incomes, but also indirectly, via changes in the natural environment. Ability to conduct rigorous health impact assessment of economic policy reform, which requires a multidisciplinary effort, is a necessary condition if health ministries are to maximize their effectiveness in influencing overall government economic policy. PMID:7614671

Pilot-Scale Demonstration of a Novel, Low-Cost Oxygen Supply Process and its Integration with Oxy-Fuel Coal-Fired Boilers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krish Krishnamurthy; Divy Acharya; Frank Fitch

In order to achieve DOE targets for carbon dioxide capture, it is crucial not only to develop process options that will generate and provide oxygen to the power cycle in a cost-effective manner compared to the conventional oxygen supply methods based on cryogenic air separation technology, but also to identify effective integration options for these new technologies into the power cycle with carbon dioxide capture. The Linde/BOC developed Ceramic Autothermal Recovery (CAR) process remains an interesting candidate to address both of these issues by the transfer of oxygen from the air to a recycled CO{sub 2} rich flue-gas stream inmore » a cyclic process utilizing the high temperature sorption properties of perovskites. Good progress was made on this technology in this project, but significant challenges remain to be addressed before CAR oxygen production technology is ready for commercial exploitation. Phase 1 of the project was completed by the end of September 2008. The two-bed 0.7 tons/day O2 CAR process development unit (PDU) was installed adjacent to WRI's pilot scale coal combustion test facility (CTF). Start-up and operating sequences for the PDU were developed and cyclic operation of the CAR process demonstrated. Controlled low concentration methane addition allowed the beds to be heated up to operational temperature (800-900 C) and then held there during cyclic operation of the 2-bed CAR process, in this way overcoming unavoidable heat losses from the beds during steady state operation. The performance of the PDU was optimized as much as possible, but equipment limitations prevented the system from fully achieving its target performance. Design of the flue gas recirculation system to integrate CAR PDU with the CTF and the system was completed and integrated tests successfully performed at the end of the period. A detailed techno-economic analysis was made of the CAR process for supplying the oxygen in oxy-fuel combustion retrofit option using AEP's 450 MW Conesville, Ohio plant and contrasted with the cryogenic air separation option (ASU). Design of a large scale CAR unit was completed to support this techno-economic assessment. Based on the finding that the overall cost potential of the CAR technology compared to cryogenic ASU is nominal at current performance levels and that the risks related to both material and process scale up are still significant, the team recommended not to proceed to Phase 2. CAR process economics continue to look attractive if the original and still 'realistic' target oxygen capacities could be realized in practice. In order to achieve this end, a new fundamental materials development program would be needed. With the effective oxygen capacities of the current CAR materials there is, however, insufficient economic incentive to use this commercially unproven technology in oxy-fuel power plant applications in place of conventional ASUs. In addition, it is now clear that before a larger scale pilot demonstration of the CAR technology is made, a better understanding of the impact of flue-gas impurities on the CAR materials and of thermal transients in the beds is required.« less

Coastal vulnerability assessment with the use of environmental and socio-economic indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandrakis, George; Petrakis, Stelios; Vousdoukas, Mixalis; Ghionis, George; Hatziyanni, Eleni; Kampanis, Nikolaos

2014-05-01

Climate change has significant repercussions on the natural environment, triggering obvious changes in the natural processes that have a severe socio-economic impact on the coastal zone; where a great number of human activities are concentrated. So far, the estimation of coastal vulnerability was based primarily on the natural processes and less on socio-economic variables, which would assist in the identification of vulnerable areas. The present investigation proposes a methodology to examine the vulnerability of a highly touristic area in the Island of Crete to an expected sea level rise of up to ~40 cm by the year 2100, according to the A1B scenario of IPCC 2007. The methodology includes the combination of socio-economic indicators into a GIS-based coastal vulnerability index for wave-induced erosion. This approach includes three sub-indices that contribute equally to the overall index. The sub-indices refer to coastal forcing, socio-economic and coastal characteristics. All variables are ranked on a 1-5 scale with 5 indicating higher vulnerability. The socio-economic sub-index includes, as indicators, the population of the study area, cultural heritage sites, transport networks, land use and protection measures. The coastal forcing sub-index includes the frequency of extreme events, while the Coastal Vulnerability Index includes the geological variables (coastal geomorphology, historical coastline changes, and regional coastal slope) and the variables representing the marine processes (relative sea level rise, mean significant wave height, and tidal range). The main difficulty for the estimation of the index lies in assessing and ranking the socio-economic indicators. The whole approach was tested and validated through field and desktop studies, using as a case study the Elouda bay, Crete Isl., an area of high cultural and economic value, which combines monuments from ancient and medieval times, with a very high touristic development since the 1970s.

Techno-Economic Assessment for Integrating Biosorption into Rare Earth Recovery Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiao, Yongqin; Sutherland, John; Jin, Hongyue

The current uncertainty in the global supply of rare earth elements (REEs) necessitates the development of novel extraction technologies that utilize a variety of REE source materials. Herein, we examined the techno-economic performance of integrating a biosorption approach into a large-scale process for producing salable total rare earth oxides (TREOs) from various feedstocks. An airlift bioractor is proposed to carry out a biosorption process mediated by bioengineered rare earth-adsorbing bacteria. Techno-econmic asssements were compared for three distinctive categories of REE feedstocks requiring different pre-processing steps. Key parameters identified that affect profitability include REE concentration, composition of the feedstock, and costsmore » of feedstock pretreatment and waste management. Among the 11 specific feedstocks investigated, coal ash from the Appalachian Basin was projected to be the most profitable, largely due to its high-value REE content. Its cost breakdown includes pre-processing (primarily leaching) (8077.71%), biosorption (1619.04%), and oxalic acid precipitation and TREO roasting (3.35%). Surprisingly, biosorption from the high-grade Bull Hill REE ore is less profitable due to high material cost and low production revenue. Overall, our results confirmed that the application of biosorption to low-grade feedstocks for REE recovery is economically viable.« less

Development of a Cr-Based Hard Composite Processed by Spark Plasma Sintering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Junceda, A.; Sáez, I.; Deng, X. X.; Torralba, J. M.

2018-04-01

This investigation analyzes the feasibility of processing a composite material comprising WC particles randomly dispersed in a matrix in which Cr is the main metallic binder. Thus, a new composite material is processed using a commercial, economic, and easily available Cr-based alloy, assuming that there is a certain Cr solubility in the WC particles acting as reinforcement. The processing route followed includes mechanical milling of the powders and consolidation by spark plasma sintering.

Rethinking health sector procurement as developmental linkages in East Africa.

PubMed

Mackintosh, Maureen; Tibandebage, Paula; Karimi Njeru, Mercy; Kariuki Kungu, Joan; Israel, Caroline; Mujinja, Phares G M

2018-03-01

Health care forms a large economic sector in all countries, and procurement of medicines and other essential commodities necessarily creates economic linkages between a country's health sector and local and international industrial development. These procurement processes may be positive or negative in their effects on populations' access to appropriate treatment and on local industrial development, yet procurement in low and middle income countries (LMICs) remains under-studied: generally analysed, when addressed at all, as a public sector technical and organisational challenge rather than a social and economic element of health system governance shaping its links to the wider economy. This article uses fieldwork in Tanzania and Kenya in 2012-15 to analyse procurement of essential medicines and supplies as a governance process for the health system and its industrial links, drawing on aspects of global value chain theory. We describe procurement work processes as experienced by front line staff in public, faith-based and private sectors, linking these experiences to wholesale funding sources and purchasing practices, and examining their implications for medicines access and for local industrial development within these East African countries. We show that in a context of poor access to reliable medicines, extensive reliance on private medicines purchase, and increasing globalisation of procurement systems, domestic linkages between health and industrial sectors have been weakened, especially in Tanzania. We argue in consequence for a more developmental perspective on health sector procurement design, including closer policy attention to strengthening vertical and horizontal relational working within local health-industry value chains, in the interests of both wider access to treatment and improved industrial development in Africa. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Development of Crystallizer for Advanced Aqueous Reprocessing Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tadahiro Washiya; Atsuhiro Shibata; Toshiaki Kikuchi

2006-07-01

Crystallization is one of the remarkable technologies for future fuel reprocessing process that has safety and economical advantages. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) (former Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute), Mitsubishi Material Corporation and Saitama University have been developing the crystallization process. In previous study, we carried out experimental studies with uranium, MOX and spent fuel conditions, and flowsheet analysis was considered. In association with these studies, an innovative continuous crystallizer and its system was developed to ensure high process performance. From the design study, an annular type continuous crystallizer was selected as the most promising design, and performance was confirmedmore » by small-scale test and engineering scale demonstration at uranium crystallization conditions. In this paper, the design study and the demonstration test results are described. (authors)« less

Software for Managing the Process of Manpower Training for Economic and Industrial Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catoline, James E.

This document discusses the training capabilities, software, and related products of GTE Sylvania Training Operations (STO). With the rapid emergence and development of the Third World, the technical knowhow of large manufacturing industries has become a marketable commodity in the international transfer of technology. Manpower training and human…

Cultural Background Variables in Dance Talent Development: Findings from the UK Centres for Advanced Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Erin N.; Aujla, Imogen J.; Nordin-Bates, Sanna

2013-01-01

This study is a qualitative enquiry into cultural background variables--social support, values, race/ethnicity and economic means--in the process of dance talent development. Seven urban dance students in pre-vocational training, aged 15-19, participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were inductively analysed using QSR International…

Building Resiliency: The Role of Anchor Institutions in Sustaining Community Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of University Partnerships, 2013

2013-01-01

These days, the federal government is keenly interested in how to encourage the process of developing resiliency in the struggle to revitalize decayed urban communities. The White House, through the Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) initiative, is also seeking to create cross-agency collaborations "to strengthen neighborhoods, towns,…

Designing Multimedia for Ecological Tourism in an Educational Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Passerini, Katia; Granger, Mary J.

This paper describes the development process of multimedia software designed to educate and provide awareness of ecotourism in Costa Rica. Ecotourism is a form of nature-based travel and recreational experience combining a respect for nature and local cultures with economic development incentives. The software intends to pursue the goals of…

Neoliberalism and the Academic as Critic and Conscience of Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harland, Tony; Tidswell, Toni; Everett, David; Hale, Leigh; Pickering, Neil

2010-01-01

This paper provides a critique of academic experiences of neoliberal economic reform at a New Zealand (NZ) university. The authors engaged in a collaborative inquiry that was based upon a developing theoretical perspective of the reform process and how this affected their academic lives. We were keen to develop an understanding of liberal…

Skills for the Changing Workplace: A Business and Office Educator's Guide. Research and Development Series No. 254.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warmbrod, Catharine P.; And Others

This three-part instructional guide was developed to assist vocational instructors in business and office occupations in presenting broadly applicable, nontechnical (often called quality of work life--QWL) skills, such as interpersonal and group process skills, problem solving and decision making, planning, communications, business economics,…

Policy, Philanthropy and Profit: The OECD's PISA for Schools and New Modes of Heterarchical Educational Governance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Steven

2017-01-01

This paper examines the development and administration of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) for Schools--a new testing instrument of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development--to demonstrate the relevance of heterarchical processes to educational governance. Drawing suggestively across new "relational"…

75 FR 21723 - Introduction to the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

... describing regulatory actions they are developing that may have a significant economic impact on a... local officials early in the process of developing the regulation. In addition, the agency must provide... on the economy of $100 million or more or meets other criteria specified in that Act. The Act...

A Game Simulation of Multilateral Trade for Classroom Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Gary L.; Carter, Ronald L.

An alternative to existing methods for teaching elementary economic geography courses was developed in a game format to teach the basic process of trade through role playing. Simplifying the complexities of multilateral trade to a few basic decisions and acts, the cognitive objectives are to develop in the student: 1) an understanding of regional…

Tools for Regeneration: Specific Ways To Help an Economy Thrive.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodale Press, Inc., Emmaus, PA.

This paper describes some of the tools that The Regeneration Project, in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, has developed for use in the process of local economic improvement. One or more of these may be of interest to other individuals in communities that wish to undertake similar projects. Regenerative development provides markets for locally produced goods…

Higher Education in Kazakhstan and the Bologna Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piven, G.; Pak, I.U.

2006-01-01

The constantly rising role of higher education in the twenty-first century goes hand in hand with scientific and technical progress and the global technologization of the developed countries of the world. A country's level of technical and technological development determines its economic condition, its national security, and its role in the world…

Forest-land conversion, ecosystem services, and economic issues for policy: a review

Treesearch

Robert A. Smail; David J. Lewis

2009-01-01

The continued conversion and development of forest land pose a serious threat to the ecosystem services derived from forested landscapes. We argue that developing an understanding of the full range of consequences from forest conversion requires understanding the effects of such conversion on both components of ecosystem services: products and processes....

76 FR 57958 - Fisheries of the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico; South Atlantic Fishery Management Council...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-19

...) will hold meetings of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and Socio-Economic Sub-Panel (SEP) to review fishery management plan (FMP) amendments under development, ABC control rule approaches... process. The SSC will discuss FMP amendments under development, assessments of black sea bass and tilefish...

Literary Competence of Future Philology Teachers' Professional Development (Based on the Educational Experience of Germany)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bazyl, Ludmyla

2015-01-01

The author performs a theoretical analysis of the educational experience in philology teachers' professional training in Germany in the context of solving scientific problem of literary competence development. Internal and external factors of this process have been determined both by socio-political realities, economic, philosophical, cultural,…

Development of Education in Kenya: Influence of the Political Factor beyond 2015 Mdgs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackatiani, Caleb; Imbovah, Mercy; Imbova, Navin; Gakungai, D. K.

2016-01-01

This paper provides a critical appraisal of development of education system in Kenya. Education of any country is an important tool for the developmental process of that particular nation. There are various factors that influence national systems of education. They range from social, economical, technological to political influences. In this…

Adult Education, Social Change and Development in Post-Colonial Jamaica

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Shermaine Ann Marie

2014-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to demonstrate how adult education enabled the process of economic and social change, and national development in Jamaica through a critical review of two cases of adult education provisions in Jamaica since the country gained independence in 1962. Content analysis of various documents from primary…

THE COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS. KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY SHORT COURSE SERIES ON COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

WEISENBURGER, RAY B.

PART OF A KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY SERIES ON COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, THIS MONOGRAPH DISCUSSES THE STAGES IN THE PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPREHENSIVE URBAN SCHEMES. FIRST OF ALL, SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE, ECONOMIC, FEASIBILITY, POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SATISFACTION ARE VITAL TO SUCCESSFUL PLANNING. ORGANIZATION FOR…

Development of an eco-friendly, cost-effective biogrout for concrete crack repair : tech transfer summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-09-01

Due to the environmental and economic benefits, biocementation resulting from a microbiologically induced calcium carbonate precipitation process is being increasingly used to enhance civil infrastructurethrough stone surface protection, sand ceme...

Sociopolitical Participation of Kuwaiti Women in the Development Process: Current State and Challenges Ahead

PubMed Central

Alzuabi, Ali Z.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT This study explores the sociocultural status of Kuwaiti women and examines the obstacles that may hinder them from participating in socioeconomic development of Kuwait. The study analyzes the nature of legislative, political, sociocultural, and economic challenges faced by Kuwaiti women and suggests measures to overcome these obstacles to help women in attaining a prime role in the development process. The survey sample included 300 Kuwaiti citizens of both genders selected randomly from different social and professional backgrounds. Statistical analyses including mean values and covariance analysis revealed the awareness of gender-based differences in attitudes on the nature of constraints faced in moving toward the progress of Kuwaiti women. Discussed are social, economic, and knowledge-based constraints that restrain women from playing an active role in the socioeconomic development of Kuwait. Future directions include the acknowledgement of increased levels of education among Kuwaiti women and the available talent pool that will remain underutilized if women are not raised to leadership levels. Further research is needed on the scope and challenges in implementing strategies for the empowerment of women as a part of legislation. PMID:27812232

Innovation in social policy: collaborative policy advocacy.

PubMed

Sherraden, Margaret S; Slosar, Betsy; Sherraden, Michael

2002-07-01

In a time of policy devolution, social workers have a unique opportunity to develop a significant voice in constructing state social welfare policy. This article examines a method of collaborative policy advocacy led by social work researchers, practitioners, advocates, and students. It is illustrated with a five-year project to reduce wealth inequality through community economic development. Researchers brought expertise in ideas and analysis to real-world applications. Social work practitioners brought essential "on the ground" expertise. Students brought much-needed assistance and a fresh perspective to the social policy process. Advocates, working in social welfare advocacy organizations, bridged these perspectives and provided experience in policy advocacy. Working with coalition partners, social workers successfully placed asset-based community economic development strategies on the state agenda and were instrumental in passage of innovative legislation. The article demonstrates that the policy-making process is open to influence by social workers, especially if they come prepared with innovative and promising ideas about long-standing social issues. Social workers can and should take the lead and become significant actors in state policy development.

Breaking up is hard to do: the economic impact of provisional funding contingent upon evidence development.

PubMed

Mortimer, Duncan; Li, Jing Jing; Watts, Jennifer; Harris, Anthony

2011-10-01

Funding contingent upon evidence development (FED) has recently been the subject of some considerable debate in the literature but relatively little has been made of its economic impact. We argue that FED has the potential to shorten the lag between innovation and access but may also (i) crowd-out more valuable interventions in situations in which there is a fixed dedicated budget; or (ii) lead to a de facto increase in the funding threshold and increased expenditure growth in situations in which the programme budget is open-ended. Although FED would typically entail periodic review of provisional or interim listings, it may prove difficult to withdraw funding even at cost/QALY ratios well in excess of current listing thresholds. Further consideration of the design and implementation of FED processes is therefore required to ensure that its introduction yields net benefits over existing processes.

Anaerobic digestion of microalgal biomass: Challenges, opportunities and research needs.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Fernandez, Cristina; Sialve, Bruno; Molinuevo-Salces, Beatriz

2015-12-01

Integration of anaerobic digestion (AD) with microalgae processes has become a key topic to support economic and environmental development of this resource. Compared with other substrates, microalgae can be produced close to the plant without the need for arable lands and be fully integrated within a biorefinery. As a limiting step, anaerobic hydrolysis appears to be one of the most challenging steps to reach a positive economic balance and to completely exploit the potential of microalgae for biogas and fertilizers production. This review covers recent investigations dealing with microalgae AD and highlights research opportunities and needs to support the development of this resource. Novel approaches to increase hydrolysis rate, the importance of the reactor design and the noteworthiness of the microbial anaerobic community are addressed. Finally, the integration of AD with microalgae processes and the potential of the carboxylate platform for chemicals and biofuels production are reviewed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in the production of value added chemicals and lipids utilizing biodiesel industry generated crude glycerol as a substrate - Metabolic aspects, challenges and possibilities: An overview.

PubMed

Vivek, Narisetty; Sindhu, Raveendran; Madhavan, Aravind; Anju, Alphonsa Jose; Castro, Eulogio; Faraco, Vincenza; Pandey, Ashok; Binod, Parameswaran

2017-09-01

One of the major ecological concerns associated with biodiesel production is the generation of waste/crude glycerol during the trans-esterification process. Purification of this crude glycerol is not economically viable. In this context, the development of an efficient and economically viable strategy would be biotransformation reactions converting the biodiesel derived crude glycerol into value added chemicals. Hence the process ensures the sustainability and waste management in biodiesel industry, paving a path to integrated biorefineries. This review addresses a waste to wealth approach for utilization of crude glycerol in the production of value added chemicals, current trends, challenges, future perspectives, metabolic approaches and the genetic tools developed for the improved synthesis over wild type microorganisms were described. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Issues in the incorporation of economic perspectives and evidence into Cochrane reviews

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Methods for systematic reviews of the effects of health interventions have focused mainly on addressing the question of 'What works?’ or 'Is this intervention effective in achieving one or more specific outcomes?’ Addressing the question 'Is it worth it given the resources available?’ has received less attention. This latter question can be addressed by applying an economic lens to the systematic review process. This paper reflects on the value and desire for the consideration by end users for coverage of an economic perspective in a Cochrane review and outlines two potential approaches and future directions. Methods Two frameworks to guide review authors who are seeking to include an economic perspective are outlined. The first involves conducting a full systematic review of economic evaluations that is integrated into a review of intervention effects. The second involves developing a brief economic commentary. The two approaches share a set of common stages but allow the tailoring of the economic component of the Cochrane review to the skills and resources available to the review team. Results The number of studies using the methods outlined in the paper is limited, and further examples are needed both to explore the value of these approaches and to further develop them. The rate of progress will hinge on the organisational leadership, capacity and resources available to the CCEMG, author teams and other Cochrane entities. Particular methodological challenges to overcome relate to understanding the key economic trade-offs and casual relationships for a given decision problem and informing the development of evaluations designed to support local decision-makers. Conclusions Methods for incorporating economic perspectives and evidence into Cochrane intervention reviews are established. Their role is not to provide a precise estimate of 'cost-effectiveness’ but rather to help end-users of Cochrane reviews to determine the implications of the economic components of reviews for their own specific decisions. PMID:24050504

Issues in the incorporation of economic perspectives and evidence into Cochrane reviews.

PubMed

Shemilt, Ian; McDaid, David; Marsh, Kevin; Henderson, Catherine; Bertranou, Evelina; Mallander, Jacqueline; Drummond, Mike; Mugford, Miranda; Vale, Luke

2013-09-20

Methods for systematic reviews of the effects of health interventions have focused mainly on addressing the question of 'What works?' or 'Is this intervention effective in achieving one or more specific outcomes?' Addressing the question 'Is it worth it given the resources available?' has received less attention. This latter question can be addressed by applying an economic lens to the systematic review process.This paper reflects on the value and desire for the consideration by end users for coverage of an economic perspective in a Cochrane review and outlines two potential approaches and future directions. Two frameworks to guide review authors who are seeking to include an economic perspective are outlined. The first involves conducting a full systematic review of economic evaluations that is integrated into a review of intervention effects. The second involves developing a brief economic commentary. The two approaches share a set of common stages but allow the tailoring of the economic component of the Cochrane review to the skills and resources available to the review team. The number of studies using the methods outlined in the paper is limited, and further examples are needed both to explore the value of these approaches and to further develop them. The rate of progress will hinge on the organisational leadership, capacity and resources available to the CCEMG, author teams and other Cochrane entities. Particular methodological challenges to overcome relate to understanding the key economic trade-offs and casual relationships for a given decision problem and informing the development of evaluations designed to support local decision-makers. Methods for incorporating economic perspectives and evidence into Cochrane intervention reviews are established. Their role is not to provide a precise estimate of 'cost-effectiveness' but rather to help end-users of Cochrane reviews to determine the implications of the economic components of reviews for their own specific decisions.

A plan for application system verification tests: The value of improved meteorological information, volume 1. [economic consequences of improved meteorological information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The framework within which the Applications Systems Verification Tests (ASVTs) are performed and the economic consequences of improved meteorological information demonstrated is described. This framework considers the impact of improved information on decision processes, the data needs to demonstrate the economic impact of the improved information, the data availability, the methodology for determining and analyzing the collected data and demonstrating the economic impact of the improved information, and the possible methods of data collection. Three ASVTs are considered and program outlines and plans are developed for performing experiments to demonstrate the economic consequences of improved meteorological information. The ASVTs are concerned with the citrus crop in Florida, the cotton crop in Mississippi and a group of diverse crops in Oregon. The program outlines and plans include schedules, manpower estimates and funding requirements.

Health Impacts of Climate Change in Vanuatu: An Assessment and Adaptation Action Plan

PubMed Central

Spickett, Jeffery T; Katscherian, Dianne; McIver, Lachlan

2013-01-01

Climate change is one of the greatest global challenges and Pacific island countries are particularly vulnerable due to, among other factors, their geography, demography and level of economic development. A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) framework was used as a basis for the consideration of the potential health impacts of changes in the climate on the population of Vanuatu, to assess the risks and propose a range of potential adaptive responses appropriate for Vanuatu. The HIA process involved the participation of a broad range of stakeholders including expert sector representatives in the areas of bio-physical, socio-economic, infrastructure, environmental diseases and food, who provided informed comment and input into the understanding of the potential health impacts and development of adaptation strategies. The risk associated with each of these impacts was assessed with the application of a qualitative process that considered both the consequences and the likelihood of each of the potential health impacts occurring. Potential adaptation strategies and actions were developed which could be used to mitigate the identified health impacts and provide responses which could be used by the various sectors in Vanuatu to contribute to future decision making processes associated with the health impacts of climate change. PMID:23618474

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The goal of the U.S. Department of Energy Underground Coal Conversion (UCC) program is to develop the technology to produce clean fuels from coal deposits unsuitable for commercial exploitation by conventional mining techniques. The highest priority is to develop and demonstrate, in conjunction with industry, a commercially feasible process for underground gasification of low-rank coal in the 1985--1987 time period. The program will also attempt to develop cost-effective technologies to utilize steeply dipping seams and bituminous coal by UCC. Results of the program to date indicate that, while UCC is technically feasible, it still contains some process unknowns, environmental risks,more » and economic risks that require R and D. In order to contribute to the national energy goals, a strong DOE program which incorporates maximum industry involvement is planned. Major projects are described in some detail. Finally, a strong program of supporting activities will address specific problems identified in the field testing and will seek to advance UCC technology. In summary, the program's strategy is to remove the high-risk elements of UCC by resolving those technical, environmental, and economic uncertainties that remain, and to enable industry to assume responsibility for commercialization of the process.« less

Technical assistance and the transfer of remote sensing technology. [for economic development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chipman, R.

1977-01-01

The transfer of technology from industrialized countries to the third world is a very complicated process and one that requires a great deal of research and development. The political and social obstacles to this transfer are generally greater than the technical obstacles, but technical assistance programs have neither the competence nor the inclination to deal with these factors adequately. Funding for technical assistance in remote sensing is now expanding rapidly, and there is a growing need for institutions to study and promote the effective use of this technology for economic development. The United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development and the Canadian technical assistance agencies take different approaches to the problem and deal with the political pressures in different ways.

A role for two-stage pharmacoeconomic appraisal? Is there a role for interim approval of a drug for reimbursement based on modelling studies with subsequent full approval using phase III data?

PubMed

Hill, Suzanne; Freemantle, Nick

2003-01-01

Healthcare decision makers and pharmaceutical companies are increasingly using techniques of economic evaluation, particularly modelling, to assist them in their decisions about drug purchasing and drug development. The use of models in other types of policy decisions is also well established. One option, to shorten the time to a purchasing decision, would be for an interim decision for approval for reimbursement to be based on an economic model. Such a system would mainly benefit the drug development process and thus the pharmaceutical industry; however the approach could also lead to poor decision making, unethical marketing and withdrawal of drugs from the consumer. In this article, we consider the option of a two-stage economic appraisal process from the point of view of the seller, the purchaser and the patient and public. Although a two-stage process may offer some advantages in terms of early return on investment and access, there are significant disadvantages in terms of certainty about effects and public policy and expenditure. Until there are better methods of predicting the effectiveness of a new product, it is unlikely that interim decisions can be seen as a reasonable health policy alternative, although it seems likely that industry may continue to lobby for such an approach.

An atmosphere protection subsystem in the thermal power station automated process control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parchevskii, V. M.; Kislov, E. A.

2014-03-01

Matters concerned with development of methodical and mathematical support for an atmosphere protection subsystem in the thermal power station automated process control system are considered taking as an example the problem of controlling nitrogen oxide emissions at a gas-and-oil-fired thermal power station. The combined environmental-and-economic characteristics of boilers, which correlate the costs for suppressing emissions with the boiler steam load and mass discharge of nitrogen oxides in analytic form, are used as the main tool for optimal control. A procedure for constructing and applying environmental-and-economic characteristics on the basis of technical facilities available in modern instrumentation and control systems is presented.

Integrating science, policy and stakeholder perspectives for water resource management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbour, Emily; Allan, Andrew; Whitehead, Paul; Salehin, Mashfiqus; Lazzar, Attila; Lim, Michelle; Munsur Rahman, Md.

2015-04-01

Successful management of water resources requires an integrated approach considering the complex relationships between different biophysical processes, governance frameworks and socio-economic factors. The Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) Deltas project has developed a range of socio-economic scenarios using a participatory approach, and applied these across different biophysical models as well as an integrated environmental, socio-economic model of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) Delta. This work demonstrates a novel approach through the consideration of multiple ecosystem services and related socio-economic factors in the development of scenarios; the application of these to multiple models at multiple scales; and the participatory approach to improve project outcomes and engage national level stakeholders and policy makers. Scenarios can assist in planning for an uncertain future through exploring plausible alternatives. To adequately assess the potential impacts of future changes and management strategies on water resources, the wider biophysical, socio-economic and governance context needs to be considered. A series of stakeholder workshops have been held in Bangladesh to identify issues of main concern relating to the GBM Delta; to iteratively develop scenario narratives for business as usual, less sustainable, and more sustainable development pathways; and to translate these qualitative scenarios into a quantitative form suitable for analysis. The combined impact of these scenarios and climate change on water quantity and quality within the GBM Basin are demonstrated. Results suggest that climate change is likely to impact on both peak and low flows to a greater extent than most socio-economic changes. However, the diversion of water from the Ganges and Brahmaputra has the potential to significantly impact on water availability in Bangladesh depending on the timing and quantity of diversions. Both climate change and socio-economic scenarios are likely to impact on water quality. This work provides the foundation for investigating the effects of different policy and management interventions in coastal Bangladesh, and exploring trade-offs between different water resource objectives, and other ecosystem, social or economic objectives.

New Orleans After Hurricane Katrina: An Unnatural Disaster?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNamara, D.; Werner, B.; Kelso, A.

2005-12-01

Motivated by destruction in New Orleans following hurricane Katrina, we use a numerical model to explore how natural processes, economic development, hazard mitigation measures and policy decisions intertwine to produce long periods of quiescence punctuated by disasters of increasing magnitude. Physical, economic and policy dynamics are modeled on a grid representing the subsiding Mississippi Delta region surrounding New Orleans. Water flow and resulting sediment erosion and deposition are simulated in response to prescribed river floods and storms. Economic development operates on a limited number of commodities and services such as agricultural products, oil and chemical industries and port services, with investment and employment responding to both local conditions and global constraints. Development permitting, artificial levee construction and pumping are implemented by policy agents who weigh predicted economic benefits (tax revenue), mitigation costs and potential hazards. Economic risk is reduced by a combination of private insurance, federal flood insurance and disaster relief. With this model, we simulate the initiation and growth of New Orleans coupled with an increasing level of protection from a series of flooding events. Hazard mitigation filters out small magnitude events, but terrain and hydrological modifications amplify the impact of large events. In our model, "natural disasters" are the inevitable outcome of the mismatch between policy based on short-time-scale economic calculations and stochastic forcing by infrequent, high-magnitude flooding events. A comparison of the hazard mitigation response to river- and hurricane-induced flooding will be discussed. Supported by NSF Geology and Paleontology and the Andrew W Mellon Foundation.

[Who is suited as operation room manager? Evaluation process for hospitals and candidates].

PubMed

Schüpfer, G; Bauer, M

2011-03-01

Operation room (OR) management is not an end in itself. The challenge is more to organize the complex, inhomogeneous and interference-prone machinery of intraoperative service provision according to business objectives. Although business objectives may differ in some details the ultimate consequence is always to assure the quality of medical care along with adhering to the general economic conditions. The narrower the economic framework the smaller the company's tolerance to unprofessional OR management. Consequently, it can be noticed that OR management has become of age. An internal socialization as frontline leader is no longer sufficient for taking over a job profile which, regarding the risks of revenues and costs belongs to the top management of a company. Prior to looking for a future OR manager it is mandatory to develop a profile of qualifications tailored to the company. In the following selection process the important thing is to identify the candidate who fits best to the developed profile. This paper sees itself as an assistance in the development of such a company-specific qualification profile for an OR manager. On the basis of knowledge, skills and characteristics, different manager typologies are developed, facilitating the successful evaluation in a selection process for both the company and the candidate.

[Representation of knowledge in respiratory medicine: ontology should help the coding process].

PubMed

Blanc, F-X; Baneyx, A; Charlet, J; Housset, B

2010-09-01

Access to medical knowledge is a major issue for health professionals and requires the development of terminologies. The objective of the reported work was to construct an ontology of respiratory medicine, i.e. an organized and formalized terminology composed by specific knowledge. The purpose is to help the medico-economical coding process and to represent the relevant knowledge about the patient. Our researches cover the whole life cycle of an ontology, from the development of a methodology, to building it from texts, to its use in an operational system. A computerized tool, based on the ontology, allows both a medico-economical coding and a graphical medical one. This second one will be used to index hospital reports. Our ontology counts 1913 concepts and contains all the knowledge included in the PMSI part of the SPLF thesaurus. Our tool has been evaluated and showed a recall of 80% and an accuracy of 85% regarding the medico-economical coding. The work presented in this paper justifies the approach that has been used. It must be continued on a large scale to validate our coding principles and the possibility of making enquiries on patient reports concerning clinical research. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

[The fear of numbers or the challenge of population growth?].

PubMed

Loriaux, M

1991-12-01

Africa, currently one of the least densely populated continents, is growing so rapidly that its population will comprise some 1.5 billion inhabitants around 2020, and Africans will be more numerous than the population of the developed world. Attitudes about Africa's population size vary widely; many educated Africans believe that low density is a greater disadvantage than overpopulation, but most specialists believe the population of the developing world, and of Africa especially, to be too large, the prospects of significant voluntary reduction are dim. The rate of population growth has thus attracted attention as a factor amenable to modification. Africa's demographic transition remains largely in the future. Its case is unique because of the rate of demographic growth and because the phase of rapid growth will apparently continue far longer in Africa than in any other continent. The widening gap between population growth rates and rates of economic development in Africa inspires great pessimism about the future wellbeing of the population. Population officials urge that demographic growth be slowed in order to reduce pressure on economic and ecological resources and to gain time for social and economic development. But despite the consensus of international organizations, such as the UN Fund for Population, on the desirability of slowing population growth to encourage and permit economic growth, there has actually been relatively little progress since the time of Malthus in understanding the relationship between population, development, and the environment. Some recent works suggest that demographic growth has benefits as well as disadvantages, and the net impact on development is uncertain. Demographic pressure is in this view a far more potent force for innovation than is usually recognized. Population is not just an exogenous variable in development, but it is at the heart of the process. There can be no true integration of population into development until the value of human resources everywhere is reaffirmed. The recognition by international organizations that per capita income or other economic indicators alone are not adequate measures of progress is a favorable sign. The failure of structural adjustment programs to attain their stated goals and the new resolve to lessen their effects on the most vulnerable population sectors are also promising. New orientations toward development in which human resources are given greater prominence may be as ideologically inspired as those they replaced, but they have the merit of greater neutrality concerning the content and form of development and they do not accept the process of development in the West as their sole reference.

Concept of economic readiness levels assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuniaristanto, Sutopo, W.; Widiyanto, A.; Putri, A. S.

2017-11-01

This research aims to build a concept of Economic Readiness Level (ERL) assessment for incubation center. ERL concept is arranged by considering both market and business aspects. Every aspect is divided into four phases and each of them consists of some indicators. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to develop the ERL in calculating the weight of every single aspect and indicator. Interval scale between 0 and 4 is also applied in indicator assessment. In order to calculate ERL, score in every indicator and the weight of both the aspect and indicator are considered. ERL value is able to show in detail the innovative product readiness level from economic sight, market and business aspect. There are four levels in Economic Readiness Level scheme which are investigation, feasibility, planning and introduction.

Planning practice in support of economically and environmentally sustainable roads in floodplains: the case of the Mekong delta floodplains.

PubMed

Douven, Wim; Buurman, Joost

2013-10-15

Road development in relatively undisturbed floodplain systems, such as the floodplains of the Mekong River, will impact hydraulics and interrupt the natural flow of water. This affects the ecology and environment, and the livelihoods of people who depend on fishing and agriculture. On the other hand, floods can severely damage road infrastructure in years with large floods and can cause high annual maintenance costs. Improving road development practices in floodplains is a complex, multidimensional task involving hydraulic and geotechnical analysis, ecosystem analysis, socio-economic analysis, policy analysis, etc. This paper analyses the planning practice of road development and rehabilitation and how this practice can be improved in support of economically and environmentally sustainable roads in floodplains. It is concluded that although ample technical, planning and environmental assessment guidelines exist, guidelines need updating to address cumulative impacts at floodplain level and factors hampering the implementation in guidelines should be addressed in the guideline design (process). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling Global Spatial-Temporal Evolution of Society: Hyperbolic Growth and Historical Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurkina, E. S.

2011-09-01

The global historical processes are under consideration; and laws of global evolution of the world community are studied. The world community is considered as a united complex self-developing and self-organizing system. It supposed that the main driving force of social-economical evolution was the positive feedback between the population size and the level of technological development, which was a cause of growth in blow-up regime both of population and of global economic indexes. The study is supported by the results of mathematical modeling founded on a nonlinear heat equation with a source. Every social-economical epoch characterizes by own specific spatial distributed structures. So the global dynamics of world community during the whole history is investigated throughout the prism of the developing of spatial-temporal structures. The model parameters have been chosen so that 1) total population follows stable hyperbolic growth, consistently with the demographic data; 2) the evolution of the World-System goes through 11 stages corresponding to the main historical epochs.

Preliminary design of a solar central receiver for site-specific repowering application (Saguaro Power Plant). Volume II. Preliminary design. Final report, October 1982-September 1983

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weber, E.R.

1983-09-01

The solar central receiver technology, site, and specific unit for repowering were selected in prior analyses and studies. The objectives of this preliminary design study were to: develop a solar central receiver repowering design for Saguaro that (1) has potential to be economically competitive with fossil fueled plants in near and long term applications, (2) has the greatest chance for completion without further government funding, (3) will further define technical and economic feasibility of a 66 MWe gross size plant that is adequate to meet the requirements for utility and industrial process heat applications, (4) can potentially be constructed andmore » operated within the next five years, and (5) incorporates solar central receiver technology and represents state-of-the-art development. This volume on the preliminary design includes the following sections: executive summary; introduction; changes from advanced conceptual design; preliminary design; system characteristics; economic analysis; and development plan.« less

Economic efficiency of environmental management system operation in industrial companies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dukmasova, N.; Ershova, I.; Plastinina, I.; Boyarinov, A.

2017-06-01

The article examines the issue of the efficiency of the environmental management system (EMS) implementation in the Russian machine-building companies. The analysis showed that Russia clearly lags behind other developed and developing countries in terms of the number of ISO 14001 certified companies. According to the authors, the main cause of weak system implementation activity is attributed to the lack of interest in ISO 14001 certification on the Russian market. Five-year primary (field) research aimed at the analysis of the environmental priorities of the civilians suggests that the image component of the economic benefits ensures the increase in economic and financial performance of the company due to the increase in customers’ loyalty to the products of the EMS adopter. To quantify economic benefits obtained from EMS implementation, a methodological approach with regard to the image component and the decrease in semi-fixed costs due to the increase in the production scale has been developed. This approach has been tested in a machine-building electrical equipment manufacturer in Ekaterinburg. This approach applied to data processing yields the conclusion that EMS gives a good additional competitive advantage to its adopters.

Pharmaceutical priority setting and the use of health economic evaluations: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Erntoft, Sandra

2011-06-01

To investigate which factors and criteria are used in priority setting of pharmaceuticals, in what contexts health economic evaluations are used, and barriers to the use of health economic evaluations at micro, meso, and macro health-care levels. The search for empirical articles was based on the MeSH index (Medical Substance Heading), including the search terms "economic evaluation," "cost-effectiveness analysis," "cost-utility analysis," "cost-benefit analysis," "pharmacoeconomic," AND "drug cost(s)," AND "eligibility determination," AND "decision-making," AND "rationing," AND formulary. The following databases were searched: PubMed, EconLit, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. More than 3100 studies were identified, 31 of which were included in this review. The use of health economic evaluations at all three health-care levels was investigated in three countries (United States [US], United Kingdom [UK], and Sweden). Postal and telephone survey methods dominated (n = 17) followed by interviews (n = 13), document analysis (n = 10), and observations of group deliberations (n = 9). The cost-effectiveness criterion was most important at the macro level. A number of contextual uses of health economic evaluations were identified, including importantly the legitimizing of decisions, structuring the priority-setting process, and requesting additional budgets to finance expensive pharmaceuticals. Factors that seem to support the increased use of health economic evaluations are well-developed frameworks for evaluations, the presence of health economic skills, and an explicit priority-setting process. Differences in how economic evaluations are used at macro, meso, and micro levels are attributed to differences in the preconditions at each level. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Representative Agricultural Pathways: A Trans-Disciplinary Approach to Agricultural Model Inter-comparison, Improvement, Climate Impact Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antle, J. M.; Valdivia, R. O.; Claessens, L.; Nelson, G. C.; Rosenzweig, C.; Ruane, A. C.; Vervoort, J.

2013-12-01

The global change research community has recognized that new pathway and scenario concepts are needed to implement impact and vulnerability assessment that is logically consistent across local, regional and global scales. For impact and vulnerability assessment, new socio-economic pathway and scenario concepts are being developed. Representative Agricultural Pathways (RAPs) are designed to extend global pathways to provide the detail needed for global and regional assessment of agricultural systems. In addition, research by the Agricultural Model Inter-comparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) shows that RAPs provide a powerful way to engage stakeholders in climate-related research throughout the research process and in communication of research results. RAPs are based on the integrated assessment framework developed by AgMIP. This framework shows that both bio-physical and socio-economic drivers are essential components of agricultural pathways and logically precede the definition of adaptation and mitigation scenarios that embody associated capabilities and challenges. This approach is based on a trans-disciplinary process for designing pathways and then translating them into parameter sets for bio-physical and economic models that are components of agricultural integrated assessments of climate impact, adaptation and mitigation. RAPs must be designed to be part of a logically consistent set of drivers and outcomes from global to regional and local. Global RAPs are designed to be consistent with higher-level global socio-economic pathways, but add key agricultural drivers such as agricultural growth trends that are not specified in more general pathways, as illustrated in a recent inter-comparison of global agricultural models. To create pathways at regional or local scales, further detail is needed. At this level, teams of scientists and other experts with knowledge of the agricultural systems and regions work together through a step-wise process. Experiences from AgMIP Regional Teams, and from the project on Regional Approaches to Climate Change in the Pacific Northwest, are used to discuss how the RAPs procedures can be further developed and improved, and how RAPs can help engage stakeholders in climate-related research throughout the research process and in communication of research results.

Input-output model for MACCS nuclear accident impacts estimation¹

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Outkin, Alexander V.; Bixler, Nathan E.; Vargas, Vanessa N

Since the original economic model for MACCS was developed, better quality economic data (as well as the tools to gather and process it) and better computational capabilities have become available. The update of the economic impacts component of the MACCS legacy model will provide improved estimates of business disruptions through the use of Input-Output based economic impact estimation. This paper presents an updated MACCS model, bases on Input-Output methodology, in which economic impacts are calculated using the Regional Economic Accounting analysis tool (REAcct) created at Sandia National Laboratories. This new GDP-based model allows quick and consistent estimation of gross domesticmore » product (GDP) losses due to nuclear power plant accidents. This paper outlines the steps taken to combine the REAcct Input-Output-based model with the MACCS code, describes the GDP loss calculation, and discusses the parameters and modeling assumptions necessary for the estimation of long-term effects of nuclear power plant accidents.« less

Cost-benefit analysis of water-reuse projects for environmental purposes: a case study for Spanish wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Molinos-Senante, M; Hernández-Sancho, F; Sala-Garrido, R

2011-12-01

Water reuse is an emerging and promising non-conventional water resource. Feasibility studies are essential tools in the decision making process for the implementation of water-reuse projects. However, the methods used to assess economic feasibility tend to focus on internal costs, while external impacts are relegated to unsubstantiated statements about the advantages of water reuse. Using the concept of shadow prices for undesirable outputs of water reclamation, the current study developed a theoretical methodology to assess internal and external economic impacts. The proposed methodological approach is applied to 13 wastewater treatment plants in the Valencia region of Spain that reuse effluent for environmental purposes. Internal benefit analyses indicated that only a proportion of projects were economically viable, while when external benefits are incorporated all projects were economically viable. In conclusion, the economic feasibility assessments of water-reuse projects should quantitatively evaluate economic, environmental and resource availability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

OPTICAL FIBER SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES FOR EFFICIENT AND ECONOMICAL OIL RECOVERY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anbo Wang; Kristie L. Cooper; Gary R. Pickrell

2003-06-01

Efficient recovery of petroleum reserves from existing oil wells has been proven to be difficult due to the lack of robust instrumentation that can accurately and reliably monitor processes in the downhole environment. Commercially available sensors for measurement of pressure, temperature, and fluid flow exhibit shortened lifetimes in the harsh downhole conditions, which are characterized by high pressures (up to 20 kpsi), temperatures up to 250 C, and exposure to chemically reactive fluids. Development of robust sensors that deliver continuous, real-time data on reservoir performance and petroleum flow pathways will facilitate application of advanced recovery technologies, including horizontal and multilateralmore » wells. This is the final report for the four-year program ''Optical Fiber Sensor Technologies for Efficient and Economical Oil Recovery'', funded by the National Petroleum Technology Office of the U.S. Department of Energy, and performed by the Center for Photonics Technology of the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech from October 1, 1999 to March 31, 2003. The main objective of this research program was to develop cost-effective, reliable optical fiber sensor instrumentation for real-time monitoring of various key parameters crucial to efficient and economical oil production. During the program, optical fiber sensors were demonstrated for the measurement of temperature, pressure, flow, and acoustic waves, including three successful field tests in the Chevron/Texaco oil fields in Coalinga, California, and at the world-class oil flow simulation facilities in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Research efforts included the design and fabrication of sensor probes, development of signal processing algorithms, construction of test systems, development and testing of strategies for the protection of optical fibers and sensors in the downhole environment, development of remote monitoring capabilities allowing real-time monitoring of the field test data from virtually anywhere in the world, and development of novel data processing techniques. Comprehensive testing was performed to systematically evaluate the performance of the fiber optic sensor systems in both lab and field environments.« less

Process and economic evaluation of the extraction and purification of recombinant beta-glucuronidase from transgenic corn

PubMed

Evangelista; Kusnadi; Howard; Nikolov

1998-07-01

A process model for the recovery and purification of recombinant beta-glucuronidase (rGUS) from transgenic corn was developed, and the process economics were estimated. The base-case bioprocessing plant operates 7500 h/year processing 1.74 million (MM) kg of transgenic corn containing 0.015% (db) rGUS. The process consists of milling the corn into flour, extraction of protein by using 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer, and rGUS purification by ion exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. About 137 kg of rGUS of 83% (db) purity can be produced annually. The production cost amounted to $43 000/kg of rGUS. The cost of milling, protein extraction, and rGUS purification accounted for 6, 40, and 48% of annual operating cost, respectively. The cost of transgenic corn was 31% of the raw material costs or 6% of the annual operating cost. About 78% of the cost of buffer and water were incurred in the protein extraction section, while 88% of other consumables were from the purification section. The sensitivity analysis indicated that rGUS can be produced profitably from corn even at the 0.015% (db) expression level, assuming a selling price of $100 000/kg GUS. An increase in rGUS expression levels up to 0.08% significantly improves the process economics.

Industrial ecology: Quantitative methods for exploring a lower carbon future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Valerie M.

2015-03-01

Quantitative methods for environmental and cost analyses of energy, industrial, and infrastructure systems are briefly introduced and surveyed, with the aim of encouraging broader utilization and development of quantitative methods in sustainable energy research. Material and energy flow analyses can provide an overall system overview. The methods of engineering economics and cost benefit analysis, such as net present values, are the most straightforward approach for evaluating investment options, with the levelized cost of energy being a widely used metric in electricity analyses. Environmental lifecycle assessment has been extensively developed, with both detailed process-based and comprehensive input-output approaches available. Optimization methods provide an opportunity to go beyond engineering economics to develop detailed least-cost or least-impact combinations of many different choices.

Shale Oil Value Enhancement Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James W. Bunger

2006-11-30

Raw kerogen oil is rich in heteroatom-containing compounds. Heteroatoms, N, S & O, are undesirable as components of a refinery feedstock, but are the basis for product value in agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, surfactants, solvents, polymers, and a host of industrial materials. An economically viable, technologically feasible process scheme was developed in this research that promises to enhance the economics of oil shale development, both in the US and elsewhere in the world, in particular Estonia. Products will compete in existing markets for products now manufactured by costly synthesis routes. A premium petroleum refinery feedstock is also produced. The technology is nowmore » ready for pilot plant engineering studies and is likely to play an important role in developing a US oil shale industry.« less

A systematic review of socio-economic assessments in support of coastal zone management (1992-2011).

PubMed

Le Gentil, Eric; Mongruel, Rémi

2015-02-01

Cooperation between the social and natural sciences has become essential in order to encompass all the dimensions of coastal zone management. Socio-economic approaches are increasingly recommended to complement integrated assessment in support of these initiatives. A systematic review of the academic literature was carried out in order to analyze the main types of socio-economic assessments used to inform the coastal zone management process as well as their effectiveness. A corpus of 1682 articles published between 1992 and 2011 was identified by means of the representative coverage approach, from which 170 were selected by applying inclusion/exclusion criteria and then classified using a content analysis methodology. The percentage of articles that mention the use of socio-economic assessment in support of coastal zone management initiatives is increasing but remains relatively low. The review examines the links between the issues addressed by integrated assessments and the chosen analytical frameworks as well as the various economic assessment methods which are used in the successive steps of the coastal zone management process. The results show that i) analytical frameworks such as 'risk and vulnerability', 'DPSIR', 'valuation', 'ecosystem services' and 'preferences' are likely to lead to effective integration of social sciences in coastal zone management research while 'integration', 'sustainability' and 'participation' remain difficult to operationalize, ii) risk assessments are insufficiently implemented in developing countries, and iii) indicator systems in support of multi-criteria analyses could be used during more stages of the coastal zone management process. Finally, it is suggested that improved collaboration between science and management would require that scientists currently involved in coastal zone management processes further educate themselves in integrated assessment approaches and participatory methodologies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Socio-economic and ecological transformations of the peri-urban region of Gurgaon: an analysis of the trickle-down effect in the post globalization era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, A.; Punia, M.

2014-11-01

Economic processes are a manifestation of dynamic complex interdependent array of factors which involves resources, technology and an acting innovative human mind. Production, growth and development are the processes which has vast number of complex drivers, determinants and factors. Innovation, research, diffusion and dissemination are vital instrument of the economic processes of production, which are part of education. Whereas ecological transformations can be corroborated and analyzed by integrating remote sensing based information related to expansion of built-up area beyond city boundaries, extending to peripheries. City reflect economic, environmental, technological and social processes in their change, yet all are in turn profoundly driven by the urban spatial expansion. Metropolitan cities reflects expansion of existing urban and peri-urban areas with a significant socio-ecological transformation in terms of employment, education, and work force participation and land use changes. From the point of view of New Economic Geography (NEG) Theory 2009, the growth dynamic of metros is influenced by their proximity and dependence to a metropolis and the probable spillover effect. Entry point of discussion is the change in production of space in the post globalization era. It attempts to understand city morphology by using remote sensing datasets of LISS IV, IRS-P6 of 5.8 m spatial resolution for 2008 and 2013 and used Gurgaon Municipal Corporation's (GMC) ward boundary to represent socio-political meaning of this expansion and ways of life within the suburb. To understand how city works, detailed analysis related occupational structure, education and informality of ward 31 of Gurgaon and two villages namely Behlpa, Fazalwas and ward 11 of Nuh ( Mewat) along with the village Gabsanpur is attempted as the spatial units of study.

Selected Economic Translations on Czechoslovakia (9th in the Series).

DTIC Science & Technology

1960-09-01

and Its Development in the Third Five-Year Plan.,. 1 Gas Production and the Tasks of the Third Five-Year Plan» *<, <,*••..«........ e...USE ONLY C7.ECH0 SLOVAKIA Coal Processing In Czechoslovakia, and Its Development in the Third Flve-Year^laiT [The following is a translation of...struction during the Third Five-Year Plari in the coal- processing sectors which in size and scope ;has never been matched by our country before. The

Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) Transmission Planning Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Nathan

A REZ is a geographical area that enables the development of profitable, cost-effective, grid-connected renewable energy (RE). The REZ Transmission Planning Process is a proactive approach to plan, approve, and build transmission infrastructure connecting REZs to the power system which helps to increase the share of solar, wind and other RE resources in the power system while maintaining reliability and economics, and focuses on large-scale wind and solar resources that can be developed in sufficient quantities to warrant transmission system expansion and upgrades.

Development of a Conceptual Model of Disease Progression for Use in Economic Modeling of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

PubMed

Tabberer, Maggie; Gonzalez-McQuire, Sebastian; Muellerova, Hana; Briggs, Andrew H; Rutten-van Mölken, Maureen P M H; Chambers, Mike; Lomas, David A

2017-05-01

To develop and validate a new conceptual model (CM) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for use in disease progression and economic modeling. The CM identifies and describes qualitative associations between disease attributes, progression and outcomes. A literature review was performed to identify any published CMs or literature reporting the impact and association of COPD disease attributes with outcomes. After critical analysis of the literature, a Steering Group of experts from the disciplines of health economics, epidemiology and clinical medicine was convened to develop a draft CM, which was refined using a Delphi process. The refined CM was validated by testing for associations between attributes using data from the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE). Disease progression attributes included in the final CM were history and occurrence of exacerbations, lung function, exercise capacity, signs and symptoms (cough, sputum, dyspnea), cardiovascular disease comorbidities, 'other' comorbidities (including depression), body composition (body mass index), fibrinogen as a biomarker, smoking and demographic characteristics (age, gender). Mortality and health-related quality of life were determined to be the most relevant final outcome measures for this model, intended to be the foundation of an economic model of COPD. The CM is being used as the foundation for developing a new COPD model of disease progression and to provide a framework for the analysis of patient-level data. The CM is available as a reference for the implementation of further disease progression and economic models.