The effect of environmentally differentiated port fees to shipping companies’ environmental investments

The pressure has grown to develop cost-effective emission reduction strategies in the Baltic Sea. The forthcoming stringent regulations of the International Maritime Organization for reducing harmful emissions of shipping in the Baltic Sea are causing increasing expenses for the operators. A market-based attitude towards pricing of economic incentives could be seen as a new approach for a successful application for the additional emission reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx). In this study the aim is to understand the phenomenon of environmentally differentiated port fees and its effects on shipping companies’ emission reduction investments. The goal is to examine empirically the real-life effects of the possible environmental differentiated port fee system and the effect of environmentally differentiated port fees on NOx reduction investments in the Baltic Sea. The research approach of this study is nomothetical. In this study research questions are answered by analyzing the broad database of the Baltic Sea fleet. Also the framework of theory is confirmed and plays an important role in analyzing the research problem. Existing investment costs of NOx emission reduction technology to ship owners are estimated and compared to investment costs with granted discounts added to the cash flows. The statistical analysis in this study is descriptive. The major statistic examination of this study is the calculation of the net present values of investments with different port fee scenarios. This is done to investigate if the NOx technology investments could be economically reasonable. Based on calculations it is clear that the effect of environmentally differentiated port fees is not adequate to compensate the total investment costs for NOx reduction. If the investment decision is made only with profitability considerations, sources will prefer to emission abatement as long as incomes from the given subsidy exceeds their abatement costs. Despite of the results, evidence was found that shipping companies are nevertheless willing to invest on voluntary emission abatement technology. In that case, investment decision could be made with criteria of, for example, sustainable strategy or brand image. Combined fairway and port fee system or governmental regulations and recommendation could also function as additional incentives to compensate the investment costs. Also, the results imply that the use of NPV is not necessarily the best method to evaluate environmental investments. If the calculations would be done with more environmental methods the results would probably be different.

Effect of all-trans retinoic acid on newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia patients: results of a Brazilian center

Thirty-seven patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) were treated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). Patients received 45 mg m-2 day-1 po of ATRA until complete remission (CR) was achieved, defined as: a) presence of less than 5% blasts in the bone marrow, with b) white blood cells >103/mm3, c) platelets >105/mm3 and d) hemoglobin concentration >8 g/dl, with no blood or platelet transfusions. Thirty-one (83.7%) patients achieved CR by day 50, and 75% of these before day 30. Correction of the coagulopathy, achieved between days 2 and 10 (mean, 3 days), was the first evidence of response to treatment. Only one patient had been previously treated with chemotherapy and three had the microgranular variant M3 form. Dryness of skin and mucosae was the most common side effect observed in 82% of the patients. Thrombosis, hepatotoxicity and retinoid acid syndrome (RAS) were observed in 7 (19%), 6 (16%) and 4 (11%) patients, respectively. Thirteen (35%) patients had to be submitted to chemotherapy due to hyperleukocytosis (above 40 x 103/mm3) and six of these presented with new signs of coagulopathy after chemotherapy. Four (11%) patients died secondarily to intracerebral hemorrhage (IH) and two (5.4%) dropped out of the protocol due to severe ATRA side effects (one RAS and one hepatotoxicity). RAS and IH were related strictly to hyperleukocytosis. The reduced use of platelets and fresh frozen plasma probably lowered the total cost of treatment. We conclude that ATRA is an effective agent for inducing complete remission in APL patients.

Anti-hyperalgesic effect of electroacupuncture in a model of post-incisional pain in rats

Electroacupuncture has been proposed to be a low cost and practical method that allows effective pain management with minimal collateral effects. In this study we have examined the effect of electroacupuncture against the hyperalgesia developed in a model of post-incisional pain in rats. A 1-cm longitudinal incision was made through the skin and fascia of the plantar region of the animal hind paw. Mechanical hyperalgesia in the incision was evaluated 135 min after the surgery with von Frey filaments. The tension threshold was reduced from 75 g (upper limit of the test) to 1.36 ± 0.36 g (mean ± SEM) in control rats. It is shown that a 15-min period of electroacupuncture applied 120 min after surgery to the Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) points, but not to non-acupoints, produces a significant and long-lasting reduction of the mechanical hyperalgesia induced by the surgical incision of the plantar surface of the ipsilateral hind paw. The tension threshold was reduced from 75 to 27.6 ± 4.2 g in animals soon after the end of electroacupuncture. The mechanical threshold in this group was about 64% less than in control. Electroacupuncture was ineffective in rats treated 10 min earlier with naloxone (1 mg/kg, ip), thus confirming the involvement of opioid mechanisms in the antinociceptive effects of such procedure. The results indicate that post-incisional pain is a useful model for studying the anti-hyperalgesic properties of electroacupuncture in laboratory animals.

Preclinical evaluation of the antidiabetic effect of Eugenia jambolana seed powder in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

The world is facing an explosive increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus and cost-effective complementary therapies are needed. The effects of Eugenia jambolana, a household remedy for diabetes, were studied. Streptozotocin diabetic female albino Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g (N = 6) were fed E. jambolana seed powder (250, 500 or 1000 mg/kg) for 15 days. Diabetic rats fed 500 and 1000 mg/kg seed powder showed an increase in body weight on day 20 in relation to day 5 (6 ± 4.7, 9 ± 7.8 vs diabetic control -16 ± 7.1 g, P < 0.001), a decrease in fasting blood glucose (75 ± 11.9, 123 ± 14.4 vs diabetic control -34 ± 12.1 mg/dl, P < 0.001), a difference in post-treatment fasting and peak blood glucose (38 ± 11.9, 36 ± 14.2 vs diabetic control 78 ± 11.9 mg/dl, P < 0.001), and a difference in liver glycogen (50 ± 6.8, 52 ± 7.5 vs normal control 90 ± 6.6 µg/g of liver tissue, P < 0.001). Tri-terpenoids, tannins, gallic acid, and oxalic acid were the chemical constituents detected in E. jambolana seed. The best results were obtained with an oral dose of 500 mg/kg. Subacute toxicity studies with a single administration of 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg seed powder showed no mortality or abnormality. These data on the antidiabetic effect of E. jambolana seed are adequate for approval of phase 2 clinical trials to evaluate this seed powder as complementary therapy in type 2 and type 1 diabetes.

The effect of 677C>T and 1298A>C MTHFR polymorphisms on sulfasalazine treatment outcome in rheumatoid arthritis

Despite the availability of several new agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), sulfasalazine remains the mainstay because of both cost and experience with its use. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is involved in folate metabolism and several polymorphisms have been described in the MTHFR gene. Of these, the 677C>T and 1298A>C polymorphisms have been associated with altered enzyme activity. To examine the association between 677C>T and 1298A>C MTHFR polymorphisms and sulfasalazine efficacy for the treatment of RA, a total of 117 RA patients treated with sulfasalazine (1 g daily; duration of treatment 17 ± 5 months) were analyzed. The 677C>T and 1298 A>C polymorphisms were detected using a PCR-RFLP method. RA was diagnosed according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The remission of RA symptoms was evaluated according to the ACR 20% response criteria. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared by the two-sided Fisher exact test. The frequency of remission was 47.2% and 44.6% in carriers of 677T and 1298C alleles, compared to 40.7% and 42.0% in carriers of 677C and 1298A alleles, respectively. These differences were statistically non-significant. When the multivariate analysis was additionally adjusted for patients’ age, gender and RA duration, the association of the MTHFR 677T allele with increased frequency of remission was statistically significant. Although RA remission rate in carriers of the MTHFR 677T and 1298C alleles was more frequently observed, it does not seem that 677C>T and 1298A>C MTHFR polymorphisms have a major influence on treatment outcome in RA patients treated with sulfasalazine.

Influence of different sanitizers on food contaminant bacteria: effect of exposure temperature, contact time, and product concentration

The efficiency of four Sanitizers - peracetic acid, chlorhexidine, quaternary ammonium, and organic acids - was tested in this work using different bacteria recognized as a problem to meat industry, Salmonella sp., S. aureus, E. coli and L. monocytogenes. The effects of sanitizer concentration (0.2, 0.5, 0.6, 1.0, 1.1 and 1.4%), at different temperatures (10 and 45 °C) and contact time (2, 10, 15, 18 and 25 minutes) were evaluated. Tests in an industrial plant were also carried out considering previously obtained results. In a general way, peracetic acid presented higher efficiencies using low concentration (0.2%) and contact time (2 minutes) at 10 °C. The tests performed in industrial scale showed that peracetic acid presented a good performance in concentration and contact time lower than that suggested by the suppliers. The use of chlorhexidine and quaternary ammonium led to reasonable results at the indicated conditions, and organic acids were ineffective under concentration and contact time higher than those indicated by the suppliers in relation to Staphylococcus aureus. The results, in general, show that the choice for the most adequate sanitizer depends on the microorganism contaminant, the time available for sanitizer application, and also on the process cost.

Total cost model to compare own and partner manufacturing

Target of this study was to develop a total cost calculation model to compare all costs from manufacturing and logistics from own factories or from partner factories to global distribution centers in a case company. Especially the total cost calculation model was needed to simulate an own factory utilization effect in the total cost calculation context. This study consist of the theoretical literature review and the empirical case study. This study was completed using the constructive research approach. The result of this study was a new total cost calculation model. The new total cost calculation model includes not only all the costs caused by manufacturing and logistics, but also the relevant capital costs. Using the new total cost calculation model, case company is able to complete the total cost calculations taking into account the own factory utilization effect in different volume situations and volume shares between an own factory and a partner factory.

Carbon pricing and its effect on company profitability

In order to reach the 2°C climate target, the carbon price should rise significantly in order for it to be financially rewarding for companies to reduce their emissions. This research aims to find how a significant increase in the carbon price would affect the profitability of companies. Prior research has not found consensus on how regulatory policies affect companies. This research looks at profitability factors of carbon pricing through a mix of related issues such as the carbon risk, carbon pricing mechanisms and cost pass-through of additional costs. The research is quantitative and examines financial data and emissions data regarding scope 1 and scope 2 emissions on 328 European companies. The data analysis method utilised is a sensitivity analysis conducted as a scenario analysis. Different price increases and cost pass-through rates are tested to see how company profitability is affected. As the companies are distributed between 9 sectors and 53 industries, the results vary. The industries that are found to be affected by an increase in carbon pricing show drastic negative changes in profitability. The results complement prior research identifying the most carbon-intensive industries, but also provide some new insights on industries that may be affected by carbon pricing. Industries related to manufacturing, electricity and energy are partly significantly impacted, but also industries related to tourism and food show potential signs of impact when an increased carbon price is introduced.

The effect of social condition and diet on the frequency of male-male agonistic displays in the field cricket, gryllus bimaculatus /

The frequency and type of agonistic displays involved in male-male encounters should be significantly influenced by the presence of females. Discrete agonistic displays vary in energy expenditure and risk, and therefore should be dependent on available resources. The influence of live females and the scent of females, on the frequency of male agonistic displays was observed in a laboratory terrarium using the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. The effect of energy constraints on display frequency was also determined. Half the males were fed a diet high in protein and fet; the other males were fed a lower quality diet, for a 7-11 day period. The frequency of five individual displays and mating frequency were recorded using an Event Recorder and notebook. Each group of males was presented with three experimental conditions, over three days, involving the presence or absence of live females and female scent. The presence of females elicited an increase in all displays except antennation; female scent increased the frequency of antennations, mandible flares and grapples, but to a lesser extent than did live females. The frequency of grapples significantly increased for males fed the high quality diet; however diet did not influence the other displays. The combined influence of diet and condition was significant for mandible flare only. Mating frequency was not influenced by diet. However, the frequency ofthe displays were positively correlated with mating frequency for high quality fed males. Escalated displays involving high costs, such as grapple and mandible flare, increased in frequency when the benefits of winning contests were high in G.bimaculatus. Escalation to grapple behaviour was less evident for males fed the lower quality diet as this imposed energy constraints on high cost displays.

Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Phosphorylation and Its Effect on the Contractile Economy of Mouse Fast Muscle

Activated by elevations in myoplasmic calcium concentration, myosin light chain kinase (skMLCK) phosphorylates the regulatory light chains (RLCs) of fast muscle myosin. This covalent modification potentiates force production, but requires an investment of ATP. Our objective was to investigate the effect of RLC phosphorylation on the contractile economy (mechanical output:metabolic input) of fast twitch skeletal muscle. Extensor digitorum longus muscles isolated from Wildtype and skMLCK-/- mice mounted in vitro (25°C) were subjected to repetitive low-frequency stimulation (10Hz,15s) known to cause activation of skMLCK, and staircase potentiation of force. With a 3-fold increase in RLC phosphate content, Wildtype generated 44% more force than skMLCK-/- muscles over the stimulation period (P = .002), without an accompanied increase in energy cost (P = .449). Overall, the contractile economy of Wildtype muscles, with an intact RLC phosphorylation mechanism, was 73% greater than skMLCK /- muscles (P = .043), demonstrating an important physiological function of skMLCK during repetitive contractile activity.

Effect of Improving Energy Efficiency on System Reliability

In the present scenario of energy demand overtaking energy supply top priority is given for energy conservation programs and policies. Most of the process plants are operated on continuous basis and consumes large quantities of energy. Efficient management of process system can lead to energy savings, improved process efficiency, lesser operating and maintenance cost, and greater environmental safety. Reliability and maintainability of the system are usually considered at the design stage and is dependent on the system configuration. However, with the growing need for energy conservation, most of the existing process systems are either modified or are in a state of modification with a view for improving energy efficiency. Often these modifications result in a change in system configuration there by affecting the system reliability. It is important that system modifications for improving energy efficiency should not be at the cost of reliability. Any new proposal for improving the energy efficiency of the process or equipments should prove itself to be economically feasible for gaining acceptance for implementation. In order to arrive at the economic feasibility of the new proposal, the general trend is to compare the benefits that can be derived over the lifetime as well as the operating and maintenance costs with the investment to be made. Quite often it happens that the reliability aspects (or loss due to unavailability) are not taken into consideration. Plant availability is a critical factor for the economic performance evaluation of any process plant.The focus of the present work is to study the effect of system modification for improving energy efficiency on system reliability. A generalized model for the valuation of process system incorporating reliability is developed, which is used as a tool for the analysis. It can provide an awareness of the potential performance improvements of the process system and can be used to arrive at the change in process system value resulting from system modification. The model also arrives at the pay back of the modified system by taking reliability aspects also into consideration. It is also used to study the effect of various operating parameters on system value. The concept of breakeven availability is introduced and an algorithm for allocation of component reliabilities of the modified process system based on the breakeven system availability is also developed. The model was applied to various industrial situations.

Highly conductive and transparent ZnO thin film using Chemical Spray Pyrolysis technique: Effect of doping and deposition parameters

In the present work we report the preparation details studies on ZnO thin films. ZnO thin films are prepared using cost effective deposition technique viz., Chemical Spray Pyrolysis (CSP). The method is very effective for large area preparation of the ZnO thin film. A new post-deposition process could also be developed to avoid the adsorption of oxygen that usually occurs after the spraying process i.e., while cooling. Studies were done by changing the various deposition parameters for optimizing the properties of ZnO thin film. Moreover, different methods of doping using various elements are also tried to enhance the conductivity and transparency of the film to make these suitable for various optoelectronic applications.

Studies on the macrobenthos of mudbanks of Southwest cost of India

The present study was undsrtaken.with the objectives to assess the distribution and density of population of benthic animals with special reference to macrofauna from the south west coast of India from ' Malippursa 1 in the north to Alleppey in the south, to evaluate significant difference, if any, in the number and distribution of animals in th md bank regions and other intermittent stations, to examine the influence of bottom stability on the distribution of fauna, to observe the effect of the environmental parameters on the distribution pattern of nacrofauna, and to evaluate the nature and depthpwise distribution of the benthic fishery. The region selected for the investigation is one of the nest important fishing grounds in India for bottom fishing especially for prawns, covering a distance of about 60 kns in length.total number of thirty stations in five transects at right angles to the coast, each consisting of six stations were surveyed. The six stations in a transect were at depths of 5 m, 10m, 20:, 30:, 35m and 45m respectively formation of the Iudbanke, popularly known as 'Ghaknra' in the local language, is a peculiar phenomenon along the ooaet of Kerala and provides a good fishing ground.quantitative distribution of the mecrofauna chewed that the maximum number of organism was near the 35 n contour line in the first three profiles whereas in the fourth and fifth profiles it was at 20 n and 30 m depth respectively. The density of the fauna wee comparatively poor in shallow water etatione at depths 5-‘IO M.was a general decline in the numerical abundance and biomass of the bottom fauna in all the stations during the monsoon period. There has been very little yearly change in the composition of the fauna during the two years‘ study.

Studies on the effect of steriod hormones on the gronth and biochemical composition of the mullet liza.parsia (hamilton)

The present study has helped in finding out an efficient growth promoting substance for the fry of Liza garsia. 1Zfimethyltestosterone at the dosages of 2 mg/kg diet is the most effective anabolic agent for Liza parsia. The study also shows that by incorporating 8 mg MT/kg of diet the protein level in the diet could be reduced from 35 to 30%. thereby a significant saving in the cost of feed could be obtained. Further, the anabolic effect of MT helps to reduce the rearing period during the production of fingerlings from the fry stage.

CuInS2/In2S3 Cells using a Cost-effective Technique: Significance of Precursor Ratios on Cell Parameters

Thin film solar cells having structure CuInS2/In2S3 were fabricated using chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) technique over ITO coated glass. Top electrode was silver film (area 0.05 cm2). Cu/In ratio and S/Cu in the precursor solution for CuInS2 were fixed as 1.2 and 5 respectively. In/S ratio in the precursor solution for In2S3 was fixed as 1.2/8. An efficiency of 0.6% (fill factor -37.6%) was obtained. Cu diffusion to the In2S3 layer, which deteriorates junction properties, is inevitable in CuInS2/In2S3 cell. So to decrease this effect and to ensure a Cu-free In2S3 layer at the top of the cell, Cu/In ratio was reduced to 1. Then a remarkable increase in short circuit current density was occurred from 3 mA/cm2 to 14.8 mA/cm2 and an efficiency of 2.13% was achieved. Also when In/S ratio was altered to 1.2/12, the short circuit current density increased to 17.8 mA/cm2 with an improved fill factor of 32% and efficiency remaining as 2%. Thus Cu/In and In/S ratios in the precursor solutions play a crucial role in determining the cell parameters