CGE Method Research Articles

The Impact of Using DME as a Substitute for LPG in Indonesian Economy

AbstractIn order to reduce the import ratio and high budget needs for energy subsidies, the government of Indonesia is currently developing DME production to replace LPG as fuel in cooking activities. From various previous studies, the policy of using DME not only requires a relatively expensive cost but also has the potential to disrupt health and endanger environmental sustainability due to the use of large amounts of fossil energy from coal. This study aims to examine the impacts of DME policy on the Indonesian economy using the CGE method, 2019 SAM data and two forms of shocks: (i) Decreasing LPG imports and (ii) Reallocating the subsidies budget. DME will have a positive impact on the economy, trigger growth in the productivity of various sectors and encourage employment, but only in the short run. The results of the study in the long run show negative implications even though the percentages are relatively low and not significant. Keywords: CGE, DME, Energy Subsidies, Import, LPG

Pathways for decarbonizing China's iron and steel industry using cost-effective mitigation technologies: An integrated analysis with top-down and bottom-up models

The iron and steel industry (ISI), the second largest carbon emitter, produces 16 % of China's CO2 emissions, and its decarbonization will therefore play an important role in achieving the goal of carbon neutrality. This study identifies underlying low-carbon transition pathways of the ISI towards 2050, through investigating macro-level mitigation policies and technological advances. An integrated assessment model that integrates a top-down CGE method and a bottom-up objective planning method was constructed. The results show that the combination of mitigation policies and technological measures would substantially reduce CO2 emissions in the ISI, with the remaining 140 Mt to 520 Mt by 2050. Carbon mitigation in ISI in the short term mainly benefits from the technology retrofitting, the reduction of steel demand, which accounts for 17.8 % and 32.1 %, respectively. Breakthrough technologies of scrap-based electric arc furnace (EAF), hydrogen-based direct reduction (HDR-EAF) and carbon capture and storge (CCS), would play a fundamental role in reducing the CO2 emissions especially after 2030, contributing to 32.1 %, 16.0 % and 13.8 % of emission reduction, respectively. Of the 41-technologies assessed, 8-key technologies jointly mitigate over 55 % of CO2 emissions. The cost-effectiveness and mitigation potential of technologies would provide reference to policymaker for the mitigation in China's ISI.

Glycan clock of ageing-analytical precision and time-dependent inter- and i-individual variability.

Ageing is a complex biological process with variations among individuals, leading to the development of ageing clocks to estimate biological age. Glycans, particularly in immunoglobulin G (IgG), have emerged as potential biomarkers of ageing, with changes in glycosylation patterns correlating with chronological age.For precision analysis, three different plasma pools were analysed over 26days in tetraplicates, 312 samples in total. In short-term variability analysis, two cohorts were analysed: AstraZeneca MFO cohort of 26 healthy individuals (median age 20) and a cohort of 70 premenopausal Chinese women (median age 22.5) cohort monitored over 3months. Long-term variability analysis involved two adult men aged 47 and 57, monitored for 5 and 10years, respectively. Samples were collected every 3months and 3weeks, respectively. IgG N-glycan analysis followed a standardized approach by isolating IgG, its subsequent denaturation and deglycosylation followed by glycan cleanup and labelling. Capillary gel electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CGE-LIF) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography analyses were employed for glycan profiling. Statistical analysis involved normalization, batch correction, and linear mixed models to assess time effects on derived glycan traits.The intermediate precision results consistently exhibited very low coefficient of variation values across all three test samples. This consistent pattern underscores the high level of precision inherent in the CGE method for analysing the glycan clock of ageing. The AstraZeneca MFO cohort did not show any statistically significant trends, whereas the menstrual cycle cohort exhibited statistically significant trends in digalactosylated (G2), agalactosylated (G0) and fucosylation (F). These trends were attributed to the effects of the menstrual cycle. Long-term stability analysis identified enduring age-related trends in both subjects, showing a positive time effect in G0 and bisected N-acetylglucosamine, as well as a negative time effect in G2 and sialylation, aligning with earlier findings. Time effects measured for monogalactosylation, and F remained substantially lower than ones observed for other traits.The study found that IgG N-glycome analysis using CGE-LIF exhibited remarkably high intermediate precision. Moreover, the study highlights the short- and long-term stability of IgG glycome composition, coupled with a notable capacity to adapt and respond to physiological changes and environmental influences such as hormonal changes, disease, and interventions. The discoveries from this study propel personalized medicine forward by deepening our understanding of how IgG glycome relates to age-related health concerns. This study underscores the reliability of glycans as a biomarker for tracking age-related changes and individual health paths.

The Impact of Implementing a Carbon Tax on Welfare: Case Study of Indonesia and The Other ASEAN Member Countries

Green House Gases emitted into the atmosphere over decades cause global warming now. The aim of this research is the impact of implementing the carbon tax on welfare in Indonesia. The research method used is the CGE method using GTAP-E to evaluate energy policy in the economy. GTAP-E consists of 140 countries and 57 sectors combined into forty-two regions and eight sectors. Using carbon tax scenario (simulation 1 is 1.93 USD/ton CO 2, simulation 2 is 3.72 USD/ton CO 2, and simulation 3 is 4.83 USD/ton CO 2). The results of the Indonesian equivalent variation show a negative value. The higher the carbon tax is applied, the greater the decline in welfare. This is also felt by all research countries except the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Oceania, OtherSEAsia, East Asia, Argentina, Japan, Poland, Portugal, and Ukraine. The variable of the regional demand, it can be seen that the carbon tax causes Indonesia's regional income to increase, and Singapore's income to decrease, while other countries experience no change in income. The primary factor return ratio also shows that the increase in the carbon tax caused a decline in the Land, Unsklab, Sklab, Capital, and Natural Resources sectors. Indonesia's GDP also shows a decrease if a higher carbon tax is implemented, but other countries have no impact on GDP. The Carbon emissions show that it decreases to Indonesia. So, the implementation of the carbon tax causes a decrease in welfare as seen from the equivalent variation, Primary Return Ratio, and GDP in Indonesia. The government must have an alternative policy if a carbon tax is implemented in Indonesia.

Sixteen capillary electrophoresis applications for viral vaccine analysis.

A broad range of CE applications from our organization is reviewed to give a flavor of the use of CE within the field of vaccine analyses. Applicability of CE for viral vaccine characterization, and release and stability testing of seasonal influenza virosomal vaccines, universal subunit influenza vaccines, Sabin inactivated polio vaccines (sIPV), and adenovirus vector vaccines were demonstrated. Diverse CZE, CE-SDS, CGE, and cIEF methods were developed, validated, and applied for virus, protein, posttranslational modifications, DNA, and excipient concentration determinations, as well as for the integrity and composition verifications, and identity testing (e.g., CZE for intact virus particles, CE-SDS application for hemagglutinin quantification and influenza strain identification, chloride or bromide determination in process samples). Results were supported by other methods such as RP-HPLC, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential measurements. Overall, 16 CE methods are presented that were developed and applied, comprising six adenovirus methods, five viral protein methods, and methods for antibodies determination of glycans, host cell-DNA, excipient chloride, and process impurity bromide. These methods were applied to support in-process control, release, stability, process- and product characterization and development, and critical reagent testing. Thirteen methods were validated. Intact virus particles were analyzed at concentrations as low as 0.8pmol/L. Overall, CE took viral vaccine testing beyond what was previously possible, improved process and product understanding, and, in total, safety, efficacy, and quality.

Самоорганизация состава пленок Al-=SUB=-x-=/SUB=-Ga-=SUB=-1-x-=/SUB=-N, выращенных на гибридных подложках SiC/Si

Using spectral ellipsometry, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning microscopy with an X-ray spectrometer (EDS), the phenomenon of self-organized change in the composition of AlxGa1-xN epitaxial layers during their growth by chloride-hydride epitaxy (EDX) on SiC / Si (111) hybrid substrates was revealed. It was found that during the growth of AlxGa1-xN layers with a low, about 11-24% Al content, interlayers (domains) appear, consisting of AlGaN stoichiometric composition. A qualitative model has been proposed, according to which self-organization in composition arises due to the effect of two processes on the growth kinetics of the AlxGa1-xN film. The first process is associated with the competition of two chemical reactions proceeding at different rates. One of these reactions is the AlN formation reaction; the second is the reaction of GaN formation. The second process, closely related to the first, is the appearance of elastic compressive and tensile stresses during the growth of AlxGa1-xN films by the CGE method on SiC / Si (111). Both processes influence each other, which leads to a complex pattern of aperiodic changes in the composition over the thickness of the film layer. Keywords: A3B5 compounds, wide-gap semiconductors, AlGaN, AlN, GaN, silicon carbide on silicon, self-organization of the composition, HVPE method, solid solutions, heterostructures.

Assessing the economic impact of mega events using Computable General Equilibrium models: Promises and compromises

Mega events are perceived as an opportunity to foster regional development. In this context, CGE methods experience a growing popularity in the evaluation of mega event impacts with now close to 20 mega events analyzed with this method. Yet no critical and systematic review of such works is available to date.In this paper, we present such a review of existing works. We examine the main conceptual issues raised by these applications. Our analysis suggests an excessive reliance of practitioners on habits deeply rooted in the CGE community while more consideration of the specific features of mega events is necessary, if one wants CGE results to provide useful guidance to policy making in this area.

The economic impact of the Trans‐Pacific Partnership: What have we learned from CGE simulation?

AbstractThe Trans‐Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, if were it to be successfully implemented, would be one of the largest regional agreements ever seen. It is the only exemplar to date of a “mega‐regional” FTA for which negotiations have been successfully concluded, and a landmark in evolving approaches to Asia–Pacific integration. As such, quantitative assessments of its potential effects are of considerable interest. One of the most widely used techniques for evaluating the economic impact of regional trading agreements is numerical simulation with computable general equilibrium, or CGE, models. There have now been a large number of papers written that use CGE methods to analyse the potential economic impact of the TPP agreement under varying theoretical and policy assumptions. In this paper we provide a synthesis of the key results that have emerged from the literature, and introduce some new simulation results of our own to anchor the discussion.

Quantitative analysis of DNA methylation in the promoter region of the methylguanine-O(6) -DNA-methyltransferase gene by COBRA and subsequent native capillary gel electrophoresis.

Along with histone modifications, RNA interference and delayed replication timing, DNA methylation belongs to the key processes in epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Therefore, reliable information about the methylation level of particular DNA fragments is of major interest. Herein the methylation level at two positions of the promoter region of the gene methylguanine-O(6) -DNA-Methyltransferase (MGMT) was investigated. Previously, it was demonstrated that the epigenetic status of this DNA region correlates with response to alkylating anticancer agents. An automated CGE method with LIF detection was established to separate the six DNA fragments resulting from combined bisulfite restriction analysis of the methylated and non-methylated MGMT promoter. In COBRA, the DNA was treated with bisulfite converting cytosine into uracil. During PCR uracil pairs with adenine, which changes the original recognition site of the restriction enzyme Taql. Artificial probes generated by mixing appropriate amounts of DNA after bisulfite treatment and PCR amplification were used for validation of the method. The methylation levels of these samples could be determined with high accuracy and precision. DNA samples prepared by mixing the corresponding clones first and then performing PCR amplification led to non-linear correlation between the corrected peak areas and the methylation levels. This effect is explained by slightly different PCR amplification of DNA with different sequences present in the mixture. The superiority of CGE over PAGE was clearly demonstrated. Finally, the established method was used to analyze the methylation levels of human brain tumor tissue samples.

Capillary electrophoresis for analysis of deletion and duplication in exon 44–55 of Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene

In this study, a genotyping CGE method was established for analysis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene deletions and duplications in exon 44-55. A total of 12 DMD exons (exon 44-55) and 2 internal standard gene fragments were simultaneously amplified by using a universal multiplex PCR (UMPCR) and determined by CGE. The conditions of UMPCR and CGE were optimized, including the kinds of polymerase, temperatures in UMPCR, separation matrix, separation temperature, and voltage. Finally, the separation was performed by 1.2% poly(ethylene oxide) in 1× TBE buffer at -6 kV and 25°C. After validation, our results showed the peak patterns for differentiation of genetic deletion or duplication in 27 DMD patients and normal subjects, according to the peak height ratios by comparison of two internal standard peaks. Among the 27 subjects, 23 cases are deletion type and four are duplication type. The data of two patients analyzed by this CGE-PCR method were different from that of multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification method, and the sequencing results demonstrated that our results were correct. This UMPCR-CGE method was considered better than the multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification method. Furthermore, this method can be used for eugenics in clinical applications.

Capillary gel electrophoresis for the quantification and purity determination of recombinant proteins in inclusion bodies

In this work, a high-resolution CGE method for quantification and purity determination of recombinant proteins was developed, involving a single-component inclusion bodies (IBs) solubilization solution. Different recombinant proteins expressed as IBs were used to show method capabilities, using recombinant interferon-β 1b as the model protein for method validation. Method linearity was verified in the range from 0.05 to 0.40 mg/mL and a determination coefficient (r(2) ) of 0.99 was obtained. The LOQs and LODs were 0.018 and 0.006 mg/mL, respectively. RSD for protein content repeatability test was 2.29%. In addition, RSD for protein purity repeatability test was 4.24%. Method accuracy was higher than 90%. Specificity was confirmed, as the method was able to separate recombinant interferon-β 1b monomer from other aggregates and impurities. Sample content and purity was demonstrated to be stable for up to 48 h. Overall, this method is suitable for the analysis of recombinant proteins in IBs according to the attributes established on the International Conference for Harmonization guidelines.

Development of a ligase detection reaction/CGE method using a LIF dual‐channel detection system for direct identification of allelic composition of mutated DNA in a mixed population of excess wild‐type DNA

We developed an inexpensive LIF dual-channel detection system and applied it to a ligase detection reaction (LDR)/CGE method to identify the allelic composition of low-abundance point mutations in a large excess of wild-type DNA in a single reaction with a high degree of certainty. Ligation was performed in a tube with a nonlabeled common primer and multiplex discriminating primers, each labeled with a different standard fluorophore. The discriminating primers were directed against three mutant variations in codon 12 of the K-ras oncogene that have a high diagnostic value for colorectal cancer. LDR products generated from a particular K-ras mutation through successful ligation events were separated from remaining discriminating primers by CGE, followed by LIF detection using the new system, which consists of two photomultiplier tubes, each with a unique optical filter. Each fluorophore label conjugated to the corresponding LDR product produced a distinct fluorescence signal intensity ratio from the two detection channels, allowing spectral discrimination of the three labels. The ability of this system to detect point mutations in a wild-type sequence-dominated population, and to disclose their allelic composition, was thus demonstrated successfully.

Capillary gel electrophoresis for precise protein quantitation

CGE, also known as SDS-CGE, is being established in the pharmaceutical industry replacing SDS-PAGE. In most cases, the method is applied for the identity and purity control of proteins, for example monoclonal antibodies. In order to quantify these components with sufficient precision using the same quality control method, a RSD for the quantitative analysis under 2% is required. A reliable and highly precise CGE method could be obtained after thorough optimization. It was crucial to increase the sample concentration and the injection volume in order to achieve sufficiently high S/N ratios (>70). The application of hydrodynamic injection is beneficial for the precision of the method compared to the traditionally used electrokinetic one. Linearity was demonstrated and LOD and LOQ were estimated. Both injection modes were compared in long series runs (n = 48). Furthermore, the use of an internal standard was investigated. Thus, the RSD% of the migration time was reduced from 0.9 to 0.2% and the RSD% of peak areas was greatly improved. However, the normalization to the total area further reduced the influence of the injection error. RSD% for the peak area ratios of typically between 1 and 2% was provided.

Development of a capillary gel electrophoresis method for monitoring disulfide isomer heterogeneity in IgG2 antibodies

A CGE method for monitoring the disulfide isomer distribution characteristic of IgG2 MAbs is presented. Disulfide heterogeneity of MAbs has been studied using various chromatographic and electrophoretic methods. Although CGE operates using a different selectivity mechanism from that of sorption chromatographic techniques, similar trends are present in the data, which allow the CGE method to be used as a complementary method for studying disulfide isomer distribution. This article focuses on the optimization of a capillary-based gel electrophoresis method that can be used to support antibody development including bioprocess optimization, antibody characterization, release, and formulation stability assessment.

Microchip CGE linked to immunoprecipitation as an alternative to Western blotting

A novel approach for protein identification is presented, which combines the specificity of an immunoprecipitation approach with the sensitivity of protein detection in microchip CGE. This method involves derivatization of the sample proteins with a fluorescent dye, target protein isolation with specific antibodies and Protein A coated magnetic beads, and automated sizing and quantification of the eluted samples on microchips. The performance of the new technique was demonstrated with glutathion-S-transferase- and polyHistidine-tagged target proteins in an Escherichia coli background. A specific detection of target proteins was possible down to 0.001% or 1 ng target protein in a background of 100 microg E. coli protein. With this approach, proteins ranging from 10 to 220 kDa could be identified with a panel of different target-specific antibodies. The reproducibility of the method was very similar to standard microchip CGE methods. In a direct comparison to Western blotting, a similar sensitivity and specificity of both techniques was observed. However, the new approach compares favorably to Western blotting in terms of time-to-result, usability and labor intensity, antibody consumption and access to quantitative data.

Determination of DNA methylation by COBRA: A comparative study of CGE with LIF detection and conventional gel electrophoresis

DNA methylation as an epigenetic modification of the human genome is under emphatic investigation. Several studies have demonstrated a role of DNA methylation in oncogenesis. In conjunction with histone modifications, DNA methylation may cause the formation of heterochromatin and thus mediate the inactivation of gene transcription. It is important to develop methods that allow for an accurate quantification of the amount of DNA methylation in particular DNA regions, to gain information concerning the threshold of methylation levels necessary for gene inactivation. In this article, a CGE method with on-column LIF detection using SYBR Green is compared with a conventional slab-gel electrophoresis. We thus investigate the validity to analyze DNA methylation in the samples of a combined bisulfite restriction analysis. It is demonstrated that CGE is superior to gel electrophoresis in means of linearity, precision, accuracy, automatization (high throughput), and sample consumption. However, gel electrophoresis is easier to perform (simple devices, no PC usage), and the running costs are comparatively low. A further advantage of CGE is the sparse use of toxic compounds (MeOH and SYBR Green), whereas gel electrophoresis is performed in polyacrylamide gels with ethidium bromide staining.

Capillary electrophoretic separation of high-molecular-weight poly(ethylene glycol)-modified proteins

This study was designed to demonstrate the utility of capillary electrophoresis (CE) for separating high-molecular-weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-conjugated proteins. As a CE method, sodium dodecyl sulfate–capillary gel electrophoresis (SDS–CGE) was applied to analyze interferon alpha (IFN) modified with branched and trimer-structured PEG molecules. Five mono-PEG-IFN conjugates prepared with two branched PEGs (MW 20 and 40 kDa) and three trimer-structured PEGs (MW 23.5, 43.5, and 47 kDa) were purified by cation-exchange chromatography and their masses were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The SDS–CGE method showed high separation capacity by differentiating PEG-IFN conjugates with small differences in molecular size, such as PEG 40K-, PEG 43.5K-, and PEG 47K-IFNs, and it was useful for checking the purity of each mono-PEG-IFN. This study shows that SDS–CGE can well be utilized in the development and quality control of PEGylated proteins prepared with various types of PEG.

Quantitative Determination of a Chemically Modified Hammerhead Ribozyme in Blood Plasma Using 96-Well Solid-Phase Extraction Coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography or Capillary Gel Electrophoresis

Versatile bioanalytical assays to detect chemically stabilized hammerhead ribozyme and putative ribozyme metabolites from plasma are described. The extraction protocols presented are based on serial solid-phase extractions performed on a 96-well plate format and are compatible with either IEX-HPLC or CGE back-end analysis. A validation of both assays confirmed that both the HPLC and the CGE methods possess the required linearity, accuracy, and precision to accurately measure concentrations of hammerhead ribozyme extracted from plasma. These methods should be of general use to detect and quantitate ribozymes from other biological fluids such as serum and urine.

Capillary gel electrophoresis: separation of major erythrocyte membrane proteins

A new separation method of human erythrocyte membrane proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate capillary gel electrophoresis (SDS–CGE) is described. In this method, a replaceable gel matrix was used. Seven major erythrocyte membrane proteins, α-and β-spectrin, ankyrin 2.1, band 3 (anion-exchanger), 4.1a and b, and 4.2 (pallidin), were separated and identified by SDS–CGE method. High reproducible migration times of these proteins (inter-assay coefficients of variation less than 2%), as well as quantification (inter-assay coefficients of variation less than 11%) were obtained. This new SDS–CGE method may provide important diagnostic evidence for hereditary spherocytosis. It can be a powerful diagnostic tool in place of SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for erythrocyte membrane protein analysis.