Considerable Cost Advantages Research Articles

Thermoeconomic assessment of the air-cooled tropical data center through energy-saving strategies

Rapid developments in the electronic information industry drive the increased energy usage and carbon emission of data center buildings, prompting the focus on the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Expanded operation envelopes of tropical data centers is assessed to analyze the potential for the building energy savings and carbon emission reduction through collaborative analysis of operation modes (OMs), supply air temperature (SAT), and outdoor air temperature (OAT). The OMs of compression vary with the setpoints of SAT, in which the average exergy efficiency of compressors at alternate operation mode is 6.8 % and 8.0 % lower than that of double and single compression operations. As SAT rises from 20 °C to 32 °C, the system exergoeconomic factor increases from 5.4 % to 8.0 %, and the average carbon cost decreases by 36.5 %. Additionally, with just an 8.5 % increase in exergy cost (i.e., Case 8) at OAT rising from 30 to 34 °C, the high SAT and low refrigerant charges provide considerable exergy cost advantages versus resisting the OAT fluctuations. Dynamic operation strategies are also proposed and compared to cope with the impacts of tropical environments. Compared to the 26 °C SAT baseline, the average energy savings are 9.1–14.7 %, indicating the ability to fully utilize outdoor and indoor conditions.

User Cost of Housing Analysis of the German Real Estate Market

Background: This study looks at the development of the German real estate landscape, which recorded a continuous rise in prices between 2009 and 2022. These were due to a genuine excess demand, a shortage of supply and favorable financing conditions. In the course of 2022, mortgage rates then rose after a historically long period of low interest rates. Aim: This study aims in particular to assess whether the financial advantage of home ownership remains robust. The aim is to determine the relative attractiveness of home ownership compared to renting in all 401 German districts and independent cities. Methods: The owner-occupier costs are determined using the user cost of housing approach and compared with the current rental prices in the respective cities and districts. Various factors are taken into account, including the purchase price, financing costs, maintenance and rental prices. Results: The results of the analysis show that home ownership still offers a considerable cost advantage on average across Germany: In mid-2023, it is around 57% cheaper per square meter to invest than to rent. However, it is important to point out that this result does not take into account differences in the population’s ability to afford home ownership. Furthermore, the analysis raises questions about the sustainability of past house price growth and whether this increase is due to fundamental factors or low mortgage rates. In this sense, the study confirms that home ownership on the German real estate market remains economically favorable compared to renting, even with increased interest rates. It underlines how important it is to consider the long-term benefits for wealth accumulation when deciding between owning and renting. Practical relevance/social implications: The study is of practical relevance for people who rent an apartment or house in Germany and are considering whether it is sensible and economical for them to invest in property. The findings from the analysis are helpful for current purchasing decisions. Originality/value: It also offers original results and provides the reader with added value, as it captures and evaluates current real estate developments on the German market in a well-founded manner.

Chemical lithiation methodology enabled Prussian blue as a Li-rich cathode material for secondary Li-ion batteries

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) have been attracting intense attention owing to its two-electron storage capability and considerable cost advantage, especially in Na-ion and K-ion batteries. However, things are quite different when it comes to Li-ion batteries, because lithium-containing Li4Fe(CN)6 precursor is not commercially available and thus the traditionally prepared Li-deficient FeFe(CN)6 products fail to couple with commercial graphite anode for full cells. Herein, we put forward a potential matching principle to guide the chemical pre-lithiation of FeFe(CN)6 into a Li-rich LixFeFe(CN)6 (x varies from 0 to 2) cathode. The potential matching principle was convincingly confirmed by theoretical analysis and over-lithiation experiments. Perylene-Li reagent was elaborately screened to serve as both Li+ and electron donor for controllable chemical lithiation reaction while preserving the host framework stable. Our work provided a general guiding principle and effective methodology for controllable synthesis of Prussian blue analogues in gradient lithiation depth, which could be served as a platform for in-depth, systematic and comprehensive research on the properties of PBAs materials.

A novel polypeptide-modified fluorescent gold nanoclusters for copper ion detection

Biomolecule-functionalized fluorescent gold nanocluster (AuNCs) have attracted a lot of attention due to good biocompatibility, stable physicochemical properties and considerable cost advantages. Inappropriate concentration of Cu2+ may cause a variety of diseases. In this study, AuNCs were synthesized in alkaline aqueous solution using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a template. And then, the peptide CCYWDAHRDY was coupled to AuNCs. Furthermore, the fluorescence of synthesized CCYWDAHRDY-AuNCs response to Cu2+ was evaluated. As the results shown that the CCYWDAHRDY-AuNCs can sensitively detect Cu2+. After adding Cu2+ to the probe system, the fluorescence of the CCYWDAHRDY-AuNCs was quenched. The detection conditions were at pH 6 and 30 °C for 10 min, the linear relationship between Cu2+ concentration and fluorescence intensity were good in the range of 0.1 ~ 4.2 μmol/L. The regression equation was y = − 105.9x + 693.68, the linear correlation coefficient is 0.997, and the minimum detection limit was 52 nmol/L.

Unit Response and Costs in Web Versus Face-To-Face Data Collection: Comparison of Two Cross-sectional Health Surveys.

BackgroundPotential is seen in web data collection for population health surveys due to its combined cost-effectiveness, implementation ease, and increased internet penetration. Nonetheless, web modes may lead to lower and more selective unit response than traditional modes, and this may increase bias in the measured indicators.ObjectiveThis research assesses the unit response and costs of a web study versus face-to-face (F2F) study.MethodsAlongside the Belgian Health Interview Survey by F2F edition 2018 (BHISF2F; net sample used: 3316), a web survey (Belgian Health Interview Survey by Web [BHISWEB]; net sample used: 1010) was organized. Sociodemographic data on invited individuals was obtained from the national register and census linkages. Unit response rates considering the different sampling probabilities of both surveys were calculated. Logistic regression analyses examined the association between mode system and sociodemographic characteristics for unit nonresponse. The costs per completed web questionnaire were compared with the costs for a completed F2F questionnaire.ResultsThe unit response rate is lower in BHISWEB (18.0%) versus BHISF2F (43.1%). A lower response rate was observed for the web survey among all sociodemographic groups, but the difference was higher among people aged 65 years and older (15.4% vs 45.1%), lower educated people (10.9% vs 38.0%), people with a non-Belgian European nationality (11.4% vs 40.7%), people with a non-European nationality (7.2% vs 38.0%), people living alone (12.6% vs 40.5%), and people living in the Brussels-Capital (12.2% vs 41.8%) region. The sociodemographic characteristics associated with nonresponse are not the same in the 2 studies. Having another European (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.20-2.13) or non-European nationality (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.79-3.70) compared to a Belgian nationality and living in the Brussels-Capital (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.41-2.10) or Walloon (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.15-1.87) regions compared to the Flemish region are associated with a higher nonresponse only in the BHISWEB study. In BHISF2F, younger people (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.11-1.54) are more likely to be nonrespondents than older people, and this was not the case in BHISWEB. In both studies, lower educated people have a higher probability of being nonrespondent, but this effect is more pronounced in BHISWEB (low vs high education level: Web, OR 2.71, 95% CI 2.21-3.39 and F2F OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.48-1.95). The BHISWEB study had a considerable advantage; the cost per completed questionnaire was almost 3 times lower (€41 [US $48]) compared with F2F data collection (€111 [US $131]).ConclusionsThe F2F unit response rate was generally higher, yet for certain groups the difference between web and F2F was more limited. Web data collection has a considerable cost advantage. It is therefore worth experimenting with adaptive mixed-mode designs to optimize financial resources without increasing selection bias (eg, only inviting sociodemographic groups who are keener to participate online for web surveys while continuing to focus on increasing F2F response rates for other groups).

Active Shooter response training environment for a building evacuation in a collaborative virtual environment

During active shooter events or emergencies, the ability of security personnel to respond appropriately to the situation is driven by pre-existing knowledge and skills, but also depends upon their state of mind and familiarity with similar scenarios. Human behavior becomes unpredictable when it comes to making a decision in emergency situations. The cost and risk of determining these human behavior characteristics in emergency situations is very high. This paper presents an immersive collaborative virtual reality (VR) environment for performing virtual building evacuation drills and active shooter training scenarios using Oculus Rift headmounted displays. The collaborative immersive environment is implemented in Unity 3D and is based on run, hide, and fight mode for emergency response. The immersive collaborative VR environment also offers a unique method for training in emergencies for campus safety. The participant can enter the collaborative VR environment setup on the cloud and participate in the active shooter response training environment, which leads to considerable cost advantages over large-scale real-life exercises. A presence questionnaire in the user study was used to evaluate the effectiveness of our immersive training module. The results show that a majority of users agreed that their sense of presence was increased when using the immersive emergency response training module for a building evacuation environment.

A GNSS/INS-integrated system for an arbitrarily mounted land vehicle navigation device

For the traditional implementation of inertial navigation system, aligning the inertial sensor axes with the vehicle body frame is a necessary process. While the development of micro-electromechanical system brings considerable cost and size advantages, the undesirable alignment process is still a challenge for widespread civil use of portable inertial devices. Aimed to avoid complicated manual mounting of an inertial device used in land vehicle navigation systems, an algorithm is proposed to automatically estimate the misalignment angles between the sensor platform and the vehicle body frame, which enables the device to be mounted in an arbitrary orientation. The foundation of this method is formed by two facts. The first is that the accelerometer can exactly estimate its own posture when it is stationary on the platform. The second is the yaw calculated from the horizontally aligned device has a constant error when the horizontal component of the angular velocity is zero. A robust motion mode recognition technique, which compares the statistical characteristics of the measurements with an empirical threshold, is applied to detect whether the vehicle is parking, turning, or moving straight. Validation experiments show that the error of the coarse estimation algorithm is within 2° when the heading misalignment is less than 45°. This guarantees that the arbitrarily mounted device achieves the equivalent performance as the well-aligned one, whenever the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signal is available. In addition, the positioning error of the misaligned device during short GNSS signal blockage is within 7 m with the application of auxiliary velocity updates.

Life Cycle Assessment and Costing Methods for Device Procurement: Comparing Reusable and Single-Use Disposable Laryngoscopes.

Traditional medical device procurement criteria include efficacy and safety, ease of use and handling, and procurement costs. However, little information is available about life cycle environmental impacts of the production, use, and disposal of medical devices, or about costs incurred after purchase. Reusable and disposable laryngoscopes are of current interest to anesthesiologists. Facing mounting pressure to quickly meet or exceed conflicting infection prevention guidelines and oversight body recommendations, many institutions may be electively switching to single-use disposable (SUD) rigid laryngoscopes or overcleaning reusables, potentially increasing both costs and waste generation. This study provides quantitative comparisons of environmental impacts and total cost of ownership among laryngoscope options, which can aid procurement decision making to benefit facilities and public health. We describe cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) methods and apply these to reusable and SUD metal and plastic laryngoscope handles and tongue blade alternatives at Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNHH). The US Environmental Protection Agency's Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts (TRACI) life cycle impact assessment method was used to model environmental impacts of greenhouse gases and other pollutant emissions. The SUD plastic handle generates an estimated 16-18 times more life cycle carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq) than traditional low-level disinfection of the reusable steel handle. The SUD plastic tongue blade generates an estimated 5-6 times more CO2-eq than the reusable steel blade treated with high-level disinfection. SUD metal components generated much higher emissions than all alternatives. Both the SUD handle and SUD blade increased life cycle costs compared to the various reusable cleaning scenarios at YNHH. When extrapolated over 1 year (60,000 intubations), estimated costs increased between $495,000 and $604,000 for SUD handles and between $180,000 and $265,000 for SUD blades, compared to reusables, depending on cleaning scenario and assuming 4000 (rated) uses. Considering device attrition, reusable handles would be more economical than SUDs if they last through 4-5 uses, and reusable blades 5-7 uses, before loss. LCA and LCC are feasible methods to ease interpretation of environmental impacts and facility costs when weighing device procurement options. While management practices vary between institutions, all standard methods of cleaning were evaluated and sensitivity analyses performed so that results are widely applicable. For YNHH, the reusable options presented a considerable cost advantage, in addition to offering a better option environmentally. Avoiding overcleaning reusable laryngoscope handles and blades is desirable from an environmental perspective. Costs may vary between facilities, and LCC methodology demonstrates the importance of time-motion labor analysis when comparing reusable and disposable device options.

Visualization of electrolyte filling process and influence of vacuum during filling for hard case prismatic lithium ion cells by neutron imaging to optimize the production process

The process of filling electrolyte into lithium ion cells is time consuming and critical to the overall battery quality. However, this process is not well understood. This is partially due to the fact, that it is hard to observe it in situ. A powerful tool for visualization of the process is neutron imaging. The filling and wetting process of the electrode stack can be clearly visualized in situ without destruction of the actual cell. The wetting of certain areas inside the electrode stack can clearly be seen when using this technique.Results showed that wetting of the electrode stack takes place in a mostly isotropic manner from the outside towards a center point of the cell at very similar speed. When the electrolyte reaches the center point, the wetting process can be considered complete. The electrode wetting is a slow but rather steady process for hard case prismatic cells. It starts with a certain speed, which is reduced over the progress of the wetting. Vacuum can assist the process and accelerate it by about a factor of two as was experimentally shown. This gives a considerable time and cost advantage for designing the production process for large-scale battery cell production.

Going Online with a Face-to-Face Household Panel: Effects of a Mixed Mode Design on Item and Unit Non-Response

There are considerable cost and timeliness advantages associated with web interviewing, compared to interviewer administration. However, web surveys do not perform well in terms of coverage and participation. To harness the strengths of both modes, existing probability-based interviewer-administered surveys are therefore being pushed to consider a mixed mode approach, including web. We assess the effect of introducing web interviewing as part of a mixed-mode design in the context of an existing longitudinal survey in which sample members have previously been interviewed face-to-face. Using experimental data from a household panel survey in the UK, we find that the mixed mode design resulted in a lower proportion of households fully responding. However, more than one in five households fully responded online. Overall, individual response rates were also lower with the mixed mode design, and we were unable to identify any subgroups where the reverse was true. Also, item nonresponse rates were higher with the mixed mode design.

Topology assessment for 3 + 3 terminal offshore DC grid considering DC fault management

This study assesses four DC grid topologies where each of the terminals can exchange power with any other terminal and a DC fault on any DC cable can be isolated. The DC grids are built using the following components: hybrid DC circuit breakers (CB), mechanical DC CBs, DC/DC converters and DC hubs. The aim is to compare DC fault performance, technical feasibility/readiness, power transfer security, expansion and costs. The base case for comparison are three separate 300 km offshore HVDCs connecting 3 1 GW offshore wind farms with three onshore VSC terminals. The rating of DC CBs is limited by the state of technology and costs which introduces limitation on the length of DC cables (because of communication delays) and on the DC bus fault level (limiting the number of connecting DC lines). DC/DC converters inherently block propagation of DC faults and their rating is not sensitive to DC fault level. DC hubs have considerable cost advantages over multiple DC/DC converters in cases where multiple DC systems are connecting at the same DC station. The cost assumptions for all major components are analysed, including the offshore platform costs. The study concludes that overall DC grid costs are similar (within 8%) for all four topologies. Although power security is similar for all technologies, the expansion options are best with DC/DC converters or DC hubs. DC hubs nevertheless suffer from highest on-state losses.

The transformation of a legacy carrier – A case study of Turkish Airlines

This study examines the metronomic rise of Turkish Airlines into a global carrier in the period following domestic deregulation and part privatisation. Using a comparative assessment of the carrier's network and its competitive strategies during the 2003–2013/2014 period it was found that Turkish Airlines now benefits from considerable network, cost, service and brand advantages over competing European and to a lesser extent Middle-Eastern airlines. Its network operation based in Istanbul Ataturk airport enjoys strong geographic and demographic advantages, which enables it to optimise the use of its large and young short-haul fleet between a significant number of domestic and international points. This study has important implications for partially or fully state owned legacy carriers as to how to gain competitive advantages in an increasingly open and liberal airline industry.

Cost-effectiveness of continuous erythropoietin receptor activator in anemia.

BackgroundErythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are the mainstay of anemia therapy. Continuous erythropoietin receptor activator (CERA) is a highly effective, long-acting ESA developed for once-monthly dosing. A multitude of clinical studies has evaluated the safety and efficiency of this treatment option for patients with renal anemia. In times of permanent financial pressure on health care systems, the cost-effectiveness of CERA should be of particular importance for payers and clinicians.ObjectiveTo critically analyze, from the nephrologists’ point of view, the published literature focusing on the cost-effectiveness of CERA for anemia treatment.MethodsThe detailed literature search covered electronic databases including MEDLINE, PubMed, and Embase, as well as international conference abstract databases.ResultsPeer-reviewed literature analyzing the definite cost-effectiveness of CERA is scarce, and most of the available data originate from conference abstracts. Identified data are restricted to the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease. Although the majority of studies suggest a considerable cost advantage for CERA, the published literature cannot easily be compared. While time and motion studies clearly indicate that a switch to CERA could minimize health care staff time in dialysis units, the results of studies comparing direct costs are more ambivalent, potentially reflecting the differences between health care systems and variability between centers.ConclusionAnalyzed data are predominantly insufficient; they miss clear evidence and have to thus be interpreted with great caution. In this day and age of financial restraints, results from well-designed, head-to-head studies with clearly defined endpoints have to prove whether CERA therapy can achieve cost savings without compromising anemia management.

State of Virtual Reality Based Disaster Preparedness and Response Training

The advent of technologically-based approaches to disaster response training through Virtual Reality (VR) environments appears promising in its ability to bridge the gaps of other commonly established training formats. Specifically, the immersive and participatory nature of VR training offers a unique realistic quality that is not generally present in classroom-based or web-based training, yet retains considerable cost advantages over large-scale real-life exercises and other modalities and is gaining increasing acceptance. Currently, numerous government departments and agencies including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as academic institutions are exploring the unique advantages of VR-based training for disaster preparedness and response. Growing implementation of VR-based training for disaster preparedness and response, conducted either independently or combined with other training formats, is anticipated. This paper reviews several applications of VR-based training in the United States, and reveals advantages as well as potential drawbacks and challenges associated with the implementation of such training platform.

Costs and Charges for Plasma Exchange (PLEX) Versus Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) in the Treatment of Neuromuscular Disease (PD6.008)

Objective: Estimate costs of plasma exchange versus intravenous immunoglobulin for treatment of neuromuscular disease. Background Therapeutic equivalency of PLEX and IVIg for treatment of myasthenia gravis, acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP [Guillain-Barre]), and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are fairly well established (references). Less well-characterized, however, are costs associated with the two modes of treatment. Design/Methods: Data were retrieved from GHS9s Clinical Decision Intelligence System (CDIS), into which data are entered on an ongoing basis from the electronic medical record system, EpicCare, as well as from pathology and financial computer systems. Comprehensive diagnostic ICD-9-CM and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are registered. Costs to the hospital per procedure performed, and charges billed to third party payor, were assessed for performance of PLEX procedures (CPT: 36514, 36515, 35616) and IVIg delivery (CPT: J0850, J1459, J1561, J1568, J1569, J1572, 90283) for diagnoses of Myasthenia Gravis (ICD-9 358.0*), AIDP (357.0) and CIDP (357.81). Costs and charges were broken down by whether the third party payor was the Geisinger Health Plan or a completely independent outside payor. Results: Costs to hospital were higher for IVIg ($682) than for PLEX ($335). There was little apparent difference whether GHP was the payor (IVIg $667, PLEX $328) or not ($690, $339, respectively). Charges to outside payors were considerably higher for IVIg ($30,441) than for PLEX ($3041), again with no apparent difference between within-system payor (IVIg $29942, PLEX $3169) or not ($30673, $3322, respectively). There were no apparent differences analyzing costs and charges within individual diagnoses compared to pooled figures for the entire dataset. Conclusions: PLEX has considerable cost advantages over IVIg for treatment of myasthenia gravis, AIDP and CIDP, and may therefore be more cost-effective, if equivalent efficacy and complication rates are established. Citations: Barth D, et al. Neurology 2011; 76: 2017. Cortese I, et al. Neurology 2011; 76: 294. Disclosure: Dr. Robinson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Eccher has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bengier has nothing to disclose. Dr. Liberman has received personal compensation for activities with CVS Caremark and Geisinger as an employee.

The Low Cost Carrier Revolution Continues: Evidence From The US Airline Industry

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p style="margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; text-align: justify; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 6.0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Over the past twenty years the US airline industry has been marked by the intense competition between the Low-Cost Carriers (LCCs) and the Full-Service Carrier (FSCs). The fundamental differences between the two business models are reflected in considerable cost advantages of the LCCs. In this paper, I use a set of model specific metrics to investigate whether the competitive process has led to convergence in some of the key features of the competing models. I conclude that despite some evidence of convergence along certain dimensions, the LCCs </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">are not ready to abandon the core LCC model.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>

Does mode of administration matter? Comparison of online and face-to-face administration of a time trade-off task

Developments in electronic data collection methods have allowed researchers to generate larger datasets at lower costs, but relatively little is known about the comparative performance of the new methods. This paper considers the comparability of two modes of administration (face-to-face and remote electronic) for the time trade-off. Data were collected from a convenience sample of adults (n = 135) randomised to either a face-to-face time trade-off or a remote electronic tool. Patterns of responses were considered. For each sample, standard regression analysis was undertaken to generate a valuation set, which were then contrasted. The pattern of responses differed by mode of administration, with the electronic tool yielding larger standard deviations and higher proportions of responses at -1, 0 and 1. The impact of this on the regression was difficult to disentangle from the high variability around individual scores of states, which is a common feature of responses to time trade-off tasks. Under the scoring algorithms generated by mode of administration, the difference between scores exceeded 0.1 for 100 of the 243 EQ-5D health states. This comparison demonstrates that variability arising from mode of administration needs to be considered in developing health state valuations. While electronic administration has considerable cost advantages, particular attention to the design of the task is required. This has wider implications, as all modes of administration may have mode-specific impacts on the distribution of valuation responses.

Maximizing the accuracy of image‐based surface sediment sampling techniques

Recent years have seen increased interest in automated methods, utilizing photographs collected with a handheld digital camera, for determining the grain size distribution of coarse river sediments. Such methods are as precise as traditional field methods and have considerable time and cost advantages. Nevertheless, several unresolved issues pertaining to their deployment remain to be addressed. Using data sets collected from seven gravel bed rivers, this paper examines four key issues: (1) the minimum area required to obtain a representative sample, (2) the effect of lower‐end truncation on grain size percentiles, (3) the effect of river bed structure such as imbrication and hiding, and (4) the potential benefits of using individual particle measurements rather than the number (or mass) of particles per size class to calculate percentiles. It is demonstrated that sampling areas of between 50 and 200 times that of the largest grain are adequate to achieve percentile errors of <10% (in mm). The appropriateness of lower‐end truncation depends on the study aims and sediment properties. It has a limited effect on higher percentiles, except where sand is a major constituent. Understanding the influence of bed structure on image‐derived size information is complicated by the absence of error‐free benchmarks against which accuracy may be evaluated, but it is likely that other errors are more important. The use of individual particle measurements to calculate percentiles in preference to classified data is shown to have a small, but appreciable, effect on precision. These results will assist practitioners in making appropriate operational decisions to maximize data quality using image‐based grain size data capture.

Progress in Metal-Supported SOFCs

Metal-supported SOFCs offer considerable cost and robustness advantages over traditional SOFC designs. In particular, the following topics will be addressed: - Advantages of the metal-supported design - Materials choice for electrolyte and metal support - Acceptable operating temperature range - Fabrication methods - Degradation mechanisms, including Cr migration, metal oxidation, anode-support interdiffusion, etc LBNL has demonstrated competitive power density and promising thermal shock and redox cycling tolerance for YSZ-based metal-supported cells. One cell design utilizes infiltrated anode and cathode catalysts coating porous, sintered YSZ electrode backbones. Our early work demonstrated high power density with infiltrated Ni anodes. Maximum power densities of >330mW/cm2 and >1000mW/cm2 were achieved with air and oxygen as oxidant, respectively, at 700{degree sign}C. Ni coarsens rapidly in fuel atmosphere, so we now use more stable oxide-based anode materials. Very promising stability at moderate power density (>200mW/cm2) will be reported, along with an overview of our cell scale-up efforts.

THE OFFSHORING OF FINANCIAL SERVICES: A REASSESSMENT

Operating in an increasingly competitive market environment, financial services companies are engaged in international reengineering of business processes mirroring developments in manufacturing over the past four decades. We examine the distinctive 'anatomy' of offshoring in financial services, an industry which also manifests a high degree of geographical concentration for 'higher order' functions. We argue that, while offshoring offers considerable cost advantage in terms of labour arbitrage, the devolution of key business activities to downstream and distant providers carries with it considerable strategic risk and managerial complexity.