Current Reduction Rate Research Articles

Ecological Boundaries of Green Keynesianism

To stop climate change, we must drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions. The current reduction rate is inadequate, accelerating climate change. This calls for a drastic shift in economic policy. Given the effectiveness of aid programs applied during the COVID-19 pandemic, some scholars believe that a unique opportunity has arisen to fundamentally change the paradigm and enact new economic policies to address ecological problems. This includes merging Keynesian fiscal policy with environmental objectives, known as Green Keynesianism, a key component of the Green New Deal. This article evaluates if Green Keynesianism, a variation of traditional economic policy focused on growth, is genuinely eco-friendly and can aid in greening the economy. It explores the fundamental characteristics of Green Keynesianism and reviews criticisms from ecological economists. The paper first defines Green Keynesianism and its Green New Deal role. It then debates ecological objections before presenting counterarguments.

Numerical Simulations of Effects of the Layout of Permeable Pile Groin Systems on Longshore Currents

Coastal permeable groins have been used to protect beaches from erosion for centuries. However, the hydraulic functioning of permeable groins has not been fully understood and their design heavily depends on engineering experiences. In this study, numerical experiments were executed to investigate the effects of layout configurations of a permeable groin system on longshore currents. The non-hydrostatic SWASH (Simulating WAve till SHore) model was employed to carry out the numerical simulations. Two data sets obtained from physical laboratory experiments with different permeable groin layouts on different slopes are used to validate the accuracy of the model. Then, the longshore current reduction by the permeable groin system with varying configuration parameters (e.g., groin spacing, groin length) was numerically investigated under different environmental conditions (e.g., a slight or a moderate wave climate). From the calculation results of numerical experiments, it is indicated that permeable groins function efficiently to reduce the maximal longshore current velocity under the condition that the groin length ranges from 84% and 109% of the wave breaker zone width. The longshore current reduction rate monotonously decreases with the increase in groin spacing; permeable pile groin functions best to reduce longshore current with the minimal groin spacing-groin length ratio 1:1 among the range between 1:1 and 2:1. When the groin spacing–groin length ratios are 1:1 and 1.5:1, the longshore current reduction is not sensitive to the investigated wave conditions in this study. When the spatial ratio is 2:1, the permeable pile groin system functions worse under a moderate wave climate than under a slight wave climate, from the view of longshore current reduction.

Social determinants and the Sustainable Development Goals' tuberculosis target in the AmericasDeterminantes sociais e a meta para a tuberculose dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável nas Américas

RESUMENObjetivo.Determinar el comportamiento de los indicadores de incidencia de tuberculosis (TB) y número de muertes por TB en el marco de la meta 3.3 de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) y su correlación con los determinantes sociales.Métodos.Se utilizó una metodología de estudio ecológico, en el cual la unidad de análisis es la población. Para el análisis de los determinantes sociales, se hizo uso del modelo de regresión binomial negativo y la fuerza de asociación.Resultados.En las Américas se ha presentado una disminución promedio anual en la tasa de incidencia de TB de 0,3% entre 2009 y 2018; sin embargo, de 2015 a 2018 ha habido un aumento, pasando de 27,6 a 28,8 por 100 000 habitantes. Con respecto a los determinantes sociales, los grupos de países con índice de desarrollo humano (IDH) y producto interno bruto (PIB) más bajos tienen una incidencia de TB más alta. El riesgo de TB en el país con IDH más bajo es seis veces mayor que en el país con IDH más alto.Conclusiones.Al ritmo de la disminución actual de la tasa de incidencia y del número de muertes por TB, la Región de las Américas no alcanzará las metas propuestas en los ODS y en la Estrategia Fin de la TB. Se requiere una implementación y expansión rápidas de las intervenciones en prevención y control de TB para lograrlo. Esto implica, entre otras acciones, reducir las barreras de acceso al diagnóstico y tratamiento y fortalecer las iniciativas para abordar los determinantes sociales.

Nanosecond laser scribing for see‐through CIGS thin film solar cells

AbstractBuilding‐integrated photovoltaic (BIPV), especially in a semitransparent and/or see‐through configuration, has attracted significant attention because of the extended surfaces available for the photovoltaic (PV) installation including roofs, facades, and windows. In this study, we examine the P4 scribing process for fabricating see‐through cells on a new Cu (In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) architecture with indium tin oxide (ITO) bottom contact, using a nanosecond laser beam of 532‐nm wavelength illuminated from glass substrate side. Through parametric studies with the variations of laser beam spot size and pulse energy, we have identified that enlarged laser beam with the pulse energy near scribing threshold could suppress both damage in ITO and electrical shunt induced by molten CIGS. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses unveil that the molten CIGS mediated shunt mechanism, wetting the scribing edge and forming Cu‐rich metallic phase. The P4 scribing process operated near threshold fluence of enlarged laser beam clearly suppressed unwanted shunt, also minimizing the fluctuation in the desired film removal trend. Thermal analysis supports that enlarged laser beam enables scribing at reduced CIGS‐ITO interface temperature assisted by buckling‐based film delamination mechanism and also suppresses CIGS melting at scribing edge and its neighborhood. See‐through cells fabricated for the areal fraction of approximately 15% using the optimal laser scribing parameters exhibited the short circuit current reduction rate of 16.8% enabled by the low shunt resistance reduction rate of approximately 8%. Further studies are underway to elucidate precise shunt‐related scribing mechanism on the basis of the cross‐sectional analyses and time‐resolved diagnostics and to fabricate the module level see‐through PV architectures.

Offline: The false narrative of “tremendous progress”

Offline: The false narrative of “tremendous progress”

National, regional, and global levels and trends in neonatal mortality between 1990 and 2017, with scenario-based projections to 2030: a systematic analysis

SummaryBackgroundReducing neonatal mortality is an essential part of the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), to end preventable child deaths. To achieve this aim will require an understanding of the levels of and trends in neonatal mortality. We therefore aimed to estimate the levels of and trends in neonatal mortality by use of a statistical model that can be used to assess progress in the SDG era. With these estimates of neonatal mortality between 1990 and 2017, we then aimed to assess how different targets for neonatal mortality could affect the burden of neonatal mortality from 2018 to 2030.MethodsIn this systematic analysis, we used nationally-representative empirical data related to neonatal mortality, including data from vital registration systems, sample registration systems, and household surveys, to estimate country-specific neonatal mortality rates (NMR; the probability of dying during the first 28 days of life) for all countries between 1990 (or the earliest year of available data) and 2017. For our analysis, we used all publicly available data on neonatal mortality from databases compiled annually by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, which were extracted on or before July 31, 2018, for data relating to the period between 1950 and 2017. All nationally representative data were assessed. We used a Bayesian hierarchical penalised B-splines regression model, which allowed for data from different sources to be weighted differently, to account for variable biases and for the uncertainty in NMR to be assessed. The model simultaneously estimated a global association between NMR and under-5 mortality rate and country-specific and time-specific effects, which enabled us to identify countries with an NMR that was higher or lower than expected. Scenario-based projections were made at the county level by use of current levels of and trends in neonatal mortality and historic or annual rates of reduction that would be required to achieve national targets. The main outcome that we assessed was the levels of and trends in neonatal mortality and the global and regional NMRs from 1990 to 2017.FindingsBetween 1990 and 2017, the global NMR decreased by 51% (90% uncertainty interval [UI] 46–54), from 36·6 deaths per 1000 livebirths (35·5–37·8) in 1990, to 18·0 deaths per 1000 livebirths (17·0–19·9) in 2017. The estimated number of neonatal deaths during the same period decreased from 5·0 million (4·9 million–5·2 million) to 2·5 million (2·4 million–2·8 million). Annual NMRs vary widely across the world, but west and central Africa and south Asia had the highest NMRs in 2017. All regions have reported reductions in NMRs since 1990, and most regions accelerated progress in reducing neonatal mortality in 2000–17 versus 1990–2000. Between 2018 and 2030, we project that 27·8 million children will die in their first month of life if each country maintains its current rate of reduction in NMR. If each country achieves the SDG neonatal mortality target of 12 deaths per 1000 livebirths or fewer by 2030, we project 22·7 million cumulative neonatal deaths by 2030. More than 60 countries need to accelerate their progress to reach the neonatal mortality SDG target by 2030.InterpretationAlthough substantial progress has been made in reducing neonatal mortality since 1990, increased efforts to improve progress are still needed to achieve the SDG target by 2030. Accelerated improvements are most needed in the regions and countries with high NMR, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia.FundingBill & Melinda Gates Foundation, United States Agency for International Development.

A Lossless Turn-on Snubber for Reducing Diode Reverse Recovery Losses in Bidirectional Buck/Boost Converter

In this letter, we introduce a simple turn- on snubber for the conventional bidirectional converter. This snubber notably reduces the current reduction rate of the converter main diodes at turn- off . Hence, the reverse recovery losses, which are the dominant losses in the bidirectional converter, are almost eliminated. These features are achieved with a minimum circulating current and no extra voltage or current stress. The conventional bidirectional converter with the proposed snubber is analyzed, and to confirm the analysis, the experimental results are presented.

Spatio-temporal analysis of landuse dynamics in Upper Opa Catchment, Southwest Nigeria

This study explored the use of geospatial techniques to assess land use change within upper Opa catchment area in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria for a period of 28 years between 1986 and 2014. To accomplish this, Landsat TM 1986, ETM 2002 and OLI 2014 were acquired from the USGS Earth Explorer in Global Land Cover Facility (GLCF) web site and subjected to supervised classification using the Anderson classification Scheme. Six land use/landcover classes were identified: Built-up, Bareland, Riparian, Forest Vegetation, Rock Outcrop and Water body using ENVI 5.1 Software. A change detection analysis of LULC was carried out to provide the necessary understanding of changes over the period and prediction for expected change in future was carried out. Result showed remarkable changes in all the land uses. For instance, Built-up increased from 7.01 km2 (6.4%) in 1986 to 11.92 km2 (10.8%) and 20.86km2 (18.8%) in 2002 and 2014, respectively while vegetation reduced from 61.72km2 (61.30%) in 1986 to 55.41km2 (50.2%) in 2014. The study further confirmed that if the current rate of reduction in the vegetation cover is allowed to continue unabated, there may be no vegetation again in the area in the next 30 years, thus, jeopardizing the need of the future generation and causing greater harm to the environment. In view of the above, efforts should be made to control land use activities within upper Opa catchment by enforcing the “Green Policy” of the Environment Act of the Federal Government of Nigeria which will check the indiscriminate land uses particular the encroachment of other uses into vegetation land.Keywords: Opa Catchment, LULC, Anthropogenic activities, Southwestern Nigeria

Impact of dual field plates on drain current degradation in InAlN/AlN/GaN HEMTs

InAlN/AlN/GaN HEMTs with both source and gate dual field-plates (FPs) are proposed. To investigate the influence of dual FPs on the devices characteristics, two types of devices with gate FP and without FPs were fabricated and tested. The devices were subjected to different kinds of short-term direct current bias (DC-bias) stress conditions. The results show that after the off-state bias stress, the drain current reduction rate of the devices with dual FPs was 3.32%, which was less than that in both devices with a gate FP of 7.57% and devices without FPs of 14.63%. The current collapse of the HEMTs with dual FPs was relieved due to the increase of electric field uniformity between the gate and drain. The degradation of the output characteristics was more serious after the on-state bias stress. In addition, the effects of bias stress on the transfer characteristics of the devices were studied, and the trapping processes under different stress conditions in the devices were discussed.

Does the first impression matter? Efficiency testing of tenure-choice decision

The efficient market hypothesis states that rather than utilizing previous irrelevant information, rational decision-making is based solely on current information. In this paper, we test the efficient-market hypothesis with respect to the timing of home purchase. We use data obtained from the privatization of the public housing program in Israel to estimate the weight given to current, as opposed to the first, reduction rate offered to public housing tenants. In line with the relevant psychological literature, results indicate that the first impression generates a very effective and long-lasting imprint: only 40% weight is given to the current reduction rate, compared with 60% weight given to the first reduction rate public housing tenants encounter. When the sample period is stratified by governments in office, this weight rises (drops) to 50% (0%–30%) among tenants who accelerate (defer) the purchase. Research findings thus stress the strong reliance on irrelevant information in tenure-choice decision in response to a series of varying reduction conditions offered to tenants.

Cognition on the Current-Limiting Effect of Saturated-Core Superconducting Fault Current Limiter

The saturated-core superconducting fault current limiter (SCSFCL) is an important facility for limiting the short-circuit fault current of the power grid. However, the cognition or the judgment on the current-limiting effect, which is the key indicator of the SCSFCL, is not unique. This is because the nonlinear property of the steel cores in the limiting state makes the voltage on the SCSFCL and the current passing through the SCSFCL not sinusoidal any more. In this paper, it is presented that the equivalent limiting reactance, which is commonly used currently, cannot reflect the current-limiting effect, nor is the induced voltage. It is pointed out that for a certain SCSFCL, the current-limiting effect is not fixed, and it depends on the parameters of the power grid as well as the position, where the SCSFCL is installed. It is clarified that only the current reduction rate by comparing the short-circuit fault current before and after the installation of the SCSFCL in a certain power grid can correctly reflect the current-limiting effect. Certainly, the calculation for the current-limiting effect must be conducted by the field-circuit coupled method, where the field concerns the property inside the SCSFCL and the circuit concerns the property of the power grid. This paper does not mainly focus on the simulation method, but provides the means of judging or evaluating current-limiting effect of the SCSFCL.

An analysis of the potential for achieving the fourth millennium development goal in SSA with domestic resources.

BackgroundThe importance of good health is reflected in the fact that more than half of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are aimed at improving health status. Goal 4 (MDG4) aims to reduce child mortality. The progress indicator for goal 4 is the under-five mortality rate (U5M), with a targeted reduction of two thirds by 2015 from 1990 levels. This paper seeks to compare the time (in years) Sub Saharan African (SSA) countries will take to reach their MDG4 target at the current rate of decline, and the time it could have taken to reach their target if domestic resources had not been lost through illicit financial flows, corruption and servicing of debt since 2000.MethodsWe estimate the amount by which the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita would increase (in percentage terms) if losses of resource through illicit financial flows, corruption and debt servicing, were reduced. Using the income elasticity of U5M, a metric which reports the percentage change in U5M for a one percent change in GDP per capita, we estimate the potential gains in the annual reduction of the under-five mortality if these resource losses were reduced.ResultsAt the current rate of reduction in U5M, nine countries out of this sample of 36 SSA countries (25%) will achieve their MDG4 target by 2015. In the absence of the leakages (IFF, corruption and debt service) 30 out of 36 (83%) would reach their MDG4 target by 2015 and all except one country, Zimbabwe would have achieved their MDG4 by 2017 (97%). In view of the uncertainty of the legitimacy of African debts we have also provided results where we excluded debt repayment from our analysis.ConclusionsMost countries would have met MDG4 target by curtailing these outflows. In order to release latent resources in SSA for development, action will be needed both by African countries and internationally. We consider that stemming these outflows, and thereby reducing the need for aid, can be achieved with a more transparent global financial system.

Premature abandonment of global vitamin A supplementation programmes is not prudent!

Mason et al. provide an overview of vitamin A supplementation (VAS) programmes globally and conclude that the current strategy for biannual supplementation with vitamin A between 6 and 59 months of age has outlived its utility. They base their conclusions on the following main arguments. First, despite VAS programmes, global prevalence of vitamin A deficiency has not changed; second, the evidence on the effectiveness of VAS in terms of child mortality was drawn from studies undertaken over two decades ago and may not be relevant any more in the current context of reduced child mortality especially in deaths related to diarrhoea and measles. They cite heavily the decade-old but recently published Deworming and Enhanced Vitamin A (DEVTA) study in India, where a lower effect size on under5 mortality was seen. Mason et al. conclude by suggesting that dietary diversification and fortification strategies may offer a more effective set of interventions. We concur with the notion that eventually appropriate diets and interventions to reduce poverty and food insecurity may offer the best options to improve health and nutrition status across populations. However, are we at a stage when a well-established and accepted global programme should be abandoned without due attention to the feasibility, current effective coverage and cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies? We strongly believe that such a course could seriously jeopardize gains in child health and survival. There are several arguments to support our contention. First, it is important to note that twice-yearly high-dose vitamin A supplementation is not an intervention to sustainably control vitamin A deficiency, but rather an immediate, life-saving intervention to improve child survival. In the latter context, it is also incorrect to relate VAS programmes to child mortality alone. Whereas admittedly the programme was initiated three decades ago with child mortality impact in mind, it was always meant to improve morbidity outcomes as well. There is ample indirect evidence that this has indeed been achieved in many regions of the world. The current rate of reduction in diarrhoea mortality globally is disproportionate to the change in coverage of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and zinc usage or indeed breastfeeding rates, and has also largely taken place in the very regions (Latin America and South East Asia excluding India) where the rate of progress in reducing child mortality and VAS programme coverage has been highest. Figure 1 shows some of the trends in vitamin A deficiency in countries of the region where population-level vitamin A deficiency and VAS coverage data over the past two decades are available. It is also notable that in contrast to the statement that rates of global vitamin A deficiency have not changed, severe deficiency has indeed disappeared in many regions. Severe xerophthalmia and childhood blindness related to this have significantly reduced and this reduction has been attributed to a combination of success of measles immunization and VAS. Similarly, diarrhoea burden, especially rates of severe and persistent diarrhoea have reduced significantly over the last two decades. The benefits of VAS may thus extend well beyond mere mortality impact. Caution must be exercised in using the results from the DEVTA study to make the case that the programme effectiveness is questionable. Numerous concerns have been expressed about the completeness of data capture in that

High Voltage and Fast Switching Reverse Recovery Characteristics of 4H-SiC PiN Diode

The reverse recovery characteristics of a 4H-SiC PiN diode under higher voltage and faster switching are investigated. In a high-voltage 4H-SiC PiN diode, owing to an increased thickness, the drift region does not become fully depleted at a relatively low voltage Furthermore, an electron–hole recombination must be taken into account when the carrier lifetime is equal to or shorter than the reverse recovery time. High voltage and fast switching are therefore needed for accurate analysis of the reverse recovery characteristics. The current reduction rate increases up to 2 kA/μs because of low stray inductance. The maximum reverse voltage during the reverse recovery time reaches 8 kV, at which point the drift layer is fully depleted. The carrier lifetime at the high level injection is 0.086 μs at room temperature and reaches 0.53 μs at 250 °C.

Passive microwave remote sensing of seasonal snow-covered sea ice

The Arctic is thought to be an area where we can expect to see the first and strongest signs of global-scale climate variability and change. We have already begun to see a reduction in: (1) the aerial extent of sea ice at about 3% per decade and (2) ice thickness at about 40%. At the current rate of reduction we can expect a seasonally ice-free Arctic by midway through this century given the current changes in thermodynamic processes controlling sea-ice freeze-up and decay. Many of the factors governing the thermodynamic processes of sea ice are strongly tied to the presence and geophysical state of snow on sea ice, yet snow on sea ice remains poorly studied. In this review, we provide a summary of the current state of knowledge pertaining to the geophysical, thermodynamic and dielectric properties of snow on sea ice. We first give a detailed description of snow thermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity, diffusivity and specific heat and how snow geophysical/electrical properties and the seasonal surface energy balance affect them. We also review the different microwave emission and scattering mechanisms associated with snow-covered first-year sea ice. Finally, we discuss the annual evolution of the Arctic system through snow thermodynamic (heat/mass transfer, metamorphism) and aeolian processes, with linkages to microwave remote sensing that have yet to be defined from an annual perspective in the Arctic.

Modeling of the gate leakage current reduction in MOSFET with ultra-thin nitrided gate oxide

The origins of different gate leakage behaviors for both PMOS and NMOS with ultra-thin nitrided gate oxide have been studied and modeled. Both equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) and barrier lowering are affected the gate leakage. In NMOS with nitrided oxide, the advantage of EOT decrease is larger to offset the barrier lowering, thus improvement on gate current reduction rate ( R Jg ). The situation in PMOS is just contrary to the NMOS, therefore the gate leakage increased with increasing nitridation time. We attribute this to the different barrier lowering in conduction band and valence band.

To optimize electrical properties of the ultrathin (1.6 nm) nitride/oxide gate stacks with bottom oxide materials and post-deposition treatment

The electrical properties affected by the bottom oxide materials and the post-deposition treatment on the ultrathin (down to 1.6 nm) nitride/oxide (N/O) stacks, prepared by rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) with two-step NH/sub 3//N/sub 2/O post-deposition annealing, for deep submicrometer dual-gate MOSFETs have been studied extensively. N/O stack with NO-grown bottom oxide exhibits fewer flat-band voltage shifts and higher hole and electron mobility, but suffers from worse leakage current than that with conventional O/sub 2/-grown bottom oxide. In post-deposition treatment, increasing NH/sub 3/ nitridation temperature can effectively reduce the equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) and improve leakage current reduction rate, but can result in worse mobility. Furthermore, the subsequent N/sub 2/O annealing eliminates the defects and offers a contrary effect on the N/O stack in comparison with the NH/sub 3/ nitridation step.