Efficiency Measures Research Articles

An innovative microplastic extraction technique: the switchable calcium chloride density separation column tested for biodegradable polymers, polyethylene, and polyamide

Extracting microplastics from complex matrices poses challenges due to the potential impact of harsh chemical treatments on microplastic properties. For fate and hazard assessment reliable techniques are needed to not only quantify the particle number but also to assess the physicochemical properties of environmental microplastics with minimum changes induced by extraction. Here we present the method development for an innovative and non-destructive extraction protocol based on a switchable calcium chloride density separation column. In contrast to commonly reported extraction protocols, the presented technique is suitable for targeted microplastic property analysis (e.g., surface chemistry and texture) by keeping chemical treatments (such as oxidation and enzymatic digestion) to a minimum. By adjusting the temperature we can control the aggregate state of the highly concentrated salt solution, allowing to separate the microplastics from matrix by cutting of purified, solidified samples. Harsh chemical treatments are avoided, as well as obstruction of microplastic extraction by adsorption to matrix components when passing the tap at the bottom of traditional density separation funnels.The use of microplastics that were prelabeled with a fluorescence dye helped to solve difficulties observed during method development by visual inspection before measurement of extraction efficiency: We spiked a blank compost with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyamide (PA). Additionally, UV aged LDPE was used to demonstrate applicability to more hydrophilic, more environmentally relevant microplastics. The obtained initial results show high recovery of both unaged and aged LDPE over 97 wt.-% and an efficient compost removal but a lower and less robust recovery (between 68 and 18 wt.-%) for PA particles that are more challenging to extract due to an unfortunate synergistic combination of smaller particle size and higher density. Method adaptation to other microplastic types may still be necessary. In short:A low-cost and simple approach without oxidation to extract (pre-aged) microplastics from compostMethod development by visual observation using fluorescent labelled microplastics and method validation by spike-recovery tests

Energy efficiency investment in Swiss industry: Analysis of target agreements

Slowing down the energy efficiency (EE) improvement rate over the past half a decade and relatively low EE-related investments highlight a need for a more targeted approach to encourage EE improvement investment in the Swiss manufacturing sector. The current work is based on an analysis of already implemented energy efficiency measures (EEMs) via target agreements. Four segments of the Swiss manufacturing sector are identified using the K-means clustering based on the energy consumption profiles of the establishments. The EEMs are categorized through text analysis with the help of a machine learning algorithm. The EEMs are ranked using two indicators that can inform different stakeholders: i) EEMs with Internal rates of return well above the reported risk-adjusted hurdle rates are identified for each segment to help industrial decision-makers take ad-hoc, profit-based investment decisions on EE improvement. ii) Levelized costs of saved energy are presented as value ranges for the EEMs that have the largest impact on annual total final energy (TFE) reduction for each segment to help policymakers design a more targeted approach for the promotion of high-impact EEMs. EE system improvements such as insulation of steam systems and process optimization, as well as EE equipment improvements like process equipment insulation, installation of variable frequency drives (VFDs), smart controls, and IE3 motors, were found to be the most profitable options across all clusters. For the electricity cluster, CHP was found to be the most impactful way of EE improvement (high energy savings) but not cost-effective. For fuel-consuming clusters, waste heat recovery measures were found to be the most cost-effective and among the most impactful options for EE improvement, along with fuel substitution measures with varying degrees of cost-effectiveness.

Транспортная энергоэффективность и экономические принципы организации морского судоходства

Modern problems of ensuring energy efficiency and carbon intensity of marine vessels are considered, taking into account the achievement of profitability of flights. Since January 2023, such issues have been particularly acute for all maritime convention vessels engaged in international transport, taking into account the introduction of amendments to annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), developed within the framework of the IMO short-term strategy until 2030 to reduce emissions greenhouse gases from ships. The composition of the world merchant fleet by ship types and deadweight was analyzed, the work of the tram freight market and the features of achieving optimal economic operational speed of the vessel were evaluated, taking into account operational and technical conventional restrictions on carbon intensity. The transport work of the universal vessel Singularity over the past three years has been analyzed, taking into account changes in operational speed and the level of freight rates. An adequate mathematical model has been proposed for assigning an optimal average operating speed to a ship according to a carbon intensity rating. The proposed methodological materials can be used by shipping companies in the commercial and technical operation of the fleet by assigning an operational speed in preparation for the voyage and when carrying out corrective energy efficiency measures to achieve an acceptable level of carbon intensity ratings for marine vessels.

Compilations and updates on residual feed intake in sheep.

The increasing global demand for food and the strong effect of climate change have forced animal science to advance regarding new methods of selection in search of more efficient animals in production systems. Feed consumption represents more than 70% of the costs of sheep farms, and more efficient animals can increase the farmers' profitability. One of the main measures of feed efficiency is estimated residual feed intake (RFI), created in 1963 by Robert Koch for estimation in cattle and later adapted for sheep. Animals with negative RFI values (RFI-) are more efficient than animals with positive values (RFI+), with influence on the variables of performance, carcass quality and production of enteric gases. The RFI is the most common and accepted metric of the feed efficiency trait for genetic selection, since it is independent of growth traits, unlike the feed conversion ratio. The purpose of this review article was to present updated literature information on the relationship of RFI estimates with performance measures, molecular markers, greenhouse gas production and feed efficiency, the technical aspects and physiological basis of metabolic in sheep.

Measurement of efficiency and its drivers in the Chilean banking industry.

This paper estimates efficiency measures for the banking system in Chile for the period 2000-2019. In contrast to previous studies, we use input-distance functions, introduce the nonparametric slack-based model, and choose the intermediate inputs approach in determining inputs and outputs. Our results suggest that the Chilean system has achieved relatively high levels of efficiency, although with no significant variation over the sample period. Ownership (government, foreign and public) and size had a positive impact on efficiency. On average, mergers and acquisitions seem to have targeted highly efficient banks in order to improve the overall efficiency of the controlling institution in the short run. Other sources of efficiency gains could be an increase in bond funding or a reduction in expenses and capital holdings. The latter could be induced by deepening the local derivatives market.

Design optimization of groundwater circulation well based on numerical simulation and machine learning

The optimal design of groundwater circulation wells (GCWs) is challenging. The key to purifying groundwater using this technique is its proficiency and productivity. However, traditional numerical simulation methods are limited by long modeling times, random optimization schemes, and optimization results that are not comprehensive. To address these issues, this study introduced an innovative approach for the optimal design of a GCW using machine learning methods. The FloPy package was used to create and implement the MODFLOW and MODPATH models. Subsequently, the formulated models were employed to calculate the characteristic indicators of the effectiveness of the GCW operation, including the radius of influence (R) and the ratio of particle recovery (Pr). A detailed collection of 3000 datasets, including measures of operational efficiency and key elements in machine learning, was meticulously compiled into documents through model execution. The optimization models were trained and evaluated using multiple linear regression (MLR), artificial neural networks (ANN), and support vector machines (SVM). The models produced by the three approaches exhibited notable correlations between anticipated outcomes and datasets. For the optimal design of circulating well parameters, machine learning methods not only improve the optimization speed, but also expand the scope of parameter optimization. Consequently, these models were applied to optimize the configuration of the GCW at a site in Xi’an. The optimal scheme for R (Q = 293.17 m3/d, a = 6.09 m, L = 7.28 m) and optimal scheme for Pr (Q = 300 m3/d, a = 3.64 m, L = 1 m) were obtained. The combination of numerical simulations and machine learning is an effective tool for optimizing and predicting the GCW remediation effect.

Design of Reversible Serial Adder Based on EPOE Expressions for Computational Applications

Considering the growing trend toward reducing the size of electronic devices, reducing power consumption has become one of the major concerns of circuit designers. One of the solutions to reduce power consumption is the design of reversible circuits. This paper proposed the design of a low-cost self-control serial adder system. In the proposed circuit, EPOE expressions have been used for the direct and compact design of sequential circuits to reduce the fixed inputs of sequential logic circuits. In addition, to reduce the quantum cost, common terms between the outputs are optimally used. Also, limiting the use of Tofoli gates with a size larger than three inputs in the implementation of the final circuit will reduce the quantum cost of the resulting circuit. The results and comparisons showed that the proposed design has improved efficiency measures including quantum cost, garbage outputs, and fixed inputs compared to existing works.

A compromise programming approach for cross efficiency measurement in basic two-stage network system

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a technique that allows each decision-making unit (DMU) to calculate efficiency using the most favorable weights for inputs and outputs. The resulting efficiency scores are incomparable and difficult to discriminate. Cross-efficiency is a concept for solving the problem of incomparability among the efficiencies of a set of DMUs that are calculated from different weights and is helpful for ranking. In basic DEA, several cross-efficiency evaluation methods with various secondary purposes have been presented, however, the internal mechanism of the DMUs in cross-efficiency evaluation is often neglected. In this study, we use the composition approach for a basic two-stage structure, so that the efficiencies of the divisions are estimated first, and then the overall efficiency of the system is obtained. To solve the linear bi-objective model in the combination approach, we consider a compromise programming problem to find the solution that is as close as possible to the ideal point. Finally, a secondary objective model is proposed to select a weight among the optimal weights of the compromise model, which also guarantees the efficiency of the optimal weight for the bi-objective problem. We use the optimal solution obtained from this model to evaluate cross-efficiency and rank DMUs for a series two-stage system. The proposed approach enables us to rank the DMUs by assessing the performance of each DMU and each of its separate divisions. The validity of the suggested network cross-efficiency evaluation is demonstrated by a numerical example from the literature.

THE EFFICACY OF VERY LOW CALORIE KETOGENIC DIET (VLCKD) ON CARDIO–METABOLIC PROFILE IN PATIENTS WITH OBESITY

Abstract Background Obesity is associated with alterations in cardiac structure and haemodynamics leading to cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Very low calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) has been proposed as an effective intervention to achieve a significant weight loss in obese patients in a short time period. Furthermore, hyperketonemia induced by VLCKD is associated with beneficial cardiovascular effects. In addition, ketogenic diet is able to prevent mitochondrial fission, improve mitochondrial function, suppress oxidative stress and attenuate cardiac myocytes apoptosis in the heart of mice. Aim To evaluate the role of VLCKD on cardio–metabolic risk factors, cardiac dysfunction and myocardial remodelling in obese patients. Materials and Methods Ten obese patients treated with VLCKD were enrolled. All patients were characterized from an anthropometric, cardio–metabolic and echocardiographic point of view at baseline and 8 weeks after VLCKD treatment. In addition, each patient underwent measurement of global myocardial work efficiency (GWE), a novel indicator that accounts for deformation and afterload, which may provide additional value for assessment of myocardial function. The insulin resistance (IR) was evaluated by HOMA–IR. Results As expected, all the patients showed a significant reduction in body weight and an overall improvement of body composition parameters after VLCKD. Weight (kg) (from 105.1 ± 18.2 to 83.7 ± 16.7, P <0.05), BMI (kg/m2) (from 40.1 ± 4.7 to 31.8 ± 4.8, P= 0.002) and waist circumference (cm) (from 115 ± 13.6 to 101.8 ± 12.4, p < 0.05) were significantly lower after VLCKD treatment. VLCKD treatment improved also significantly fasting glucose levels (P <0.05), fasting insulin levels (P =0.004), HOMA–IR values (P <0.001), lipid profile and systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. In addition, the echocardiogram evaluation showed an improved in end–diastolic left ventricular volume, end–systolic left ventricular volume, left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index. Interestingly, a significantly changes in GWE was observed (P<0.05). Conclusion Although preliminary, our data suggest that VLCKD treatment is able to reduce cardio–metabolic risk factors and to improve cardiac dysfunction and myocardial function.

Investigation of dual-ported shroud casing in a centrifugal compressor: Aerodynamic performance and aeroacoustics

The dual-ported shroud casing has two ports over the impeller section in a centrifugal compressor, different from the traditional ported shroud casing. This paper uses numerical simulations and experiments to investigate the effects of the dual-ported shroud on the centrifugal compressor, including aerodynamic performance and aeroacoustics. According to the experimentally measured compressor performance map, the novel finding is that the dual-port casing treatment extends the compressor operating range by improving the instability margin and increasing the compressor choke flow capacity. The mechanism contributing to the choke flow capacity increase is the bypass function. The dual-ported shroud casing bypasses a part of the air to enter the impeller channels at the blade tips without going through the impeller geometry throat. Besides the benefits, the efficiency and aero-acoustic measurements identify the disadvantages of the dual-ports casing treatment: the peak efficiency deterioration at high rotational speeds and louder noise emission at the compressor inlet.

Responsible coordination of municipal health and care services for individuals with serious mental illness: a participatory qualitative study with service users and professionals

BackgroundCare coordination is crucial to ensure the health of individuals with serious mental illness. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze an inclusive innovation process for coordinating municipal health and care services for individuals with serious mental illness.MethodsWe conducted café dialogues with professionals and service users with serious mental illness. The café dialogues engaged participants in conversation and knowledge exchange about care coordination, adressing topics of efficiency, challenges, and improvement. We used a responsible innovation framework to analyze the innovation process.ResultsResponsible coordination requires promoting service users’ health and ensuring communication and mutual awareness between professionals. Individual-level factors supporting responsible coordination included service users knowing their assigned professionals, personalized healthcare services, and access to meaningful activities. Provider-level factors included effective coordination routines, communication, information exchange, and professional familiarity. Results reflect professionals’ and service users’ perspectives on efficient care coordination, existing challenges, and measures to improve care coordination.ConclusionCafé dialogues are an inclusive, participatory method that can produce insights into the responsible coordination of municipal health and care services for individuals with serious mental illness. The responsible innovation framework is helpful in identifying care coordination challenges and measures for responsible coordination.

Carbon Emission Analysis and Reporting in Urban Emissions: An Analysis of the Greenhouse Gas Inventories and Climate Action Plans in Sarıçam Municipality

The urban carbon footprint (UCF) is an important tool for assessing an organization’s ecological impacts and in guiding sustainability efforts. This calculation is usually measured in tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq). Calculations provide important data to determine strategies to reduce the carbon footprint and establish sustainability targets. Various standards and protocols guide UCF calculation, and many organizations aim to make these data transparent to their stakeholders and the public. This study aims to calculate the UCF of Sarıçam Municipality (SM) in the Adana Province of Türkiye. This study includes the greenhouse gas emission inventories resulting from all activities of the SM main service building, guest house, construction site service building, Cultural Center service building, and additional service buildings between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022. The calculations include generator fuel consumption, electricity consumption, the refrigerant gas leaks and refills resulting from these activities, the fuel consumed in vehicles owned by the company or whose fuel consumption is under company control, emissions originating from personal travel, emissions originating from customers and visitors, emissions originating from business travel, purchases, etc. Emissions from products purchased and emissions from waste transportation are included. The findings show that, in 2022, the total UCF of SM was equal to 10,862.46 tons of CO2-eq. The Paris Agreement aims to reduce the per capita emissions to approximately two tons of CO2-eq by 2030. The carbon footprint per employee within the municipality was calculated at 12.43 tons of CO2-eq, as derived from the analyzed data. The results reveal the importance of implementing sustainable practices and strategies within SM, such as energy efficiency measures, waste reduction, and the adoption of renewable energy sources, to mitigate its carbon footprint. This study plans to provide a basis for SM’s reduction efforts by keeping greenhouse gas emissions under control.

Semi-Additive Integer-Valued Production Technology for Analyzing Public Hospitals in Mashhad

Conventional Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models assume real-valued input-output data and ignore the collaboration among decision-making units (DMUs) in the analysis of efficiency. This paper proposes a novel DEA production technology that is capable of dealing with the collaboration concept and resource sharing for both integer and real-valued data in the efficiency measurement and target setting. This is accomplished by way of a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) efficiency analysis model. We also deal with the computational aspect of the proposed model and invent a MILP with the computational complexity of [Formula: see text] rather than [Formula: see text]. We explain the proposed models by numerical examples and graphical illustrations. We apply our models for efficiency analysis of 15 governmental (public) hospitals in Mashhad City in Iran and demonstrate the practical relevance and advanced future of the proposed methods.

Efficiency measurement of the water recycling system in a fuzzy environment

Efficiency measurement of the water recycling system in a fuzzy environment

The economic impact of E-commerce on the U.S. airports: Cost savings and productivity growth

The rise of e-commerce, fueled by digitalization and shifting in consumer demand, has revolutionized air cargo. While all e-commerce stakeholders are engaged in fierce competition to increase their market share, airports as integral elements of the air cargo supply chain could not be apathetic to this competition. This study examines the economic implication of e-commerce on high cargo volume airports, focusing on cost savings and productivity growth. Utilizing the Farrell measure of input-oriented technical efficiency, we estimate scope economies for the U.S. airports between 2009 and 2019. The results reveal higher scope economies for high cargo volume airports, indicating greater cost savings resulting from e-commerce activities. In addition, the Malmquist index is employed to assess productivity growth. The index is decomposed into technical change, efficiency change, and scale change. The findings show a 3.3% overall productivity growth in the U.S. airport industry, primarily driven by technical change. Besides, high cargo volume airports exhibit higher productivity growth compared to low cargo volume airports, with 4.1% and 2.9% growth rates, respectively. The gap between high cargo volume and low cargo volume airports widened in 2017, aligning with the pre-pandemic peak in e-commerce activity. Furthermore, high cargo volume airports experience higher efficiency gains and technical advancements. While efficiency gains are attributed to improved performance and increased capacity utilization, the technical advancements can be explained by the digitalization and customized operations associated with e-commerce. Overall, the results highlight the significant contribution of e-commerce to cost savings and productivity growth in high-cargo volume airports.

Design approach for carbon-neutral and resilient residential communities: Case study of Tabuk region

In this paper, a systematic analysis approach is outlined to design carbon neutral and resilient residential communities in Tabuk region, Saudi Arabia. The design used cost optimization approach to determine the required capacities for on-site power generation and energy storage using renewable energy resources to achieve desired carbon neutrality and energy resiliency thresholds. Moreover, different energy efficiency levels for the housing units are considered to design grid-connected residential communities based on prevalent grid electricity prices and carbon emissions. The analysis indicates that combinations of energy efficiency measures, PV systems, and storage batteries can be utilized to achieve both desired carbon neutrality and energy resiliency levels. The implementation of proven energy efficiency measures can reduce by over 45 % both the annual electricity demands, and the on-site PV capacities needed to reach carbon neutral designs for the residential communities. The cost-effectiveness of carbon-neutral and resilient designs depends significantly on installation costs of PV systems and wind turbines as well as electricity prices purchased and sold back to the grid. The levelized cost of energy for net-zero energy communities can be as low as 0.06 USD/kWh to reach carbon neutrality.

Analysis of the Operational Efficiency Measurement of Domestic Logistics Enterprises Against the Background of a Low-Carbon Economy

Analysis of the Operational Efficiency Measurement of Domestic Logistics Enterprises Against the Background of a Low-Carbon Economy

Environmental stewardship in the oil and gas sector: Current practices and future directions

This paper provides an overview of the current practices and future directions in environmental stewardship within the oil and gas industry, focusing on key areas of concern and strategies for improvement. The oil and gas industry has made significant strides in environmental stewardship in recent years, driven by a combination of regulatory requirements, corporate initiatives, and stakeholder pressure. One of the primary areas of focus has been the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions associated with extraction, refining, and transportation processes. Companies have implemented technologies such as carbon capture and storage to minimize their carbon footprint, alongside investments in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures to transition towards cleaner energy alternatives. Furthermore, the industry has placed increasing emphasis on the responsible management of water resources, recognizing the potential environmental impacts of water extraction and usage in oil and gas operations. Strategies for water recycling, reuse, and wastewater treatment have been adopted to mitigate pollution and minimize strain on local ecosystems. Biodiversity conservation has also emerged as a critical aspect of environmental stewardship in the oil and gas sector, with companies undertaking environmental impact assessments and collaborating with conservation organizations to minimize habitat disruption and restore ecosystems affected by their operations. Community engagement and social responsibility are integral components of environmental stewardship, with companies seeking to address the social impacts of their operations through employment opportunities, infrastructure development, and social programs benefiting local communities. However, the industry continues to face challenges and limitations in its efforts to minimize environmental impact. Accidental spills, leaks, and other incidents pose significant ecological risks, highlighting the importance of stringent safety regulations and emergency response protocols. Moreover, the transition to renewable energy presents challenges for traditional oil and gas companies, requiring substantial capital investment and strategic planning. To address these challenges and advance environmental stewardship, several future directions are proposed. These include accelerating the transition to renewable energy, enhancing transparency and accountability in reporting environmental performance, strengthening environmental regulations and enforcement, investing in research and development of innovative technologies, and fostering collaboration among industry stakeholders, governments, NGOs, and local communities. Keywords: Stewardship, Oil, Gas, Sustainability, Climate, Mitigation

The last of the maculineans: can we save the emblematic Alcon Blue butterfly Phengaris alcon under climate change when its habitat continues to deteriorate?

AbstractIn the NW-European region of Flanders (northern Belgium), wet heathlands harbour several threatened species among which the emblematic Alcon Blue butterfly Phengaris alcon is rapidly declining. Since 1990, the number of occupied grid cells in Flanders has decreased from 61 to only six in 2023, a decline of 90%. Due to the loss of many populations, the mean distance between populations tripled from 9 km in the period 1950–1990 to 27 km now. Site-wide egg counts in one of the strongholds of the Alcon Blue in Flanders revealed a strong increase after some initial intensive care conservation measures in the 2000s, but since 2013 a steep decline of 99% has been observed. The standardised egg counts in the remaining six Flemish populations (i.e., monitoring within the framework of the Natura2000 reporting) showed a yearly decrease of 18% since 2016. Despite increased conservation attention and targeted management since the end of the 1990s, the current situation of P. alcon in Belgium is more precarious than ever. Causes of this rapid decline are manifold and they are likely to be amplified by extreme weather conditions caused by climate change. More efficient intensive care measures and more intense cooperation across national borders are now quickly required to regionally preserve this habitat specialist with a unique eco-evolutionary profile.Implications for insect conservation By analysing the causes of the decline of the threatened Alcon Blue butterfly in Flanders, we suggest management and policy measures in an attempt to conserve this and other threatened heathland species in a highly anthropogenic region.

Determinants of bacterial survival and proliferation in blood.

Bloodstream infection is a major public health concern associated with high mortality and high healthcare costs worldwide. Bacteremia can trigger fatal sepsis whose prevention, diagnosis and management have been recognized as a global health priority by the World Health Organization. Additionally, infection control is increasingly threatened by antimicrobial resistance, which is the focus of global action plans in the framework of a One Health response. In-depth knowledge of the infection process is needed to develop efficient preventive and therapeutic measures. The pathogenesis of bloodstream infection is a dynamic process resulting from the invasion of the vascular system by bacteria, which finely regulate their metabolic pathways and virulence factors to overcome the blood immune defenses and proliferate. In this review, we highlight our current understanding of determinants of bacterial survival and proliferation in the bloodstream and discuss their interactions with the molecular and cellular components of blood.