High Price Research Articles

An Evaluation of Different Sweet Olive Cultivars with Different Ripening Degrees Grown in the Puglia Region, Southeastern Italy

Some olive cultivars grown in southeastern Italy are characterized by the production of olives with a reduced level of bitterness. They are known as sweet olive cultivars and fruits are usually consumed directly or cooked without any debittering process, offering either health benefits to consumers, thanks to the high content of antioxidants, or an economic benefit to farmers for their higher price with respect to both table and oil olives. This study evaluates and compares the organoleptic, pomological, chemical, and physical parameters of seven sweet olive cultivars at different ripening degrees in the Puglia region over 8 weeks of maturity stage for two consecutive seasons (2022 and 2023). The organoleptic evaluation was performed by a restricted panel of usual consumers/experts of sweet olives. The results showed a higher preference for the olive cultivars locally named Triggiano Dolce, Cerasella, and Mele. Significant differences in weight, length, and width of the fruits were observed based on both cultivar and year. The phenolic composition of olive cultivars was significantly affected by both cultivar and harvest year, with Cazzinicchio and Cellina di Nardò having the highest total polyphenols. The analysis of water fraction extracted from olive samples by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry led to the identification of eleven compounds belonging to the secoiroids, phenylpropanoids, phenylethanolids, and flavonoids classes. The comparison of these compounds among the studied cultivars highlighted significant differences.

Important Facts, Reasons, and Explanations of the China’s Real Estate Market: The Perspectives of High Housing Prices and Investment

Important Facts, Reasons, and Explanations of the China’s Real Estate Market: The Perspectives of High Housing Prices and Investment

Progressing from first-of-a-kind to Nth-of-a-kind: Applying learning rates to carbon capture deployment in Sweden

The deployment of CO2 capture technologies presents opportunities to store fossil fuel emissions from industries and power generation (CCS) and to enable carbon utilization (CCU). However, the costs for early CCS projects are high, and this is a challenge in terms of their economic viability, requiring a strong climate policy with high carbon prices for implementation. This work details a techno-economic assessment of the cost of carbon capture based on a hybrid method and individual project approach, using first-of-a-kind contingency factors and learning rates to study the evolution of carbon capture costs as installed capacity increases over time. The work is based on a case study of 147 Swedish industrial and combined heat and power plants (total of 176 stacks). The results are presented as marginal abatement cost curves, with consideration of early mover CCS projects and learning rates. Deployment scenarios are also presented that take into account an expected increase in the CO2 price. The findings indicate that when accounting for first-of-a-kind contingencies (100 % and 200 % increases in Nth-of-a-kind costs), 90 and 17 projects, respectively, of the total 176 emission sources studied have specific CO2 costs of <300 €/t. However, high learning rates (12 %) can reduce the capture costs from first-of-a-kind to Nth-of-a-kind levels within some 30 project installations (100 % contingency). With lower learning rates (3 %), the first-of-a-kind costs are reduced by 10 %–20 %. With the expected increase in CO2 prices, a peak in carbon capture deployment is observed around Year 2035, at a carbon price of 200 €/t.

Eco-techno-economic assessment of methanol production: A comparative study of GHG mitigation strategies through CCS and electrified CCU pathways

Mitigating GHG emissions from industries and other sectors of our economy is a vital aspect of having a sustainable economy. This paper offers an in-depth process development and eco-techno-economic performance analysis of different methanol production pathways, namely CCU-assisted electrified reforming and CCS-assisted pathways, in comparison to conventional methanol production using natural gas. Through model simulations with Aspen Plus, eco-techno-economic analyses, and extensive sensitivity analysis, the research aims to provide valuable insights into the economic and environmental implications of these pathways. Our results revealed that our proposed electrified pathways, E-CRM-80 and E-CRM-90, show substantial reductions in capital investment by 27 % and 19 %, in comparison to TRM. In terms of economic viability, the MSP of methanol for E-CRM-80 and E-CRM-90 in regions with cheaper renewable energy sources is $291 and $319/tonne CO2, lower than the $377 and $670/tonne CO2 required for CCS and TRM. Notably, E-CRM-80 and E-CRM-90 surpass CCS in cost when the mitigation credit exceeds $300 and $350/tonne CO2. The integrated e-TEA/LCA model underscores the significance of electricity consumption in CCU processes, providing insights into the achievable lifecycle GHG reduction across all pathways. In Quebec, characterized by the lowest electricity cost, the electrified pathway requires a reduced life cycle GHG reduction credit, even lower than the CCS technology. For E-CRM-80 and E-CRM-90 to achieve lower GHG mitigation credits than the CCS pathway, the electricity grid must emit less than 37 and 11 g CO2/kWh. Conversely, in Alberta, with high electricity prices, CCU pathways are less favorable compared to CCS.

Training on Making Local Microorganisms (MOL) based on Mimosa Roots to Farmers Group in Jubung Village

Jubung Village is the largest soybean producer in Sukorambi District. Partners in this service are farmer groups in Jubung with the name of the Farmer Group "Tani Mulyo". This partner has the problem of soybean production that cannot increase and the high price of fertilizer. The solution offered to solve the problem is the use of local Microorganisms (MOLs). MOL is useful for increasing plant production and bio activators and fermentation of animal feed. Mimosa has the potential as an antimicrobial food pathogen. Mimosa root can speed up the process of absorption of nutrients and water, as well as remodel organic matter in the soil. The purpose of the service activity is to introduce the technology of making root MOL to supporting organic farming. The solutions provided will be divided into several activities, including socialization, counseling about the role of PGPR and MOL, soybean cultivation according to GAP, practices for making Root MOL, monitoring and evaluation. The results of the activity showed that the participants participated in the activity enthusiastically, as evidenced by the discussion that went well. The indicators of the success of making MOL are indicated by the characteristics of cloudy color and have a fermentation smell

ТРАВОСМЕСИ ДЛЯ СОЗДАНИЯ ВЫСОКОКАЧЕСТВЕННЫХ ИНТЕНСИВНЫХ СЕНОКОСОВ В ПОЛУПУСТЫННОЙ ЗОНЕ РОССИИ

The purpose of the study is to improve the species composition of grass mixtures under irrigated conditions to increase their productivity, longevity and provide livestock with high-quality feed. The experiments were performed in 2019-2022 on old plowed lands located in the right-bank steppe of the north of Astrakhan region under irrigation. Irrigation method: sprinkling, 10 vegetation irrigations per season. The soil is light chestnut, medium loamy with a humus content of 0.90...1.00%. mobile phosphorus and potassium (according to Machigin) – 69 and 361.5 mg/kg, respectively. We studied 6 variants of grass mixtures: control (creeping wheatgrass, angustifolia bluegrass, awnless brome, coastal sedge, swamp grass, California cocklebur); grass mixture 1 – 25:25:25:25% (blue hybrid alfalfa, meadow clover, meadow timothy, meadow fescue; grass mixture 2 – 30:40:30% (meadow clover, multi-cut ryegrass, meadow fescue; grass mixture 3 – 50:50% ; (meadow clover and reed grass); grass mixture 4 – 25:25:25:25% (eastern goat’s rue, meadow clover, multi-cut ryegrass, meadow fescue; grass mixture 5 – 25:25:25:25% (meadow clover, meadow timothy) , multi-cut ryegrass, common beckmania); grass mixture 6 – 50:25:25% (meadow clover, festulolium, intermediate wheatgrass. The most productive were grass mixtures No. 1 and No. 2 – 147.6 and 156.3 t/ha of green mass, which higher than the control by 134.3 and 143.0 t/ha, respectively. All studied options were distinguished by high nutritional value - the content of feed units per 1 kg of dry biomass varied from 0.75 kg per 1 kg of feed for grass mixture No. 2 to 0.85. kg per 1 kg of feed for grass mixture No. 5. When feeding all grass mixtures with hay, the animals had a higher average daily weight gain (1.2...1.7 higher) in terms of nutritional value, compared to feeding with hay from natural grass. The high productivity and price of hay of legume-grass grass mixtures determine the high profitability (177%) of its production, which is 3.3 times higher than natural haymaking.

Do high drug prices fund pharmaceutical innovation?

Pharmaceutical companies claim that they need high drug prices to generate sufficient profits to invest in innovation. While this claim can be valid in principle, it is contradicted by the extent to which "Big Pharma" companies in the United States (US) distribute profits to shareholders in the form of cash dividends and stock buybacks. For 2013-2022, the 14 US-based pharmaceutical companies in the S&P 500 Index paid out 54% of net income as dividends and another 51% as buybacks. Incentivizing senior corporate executives to allocate resources in this financialized manner is, as we document, their stock-based compensation. In effect, these companies use high stock prices to boost stock yields at the expense of investing in innovation and compensating workers and taxpayers who make value-creating contributions to the corporation. Given the prominence of US-based pharmaceutical corporations in Canada, we explain how their financialization results in high Canadian drug prices and underinvestment in pharmaceutical research and development in Canada.

Novel and Low-Cost Techniques for Extending the Etch Capabilities of an Inductively Coupled Plasma Etch Tool That Has Clamp Fingers for Clamping 4-Inch Diameter Wafers

Widening the processing capabilities of an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etch tool by “preventing wafer breakage” during processing of wafers, or by gaining the capability to do “through-wafer silicon etch” are important challenges that may need to be resolved with very limited resources. Resolving the undesired wafer breakage issues caused during processing of wafers is important to reduce the manufacturing costs, and increase production yield. Furthermore, considering the high prices of the state-of-the-art wafer processing tools, it is also important to prevent wafer breakage by using low-cost approaches especially if the resources for purchasing state-of-the-art processing equipment are not available. Two novel methods (method #1, and method #2) are developed to prevent wafer breakage and allow through-wafer silicon etching. With method #1, an aluminium alloy ring (AAR) and an o-ring are employed to obtain uniform load distribution (instead of point loads) on the required outer region on the surface of a wafer, and to minimize or completely remove the bending moment that may be formed on the possible cross-sections of the entire wafer, during clamping of the wafer. With method #2, through-wafer silicon etching is made possible by simultaneous application of method #1 and addition of a helium cooling gas (HCG) leakage blocking dicing tape at the back side of the wafer that is under processing for through-wafer etching. By using the explained methods, wafer breakage during ICP etch processing is eliminated, and through-wafer silicon etching is made possible. From the other side, the effective wafer area that can be used for processing is reduced by 48%. Novel and capability enabling 2 different techniques that are extremely low-cost compared to purchasing a state-of-the-art ICP etch tool are presented to extend the processing capabilities of an ICP etch tool for deep silicon etching (method #1), and through-wafer silicon etching (method #2).

The high price U.S green economy: A specific factor modeling

The high price of energy due to the green energy policy will cause adjustments across the U.S. economy is predicted in the present computable general equilibrium with specific factors model. This includes energy input, especially electricity with capital and labor to produce manufacturing and service goods. 2022 labor, energy, and sector-specific capital input data on U.S. manufacturing, service, and agricultural sectors is applied to specific factors of the computable general equilibrium model. The model, which assumes constant returns, full employment, competitive pricing, and perfect labor mobility across industries hypothesizes a range of price changes due to project potential adjustments in factor prices and outputs. The U.S manufacturing sector is revealed to have a higher degree of noncompetitive pricing for energy factor inputs, but not on labor and capital as advocates for green energy tout by the new technology. The policy has virtually no significant impact on the service and agricultural sectors. The high price of green energy will cause an elastic decrease in all energy inputs. The output from energy-intensive manufacturing only rises in the long run by 4 % while service and agriculture fall. Clear winners are the owners of energy resources through their price-searching behavior. This includes the government, which owns a large share of hydrocarbon reserves.

Changes in revenues associated with antimicrobial reimbursement reforms in Germany

Policy declarations from the G7 and other high-level meetings call for increased incentives for antimicrobial research and development (R&D). Governments fund push incentives like CARB-X and GARDP, and G7 countries are now designing pull incentives—financial rewards given to manufacturers post-market authorization that are intended to encourage the creation and introduction of novel antimicrobials. Germany has declared previously at the G7 that it has developed a pull incentive that will increase revenues from sales of important new antimicrobials, principally by exempting them from some aspects of health technology benefit assessments and reference pricing, which should result in higher prices. This policy move is the latest in a series of reforms that aim to improve the marketability of antimicrobials in Germany. This paper examines Germany’s reforms and contributes to the ongoing debate about the merits of its approach in light of R&D and access issues impacting the country, particularly in comparison to pull incentives such as revenue guarantees or subscriptions that delink revenue from sales volume. We find that in order for Germany to produce the same impact on antimicrobial revenues as a delinked pull incentive, it either needs to increase the volume of antimicrobials used or increase prices for these drugs by as much as 3.3-times current values.

How Is Human Socioeconomic Position Linked With Dog Ownership Practices? A Study From Denmark

ABSTRACT Connections between dog ownership and socioeconomic position (SEP) are not well understood. This study examined associations between family and neighborhood levels of SEP and dog ownership, dog acquisition factors (purchase price and breed characteristics), and the purposes of owning a dog based on data from a survey carried out in Denmark in 2021. Participants (aged 18–89 years) were recruited using probability sampling (n = 2,112). Stepwise multivariable logistic or multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to identify significant associations with SEP. Approximately 20% of families in Denmark have a dog. Dog ownership was not found to be linked with income, education, or occupation when life course and lifestyle factors were taken into account. Neighborhood SEP was associated with dog ownership, but the association was not ordered. Payment of a high price for the dog was more prevalent both in high-SEP neighborhoods and in high-income families. Dog owners with low income and limited involvement in the labor market were more likely to have mixed-breed dogs. Those with a higher income and the self-employed were more likely to have a pedigree dog. Acquiring a dog to get physical exercise was more common among dog owners living in high-SEP neighborhoods. Owners with higher levels of education were more likely to have a dog because they liked the company of animals, and those with lower levels tended to keep a dog for instrumental reasons and for social support. The reason for keeping a dog for social support was mainly observed among those with lower levels of education who were also frequently (often/sometimes) involuntarily alone. As in many other areas of consumption, the results demonstrate that acquisition of, and reasons for keeping, a dog are linked to socioeconomic status. They also suggest that dogs play different roles in emotional and mental health at different educational levels.

Advanced Alkaline Amine Fuel Cell Development

Today, perhaps the most pressing issue is that of power generation. It is important that a source which is inexpensive, reliable, efficient, sustainable, and carbon free be developed and implemented. The hydrogen fuel cell is one possibility. Fuel cells meet many of the requirements listed above save one, current designs are expensive. The catalysts used in most modern hydrogen fuel cells are often platinum group metals, which significantly increases the cost of manufacturing. The high price has proved a significant barrier to adoption. Alkaline fuel cells are comparatively cheap as the catalysts are inexpensive, but they suffer from reliability issues. For one, they form carbonates, which are produced when carbon dioxide reacts with the potassium hydroxide electrolyte. Carbonates build up on the catalytic sites, rendering the fuel cell inoperable. With this project, the chemistry is being manipulated to eliminate this failure. The standard electrolyte is being replaced with an organic amine. Carbonates are soluble in amines and will not precipitate out of solution. This will prevent the buildup and may clean catalytic sites. This project is also testing low-cost production processes. We are using electrochemical synthesis methods to deposit nickel and silver onto carbon cloth to build the fuel cell electrodes. These are then characterized via SEM, EDAX, and x-ray fluorescence. The purpose of this is to establish what size of particles will afford the maximum catalytic activity. Optimizing particle size will help to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Prototypes will be built to identify the best amine and catalyst samples. By the end of 2024, the first cell will be built and tested. Next year, a full-scale alkaline amine fuel cell system will be built. It will be tested as a twelve-volt system for current density, lifetime and total costs.

Phenotypic diversity in qualitative and quantitative traits for selection of high yield potential field pea genotypes

Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) needs improvement to increase productivity due to its high price and demand. However, the incidence of powdery mildew (PM) disease limits its production. This study aimed to analyze the diversity of qualitative and quantitative traits against powdery mildew resistance by utilizing cluster and principal component analysis to explore PM resistance high-yield potential field peas. Shannon–Weaver's diversity index (Hʹ) displayed high intra-genotype diversity for quantitative and qualitative aspects. Heterogeneity was identified for resistance against powdery mildew infections. Eighty-five genotypes were divided into five groups using Mohalanobis generalized distance (D2) statistics. The highest inter-cluster D2 value was observed between clusters 2 and 3 (11.89) while the lowest value was found between clusters 3 and 4 (2.06). Most of the genotypes had noticeable differences, so these could be employed in a crossing scheme. Twelve genotypes were extremely resistant, 29 genotypes were resistant, 25 genotypes were moderately resistant, 18 genotypes were fairly susceptible, and 1 genotype was susceptible to powdery mildew disease. Among 29 resistant genotypes, BFP77, BFP74, BFP63, BFP62, BFP43, and BFP80 were high yielders and, could be used directly and/or transferred through hybridization to high-yielding disease-susceptible genotypes. Among the 25 moderately resistant genotypes, BFP78, BFP45, BFP79, and BFP48 were found to be high yielders. In principal component analysis (PCA), the first four PCs with Eigen values > 1 accounted for 88.4% variability for quantitative traits. Clustering sorted genotypes into five groups, where groups 1 to 5 assembled 37, 28, 1, 8, and 11 genotypes, respectively. Genotypes of cluster 4 were identified as high yielders with its attributes. Pearson correlation significantly and positively correlated across all traits except for PM. This variation suggested that there is a mechanism to select promising genotypes for field pea breeding. Considering all features, BFP78, BFP77, BFP74, BFP63, BFP62, BFP45, BFP79, and BFP80 could be preferred as high yielders and PM resistance owing to longer pod lengths, seeds per pod and pods per plant.

Deposition Kinetics and Characteristics of Peald Igzo Films Using Tetrahydrofuran-Adducted in & Ga Precursors

As the down-scaling of semiconductor materials, silicon compatible emerging materials have extensively researched for next generation display and 3D structured devices. In particular, oxide semiconductors are considered a promising candidate for backplane applications in display. Among them, indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) has excellent properties, like high mobility, low leakage current, high transparecy and low temperature processablility. However, conventional precursors for IGZO still have some prolems to solve such as low deposition rate, low thermal stability and high price. In this study, we developed indium precursor (Trimethylindium Tetrahydrofuran, DIP-4) and gallium precursor (Trimethylgallium Tetrahydrofuran, DGP-2) to overcome the shortcomings of the conventional In & Ga precursors. ALD characteristics of the films deposited using the newly developed the precursors were confirmed through the source feeding time saturation and linearity. Furthermore, the incubation time of In, Ga and Zn oxide films according to the different bottom layer was respectively verified and calculated using the developed DIP-4, DGP-2 and commercially used DEZn. In order form a multilayer IGZO thin film, application of the incubation factors at IGZO process were experimentally demonstrated. Thickness of the IGZO films can be easily controlled through modulation of the incubation factors. The physical and chemical properties of the films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray reflectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope. Figure 1

Do high housing prices inhibit entrepreneurial activity?—Evidence from Yangtze River Delta cities, China

AbstractContrary to the existing literature that suggests the inhibitory or facilitating effect of housing prices on entrepreneurial dynamism, this paper explores the nonlinear effect of housing prices on entrepreneurship and countervailing effect of entrepreneurial dynamism on housing prices, in addition to investigating the spatial interaction between the two. This paper constructs a simultaneous equation model (SEM) to empirically test the interaction and spillover effects between housing prices and entrepreneurial dynamism. The results show that: (1) there is a two‐way interaction between housing prices and entrepreneurial dynamism; (2) the estimated coefficients of housing prices and the quadratic square term of housing prices (14.285 and −0.744, respectively) are consistent and significant as expected, indicating an inverted U‐shaped effect of housing prices on entrepreneurial dynamism; and (3) in geospatial terms, there are positive spatial spillovers and negative spatial interaction effects for both house prices and entrepreneurial dynamism in Yangtze River Delta cities.

Structure–Activity–Stability Relationship of Ru-Ir-Ti Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Environmentally friendly strategies for energy conversion and storage are urgently needed to account for natural intensity variations of power generation by renewables and to ensure a stable electrical grid. Green hydrogen, produced by water electrolysis, can be considered as one of the most promising energy carriers since it can balance the energy demand in multiple energy sectors. Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWE) are state of the art devices for on-site hydrogen production. Still, their upscaling is challenged by the corrosive acidic environment and sluggish anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which demand using noble metal based catalysts [1, 2]. Currently, Ir-based oxides are employed as OER catalysts in commercial PEMWE as they provide the best balance between activity and stability. Yet, the scarcity and high market price of Ir lead to poor cost-benefit factors. In the last years, Ir-Ru mixed oxides have attracted significant attention of the community due to their improved electrocatalytic activity [2, 3]. However, Ru degradation during the OER becomes challenging in conditions of long-term operation of the electrolyzer. Therefore, balancing stability and activity towards the OER at reduced Ir loading remains a significant challenge in PEMWE.Here, we examine the effect of low additions of Ti (1 to 6 at. %) on the catalytic activity and stability of Ru-Ir alloys towards the OER [4]. The catalysts are synthesized as ternary Ru-Ir-Ti thin film material libraries with Ir contents below 50 at. %. After the high-throughput screening of these libraries for desired electrocatalytic properties by online inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), the most promising alloy compositions are selected and tested in conditions of long-term electrolysis (Figure 1). The observed activity-stability trends are correlated with the electronic structure of the Ru-Ir-Ti catalysts derived from X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopies (XAS). Furthermore, the structural changes in the near-surface regions of these catalysts induced by the OER, are investigated with the aid of atom probe tomography (APT). Our data reveal formation of Ir-Ru hydrous oxide layers in the course of the OER, providing high catalytic activity, while Ti additions promote stabilization of these reactive oxides in the near surface region. Our multidisciplinary approach of combining advanced electrochemical, spectroscopic and atomic-scale characterization methods provides insights on structure-function relationships in electrocatalysis, guiding the rational design of active and stable electrocatalysts.[1.] Carmo, M., et al., A comprehensive review on PEM water electrolysis. International journal of hydrogen energy, 2013. 38(12): p. 4901-4934.[2.] Kasian, O., et al., On the Origin of the Improved Ruthenium Stability in RuO2-IrO2 Mixed Oxides. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2016. 163(11): p. F3099-F3104.[3.] Saveleva, V.A., et al., Uncovering the stabilization mechanism in bimetallic ruthenium–iridium anodes for proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. The journal of physical chemistry letters, 2016. 7(16): p. 3240-3245.[4.] Lahn, L., et al. Low Ti Additions to Stabilize Ru‐Ir Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction. ChemElectroChem, 2023, e202300399. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.202300399. Figure 1

Olivine-Type Fe2GeX4 (X = S, Se, and Te): A Novel Class of Anode Materials for Exceptional Sodium Storage Performance.

The introduction of abundant metals to form ternary germanium-based chalcogenides can dilute the high price and effectively buffer the volume variation of germanium. Herein, olivine-structured Fe2GeX4 (X = S, Se, and Te) are synthesized by a chemical vapor transport method to compare their sodium storage properties. A series of in situ and ex situ measurements validate a combined intercalation-conversion-alloying reaction mechanism of Fe2GeX4. Fe2GeS4 exhibits a high capacity of 477.9mA h g-1 after 2660 cycles at 8 A g-1, and excellent rate capability. Furthermore, the Na3V2(PO4)3//Fe2GeS4 full cell delivers a capacity of 375.5mA h g-1 at 0.5 A g-1, which is more than three times that of commercial hard carbon, with a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 93.23%. Capacity-contribution and kinetic analyses reveal that the alloying reaction significantly contributes to the overall capacity and serves as the rate-determining step within the reaction for both Fe2GeS4 and Fe2GeSe4. Upon reaching a specific cycle threshold, the assessment of the kinetic properties of Fe2GeX4 primarily relies on the ion diffusion process that occurs during charging. This work demonstrates that Fe2GeX4 possesses promising practical potential to outperform hard carbon, offering valuable insights and impetus for the advancement of ternary germanium-based anodes.

A novel trading system for the stock market using Deep Q-Network action and instance selection

Stock trading is a complex decision-making process that involves predicting market price movements. Many investors attempt to buy at low prices and sell at high prices, which can be difficult due to numerous factors that can influence stock prices. Consequently, researchers have developed trading systems designed to generate high stock market returns using machine learning or deep learning techniques. However, building a trading system using supervised learning can be challenging in real-time due to noisy stock price data. Reinforcement learning trading systems can play an active role in the stock market and their performance depends heavily on how the learning environment is constructed. Therefore, this study proposes a Deep Q-Network (DQN) Action Instance Selection Trading System (DAIS) to improve the limitations of both supervised learning and reinforcement learning trading systems. DAIS learns effective trading timing by labeling the behavior of DQN models and using instance selection to effectively handle noise in stock price data. Our proposed model is evaluated by testing 72 companies listed on Korean Composite Stock Price Indexes (KOSPI) and comparing the results with those obtained in previous studies using supervised and reinforcement learning trading systems. The results indicate that the DAIS trading system is more efficient than the compared systems.

Ecological impacts on the distribution of Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica) in the lower Gangetic plains and its conservation challenges

Despite threatened status, the Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica) received insufficient attention in many habitats including the lower Ganges. In this study, through standardised monitoring programmes, we recorded the population and distribution of the species from a 100-km long stretch of the lower Ganges between January and December 2023. Important ecological parameters (e.g. fish abundance and water quality parameters) were also monitored to understand their effects on dolphin population in the river. Number of Ganges River dolphin varied over time (ANOVA: F11,88 = 10.9, p &lt; 0.001) and space (F8,88 = 24.1, p &lt; 0.001). Maximum number of dolphin was sighted in the month of August; whereas, the minimum was in February. Population of Ganges River dolphin was affected positively by fish abundance (LMM: F = 19.7, p &lt; 0.001) and water transparency (F = 4.4, p = 0.042) and negatively by total dissolved solids (TDS; LMM: F = 13.5, p = 0.001). A range of challenges related to fishermen’s knowledge and attitude towards the Ganges River dolphin were identified. These include lack of awareness, high market demand and price for the species and negative attitude towards the species. Illegally harvested Vulnerable dolphins were sold only to produce dolphin oil to catch another Endangered fish species Clupisoma garua. The results of this study have conservation management applications and implications.

Right and Duty: Investment Risk Under Different Renewable Energy Support Policies

AbstractRenewable energy projects are subject to risk due to the uncertainty of future electricity prices and the amount of energy produced. Public support usually consists of some form of guarantee, either on the price received per MWh supplied or the return on investment per MW installed. This support reduces the investor’s risk, which is then assumed by the regulator. However, most of these policies do not only grant the investor the right to receive a guaranteed payment but also limit its potential benefits (i.e., impose an obligation). We propose a model with analytical solutions in which, considering the randomness of the market price, as well as that of the energy production, we quantify the risk removed under different types of regulations and assign a value to both the rights and the obligations that each policy entails. Finally, we apply the model to the case of Spain, which has undergone several changes in its green energy support system in recent years. Our results indicate that in the context of low electricity prices, the obligations imposed by most of these policies are negligible compared to the rights received. By contrast, in the context of high electricity prices and increasingly competitive renewable energy sources, the assumed obligations become more notable to the point of the support policy becoming a liability. Nevertheless, a sufficiently risk-averse investor may be incentivized by a policy with negative expected regulatory costs.