Increasing Production Scale Research Articles

CHANGES IN THE MACROENVIRONMENT AND NEW THREATS TO FARMS

In the context of agriculture, numerous significant long-term trends are emerging. Some of these pose threats to farm operations. They can be categorized as threats related to pressure to achieve climate and environmental targets under emission reduction, animal welfare and biodiversity policy, climate changes, structural changes in the farm environment, increasing technological pressure, changes in consumption patterns and unequal conditions of competition in international markets. This study aimed to identify phenomena perceived as threats to agricultural activities and the general mechanisms of their impact on agricultural farms. It is prepared based on a literature review. It was found that the effect of some threats can be mitigated through proper farming practices and increasing production scale. Other threats, including those arising from enforced climate and agricultural policies, have consequences that necessitate economic support for farms or compensation for losses, for example, through subsidies. Insurance may be useful only for protection against well-known threats of measurable risk. One can state that currently published research results still insufficiently recognize how emerging threats alter the outcomes of agricultural farms, what strategies farmers adopt, and which of these are effective for particular production types and given production scales.

An Investigation into the Effects of Processing Factors on the Properties and Scaling-Up Potential of Propranolol-Loaded Chitosan Nanogels.

Chitosan-triphosphate (TPP) nanogels are widely studied drug delivery carrier systems, typically prepared via a simple mixing process. However, the effects of the processing factors on nanogel production have not been extensively explored, despite the importance of understanding and standardising such factors to allow upscaling and commercial usage. This study aims to systematically evaluate the effects of various fabrication and processing factors on the properties of nanogels using a Design of Experiment approach. Hydrodynamic size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency were determined as the dependent factors. The temperature, stirring rate, chitosan grade, crosslinker choice, and the interaction term between temperature and chitosan grade were found to have a significant effect on the particle size, whereas the effect of temperature and the addition rate of crosslinker on the PDI was also noteworthy. Moreover, the addition rate of the crosslinker and the volume of the reaction vessel were found to impact the encapsulation efficiency. The zeta potential of the nanogels was found to be governed by the chitosan grade. The optimal fabrication conditions for the development of medium molecular weight chitosan and TPP nanogels included the following: the addition rate for TPP solution was set at 2 mL/min, while the solution was then stirred at a temperature of 50 °C and a stirring speed of 600 rpm. The volume of the glass vial used was 28 mL, while the stirrer size was 20 mm. The second aim of the study was to evaluate the potential for scaling up the nanogels. Size and PDI were found to increase from 128 nm to 151 nm and from 0.232 to 0.267, respectively, when the volume of the reaction mixture was increased from 4 to 20 mL and other processing factors were kept unchanged. These results indicate that caution is required when scaling up as the nanogel properties may be significantly altered with an increasing production scale.

Technological change in critical metallic mineral sub-sectors and its impacts on mineral supply: Evidence from China

Ensuring the supply of critical metallic mineral is vital to addressing climate issues, and technological change is recognized as an important way to effectively improve the supply of critical metallic mineral. Taking 14 critical metallic mineral sub-sectors in China as samples, this study first measures their technological change (TC), which is decomposed into magnitude of technological change (MTC) and biased technological change (BTC). Then, the impact of technological change on the supply of critical mineral is explored and heterogeneity is considered. Finally, production scale and production cost are introduced as mediating variables to explore their influence mechanisms. The results show that: (1) technological change promotes the improvement of green total factor productivity (GTFP) of critical metallic mineral sub-sectors in China from two dimensions of MTC and BTC, in which aluminum sector has the strongest promoting effect while antimony sector has the lowest promoting effect. (2) TC and MTC in critical metallic mineral sub-sectors have a significant contribution to mineral supply, but there is heterogeneity, with technological change having a greater impact on the mining industry than the smelting industry. (3) Technological change in critical metallic mineral sub-sectors can indirectly guarantee the supply of mineral products by increasing production scale and reducing production costs. In summary, more policies that are conducive to technological change should be developed, and it helps to guarantee the supply of critical metallic minerals.

Strategies Managing Smart Packaging For Food Application

Abstract Background: Traditional packaging will be shifting to innovative packaging due to significantly growing to new trend following increasing consumers awareness correlated with food safety, quality and traceability. Consumers need real time information about food condition which define shelf life such as physiological process, chemical process, physical process, microbiological aspect and infestation. Through the proper application of packaging system, this requirement can be managed to give functional properties to packaging such as prolonged shelf life, control, identification and monitoring food safety and quality. Smart packaging is the part of innovative packaging which give synergism functional properties between active and intelligent packaging. System, material and technologies which applied in smart packaging will bring advantage to fulfill consumer needed.Scope and approach: The application of smart packaging in the food industry requires an appropriate, effective and efficient mapping and management strategy so that the benefits can be felt in a sustainable manner. This mapping and management strategy can be carried out by assessing the main factors that support smart packaging applications in food products. Factors that need to be reviewed more deeply include i) understanding the difference between innovative and traditional packaging; ii) the concept of smart packaging as part of innovative packaging; iii) consumer perspective on smart packaging; iv) smart packaging function; v) the challenge of implementing smart packaging.Key finding and conclusion: Implementation smart packaging using appropriate strategy will have positive impact on supply chain sustainability, quality improvement, safety, traceability, authentication, integration and can be used as an alternative to the use of food preservatives and additives. Strategy implementation must be considerate smart packaging concept which bring consumer perspective about benefit and value adding functional properties of smart packaging. Smart packaging has a functional value that can be categorized based on system, material and techniques. The selection of packaging materials, technology and packaging techniques must be suitable with characteristics and categories of food to provide method which can manage and maintain smart packaging in food application. Application smart packaging in food has challenges which arise from a number of obstacles encountered, including difficulties in increasing production scale, incorporation of materials, devices and systems into packaging, determining commercial performance indications, increasing production costs, food safety related to the contact of packaging materials with food products and consumer acceptance. These obstacles can be overcome properly if the management strategy for implementing smart packaging is planned in a comprehensive manner so that parties involved in the food supply chain (consumers, distributors and producers) experience optimal benefits Keyword: smart packaging, intelligent packaging, active packaging

ANALISIS SKALA USAHATANI PADI SAWAH SISTEM TANAM JAJAR LEGOWO DI KABUPATEN LOMBOK BARAT

The purpose of this study was to analyze the scale of lowland rice farming with the jajar legowo planting system in Lombok Baat Regency, with a total of 60 respondents determined by non-proportional random sampling and data analysis using Cobb-Douglas function analysis, followed by the F test and T.The results showed that: 1). Lowland rice farming with the jajar legowo system is at an increasing production scale (increasing Return To Scala). This is seen from the elasticity of production that is greater than one, namely (bi = 4.428) > 1, which means that if the use of inputs is increased, the proportion of additional production will be greater than the proportion of additional inputs, 2). It is integrated that production factors (land area, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and labor) affect the level of production. This can be seen from the results of model testing using the Cobb-Douglas production function, F hit (33.921) > F tab (Z 1.645 = 0.95). and the value of the coefficient of determination (R2) is 0.861, which means that the magnitude of the influence of the independent variable on the dependent variable is 86.1%, while the remaining 13.9% is influenced by other factors outside the model, 3). the most dominant influence on the level of production (t hit (2,919) > t table (1,645),

Problems and strategy of further development of Chinese medicinal materials with edible values

"Medicine and food homology" is a precious health care concept rooted in the culture of Chinese medicine and plays an important role in the development of the national health industry. It is consistent with the current global trend that food and medicine are mutually penetrating. Accordingly, the Chinese medicinal materials with edible values have an increasing production scale. Especially, in the context that the development of Chinese medicinal materials is switching from pursuing quantity to quality, the food field has become the main market for the new production capacity of Chinese medicinal materials, which has presented a broad prospect. However, the quality standards of raw materials, production methods, and administration ways vary between the materials for edible and medicinal purposes. Specifically, the food for medicinal use on the market cannot meet the quality standards of medicinal mate-rials, while the medicinal materials fail to meet the taste requirements as food. As a result, these problems cause difficulties in market circulation and supervision. In this paper, we analyzed the formation of Chinese medicinal materials with edible values, compared the food with medicinal value, common food, and functional food, and analyzed the different quality requirements of Chinese medicinal materials used in different scenarios. Further, we advised the differential development of Chinese medicinal materials in different directions(edible or medicinal use) from production to supervision. Including:(1) In the variety registration of Chinese medicinal materials with edible values, the variety breeding direction should be announced according to the requirements that medicinal materials care more about the content of active ingredients and food use materials preferentially need to meet the requirements of edible palatability.(2) Differentiation can be reflected in the selection of cultivation mode and planting and processing technology of medicinal materials, The differential production technical specification of medicinal materials with edible values should be developed. Such as the "simulated cultivation" mode is encouraged in the plant of medicinal materials to ensure its quality and the strict management of inputs and sufficient cultivation years should be guaranteed. While for edible medicinal materials, more kinds of cultivation techniques can be selected according to their processing methods.(3) The market supervision of medicinal materials with edible values should be guided by the purpose of their sales and use, which depends on the accurately recognize of the relationship between the properties of medicinal materials with edible values and the situation of pharmacopeia collection.(4) During publicity, when used as ordinary food and health food medi-cinal materials, it should be noticed that the publicity of the product's efficacy must meet the requirements of corresponding regulations.

Comparing environmental impacts of direct compaction versus wet granulation tableting methods for drugs with poor flowability by life cycle assessment

Pharmaceutical tablet productions by direct compaction (DC) are more environmentally sustainable than wet granulation (WG) owed to DC’s lower energy consumption. For drug particles with poor flowability, however, the environmental benefits of DC become questionable because DC of such drugs requires either pre-compaction treatment, increased excipients’ proportion in the tablets, or using excipients with unfavorable sustainability profiles. Using ibuprofen (IBU) as the model drug with poor flowability, we performed cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) using ReCiPe 2016 method to characterize the environmental impacts of DC and WG tablet productions. Material and energy flow data from laboratory-scale (1 and 2.2 kg IBU) and simulated pilot-scale (25 kg IBU) productions were utilized in the LCA. Despite the increased proportion of excipients with less-than-ideal sustainability profile in DC tablets, the environmental impacts of DC tablet production remained smaller than WG tablet production across different production scales, as the impacts were governed by process-level energy consumption. The impacts of DC and WG tablet productions, nevertheless, became closer in magnitude with increasing production scale attributed to superior improvements in the energy requirement and yield of WG tablets. Thus, the environmental beneftis of DC tablets over WG tablets was diminished for drugs with poor flowability.

Pengembangan Produk Olahan Jahe di Kecamatan Jenawi Kabupaten Karanganyar (Studi Kasus Kelompok Wanita Tani Desa Sidomukti)

This study aimed to analyzed development strategies that can be applied to ginger processed product in Jenawi District, Karanganyar Regency. Data collected by interview and field observation. Data was analyzed using the IE and SWOT matrix analysis. The Mukti Rahayu Women's Farmer Group was founded in 2009 to process emprit ginger production into instant ginger products and fill in the activities of housewives around the group environment. In addition, the formation of groups also aimed to improve the economic standard of the surrounding community. The results of the identification of internal and external factors were analyzed using the IFE and EFE matrices with a total weight score of 2.91 and 3.11, respectively. These results occupied quadrant II in the IE matrix (growth position). Several alternative strategies were formulated including: adding members and increasing instant ginger production, increasing production scale to meet export demand, tightening QC to maintain quality and expanding offline and online markets, and maximizing the application and use of technology in marketing, accounting and financial records.

Current Status and Prospects of Lignocellulosic Butanol as a Road Transportation Fuel in Indonesia: A Review

An increase in the demand for fuel, depleting petroleum resources, and enhancing for a better atmospheric are significant reasons to drive countries competing to find out petroleum fuel alternatives. Bio-alcohol, especially ethanol (C2H5OH) and butanol (C4H9OH), are considered by experts as potential substances for future fuel, especially for road transportation fuel. Compared with ethanol, the physical and chemical properties of butanol are close to gasoline. Hence the studies of butanol as a fuel alternative for transportation were conducted comprehensively in several countries. Butanol could derive from various resources such as petroleum-derived products, lignocellulosic biomass, food crops, microalgae, or waste gas from specific manufacturing industries. This study reviewed the advancement of lignocellulosic butanol production technology and challenges for increasing production scale. Besides that, it is also considered local R&D activities on biobutanol and its results and evolution of the government plan and regulation to utilize Alcohol as a transportation fuel.

Economically Sustainable Growth of Perovskite Photovoltaics Manufacturing

Summary The significant capital expense of photovoltaics manufacturing has made it difficult for new cell and module technologies to enter the market. We present two technoeconomic models that analyze the sustainable growth of perovskite manufacturing for an R2R single-junction technology and a perovskite-silicon tandem module, focusing on the impacts of economies of scale and average selling price on profitability. We establish a cost range of $3.30/W to $0.53/W for flexible modules manufactured in factory sizes ranging from 0.3 MW/year to 1 GW/year. In addition, we model the cost to manufacture a tandem module consisting of a single-junction perovskite cell stacked in 4-terminal configuration onto a silicon cell and show how an existing manufacturer can grow at a faster rate by co-investing in tandems. Our analyses highlight potential routes to market for perovskite photovoltaics and the possibility to sustainably grow a photovoltaics manufacturing company even in markets with higher labor rates.

Cost-effective production of recombinant peptides in Escherichia coli

Among bioactive peptides, cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also referred to as host defence peptides (HDPs), are valuable tools to treat infections, being able to kill a wide variety of microbes directly and/or modulate host immunity. HDPs have great therapeutic potential against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, viruses and even parasites. However, high manufacturing costs have greatly limited their development as drugs, thus highlighting the need to develop novel and competitive production strategies. Here, a cost-effective procedure was established to produce the high amounts of peptides required for basic and clinical research. Firstly, a novel culture medium was designed, which was found to support significantly higher cell densities and recombinant expression levels of peptides under test compared to conventional media. The procedure has been also efficiently scaled up by using a 5 L fermenter, while the costs have been lowered significantly by developing a successful auto-induction strategy, which has been found to support higher yields of target constructs and cell biomass compared to conventional strategies based on expression induction by IPTG. Interestingly, it was estimated that by increasing production scale from 100 to 1000 mg/batch, unit costs decreased strongly from 253 to 42 €/mg. These costs appear highly competitive when compared to chemical synthesis strategies. Altogether, the data indicate that the strategy represents an important starting point for the future development of large-scale manufacture of HDPs.

HIV prevention costs and their predictors: evidence from the ORPHEA Project in Kenya.

We estimate costs and their predictors for three HIV prevention interventions in Kenya: HIV testing and counselling (HTC), prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC). As part of the ‘Optimizing the Response of Prevention: HIV Efficiency in Africa’ (ORPHEA) project, we collected retrospective data from government and non-governmental health facilities for 2011–12. We used multi-stage sampling to determine a sample of health facilities by type, ownership, size and interventions offered totalling 144 sites in 78 health facilities in 33 districts across Kenya. Data sources included key informants, registers and time-motion observation methods. Total costs of production were computed using both quantity and unit price of each input. Average cost was estimated by dividing total cost per intervention by number of clients accessing the intervention. Multivariate regression methods were used to analyse predictors of log-transformed average costs. Average costs were $7 and $79 per HTC and PMTCT client tested, respectively; and $66 per VMMC procedure. Results show evidence of economies of scale for PMTCT and VMMC: increasing the number of clients per year by 100% was associated with cost reductions of 50% for PMTCT, and 45% for VMMC. Task shifting was associated with reduced costs for both PMTCT (59%) and VMMC (54%). Costs in hospitals were higher for PMTCT (56%) in comparison to non-hospitals. Facilities that performed testing based on risk factors as opposed to universal screening had higher HTC average costs (79%). Lower VMMC costs were associated with availability of male reproductive health services (59%) and presence of community advisory board (52%). Aside from increasing production scale, HIV prevention costs may be contained by using task shifting, non-hospital sites, service integration and community supervision.

(Study on the Strategies for the Enhancement of International Competitiveness of the Kaesong Industrial Complex)

Korean Abstract: 개성공단사업은 지난 10여 년간 가장 대표적인 남북경협사업으로 남북관계 악화 등의 위기에도 비교적 안정적으로 운영되어왔다. 그러나 2013년 갑작스러운 폐쇄조치를 겪고 다시 정상화되는 과정에서 안정적인 사업 운영을 위한 국제화의 필요성이 강하게 제기된 바 있다. 이러한 상황에서 최근 개성공단의 국제화에 대한 논의도 비교적 활발히 이루어지고 있었으나, 그동안의 연구들은 주요 현안을 중심으로 한 문제와 해결방안을 제시하는 등 대부분 동일한 접근법을 활용하고 있다. 이에 본 연구는 보다 체계적‧차별적인 분석을 위해 FDI 결정요인이라는 이론적 논의에 기초한 여건 분석이라는 새로운 접근을 시도하고자 하였다. 본 연구에서 각 장별로 다루고 있는 주요 내용 및 연구 결과는 다음과 같이 제시할 수 있다. 제2장에서는 개성공단의 국제경쟁력 측면에서 구체적인 논의를 전개하기에 앞서 개성공단의 추진 개요, 법‧제도, 관리운영 체계, 산업구조 및 교역 현황 등 개성공단 사업 전반에 걸쳐 최근까지의 성과 및 현황을 개략적으로 검토하였다. 이에 따르면 개성공단의 생산 규모 및 고용 등 양적인 성장과 함께 각종 제도적 여건 또한 꾸준히 발전해온 것은 분명하지만, 3통 문제, 안정적인 근로자 확보의 어려움 등 여전히 해결되지 못한 다양한 문제들이 상존하고 있는 것으로 확인되었다. 제3장에서는 UNCTAD 등 기존 FDI 결정요인에 대한 이론적 검토를 바탕으로 크게 요소요인, 수요요인, 제도적 요인으로 구분하여 개성공단의 여건을 중국, 베트남 등과 정량적‧정성적으로 비교하였다. 요소요인 중에서는 노동력 공급 여건, 산업입지 공급 여건, 원자재조달 여건, 물적 인프라 수준 등을, 수요요인 중에서는 시장 여건(규모 및 성장 잠재력), 글로벌 시장 접근성을 비교하였다. 또한 제도적 요인으로는 무역 자유도, 세제 여건, 정치적 안정성, 법적 안정성, 부패 수준, 지적재산권 보장 등을 고려하였다. 이에 따르면 개성공단은 요소요인, 특히 저렴한 노동력 및 입지 공급 등에서 비교우위를 가지고 있는 것으로 평가되었다. 다만 수요요인과 제도적 요인에서는 세제 여건 등 일부 요인을 제외하면 대부분 중국이나 베트남과 비교할 때 FDI 유치 여건 측면의 경쟁력은 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 여건을 고려할 때 개성공단은 여러 가지 FDI 유형 중 비용 절감형에 강점을 가지며, 시장추구형 및 효율성추구형 측면에서의 비교우위는 낮은 것으로 평가할 수 있다. English Abstract: The Kaesong Industrial Complex has, for the most part, experienced relatively stable operation over the last decade, and has become the most visible and representative inter-Korean economic cooperation project amidst deteriorating inter-Korean relations. However, in the course of normalization of its operations after its sudden closure in 2013, the issue of internationalization of the Complex has been strongly raised, as part of efforts to ensure greater stability and continuity in its operations. Under these circumstances, many studies regarding the internationalization of the Kaesong Industrial Complex were recently conducted. However, most studies are limited in that they tend to utilize similar research methodology, merely presenting solutions to deal with its shortcomings in connection with the current situation. This study, in an attempt to provide a more systematic and differentiated analysis, tries a methodical approach with investment condition analysis based on a theory called “FDI Decision Factor”. The summary and results of this study are as follows. In this study, the achievements of the Kaesong complex to date and the current situation including the overview of its development, related laws and systems, management/operating system, industrial structure and trade status are examined first prior to conducting detailed analysis on the Kaesong Industrial Complex in terms of international competitiveness. According to the initial observation, it is clear that improvements in the system as well as quantitative growth, such as increasing production scale and employment, have been achieved. However, various problems, including some major ones, still remain unresolved: facilitating entry procedures, upgrading of communications infrastructure, streamlining of customs rules and securing labor for the workforce. Second, this study compares in both qualitative and quantitative terms the conditions of the Kaesong complex with industrial complexes in other countries such as China and Vietnam, based on a theoretical review on the FDI decision factors, divided by element factors, demand factors and institutional factors. According to the comparison, the Kaesong complex is evaluated as having comparative advantage in terms of production cost with respect to element factors, particularly in labor forces and supply of industrial sites. However, in terms of demand and institutional factors, the Kaesong complex has relatively low competitiveness in attracting FDI when compared to industrial complexes in China or Vietnam. With such conditions taken into consideration, the Kaesong Industrial Complex is assessed as being strong (among the types of FDI) in ‘resource seeking’ FDI, and particularly in ‘cost saving’ FDI, but has low comparative advantage in ‘market seeking’ and ‘efficiency seeking’ FDI.

Analisa ekonomi budidaya kerapu macan (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) dan kerapu bebek (Cromileptes altivelis) dalam keramba jaring apung di Indonesia

Abstract. This study presents an economic analysis of tiger and humpback grouper at different production scales in Indonesia. The results highlight the nonviability of small scale tiger grouper, with a 5 years projected negative cumulative cash flow of – Rp. 18.102.650 and a negative net present value (NPV) of – Rp. 22.059.576. An increasing production scale of tiger grouper highlight a marginal viability for medium scale (with a 5 year projected cumulative cash flow of Rp. 198.320.673 and a positive NPV of Rp. 105.578.440; with a benefit cost ratio of 1,25; an internal rate of return (IRR) of 88%; and a payback period of 0,99 year), and an economically viable of large scale cage culture (with a 5 year projected cumulative cash of Rp. 707.746.923; a NPV of Rp.406.801.749; a benefit cost ratio of 1,33;an internal rate of return of 157%;and a payback period of 0,57 year). The economic analysis of humpback grouper atdifferent production scales highlight positive cumulative cash, a positive NPV,a benefit cost ratio higher than 2, an internal rate of return over 300% and apayback period of less than one year. A sensitivity analysis revealed thatincreased survival rate up to 80% would increase cumulative cash and NPV ofsmall scale tiger grouper cage culture. Additionally, improved profitabilityperformance was associated with decreased major production costs, increasedproduction and price of the product.

Present status and future prospect of the Russian program for fusion low-activation materials

The Russian Fusion Materials Program (1998–2000, Minatom of Russia) includes the study of low (reduced)-activation V–Ti–Cr alloys, heat-resistant ferritic–martensitic steels and beryllium. The focus of the vanadium alloy program is on the high purity and homogeneity of V–(4–20)Ti–(4–10)Cr ingots (30–50 kg). The main compositions are V–(8–10)Ti–(4–5)Cr and V–4Ti–4Cr alloys. The focus of the steel program is on 10–12% Cr heat-resistant reduced-activation ferritic–martensitic steels (RAFMS). The focus of the beryllium program is on increasing production scale, decreasing impurity concentrations (decreasing of activation level), and new materials development, such as porous (15–30% open porosity) Be and new grades of Be.