Production Standards Research Articles

Can fusion energy be cost-competitive and commercially viable? An analysis of magnetically confined reactors

Driven from investments toward net zero transition global interest in fusion energy is growing. This policy perspective addresses challenges for its commercialization, given the potentially long timeframe to deployment and competing/complementary technologies. We focus on magnetically confined fusion power, specifically tokamaks, as the route to commercialization is clearer and there is some cost data available. For fusion to be competitive beyond 2040, costs will likely need to be at or below ∼$80–100/MWh at 2020 price. This will be hard to achieve for early fusion designs both small or large, for which modelling shows energy costs will be greater than $150/MWh even accounting for production learning. This is due to the low power availability from pulsed operation; frequent replacement of vessel components; and low efficiency power cycles. Technology improvements to improve both cycle efficiency and power availability, along with production standardization and long-life components, have the potential to reduce generation costs and enable magnetically confined fusion to be commercially viable. We therefore recommend focusing commercialization efforts on plants with higher thermal efficiency and potential for higher availability as these maximize the probability of fusion energy proving commercially viable. We also recommend that fusion energy be deployed within a proportionate regulatory regime that recognizes its relatively low radiological hazard. Finally, construction of fusion reactors should be planned in fleet/program terms, as commitment to constructing many units will be necessary for it to become commercially viable.

Italian consumers’ awareness, preferences and attitudes about Sicilian blood oranges (Arancia Rossa di Sicilia PGI)

The objective of the paper is describing the results of a survey on the consumer's awareness, preferences and attitudes of certified quality products such as fruit and vegetable, and in particular of Sicilian Blood Oranges (Arancia Rossa di Sicilia) which is PGI product. A total of 26 participants with heterogenous socio-demographic background took part in the study. The aim of the study was achieved using focus groups (FGs). Three sessions of FGs were held in September 2021 in three Italian cities chosen as a convenience sample to represent the entire Italian territory. The results show that fruit and vegetables have a particularly relevant role in the eating habits of the sample. For the interviewees, the quality label of food products is a guarantee of being Italian, of compliance with production norms and standards, of natural and genuine products and of a more intense and good taste and flavour. For the whole target, Arancia Rossa di Sicilia PGI is a premium product of reliable excellence and whose quality can be assured because it is certified, as long as the consumer recognizes the certification logo on the product.

Filling gaps in animal welfare assessment through metabolomics.

Sustainability has become a central issue in Italian livestock systems driving food business operators to adopt high standards of production concerning animal husbandry conditions. Meat sector is largely involved in this ecological transition with the introduction of new label claims concerning the defense of animal welfare (AW). These new guarantees referred to AW provision require new tools for the purpose of authenticity and traceability to assure meat supply chain integrity. Over the years, European Union (EU) Regulations, national, and international initiatives proposed provisions and guidelines for assuring AW introducing requirements to be complied with and providing tools based on scoring systems for a proper animal status assessment. However, the comprehensive and objective assessment of the AW status remains challenging. In this regard, phenotypic insights at molecular level may be investigated by metabolomics, one of the most recent high-throughput omics techniques. Recent advances in analytical and bioinformatic technologies have led to the identification of relevant biomarkers involved in complex clinical phenotypes of diverse biological systems suggesting that metabolomics is a key tool for biomarker discovery. In the present review, the Five Domains model has been employed as a vademecum describing AW. Starting from the individual Domains-nutrition (I), environment (II), health (III), behavior (IV), and mental state (V)-applications and advances of metabolomics related to AW setting aimed at investigating phenotypic outcomes on molecular scale and elucidating the biological routes most perturbed from external solicitations, are reviewed. Strengths and weaknesses of the current state-of-art are highlighted, and new frontiers to be explored for AW assessment throughout the metabolomics approach are argued. Moreover, a detailed description of metabolomics workflow is provided to understand dos and don'ts at experimental level to pursue effective results. Combining the demand for new assessment tools and meat market trends, a new cross-strategy is proposed as the promising combo for the future of AW assessment.

Eye drops of human origin-Current status and future needs: Report on the workshop organized by the ISBT Working Party for Cellular Therapies.

Serum eye drops (SEDs) are used to treat ocular surface disease (OSD) and to promote ocular surface renewal. However, their use and production are not standardized, and several new forms of human eye drops have been developed. The International Society for Blood Transfusion Working Party (ISBT WP) for Cellular Therapies held a workshop to review the current typesofeye drops of human origin (EDHO) status and provide guidance. The ISBT WP for Cellular Therapies introduced the new terminology 'EDHO' to emphasize that these products are analogous to 'medical products of human origin'. This concept encompasses their source (serum, platelet lysate, and cordblood) and the increasingly diverse spectrum of clinical usage in ophthalmology and the need for traceability. The workshop identified the wide variability in EDHO manufacturing, lack of harmonized quality and production standards, distribution issues, reimbursement schemes and regulations. EDHO use and efficacy is established for the treatment of OSD, especially for those refractory to conventional treatments. Production and distribution of single-donor donations are cumbersome and complex. The workshop participants agreed that allogeneic EDHO have advantages over autologous EDHO although more data on clinical efficacy and safety are needed. Allogeneic EDHOs enable more efficient production and, when pooled, can provide enhanced standardization for clinical consistency, provided optimal margin of virus safety is ensured. Newer products, including platelet-lysate- and cord-blood-derived EDHO, show promise and benefits over SED, but their safety and efficacy are yet to be fully established. This workshop highlighted the need for harmonization of EDHO standards and guidelines.

Voltage Control Market Integration: Technical and Regulatory Challenges for the Greek Electricity Market

Stochastic power generation is the new reality in power system management. Voltage Control mechanisms based on physical assets of the power system are deemed inadequate and are not guaranteed to lead the energy transformation in a way that ensures system security as well as cost-effective operation. Many countries that recently attained deregulated Balancing Market environments are in need of regulatory provisions and rigorous extension of electricity market mechanisms. On 1 November 2020, the Greek Electricity Market commenced operations conforming to the European Target Model. Apart from the innate difficulties a transformation such as this contains, more challenges occur as Greece is bound by European law to design market-based incentive mechanisms to remunerate Ancillary Services provided to the power system. This paper aims to examine some of the technical and regulatory aspects linked with—future—Transmission System Operator (TSO) and Distribution System Operator (DSO) cooperation in overcoming local transmission system problems concerning Voltage regulation. The interaction between localized Voltage Control Market (VCM) and the Balancing Market, the incorporation and competition of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and Transmission Energy Resources (TER) within the VCM along with the TSO - DSO procedures and products standardization are the focus points of the present research paper.

Microplastics pollution in the Yellow River basin: current status and control strategy

Microplastics pollution has attracted worldwide attention. Compared with the status quo of microplastics pollution in marine environment and other major rivers and lakes, the relevant data of the Yellow River basin is relatively inadequate. The abundance, types, and spatial distribution characteristics of microplastic pollution in the sediments and surface water of the Yellow River basin were reviewed. Meanwhile, the status of microplastic pollution in the national central city and Yellow River Delta wetland was discussed, and the corresponding prevention and control measures were put forward. The results showed that the spatial distribution of microplastics pollution in sediments and surface water of the Yellow River basin increased from upstream to downstream, especially in the Yellow River Delta wetland. There are obvious differences between the types of microplastics in sediment and surface water in the Yellow River basin, which is mainly related to the materials of microplastics. Compared with similar regions in China, the microplastics pollution levels in national key cities and national wetland parks in the Yellow River basin are in the medium to high degree, which should be taken seriously. Plastics exposure through various ways will cause serious impact on aquaculture and human health in the Yellow River beach area. To control microplastic pollution in the Yellow River basin, it is necessary to improve the relevant production standards, laws and regulations, and improve the capacity of biodegradable microplastics and the degradation capacity of plastic wastes.

Difference in Energy Input and Output in Agricultural Production under Surface Irrigation and Water-Saving Irrigation: A Case Study of Kiwi Fruit in Shaanxi

China’s kiwi industry has seen rising production costs and shrinking planting areas in recent years; at the same time, the lack of professional production standards leads to the input redundancy and waste of production factors in the production process of kiwifruit, which intensifies the dilemma of unsustainable agricultural production. This has brought more and more serious challenges to the sustainable development of the industry. In order to solve this problem and clarify the composition and utilization efficiency of energy in the production process of kiwifruit, this study took Chinese kiwifruit production as the research object and analyzed the energy input and output under surface irrigation and water-saving irrigation from the perspective of energy. The results show that the energy input of kiwifruit production under traditional surface irrigation was 85.4 GJ/ha, and the energy output was 59.7 GJ/ha. Among all energy input elements, mineral fertilizers accounted for the highest proportion of energy input, accounting for 48.31%. Under water-saving irrigation, the energy input and output of kiwifruit production are 72.3 GJ/ha and 62.3 GJ/ha; the highest energy input is also mineral fertilizer. The data envelopment analysis results also confirmed that there is a large redundancy in the amount of mineral fertilizer. Compared with surface irrigation, water-saving irrigation technology has effectively improved the energy ratio (from 0.70 to 0.86), energy productivity (from 0.37 kg/MJ to 0.45 kg/MJ) as well as net energy (from −25.8 GJ/ha to −9.93 GJ/ha). Thus, promoting the application of water-saving irrigation technology and increasing the proportion of fertigation during the kiwi production process are necessary measures to promote the sustainable development of China’s kiwi industry.

Sustainability assessment of palm oil industry 4.0 technologies in a circular economy applications based on interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy rough set-FWZIC and EDAS methods

The palm oil industry is one of the most competitive industries and must comply with industry standards for flexible supply chain operations, productivity, and sustainability. Many researchers have demonstrated that Industry 4.0 technologies in a circular economy and sustainability practices (I4.0-in-a-CE-and-SPs) present promising future research opportunities, particularly for an industry with sustainability challenges. Hence, determining the most sustainable I4.0-in-a-CE-and-SPs application is critical for the palm oil industry. However, this process is deemed as a multiple attributes decision-making (MADM) problem due to the presence of three issues, namely, multiple sustainability performance attributes, uncertainty of the attribute’s importance level, and data variation. Therefore, an MADM solution is necessary to address these issues. This study extended the fuzzy weighted with zero inconsistency (FWZIC) method with an interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy rough set (IVPFRS) and integrated it with the evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS) method to rank I4.0-in-a-CE-and-SP applications. The research method starts with the creation of a decision matrix (DM) based on the intersection of 26 I4.0-in-a-CE-and-SPs applications and 14 sustainability performance attributes. The IVPFRS–FWZIC method is subsequently developed to determine the weights of the sustainability performance attributes. The EDAS method uses these weights and the constructed DM to rank I4.0-in-a-CE-and-SPs applications. The robustness of the proposed methods was evaluated using sensitivity analysis, the Spearman’s correlation coefficient test, and comparison analysis.

Finding and Branding of Standards for Agro-Ecological Sound and Climate-Favorable Milk Production: On Imperfect Competition and Nego¬tiations for Premium Quality between Retailers, Dairies and Farmers

As consumers and the public have become concerned about milk production, i.e. primarily with respect to negative environmental impacts and animal welfare

Assistance In Making Digital Marketplace Accounts and Packaging Design and Logo For MSMEs Affected By The Pandemic In Pekanbaru City

Many of the MSME actors in the food industry and businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic are still very small businesses with very basic financing, product production, marketing, and product standardization capabilities.. Based on the identification of the problems faced by MSME actors, it is known that product packaging has not been designed properly, as well as the need to maintain and develop its business to be more advanced in order to develop its business activities properly, and be able to increase MSME income, so steps and strategies are needed for business development. based on the conditions and problems encountered. The method of application carried out in this service was mentoring MSMEs who are members of the Riau Food Association organization that persist in carrying out business activities during this pandemic in branding and packaging as well as digital/online marketing of products to improve product quality. In the implementation of this service, the service team also assists MSMEs in online marketing to business actors through marketplace and social media. The results of this service activity showed that MSMEs gained knowledge of business management, engaged in online marketing, had packaging with business brands, and were better able to maintain their operations and grow their income during the pandemic than they had been before taking part in service activities.

Modeling of the innovation process of industrial enterprises in modern conditions

Modern market conditions, burdened by the process of active restructuring of the economy under new circumstances related to geopolitical instability and the sanctions burden, change the concepts, principles and requirements for the quality of innovation management, as one of the main elements of the sustainable functioning of the enterprise and increasing its competitiveness, as innovation today is becoming the main aspect of maintaining competitive positions. The well-established models of organizational process management in Russian practice are characterized by conservatism and low efficiency. The innovative activity of most modern domestic enterprises, in comparison with the standards of developed countries, is characterized by low innovation activity, a large percentage of the use of traditional technologies and organizational and managerial methods, separation of production capabilities and ideas from dynamically changing market conditions. In fact, an increase in the efficiency of industrial enterprises in the field of innovation and an increase in its competitiveness, taking into account modern intensively changing and unstable conditions, should be achieved through a qualitative increase in the level of economic science and educational technologies, taking into account modern, including world standards of innovation management. In addition, it is necessary to concentrate on our own RD, possibly based on high-tech developments of friendly countries, and increasing the level of innovation activity within the country by industry. The successful implementation of innovation activities at industrial enterprises ultimately depends on management and management's approach to management and innovation activities. It is important to understand the importance and necessity of updating production standards, adapting management methods to market conditions, and the superiority of the final product over competitors inside and outside the country. Thus, the modeling of the innovation process at industrial enterprises today has a promising strategic role.

ANALISIS BIAYA STANDAR SEBAGAI KATALISATOR EFISIENSI BIAYA PRODUKSI (Studi pada UMKM Gula Aren Langko)

Standard costs are costs that are determined in advance before starting the production process. Applying standard costs is useful for improving planning and control, and for facilitating product costing. Standard costs used by companies include standard raw material costs, direct labor standard costs and factory overhead standard costs. The standards set must be prepared at the beginning of the year so that they can be used as a benchmark in the production process which is an important factor for the company for production cost efficiency. The purpose of this study is to analyze using standard costs as a catalyst for production cost efficiency. This research uses descriptive research with a quantitative approach. This study focuses on determining production standards and production cost efficiency with analysis of variance. The object of this research is Langko palm sugar SMEs. The data collection technique used in this study was through interviews and documentation. The analysis used is analysis of variance. The results of research on Langko palm sugar SMEs show that by setting production cost standards it can support production cost efficiency, which means standard costs can be used as a catalyst for production cost efficiency.Keywords: biaya bahan baku, biaya tenaga kerja langsung, biaya overhead pabrik, biayastandar, katalisator biaya produksi, efisiensi biaya

Subjective experiences, contexts, and risk perceptions of very low nicotine content cigarettes and electronic cigarettes among people with depression and anxiety disorders who smoke

BackgroundA low-nicotine product standard is currently under consideration by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This standard may be more effective if alternative, non-combusted sources of nicotine are concurrently available. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of people with depression and anxiety disorders who used very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes with or without e-cigarettes during a randomized controlled trial. MethodsWe conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with participants (n = 20) as they completed a 16-week blinded trial of VLNC cigarettes with or without electronic cigarettes. Interviews explored 1) experiences with these products, 2) social and environmental contexts for use and 3) relative risk perceptions. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a hybrid inductive and deductive thematic analysis. ResultsConcurrent access to e-cigarettes helped to ease the transition from usual-brand cigarettes to VLNC cigarettes. Some participants held misperceptions that VLNC cigarettes could reduce cancer risk whereas others did not. Participants expressed skepticism about the safety of e-cigarettes and the authenticity of the VLNC cigarettes. Smoking restrictions influenced e-cigarette use in some instances, but product preference was the overriding factor that influenced use. Participants did not note effects on psychiatric symptoms. ConclusionsShould a nicotine reduction policy be implemented with e-cigarettes concurrently available on the market, tailored messaging for people with anxiety and depression disorders may be necessary to educate people about and the availability of alternative sources of nicotine, such as e-cigarettes, as well as the relative risk of VLNC cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

Prevalence of RNA viruses in certified, and informal potato seed tubers in the province of Antioquia (Colombia)

The productivity of potato in Colombia is far from its full potential mainly due to the high prevalence of viruses in seed-tubers. To gain a deeper insight into the health status of S. tuberosum and S. phureja seed-tubers used by farmers in the province of Antioquia (Colombia), we have investigated the prevalence of PVY, PVV, PVS, PVX, PRLV, PYVV, PMTV and PVB in certified and uncertified seed lots. The presence of viruses was determined by RT-qPCR, RT-PCR, Sanger and High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS). The eight viruses were detected in at least one lot sample of S. tuberosum or S. phureja and for most of the viruses, no significant differences in prevalence were observed between certified and uncertified seed-tuber lots; however, the number of co-infecting viruses and viral loads seem to be lower in the certified seeds. These results confirm the urgent need to improve current seed-tuber production standards in Colombia.

Setting standards for qualitative and quantitative research prod uctivity of Nigerian academic librarians: Issues, problems and prospects

This paper is an attempt to bring into focus the standards required for research productivity of Nigerian academic librarians in terms of quantitative and qualitative research reporting. The paper started by looking at the definitions of the variables, and relying on literature raised some criteria that could be adopted as standards of research reporting for Nigerian academic librarians. Problems and prospects of setting standards for qualitative and quantitative research productivity were enunciated. The study concluded that predetermined standards can be seen as a starting point when defining reporting requirements for the Nigerian library and information research community; that applying these standards should not be restricted to the writing stage of a particular study, and that Journal editors should assist in the review procedure by providing reviewers with the standards and implementing them, thus laying out more clear expectations for quality and acceptable research reporting.

Livestock hauler and dairy farmer perspectives about cull dairy cattle transport and cattle transport regulations in British Columbia, Canada.

Dairy cows are usually culled and transported from the farm when they no longer meet the farm's standards for production or are not needed for milk production. Some cows are transported while in poor condition and may deteriorate further during transport. In February 2020, Canadian federal animal transport regulations were revised with the aim to minimise risks to livestock during transport; changes that may impact cull dairy cows included defining compromised cattle and limiting their maximum transport time. This study conducted semi-structured interviews with dairy farmers (n = 6) and cattle haulers (n = 4) in British Columbia, Canada, to gain an in-depth understanding of the effect of the regulations on their practices when shipping and transporting dairy cows to slaughter. Interviews were transcribed in Otter.ai and thematically coded in NVivo 12. While farmer and hauler participants recognised the importance of animal welfare during transport and described practices such as shipping mobile animals to reduce the risk that cows would become non-ambulatory during transport, they also described little change in shipping and transport practices due to the new regulations. Among interviewed participants, barriers to compliance with the regulations appear to be low knowledge of, and mixed or negative attitudes towards the regulations. Participants also described how they felt a lack of communication along the transport chain and limited transport and slaughter infrastructure made compliance difficult. Possible suggestions to remedy these barriers include providing educational resources about the regulations and encouraging communication about cow fitness for transport between responsible parties in the transport chain.

Smallholder Farmers’ Perception on Coffee Production under Geographical Indication Scheme

Geographical Indication (GI) coffee production is an alternative that smallholder farmers can adopt to improve the quality of their coffee and provide an opportunity for farmers to increase their income. In terms of production standards, ease of implementation, and economic benefits, and intention to adopt, this article examines farmers’ perceptions of coffee production based on the GI’s scheme. To answer the research question, we interviewed 178 farmers who were purposefully chosen to represent two coffee geographical indication areas: Sindoro-Sumbing Java Arabica coffee and Temanggung Robusta coffee. The perceptions of farmers toward geographical indication schemes were evaluated using quantitative analysis and correlation test. The results of this study show that farmers believe that (a) the geographical indication scheme as it relates to coffee production standards is well perceived by farmers; (b) the GI scheme is perceived not very favourably by the farmers based on the ease of implementation, which indicates that the farmers are not too sure about implementing coffee production standards based on the GI scheme; (c) farmers generally have a favourable perception of the GI’s standards; and (d) farmers are enthusiastic or have a strong intention to implement GI-standards. As a result, more campaign and socialization are required to raise farmers’ enthusiasm for implementing the GI scheme.

Linking between cloud computing and productivity: The mediating role of information integration

The purpose of the paper is to select the mediating role of information integration between cloud computing and productivity. The research sample comprised 320 employees. Survey was utilized to gauge the cloud computing impact on productivity and information integration. 281 questionnaires returned for statistical analysis, adopting the quantitative approach. The study's findings indicated that productivity standards, applying information integration, and cloud computing usage were all highly prevalent. In addition, there was an impact for cloud computing on productivity and information integration. Recommendations for study were discussed.

Najnovija geološka istraživanja ležišta opekarske gline "Garajevac Istok" kod Novog Bečeja

In this paper, the latest geological study of the "Garajevac Istok" brick clay deposit near Novi Bečej is presented. The clay of the overlying productive layer of this deposit has been exploited by Polet from Novi Bečej since 2008 as raw material for the production of roof tiles. This study is focused on the underlying productive layer of soil, which has not yet been exploited due to the abundance of water in the working environment. Detailed studies by depth of the second silt-clay complex planned for exploitation were carried out. The obtained results confirm that the quality of the raw mineral materials meets the standards for tile production. This paper summarizes the results of the studies.

Measuring indicators of a circular economy and sustainable development in European Union countries

The study analyses the principles and conditions of the functioning of the circular economy and identifies factors contributing to its successful implementation. Specialized general indicators, such as the Sustainable Development Index and the Innovation Index, are used in the study to assess the adoption of innovative and eco-friendly technologies. The data on circular economy development, innovation, and sustainable development in EU countries are analysed. It enables a comparison of their development levels and circular economy implementation. The research findings demonstrate that countries actively implementing environmental requirements and standards in social production, such as Sweden and Finland, or economically advanced countries like France, Germany, and the Netherlands, have the highest adoption of the circular economy. This information can be valuable for identifying leaders in circular practice implementation and potentially developing countries in this direction. The research can also serve as a basis for further enhancing the methodology of monitoring indicators of sustainable development, circular economy, and innovation in European Union countries.