Twin Problems Research Articles

Experimental investigation of performance and emission characteristics of lemon grass as biodiesel

At present every country is facing two major challenges namely energy crisis and environmental degradation. To meet these twin problems of fuel oil and air pollution caused by fossils fuels, alternative renewable clean burning fuel need to be explored. In this project, plant species, like lemon grass (cymbopogen citratusis) is discussed as source of oil for bio-diesel production. The bio-diesel that is produced from lemon grass through Transesterification process is used as a fuel. Performance test was conducted and compared with diesel. The emission characteristics were analyzed by varying load for diesel and biodiesel blends. The combustion test carried out for the best blend, i.e. pressure crank angle diagram drawn for best blend and also variation of pressure for different loads for the best blend is plotted on p-v diagram. The experimental results show that the brake thermal efficiency of all the blends is slightly lower or nearly equal when compared to

Enhancement of biogas generation during co-digestion of tannery solid wastes through optimization of mix proportions of substrates

Tanneries in India face the twin problems of managing process solid waste and treatment of effluent plant sludge. The present study covered (i) significance of optimization of mix proportions of substrates i.e., fleshings (F) and the primary sludge (PS) and secondary sludge (SS) generated during treatment of tannery wastewater (ii) residence time during co-digestion for enhancement of biogas generation and (iii) digestate analysis. Maximum biogas generation of 385 mL/g of VSadded was observed for the mix proportion of 1.00:2.70:0.30 (F:PS:SS) and a residence time of 45 days during co-digestion of tannery solid wastes. Biogas generation was enhanced by increasing the proportion of PS to SS. After digestion, secondary metabolites i.e., primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols, amino acids, methane, and ammonia were observed from FT-IR analysis. The exothermic reaction was observed at around 175 °C and when C/N ratio of digestate was around 8.0.

Ulli Beier; a Beacon in the Post- Colonial Renascence of Adire.

Oshogbo in Southwestern Nigeria was renowned for the Yoruba, patterned, indigo – dyed cloth; Adire. Traditionally called “ilu Aro”, home of indigo and indigo dyeing, the dyers in the town were patronized from far and near for their dyeing prowess. This art tradition however suffered a lull in the twilight of Nigerian Colonialism in the 1950s, due to lack of willing young apprentices to learn this generational art which traditionally, was passed from mothers to daughters, as the young girls now preferred Western education in an Eurocentric setting. Another challenge was the flooding of Nigerian markets with cheaper, imported textiles, which were not taxed, while the locally produced ones were. Hand in hand with these twin problems is the mindset of many educated Nigerians, who then saw the Adire merely as rural cloth for poor, illiterate, rural dwellers.This trend however changed in the Post – Independence years of the 1960s, with the concerted efforts of certain individuals, among whom Ulli Beier shone as a beacon. Through a paradigm shift in apprentice education and tranning in this indigenous knowledge, his efforts not only brought a rebirth of the Adire art, but also resulted in a dynamic new form of the art, which has become an inseparable part of the socio – cultural, visual landscape of Osogbo, and many other Adire art centres in Southwestern NigeriaThe paper, an art historical research based on field work, consultation of literature materials and interviews of artists, highlights the methods of training employed and bring to the fore how a paradigm shift in pedagogy, technic and technology can enhance the sustainability of many indigenous knowledge in a fast changing world.

Physico Chemical Analysis of Linseed Oil and its Blends as a Potential Fuel for Diesel Engine

To address the twin problems of fast depletion of fossil fuels and environmental degradation, there is an urgent need to reduce dependence on petroleum derived fuels for better economy and environment. Adaptation of bio-origin alternative fuels can address both these issues. Liquid bio-origin fuels are renewable fuels coming from biological sources and have proved to be a good substitute for petroleum derived oil and environmentally-sustainable solution. To sustain agricultural and agro-engineering needs blends of linseed oil with diesel is a better solution. Present study shows the comparative assessment of physical and chemical analysis of Linseed oil and its blends asa potential fuel for internal combustion diesel engine. To understand diesel engines fuel properties of vegetable oils and comparable physico-chemical properties such as calorific value, kinematic viscosity and density were measured for different fuel blends to predict its suitability as replacement or extender of mineral diesel. The fatty acid composition was measured by using a chromatograph. From the results, it is clear that the physico-chemical properties of linseed oil lies in close resemblance with lower calorific value high viscosity. When blended in the v/v ratio of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% its calorific value decreases with increase of percentage blends, whereas viscosity and density increases with increase of blend ratio. Linseed oil hence can be recommended as a potential fuel for Diesel engine in neat or blended form without any major change in present design, in the hour of energy need.

Hybrid response surface methodology-genetic algorithm optimization of ultrasound-assisted transesterification of waste oil catalysed by immobilized lipase on mesoporous silica/iron oxide magnetic core-shell nanoparticles

The production of biodiesel by transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO) to partially substitute petroleum diesel is one of the measures for solving the twin problems of environment pollution and energy demand. An environmentally benign process for the enzymatic transesterification using immobilized lipase has attracted considerable attention for biodiesel production. Here, a superparamagnetic, high surface area substrate for lipase immobilization is evaluated. These immobilization substrates are composed of mesoporous silica/superparamagnetic iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles. The effects of methanol ratio to WCO, lipase concentration, water content and reaction time on the synthesis of biodiesel were analysed by utilizing the response surface methodology (RSM). A quadratic response surface equation for calculating fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) content as the objective function was established based on experimental data obtained in accordance with the central composite design. The RSM-based model was then used as the fitness function for genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize its input space. Hybrid RSM-GA predicted the maximum FAME content (91%) at the optimum level of medium variables: methanol ratio to WCO, 4.34; lipase content, 43.6%; water content, 10.22%; and reaction time, 6 h. Moreover, the immobilized lipase could be used for four times without considerable loss of the activity.

Housing and harm reduction: What is the role of harm reduction in addressing homelessness?

Homelessness and drug use often overlap and the harms of substance use are exacerbated by homelessness. Responding to the twin problems of homelessness and substance use is an important aspect of strategies to end homelessness. The introduction and development of ten year plans to end homelessness in North America heralds a new era of systemic responses to homelessness. Central to many of these plans is the adoption of ‘Housing First’ as a policy response. Housing First focuses directly on housing people regardless of current patterns of substance use. As such, harm reduction is a key principle of Housing First. In this paper, we examine Housing First as an example of the integration of housing and harm reduction and then put forth a community level policy framework to further promote the integration of harm reduction as part of a response to homelessness. Drawing on Rhodes’ risk environment framework and current evidence of Housing First and harm reduction, we describe four key policy areas for action: (1) social inclusion policies; (2) adequate and appropriate supply of housing; (3) on demand harm reduction services and supports and (4) systemic and organizational infrastructure. We conclude by identifying areas for future research.

Short-Termism at Its Worst: How Short-Termism Invites Corruption… and What to Do About It

Researchers and business leaders have long decried short-termism: the excessive focus of executives of publicly traded companies — along with fund managers and other investors — on short-term results. The central concern is that short-termism discourages long-term investments, threatening the performance of both individual firms and the U.S. economy.I argue in this paper that short-termism also invites institutional corruption. Institutional corruption in the present context refers to institutionally supported behavior that, while not necessarily unlawful, erodes public trust and undermines a company’s legitimate processes, core values, and capacity to achieve espoused goals. Institutional corruption in business typically entails gaming society’s laws and regulations, tolerating conflicts of interest, and persistently violating accepted norms of fairness, among other things.Section 1 introduces the twin problems of short-termism and institutional corruption and shows how the latter has led to a diminution of public trust in many of our leading firms and industries. Section 2 presents an illuminating example — just one of many possibilities — of short-termism and institutional corruption, namely the gaming of Securities and Exchange Commission rules by Citigroup’s mortgage-banking desk in 2007. Section 3, building on the Citigroup example, identifies the principal types of gaming and demonstrates just how pervasive gaming of society’s rules has become in recent decades. Section 4 explains how short-termism invites gaming and other forms of institutional corruption, and draws attention to seven significant sources of short-termism including: shifting beliefs about the purposes and responsibilities of the modern corporation; the concomitant rise of a new financial culture; misapplied performance metrics; perverse incentives; our vulnerability to hard-wired behavioral biases; the decreasing tenure of institutional leaders; and the bounded knowledge of corporate directors, which prevents effective board oversight. Section 5 addresses what is to be done about short-termism and the institutional corruption it invites. Recommendations and suggested reforms relate to the improvement of board oversight; the adoption of compensation principles and practices that can help mitigate the destructive effects of inappropriate metrics, perverse incentives, and hard-wired preferences for immediate satisfactions; the termination of quarterly earnings guidance; and the elimination of the built-in, short-term bias embedded in our current capital gains tax regime.

An Observing System Simulation Experiment for the Impact of MTG Candidate Infrared Sounding Mission on Regional Forecasts: System Development and Preliminary Results

An Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) was designed and developed to assess the potential benefit of the Infrared Sounding on the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG-IRS) geostationary meteorological satellite system to regional forecasts. In the proposed OSSE framework, two different models, namely, the MM5 and WRF models, were used in a nature run and data assimilation experiments, respectively, to reduce the identical twin problem. The 5-day nature run, which included three convective storms that occurred during the period from 11 to 16 June 2002 over US Great Plains, was generated using MM5 with a 4 km. The simulated “conventional” observations and MTG-IRS retrieved temperature and humidity profiles, produced from the nature run, were then assimilated into the WRF model. Calibration experiments showed that assimilating real or simulated “conventional” observations yielded similar error statistics in analyses and forecasts, indicating that the developed OSSE system worked well. On average, the MTG-IRS retrieved profiles had positive impact on the analyses and forecasts. The analyses reduced the errors not only in the temperature and the humidity fields but in the horizontal wind fields as well. The forecast skills of these variables were improved up to 12 hours. The 18 h precipitation forecast accuracy was also increased.

Sarcoidosis and obesity: twin problems for the patient [Editorial

Sarcoidosis and obesity: twin problems for the patient [Editorial

Synchronized Clocks and Time on a Rotating Disc

Basic for the definition of “time” are clocks operating under stationary conditions. In this manuscript synchronized clocks and time on a disc rotating with constant angular velocity are investigated independent of relativity theory. The periods of two clocks can be compared with each other via two return experiments. The central clock mediates between the rotating and the inertial frame. Dimensional arguments and a detailed deduction show that the period of a rotating clock, measured externally in the inertial system, is the same as the internally defined one. There is a common synchron-time, especially “absolute” simultaneity and invariance of flight times hold. This allows a new discussion of the twin problem. The invariance of a rotating circle allows the transference of the inertial polar coordinates to the rotating plane. The flight time of a light pulse obeys a generalized Fermat’s principle. If rays are well defined, this time of flight determines the phase shift of the wave and the result of interference experiments. All general considerations and proofs are independent of the relativity theory, especially of the concept of local inertial systems and differential-geometrical techniques.

Production and Evaluation of Breakfast Cereals from Blends of African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa ), Maize (Zea mays ) and Defatted Coconut (Cocus nucifera )

Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals were produced from blends of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) (AYB), maize (Zea mays) and defatted coconut cake, by roasting. Six samples of the breakfast cereals were obtained by mixing AYB and maize composite flour with graded levels of defatted coconut (100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50), sugar, salt, sorghum malt extract and water. The samples were roasted at 280C for 5 min and subjected to proximate, microbial and amino acid analyses using standard methods. The results revealed the following ranges of proximate parameters (%): protein (15.68–18.26), moisture (3.38–4.20), fat (1.84–2.02), crude fiber (6.70–9.08), carbohydrates (59.99–62.31), ash (5.29–7.36) and energy (326.63–339.47). Different levels of both essential and non-essential amino acids were detected, with aspartic acid, glutamic acid and proline having least values; while threosine, leucine and glycine had higher values. Bacteria and mould counts were 0.5 × 10–1.51 × 102 cfu/g and 0.0 × 10–0.6 × 10 cfu/g, while coliform was not detected. Practical Applications African yam bean is being increasingly consumed by diabetics, hypertensive and cardiovascular patients in some Nigerian communities. However, the processes involved in making it ready to eat are cumbersome and time consuming, thereby denying vulnerable groups instant consumption access. Therefore, it is of great industrial and commercial importance to develop the technology for its processing into ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, in combination with other local food materials, which will eliminate the associated drudgery and add value to the product. This work, therefore, has the potential to address the twin problems of energy malnutrition as well as food security. It will stimulate establishment of food industries for the production of breakfast cereals, creating marketing and employment opportunities.

Design and Evaluation of Dadu Canal Lining for Sustainable Water Saving

Pakistan livelihood depends on agriculture and so for this on irrigation system. The irrigation system in Sindh province depends on three barrages. The canals off taking from these three barrages irrigate 5.5 million hectares of agriculture land. Sukkur Barrage, which is the oldest one, irrigates more than 2.0 million hectares of land. The Dadu Canal off taking from Sukkur barrage is an earthen canal. A huge amount of irrigation water is lost from the canal in the form of seepage from banks and bed. It is estimated that 40 to 50 per cent of water is lost between the canal head works to the farm-gate. The seepage from the canal creates twin problems of salinity and water logging consequently a large agriculture land has gone out of use, and this process is continued particularly in Sindh. Lining of Canals is considered an effective solution to this problem. But lining of canals in Sindh is a great issue as canals will need to be closed long enough to deprive the farmers at least one crop season and the farmers are unable to pay this price for canal. Therefore, in this study, the Dadu Canal is proposed to be redesigned as an adjacent lined canal which involves design of cross section for various lining options at locations where changes in the hydraulic conditions occur at cross regulators and fall structures. The proposed lining is preferred to be plain cement concrete lining which is selected after investigating local conditions. Quantity and cost estimation at selected RDs (Reduced Distance) proved feasible and significant in long term functioning of Dadu Canal.

An Old Measure of Decision-Making Quality Sheds New Light on Paternalism

Definitive judgment about the quality of decision-making is made difficult by twin problems of measurement and identification. A measure of decision-making quality is hard to formalize, to quantify, and to make practical for use in a variety of choice environments; and it is difficult to distinguish differences in decision-making quality from unobserved differences in preferences, information, beliefs, or constraints. In this paper, we describe a widely applicable set of tools for theoretical analysis and experimental methods for addressing these problems. These tools and methods can indicate a more targeted approach to ilight paternalismj polices aimed at improving decision-making quality.

A critique of macroeconomics curriculum in India

In this paper, we review the macroeconomics curriculum dominantly used in Indian universities and suggest its radical overhaul. The macroeconomics taught in Indian universities is based on the theoretical structure used to discuss the macroeconomics of the developed countries and which do not address the stylised macroeconomic facts of India. Given the status of contemporary macroeconomics as a theoretical space for grounding policy debates, we argue that we need a relevant macroeconomics curriculum that take into account the institutional features of the Indian economy. In this context, we contrast neoclassical, Keynesian and Marxist approaches to the twin problems of accumulation and subsistence, which we identify as the main policy objectives. We argue for a more pluralistic approach to teaching of macroeconomics.

An Investigation of the Combustion and Emission Characteristics of Compression Ignition Engines in Dual-Fuel Mode

Nowadays automobiles have become significantly essential to our modern life style. On the other hand, future of automobiles, built on the internal combustion engines, has been badly hit by the twin problems due to diminishing fuel supplies and environmental degradation. Thus, it is very important to identify some clean-burning, renewable, alternative fuels to ensure the safe survival of internal combustion engines. However, it is not possible to have a common alternative fuel for universal application in the existing engines that have been designed to operate on petroleum-based fuels. Towards this, scientists have proposed a range of solutions for diesel engines, one of which is the use of gaseous fuels as a complement for liquid diesel fuel. These engines, which use conventional diesel fuel and gaseous fuel, are referred to as ‘dual-fuel engines’. In this work an attempt is made to find the role of various operating parameters in optimizing engine operating and design parameters, and the effect of the type of gaseous fuel on the performance and emissions of the gas diesel engines. The ‘dual fuel concept’ is a promising technique for controlling both NOx and soot emissions even on existing diesel engine. But, HC, CO emissions and ‘bsfc’ are higher for part load gas diesel engine operations.

An Old Measure of Decision-Making Quality Sheds New Light on Paternalism

Definitive judgment about the quality of decision-making is made difficult by twin problems of measurement and identification. A measure of decision-making quality is hard to formalize, to quantify, and to make practical for use in a variety of choice environments; and it is difficult to distinguish differences in decisionmaking quality from unobserved differences in preferences, information, beliefs, or constraints. In this paper, we describe a widely applicable set of tools for theoretical analysis and experimental methods for addressing these problems. These tools and methods can indicate a more targeted approach to “light paternalism“ polices aimed at improving decision-making quality.

One charity's approach to perinatal depression and social inclusion

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an example of effective multi‐agency working between the statutory health services and the voluntary sector in the field of perinatal mental health.Design/methodology/approachThe Perinatal Support Project (PSP) is an example of an innovative voluntary sector solution to the twin problems of perinatal mental health and social exclusion. The paper explores the structure of the PSP in the context of perinatal mental health research before explaining the significance of the role of volunteer “befrienders” in alleviating maternal depression and reducing social isolation. The paper then presents data from the latest independent evaluation into the PSP before calling for more services of this nature.FindingsThe paper highlights the individual success of the PSP model in alleviating maternal depression, improving mother‐baby attachment and reducing social isolation. It attests to the benefits of effective multi‐agency partnerships more generally.Originality/valueThere is a scarcity of truly early interventionist services for vulnerable families. This case study serves as an independently evaluated example of good practice for community practitioners and commissioning groups.

A Taxonomy of the Pastor-Theologian: Why PhD Students Should Consider the Pastorate as the Context for Their Theological Scholarship

The bifurcation of theological scholarship from pastoral ministry has led to a twofold problem in contemporary church/academy relations: the theological anemia of the church, and the ecclesial anemia of theology. This essay explores these twin problems and suggests that the way forward in bridging the gap between academy and church is to reunite the pastoral vocation with the vocation of the theologian. Toward this end, the essay offers a taxonomy of three contemporary models of the pastor-theologian, examining the strengths and limitations of each. Ultimately, the paper calls for a resurrection of an all but extinct, yet historically rooted model of the pastorate—the pastor as ecclesial theologian, and challenges the emerging generations of theologians to consider the pastorate as a viable context for their future theological scholarship.

Recovery research: the empirical evidence from England

Recovery research: the empirical evidence from England

A numerical control algorithm for a B-double truck–trailer with steerable trailer wheels and active hitch angles. Part 2: Reversing

The authors have previously proposed a solution to the twin problems of wheel scuffing and off-tracking of B-double truck–trailer vehicles thereby reducing tyre wear and environmental damage as well as improving maneuverability. The solution to the scuffing problem requires that trailer axles in excess of one per trailer must have steerable wheels. However, if all trailer wheels are steerable, then the off-tracking problem can also be solved. The previous work devised an algorithm for a B-double in forward motion, whereby an on-board computer would be used to calculate the correct wheel and hitch angles and a control system would implement these angles. The purpose of the present technical note is to complete the study of a numerical algorithm for navigating a B-double truck–trailer vehicle by considering travel in the reverse direction. In this case the angle of the front wheels of the truck must also be controlled by the on-board computer. The algorithm for determining the effective angle of the truck’s steerable wheels is derived using an innovative combination of vector geometry and calculus and completes the total control system for these B-double vehicles. The paper concludes with a simulation study of the control algorithm demonstrating its versatility for reversing along twisting paths and effectiveness in reducing off-tracking.