Unproductive Consumption Research Articles

Elimination of the methodological error in measuring linear parameters of electrical cables for intrinsically safe systems

The necessity of monitoring the linear electrical parameters of cables for intrinsically safe applications is described and it is indicated that the manufacturer or supplier of cables must ensure that the cable parameters comply with current standards. The problem of unproductive consumption of cable products during its control is considered. It is noted that standard measurement methods for such a linear parameter as inductance are correct when using cable samples, the length of which is much shorter than the construction lengths. An analytical model of a cable line as an electrical facility with distributed parameters is investigated. The reason for the introduction of a limit on the length of the cable is shown, caused by the transition from a complete to a simplified model traditionally used in some standards.A systematic method for measuring the linear parameters of cables is proposed, based on an unconventional – reverse – solution, which consists in switching from the measured secondary parameters to the calculation of primary parameters. In this case, the secondary parameters are measured in accordance with the well – known standardized idling – short circuit method. The proposed method is practically free from the limitation of the length of cable samples. This allows you to control all finished cable products without cutting off samples for measurements. The measurement error does not exceed the limit set by the standards equal to 1 %. The results obtained provide non-destructive testing during acceptance tests of cable products intended for intrinsically safe systems.

Sustainable reuse of toxic spent granular activated carbon by heterogeneous fenton reaction intensified by temperature changes

A common strategy for removing highly toxic organic compounds, such as chlorinated organic compounds, is their adsorption on granular activated carbon. Spent granular activated carbon results in a toxic residue to manage; therefore, the regeneration and reuse of granular activated carbon on the site would be advisable. This work studies the regeneration of a granular activated carbon saturated in 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, chosen as the model chlorinated organic compounds, by heterogeneous Fenton, where iron was previously immobilised on the granular activated carbon surface. This methodology avoids the addition of iron to the aqueous phase at concentrations above the allowable limits and the need for acidification. Three successive cycles of adsorption-regeneration were carried out batchwise (5 gGAC·L−1) with a granular activated carbon saturated with 300 mg124-TCB·gGAC−1. The recovery of the adsorption capacity after regeneration was studied with H2O2 (166 mM, 1.5 the stoichiometric dosage), at different concentrations adsorbed with iron adsorbed concentrations (0–12 mgFe·gGAC−1) and temperatures (20–80 °C). Stable recovery of the adsorption capacity values of 65% were obtained at 180 min with 12 mgFe·gGAC−1 and 60 °C. The porosity and surface chemistry of the adsorbent remained very similar after different adsorption-regeneration cycles without iron leaching into the aqueous phase. The oxidant consumption was close to the stoichiometric value for the mineralization of 1,2,4−trichlorobenzene, with a low unproductive consumption of H2O2 with granular activated carbon. In addition, no aromatic or chlorinated by-products were detected in the aqueous solution obtained in the regeneration process. The negligible toxicity of the aqueous phase with the Microtox bioassay confirmed the absence of toxic oxidation by-products.

Resource utilization of rice straw to prepare biochar as peroxymonosulfate activator for naphthalene removal: Performances, mechanisms, environmental impact and applicability in groundwater

Herein, biochar was prepared using rice straw, and it served as the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activator to degrade naphthalene (NAP). The results showed that pyrolysis temperature has played an important role in regulating biochar structure and properties. The biochar prepared at 900°C (BC900) had the best activation capacity and could remove NAP in a wide range of initial pH (5-11). In the system of BC900/PMS, multi-reactive species were produced, in which 1O2 and electron transfer mainly contributed to NAP degradation. In addition, the interference of complex groundwater components on the NAP removal rate must get attention. Cl− had a significant promotional effect but risked the formation of chlorinated disinfection by-products. HCO3−, CO32−, and humic acid (HA) had an inhibitory effect; surfactants had compatibility problems with the BC900/PMS system, which could lead to unproductive consumption of PMS. Significantly, the BC900/PMS system showed satisfactory remediation performance in spiked natural groundwater and soil, and it could solve the problem of persistent groundwater contamination caused by NAP desorption from the soil. Besides, the degradation pathway of NAP was proposed, and the BC900/PMS system could degrade NAP into low or nontoxic products. These suggest that the BC900/PMS system has promising applications in in-situ groundwater remediation.

Regulating the electrokinetic delivery of Tween 80 and persulfate for remediating low-permeability phenanthrene contaminated soil: Importance of reducing unproductive consumption

Controllable delivery of persulfate (PS) and the enhancement of oxidative availability of pollutants in in-situ oxidative remediation of low-permeability polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminated soil are crucial. To tackle the above challenges, the coupling of Tween 80 solubilization enhanced oxidation of phenanthrene (PHE) in low-permeability soil under electrokinetic remediation (EKR) was proposed. Firstly, batch degradation experiments showed that the addition of Tween 80 significantly inhibited the degradation of PHE in soil under thermally activated PS, as the dosage of Tween 80 increased from 0 % to 1 % with the corresponding removal rate declining from 99.19 % to 40.90 %. Accordingly, in-situ electrokinetic delivery of Tween 80 and PS was regulated in further EKR, intending to reduce unproductive consumption. PS was more uniformly delivered to the whole remediation regions from the cathode chamber by electromigration, while Tween 80 was transported into the soil from the anode chamber by electroosmosis, which made Tween 80 solubilization and PS oxidation achieve synergistic effect. And the total removal rate of PHE reached 64.90 % under this strategy, which had increased by 415.90 % and 8.76 %− 130.14 % compared with only EKR or EKR coupling single enhanced technology, respectively. After further thermal activation of transported PS at 50 ℃ by electrical resistance heating, the total removal rate of PHE increased to 71.58 %. EPR spectrum indicated that SO4.- and OH. were responsible for the degradation of PHE.

Superfast desulfurization for protein chemical synthesis and modification

Superfast desulfurization for protein chemical synthesis and modification

Simultaneous addition of surfactant and oxidant to remediate a polluted soil with chlorinated organic compounds: Slurry and column experiments

The inadequate management of wastes associated with chlorinated organic compounds (COCs) has become a huge environmental problem. Surfactant Enhanced In-Situ Chemical Oxidation (S-ISCO) was studied as a successful technique to remediate polluted sites. This work investigated the reaction between an aqueous solution of nonionic surfactant (Emulse-3®) and an oxidant (sodium persulfate activated with NaOH) with a real polluted soil with a complex mixture of COCs from lindane liquid wastes. Two experimental setups were used. In the first one, the reactions were carried out in batch mode under slurry conditions using different surfactant concentrations (0–10 g·L−1), 210 mM of persulfate and 420 mM of NaOH with an aqueous to soil ratio VL/W = 10 L·kg−1. The runs were carried using a column loaded with the soil in the second experimental setup. The solution of surfactant, oxidant and activator was put in contact with soil in four pore volumes with a ratio aqueous to soil ratio VL/W = 0.2 L·kg−1. Under these experimental conditions, the surfactant addition improved the reduction of COCs compared with the application carried out without surfactant, from 40.1% to values of conversion of 64.8 – 90.4%. However, an excess of surfactant hindered the COCs oxidation and increased the unproductive consumption of the oxidant, resulting in an optimal value of surfactant in the aqueous phase (1–2 g·L−1). A remarkable drop in the surfactant concentration in the aqueous phase and COCs solubilized was noticed in column runs due to the surfactant adsorption.

Abatement of chlorobenzenes in aqueous phase by persulfate activated by alkali enhanced by surfactant addition

Sites polluted by dense non-aqueous phases (DNAPLs) constitute an environmental concern. In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) application is limited since oxidation often occurs in the aqueous phase and contaminants are usually hydrophobic. In this work, ISCO enhanced by the surfactant addition (S–ISCO) was studied for a complex liquid mixture of chlorinated organic compounds (COCs) using persulfate (PS) activated by alkali (PSA) as oxidant and Emulse-3® as a commercial non-ionic surfactant. The reaction between E3 and PSA was investigated in the absence and presence of solubilized COCs in the following concentration ranges: COCs 1.2–50 mM, PS 84–336 mM, NaOH:PS molar ratio of 2, and surfactant concentration 1–10 g·L−1.In the experiments carried out in the absence of COCs, the unproductive consumption of PS was studied. The higher the surfactant concentration, the lower the ratio PS consumed to the initial surfactant concentration due to more complex micelle structures hindering the oxidation of surfactant molecules. This hindering effect was also noticed in the oxidation of solubilized COCs. The reduction of chlorobenzenes by PSA was negligible at surfactant concentrations above 2.5 g·L−1, independently of the COCs concentration solubilized. Instead, a surfactant concentration of about 1 and PS concentration of 168 mM yielded a significant decrease in the time required to abate a mass of DNAPL, compared with an ISCO process, with a bearable increase in the unproductive consumption of PS.

Against the dictatorship of rationality. Austerity and consumption in Italy during the seventies

ABSTRACT Consumption is always subjected to discursive strategies, and hierarchised to influence the behaviour of citizens: productive and unproductive consumption (J. S. Mill), efficient and inefficient consumption (A. Marshall); these classifications may be designed for moral, economic, and political purposes, in order to set specific boundaries to people’s behaviour in the private sphere, which in turn heavily influence public action, too. During the Seventies, while Italy was marked by an energy crisis and political unrest, the political ruling classes formulated a particular rhetoric of sacrifices and austerity: a common effort of the nation was necessary to solve the economic crisis. The rhetoric of rationality was a political tool promoted by economic elites and various political groups, which were motivated by different reasons. Women were an important part of this discourse, since they were depicted both as big spenders and as the nation’s savers. Another famous opposition to this rhetoric was promoted by left-wing movements, a heterogeneous universe: in some cases, irrationality was promoted as a revolutionary behaviour. This article, after a brief introduction to the Italian context and to the outbreak of the oil crisis, focuses on how the concept of rationality was used to justify specific moralities and behaviours or to delegitimise certain social and political subjects.

Carbon Footprint Implications of Demand and Supply Uncertainties in Supply Chains: A Simulation Study

ABSTRACT Supply chain uncertainties and bullwhip effect increase unproductive consumption of resources. They adversely affect the economic and environmental performance of the supply chain. The environmental implications of the bullwhip effect and uncertainties are not well researched in literature. In this paper, we study the carbon footprint implications of supply chain uncertainties through emission sources of the two most important logistical activities, i.e. warehousing and transportation. We construct a quantitative framework for calculating various performance metrics and carbon emissions of a four-tier linear supply chain. Simulation experiments were carried out to investigate how uncertainties and variations in decision inputs affect supply chain performance. Results show direct relations of uncertainties and service level, with total supply chain cost and carbon emission. The rates of change of bullwhip ratios, instead of their magnitude, can provide useful insights for handling supply chain uncertainties and improving economic and emission performance.

REDUCTION OF UNPRODUCTIVE HEAT CONSUMPTIONS OF PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK IN THE HEATING PERIOD

Passenger rolling stock is an important component of passenger transportation services, which should ensure not only traffic safety, but also comfortable transportation conditions. Studies on the energy saving of railway rolling stock have revealed shortcomings in the operating documentation that increase the unproductive consumption of thermal energy by passenger cars during the operation of a heating system with a combined electric-coal boiler in electric heating mode. Experimental measurements confirmed the presence of unproductive losses of thermal energy through the intake blinds of the ventilation system due to the infiltration of outside air during downtime at the points of formation and turnover of passenger cars. Also, experimental measurements showed that there is a leak of warm air through the deflectors to remove exhaust air from the car into the environment. This is their regular mode of operation, but as highlighted in the author's early publications there are two zones of temperature fields in the body of the passenger car with different temperature regimes, which are separated by a decorative ceiling. The results show that the leakage of warm air through the deflectors occurs from the temperature field zone with a higher temperature, which increases the unproductive consumption of thermal energy. Thus, by making appropriate changes to the operating documentation based on the study, the energy efficiency of passenger rolling stock will be greatly improved in its further operation. In particular, it is established that the proposed modernization in order to increase the energy efficiency of the heating system can be carried out at relatively low cost, in modern car repair depots during overhauls, and also needs to be considered when designing new passenger cars.

Water supply intensity during drip irrigation of vegetable crops

The paper presents the materials of field research on the study of the regularities of the development of moisture outlines on light soils during drip irrigation of vegetable crops. The correlation is found between the depth of the moistened layer and the area of the moistening outlines on the pre-irrigation threshold of the moisture content of the active soil layer, irrigation standards and the flow rate of drippers, which gives an opportunity to decline the unproductive water consumption for filtration. It is found that in light loamy and sandy loam light chestnut soils, for guaranteed rule of the moisture regime, on onion crops, it is essential to maintain the pre-irrigation threshold of 80% HB with the irrigation rate of 200 m3 / ha with the flow rate of drip water outlets of 2.8 l / h, and the depth of irrigation of 120 m3/ha with the flow rate of discharge outlets of 1.7 l/h, correspondingly. In irrigation of tomatoes grown on light-loamy light-chestnut soils, it is appropriate to apply the irrigation rate of 180 m3 / ha, which provides the level of pre-irrigation humidity in the layer of 0.6 m not lower than 80% HB, the formation of the required characteristics of the moisture contour (depth of 0.62 m and diameter of 0.37 m), as well as an enhance in the efficiency of irrigation water use by 11.1%. The results can be applied in the design of drip irrigation systems for vegetable crops.

Закат эры рыночной экономики

The article substantiates the assertive flaw in the theoretical platform of the market economy, proves the inevitability of the historical degeneration of both itself and the consumer society created on its foundation. The author characterizes the insoluble contradictions of the market economy – between labor and capital, exchange and use value of the technosphere and the biosphere; reveals the essence of the fetishization of money and the mechanism of functioning of the banking system as the legal successor of usury; substantiates the state of the limit of capitalism as the final phase of its development. The author emphasizes that commodity-money relations create an objective impossibility of harmonizing the interests of all members of society and lead to the dominance of the plutocracy class, which has subordinated all its natural, financial and labor resources. The author shows the unsightly role of the state in the decorum: it concentrated all its efforts on supporting the wealthiest strata of the population and actually left its least socially protected part to the mercy of fate. Attention is drawn to the fact that the transformation of money into capital, which increases simultaneously with the growth of the size of commercial activity, led to a complete alienation from labor and doomed workers to poverty and misery. The author shows that, under the conditions of private ownership, the utilitarian purpose of the goods, which is expressed in use value, is replaced by the parameter of its prestige, reflecting mainly exchange value, which distorts the normal balance of supply and demand in society, and is a source of unproductive consumption. The article proves the inefficiency and social injustice of distribution relations in the field of environmental management, which leads to the concentration of rent payments in the hands of the oligarchy and the elimination of the institution of public consumption funds. The abrasion of the market economy is substantiated, within which the internal contradictions accumulated over time cannot be resolved and lead to a breakdown of the model of production relations.

Compatibility of nonionic and anionic surfactants with persulfate activated by alkali in the abatement of chlorinated organic compounds in aqueous phase

Surfactant Enhanced In-Situ Chemical Oxidation (S-ISCO) is an emerging technology in the remediation of sites with residual Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPLs), a ubiquitous problem in the environment and a challenge to solve. In this work, three nonionic surfactants: E-Mulse3® (E3), Tween80 (T80), and a mixture of Tween80-Span80 (TS80), and an anionic surfactant: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), combined with persulfate activated by alkali (PSA) as oxidant have been investigated to remove the DNAPL generated as liquid waste in lindane production, which is composed of 28 chlorinated organic compounds (COCs).Because the compatibility between surfactants and oxidants is a key aspect in the S-ISCO effectiveness the unproductive consumption of PS by surfactants was investigated in batch (up to 864 h) varying the initial concentration of PS (84–42 mmol·L−1) and surfactants (0–12 g·L−1) and the NaOH:PS molar ratio (1 and 2). The solubilization capacity of a partially oxidized surfactant was analyzed by estimating its Equivalent Surfactant Capacity, ESC, (as mmolCOCs dissolvedgsurf−1) and comparing it to the expected value for an unoxidized surfactant, ESCo. Finally, the abatement of DNAPL with simultaneous addition of surfactant and PSA was studied.At the conditions used, a negligible unproductive consumption of PS was found by SDS; meanwhile, PS consumption at 360 h ranged between 70 and 80% using the nonionic surfactants. The highest ratios of ESC/ESCo were found with SDS and E3 and these surfactants were chosen for the S-ISCO treatment. When oxidant and surfactant were simultaneously applied for DNAPL abatement the COC conversion was more than three times higher with E3 (0.6 at 360 h) than SDS. Moreover, it was obtained that the time needed for the removal of a mass of DNAPL by PSA in the absence of surfactants was notably higher than the time required when a suitable surfactant was added.

Optimal dynamic management of a charity under imperfect altruism

Nonprofit organizations play an important role in providing goods and services in all countries. The objective of this paper is to determine optimal policies for a charity when its managers are imperfectly altruistic. The starting point of our analysis is that the donations a charity receives are a function of its reputation, which is an asset that can be built up over time, not overnight. To account for this important aspect, we propose a dynamic model where the charity can allocate its revenues to three main activities, namely, the program expenditures (charitable projects), information (promotion of its causes, website, etc.) and unproductive consumption benefiting its managers. We compute optimal policies and discuss their implications. We notably find conditions under which imperfectly altruistic managers nevertheless behave ethically. In addition, we show that where they behave non-ethically, advertising and unproductive consumption always move in opposite directions.

Methanol-enhanced degradation of carbon tetrachloride by alkaline activation of persulfate: Kinetic model

Carbon tetrachloride (CT), a chlorinated organic compound widely used in the chemical industry during the 20th century, is nowadays a ubiquitous contaminant in groundwater and in situ technologies for its destruction are required. In this work, the degradation of CT by the alkaline activation of persulfate (PS) has been studied. Among the pool of radical species generated (hydroxyl radicals, sulfate radicals and superoxide radicals), O2∙− resulted to be the only species responsible for CT abatement. It has been found that the presence of other solvents less polar than water (hydrogen peroxide, acetone, propanol and methanol) improves CT degradation. Among them, methanol was selected as the most adequate co-solvent, leading to the complete elimination of CT (100 mg L−1, 24 h) with a moderate unproductive consumption of the oxidant. The degradation of CT increased proportionally with the concentration of this solvent (from 0.1 to 10 g L−1). The ratio NaOH:PS (from 1 to 8) did not affect the degradation of CT when working with a constant concentration of PS and highly alkaline conditions were maintained. The removal rate of CT increased as the concentration of PS increased (from 20 to 60 g L−1), while the conversion of this pollutant did not depend on its initial concentration (from 10 to 100 mg L−1). A kinetic model that considers the concentration of PS, MeOH and CT and can predict the concentration of CT with reaction time at different operating conditions, has been developed from the experimental data.

Study of the Continuous-Time Open Dynamic Leontief Model as a Linear Dynamical Control System

We study the topological properties of the technology set (the set of all technologically admissible net production output vectors) in the continuous-time dynamic Leontief model in which the control is a function of unproductive consumption. Necessary conditions for the technology set to be closed are obtained.

Social control and transparency of state power: to state the problem of deconstruction of the state in the social discourse of liberalism and neo-liberalism

Liberalism and neo-liberalism considered as two fundamental ideologies of the present, which review the state from the perspective of its unproductive influence on society. The state as the centralizing power in these ideologies often appears as a totalitarian monster that restricts market competition, adversely affects human rights, in every way attempts to usurp administrative resources and create different monopolies. All these phenomena estimated in liberal ideology as an inevitable social evil. That is why the topic of deconstruction of state power in the liberal ideological discourse often actualized.The nexus paradigm common to liberalism shared by neoliberalism, whose theorists are looking at the state as a tool for securing the privileges of those social groups that are already at the highest hierarchical levels in the stratification system.In Ukraine, we do not have to deal with a similar liberal and neo-liberal consistency, since the tendencies in the state genesis not so much related to a market economy and a democratic society, but to feudal renovations. The latter determine the reverse of the deconcentration and decentralization of the growth of the power resource, which the state tries to increase, if not reduce, when it is possible.However, in many aspects from a scientific point of view, there is reason to speak about the crisis of statehood due to the reduction of social efficiency of state power. This reduced efficiency for the society manifested in the substantial criminalization of the ruling elites, unproductive consumption, corruption practices, multiple theft and misuse of budget funds, low effectiveness of assistance to socially vulnerable groups of the population.For Ukrainian sociology, the very formation of the problem of state deconstruction seems, although premature, but quite possible in connection with the breakthrough crisis events that may arise due to regional separatism, the inability to pay debt, the growth of corruption to a level that would lead to the delegitimization of the state increasing centrifugal tendencies. The above gives grounds to assert that the problem of crisis and deconstruction of the state is now a terra incognita for Ukrainian sociology and may therefore be considered as an interesting subject of analytical research.

Oxidation of 4­brometylbenzene by ozone in acetic acid

The kinetics and the mechanism of ozonation of 4-bromethylbenzene in acetic acid was studied. The constants of the rate of reaction of ozone with 4-bromethylbenzene and 4-bromacetophenone at different temperatures were determined. We showed the possibility of conducting the process not only by the aromatic ring of the substrate in accordance with the Krige mechanism, but also with the formation of 4-bromacetophenone, which will be used when creating new methods of synthesis of oxygen-containing derivatives of ethylbenzene. It was established that oxidation of 4-bromethylbenzene by ozone in acetic acid flows mainly by the aromatic ring with the formation of ozonides – peroxide products of aliphatic nature. Up to 35 % of 4-bromacetophenone and trace amounts of 1-(4-bromphenyl)ethanol were identified among the products of oxidation reaction by the side chain. The reaction of ozone with 4-bromethylbenzene in acetic acid at temperatures of up to30 °Chas the first order by initial components and the value of constant of reaction rate does not depend on the concentration of reactants. With increasing temperature, constant of reaction rate begins to depend on the concentration of reagents, and in this case, ozone consumption increases significantly. This indicates that under experimental conditions, ozone is consumed simultaneously at different stages of oxidation. It was proved that ozonation of 4-bromethylbenzene is a complicated process, in which the substrate is oxidized by the non-chain mechanism. Ozone is consumed in two directions: in the reaction with the substrate by non-chain mechanism and by the chain mechanism at the stage of chain continuation in the reaction with the products of thermal decomposition of ozonides. This fact gives grounds to argue that at an increase in temperature, unproductive consumption of ozone will grow rapidly and, vice versa, under conditions of prevention of ozonolysis, ozone will participate in the reaction with formation of the target aromatic product. Thus, the experimentally obtained data are the basis for the development of the process of oxidation of derivatives of ethylbenzene and creation of the foundations of technology of 4-bromacetophenone synthesis with the help of ozone. This will considerably simplify the apparatus design of the process, enhance the output of the target product and will contribute to subsequent improvement of the method of oxidative processing of reagents

The twin-deficit hypothesis: revisiting Indian economy in a nonlinear framework

PurposeThis paper aims to scrutinize the asymmetric interactions between current account deficit and gross fiscal deficit in case of a growing and dynamically integrated economy, namely, India featured with high inequality and liquidity constraints. Two additional variables, trade-openness and output growth, are also incorporated into the analysis to assess their likely impact on the current account balance.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a recently developed non-linear autoregressive distributed lag model given by Shin et al. (2014) in its empirical examination. In addition, non-linear cumulative dynamic multipliers are used to understand the route between disequilibrium position of short-run and subsequent long-run equilibrium of the system.FindingsThe study confirms the long-run co-movements of current account deficit and gross fiscal deficit and therefore refutes the Ricardian Equivalence proposition and validates the twin-deficit hypothesis. But instead of a linear relationship of the kind examined in the previous studies, the two variables share asymmetric linkages – both in the short run and in the long run. The asymmetry indicates that positive changes are more influential than their negative counterparts in the short run, whereas in the long run, only the positive changes are found to alter the external balance statistically. The asymmetric impact of fiscal deficits on the current account balance of a country may arise due to its asymmetric impact on aggregate demand through consumption inflexibility (ratchet effect) and the existence of liquidity constraints. The other control variables used in the study are also found to have cointegration with the current account deficit, but the relationship is symmetrical in the long run, even though it is asymmetrical in the short run. The study finally uses the asymmetric cumulative dynamic multipliers to examine the route of asymmetries and adjustments over the course of time. The dynamic multipliers also confirm the results documented in the earlier part and therefore demonstrate their robustness.Practical implicationsThe asymmetric results obtained in the study provide strong grounds to devise the policies adaptive to changing arenas in domestic and external sectors. Output growth, export promotion and import substitution, increasing integration and fiscal austerity are seen as helpful in achieving a desired (and growth conducive) external balance together with macroeconomic stability. The need for a prudent fiscal policy and avoidance of profligacy is indicated based on the asymmetric results to ward off any unfavorable impact of fiscal deficits on external account. To conduct a sound fiscal policy, the government needs to cut down unproductive consumption expenditure, raise tax revenues and should pay attention to distribution and trickle-down effects to avoid the adversity of high inequality and liquidity constraints in the economy. Moreover, to ameliorate the current account balance, policies aimed at increasing the real competitiveness through control of domestic price fluctuations and improvement in the quality of tradable goods and services (such as productive investments and technological advancements) should be adopted.Originality/valueWork reported in the present paper is motivated by the fact that there is no study conducted so far in the Indian context which has analyzed the two deficits in a nonlinear framework. The authors have used a well-articulated nonlinear asymmetric technique to examine the relationship between two deficits when asymmetry is incorporated. This paper will, therefore, enrich the existing literature along the lines of asymmetric linkages. Moreover, the traverse of asymmetries and adjustments over the course of time highlights the inherent dynamism of the relationship.

Five models of hysteretic water-retention capacity and their comparison for sandy soil

A description of five mathematical models of the water-retention capacity of soil is given, taking into account the hysteresis phenomena. A computational experiment was carried out with these models using data on sandy soil. The experiment consisted of: (i) tuning of the models (parameter identification) by the method of dot-approximation of experimental data on the main drying and wetting branches of the hysteresis loop using an optimizing algorithm; (ii) the predictive calculation of the scanning branches of the hysteresis loop; (iii) a comparison of the errors in tuning results and the predictive calculation using the Williams-Kloot criteria. The commensurate and sufficiently low errors in the adjustment of the models have been achieved. The differences in the calculation of the scanning hysteresis branches are revealed. The practical significance of the mathematical models presented is to ensure the calculation of precision irrigation rates. The application of such rates in irrigation farming will help to prevent excess moisture from flowing beyond the root layer of the soil under the influence of gravity and, thus, to minimize the losses (unproductive consumption) of irrigation water, fertilizers, meliorants and plant protection products, and also reduce the risk of groundwater contamination with agrochemicals and eutrophication of water bodies.