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Introduction. The need for electrical energy has been increased sharply due to hasty growth in industrials, social and economic improvements. From the previous studies, it has been agreed that almost 13 % of the total power generated is wasted as heat loss at distribution level. It has been extensively recognized that the node voltage profile along the distribution system can be enhanced under steady state power transfer controlled by proper reactive power compensation. Capacitors have been acknowledged as reactive power compensating device in distribution systems to achieve technical and economical benefits. Novelty of this work is the application of Archimedes optimization algorithm for reactive power optimization in distribution systems so as to obtain an improved solution and also a real 94-bus Portuguese network and modified 12-bus network has been taken and validated for three different load levels which are totally new. Purpose of the proposed work is to maximize the economic benefit by reducing the power loss and capacitor purchase cost at three different load conditions subject to satisfaction of equality and inequality constraints. Methods. The economic benefit has been validated using Archimedes optimization algorithm for three load levels considering three distribution systems. Results. The computational outcomes indicated the competence of the proposed methodology in comparison with the previously published works in power loss minimization, bus voltage enhancement and more economical benefit and proved that the proposed methodology performs well compared to other methods in the literature., Вступ. Потреба в електроенергії різко зросла через стрімке зростання промисловості, соціальних та економічних поліпшень. З попередніх досліджень було встановлено, що майже 13 % усієї електроенергії, що виробляється, витрачається марно у вигляді втрат тепла на рівні розподілу. Загальновизнано, що профіль напруги вузла вздовж розподільчої системи може бути поліпшений при передачі потужності в режимі, що встановився, керованої відповідною компенсацією реактивної потужності. Конденсатори були визнані як пристрої компенсації реактивної потужності в розподільчих системах для досягнення технічних та економічних переваг. Новизна цієї роботи полягає у застосуванні алгоритму оптимізації Архімеда для оптимізації реактивної потужності в розподільчих системах з метою отримання покращеного рішення, а також було взято та перевірено реальну португальську мережу з 94 шинами та модифіковану мережу з 12 шинами для трьох різних рівнів навантаження. які абсолютно нові. Мета запропонованої роботи полягає в тому, щоб максимізувати економічний ефект за рахунок зниження втрат потужності та вартості купівлі конденсатора за трьох різних режимів навантаження за умови дотримання обмежень рівності та нерівності. Методи. Економічний ефект було підтверджено з використанням алгоритму оптимізації Архімеда для трьох рівнів навантаження з урахуванням трьох систем розподілу. Результати розрахунків показали компетентність запропонованої методології порівняно з раніше опублікованими роботами в галузі мінімізації втрат потужності, підвищення напруги на шині та більшої економічної вигоди, а також довели, що запропонована методологія добре працює порівняно з іншими методами в літературі.

The transmission of infections through gastrointestinal endoscopy is a vital issue. The main problem lies in the use of duodenoscopes due to mechanical aspects of the scope design. Even with high-level disinfection, sterilization of the scope can fail. Hence, the Food and Drug Administration has encouraged a shift to single-use endoscopes. Available options include endoscopes with single-use components (mainly single-use endcaps), fully single-use duodenoscopes (SUDs), and even those with a disposable elevator mechanism. Clinical trials revealed that both reusable and single-use scopes have the same efficacy, while single-use scopes have benefits in terms of infection control, economic considerations, and ease of reprocessing. A few drawbacks are left to be dealt with. Reusable duodenoscopes with removable/disposable endcaps are satisfactory except in specific situations where SUDs are better to use.

Rapid socio-economic changes in China, such as land conversion and urbanization, are creating new scopes for the application of precision agriculture (PA).An experiment to assess the economic benefits of two precision agriculture methods was applied for one year – precision seeding and precision seeding with land leveling. Whilst the results for this were positive, of itself it did not provide evidence of longer terms gains. The costs of land leveling are accrued in a single year but the benefits could carry over into subsequent years. Thus, in this case if the PA method provides carry over benefits to future years, the economic assessment would incorrectly assign all the costs to a single year of benefits i.e.the benefit-cost ratio would be underestimated. To gauge whether there was carry over benefits in future years we looked at NDVI and GUI as proxies for future year benefits. For the single year experiment, our results showed that: (1) Winter wheat yield was increased 23.2% through the integration of precision seeding and laser leveling technologies.(2) Both the single technology and the integrated technologies significant reduced the concentration of soil ammonium nitrogen at the depths of 60 cm; (3) The benefit/cost ratio's of the treatments exceeded that of the baseline by approximately 10% which translated to an increase of several hundred US$ per hectare. The NDVI analysis showed that the effect of laser land leveling could last to the next two years. When considering the multi-year impact of land leveling, the benefit/cost ratio of PSLL will increase to 23.5% and 22.9% with and without laser land leveling subsidies. Making clear the economic benefits of using PA technologies will likely promote application of the technologies in the region.

Microalgae carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation technology is among the effective ways of environmental protection and resource utilization, which can be combined with treatment of wastewater and flue gas, preparation of biofuels and other technologies, with high economic benefits. However, in industrial application, microalgae still have problems such as poor photosynthetic efficiency, high input cost and large capital investment. The technology of microalgae energy development and resource utilization needs to be further studied. Therefore, this work reviewed the mechanism of CO2 fixation in microalgae. Improving the carbon sequestration capacity of microalgae by adjusting the parameters of their growth conditions (e.g., light, temperature, pH, nutrient elements, and CO2 concentration) was briefly discussed. The strategies of random mutagenesis, adaptive laboratory evolution and genetic engineering were evaluated to screen microalgae with a high growth rate, strong tolerance, high CO2 fixation efficiency and biomass. In addition, in order to better realize the industrialization of microalgae CO2 fixation technology, the feasibility of combining flue gas and wastewater treatment and utilizing high-value-added products was analyzed. Considering the current challenges of microalgae CO2 fixation technology, the application of microalgae CO2 fixation technology in the above aspects is expected to establish a more optimized mechanism of microalgae carbon sequestration in the future. At the same time, it provides a solid foundation and a favorable basis for fully implementing sustainable development, steadily promoting the carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and realizing clean, green, low-carbon and efficient utilization of energy.

A vegetable water production function has been one of the most significant parameters to improve the use efficiency and economic benefit of agricultural water in the greenhouse. Meanwhile, aerated irrigation unlocks the high yield potential for greenhouse crop production. Thus, water, fertilizer and air coupled production function is proposed for the optimization of the irrigation scheme during the greenhouse tomato growth period. Two seasons of greenhouse tomato experiments were conducted under aerated subsurface drip irrigation (ASDI). There were three nitrogen application rates (N1, 120 kg ha−1; N2, 180 kg ha−1; N3, 240 kg ha−1) and three aeration rates with dissolved oxygen (DO) in irrigation water (A2, 15 mg L−1; A3, 40 mg L−1 and A1, 5 mg L−1 in the non-aeration treatment) in the first crop season, while three irrigation rates of soil moisture content (W1, 50–60% field capacity; W2, 60–70% field capacity; W3, 70–80% field capacity) and two aeration rates with DO in irrigation water (25 mg L−1 and 5 mg L−1) in the second crop season. The potential yield function of tomato was constructed, and the water sensitivity index was resolved. The production function of greenhouse tomato under water, fertilizer, and air coupled irrigation was established based on the Jensen function. The water allocation scheme under multiple irrigation quotas was optimized by the dynamic programming (DP) method. The results showed that with the elapse of crop growth stages, the cumulative curve of the water sensitivity index showed an S-shaped curve, which first rose slowly and then fast, and eventually tended to be stable. The optimized irrigation increased the yield by 4.25% averagely compared with the irrigation method of fixed moisture content interval, while the crop yield in the optimized ASDI increased by 26.13% compared with non-aeration treatment. In summary, the optimal combination was the aeration rate DO of 24.55mg L−1 in irrigation water and nitrogen application rate of 281.43 kg ha−1, and the irrigation quota of 420 mm. The net yield increased by 11,012 USD ha−1 in a single crop season when compared with the non-aeration treatment. The results would provide a reference method for the optimization of technical parameters of water—fertilizer—air coupled irrigation.

In dryland agriculture, mulching methods and nitrogen application have been extensively adopted to improve water and nitrogen use efficiency and increase crop yield. However, there has been a scarcity of research on the combined effects of mulching types and nitrogen application on the growth and yield of soybean (Glycine max L.). In the present study, four nitrogen levels (N0: 0 kg N ha−1, N1: 60 kg N ha−1, N2: 120 kg N ha−1, N3: 180 kg N ha−1) and four mulching methods (NM: no mulching, SM: straw mulching, FM: film mulching, SFM: straw and film mulching) were set so as to evaluate the effects of mulching methods and nitrogen application on dry matter accumulation, grain yield, water-nitrogen use efficiency, and economic benefits of soybean in Northwest China from 2021 to 2022. The results show that the dry matter accumulation, yield formation, water and nitrogen use efficiency, and economic benefits of soybean were improved under different mulching methods (SM, FM, and SFM) and nitrogen applications (N1-N3), and that the effect is the best when the nitrogen application rate is N2 and the mulching method is FM. As such, a conclusion could be drawn that suitable nitrogen application (120 kg ha−1) combined with film mulching was beneficial for the utilization of rainwater resources and soybean production in the dryland of Northwest China.

The shipping industry is the primary and most significant mode of international cargo transportation. The ship must comply with strict rules regarding reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a dominant transportation mode. Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) is the primary alternative fuel option for several shipping companies. In essence, many studies recommend LNG as a transitional and alternative fuel because its emission characteristics are cleaner than other fossil fuels. Several previous investigations have been carried out to develop an action plan for integrating the use of LNG as a ship fuel. However, there have been few discussions on the estimation of GHG emission reduction and the economic efficiency of a representative LNG-fuelled ship. The recent progress on LNG-fuelled ships is systematically reviewed to summarize the pathways and highlight the core technological concepts, technical issues, current LNG-fuelled ship applications, and future outlooks regarding integrating LNG energy resources into ship power systems to measure GHG emission reductions and cost savings estimations. The report will discuss the current development in the maritime sector and the effects of the macroeconomic scale. The result reveals that future research on ship-based LNG energy systems will probably concentrate on integrating new energy source generating strategies with existing ship power systems to improve energy efficiency. Several potential research areas for future outlook were also discussed to anticipate future challenges.

This paper addresses the financial and economic feasibility of biogas production to meet energy demands at a household or village scale. To this effect, the potential cost and benefit of biogas digesters were explored. The biogas digesters were characterised under controlled conditions before being deployed to the KrwaKrwa and Upper Ncera villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. At the control site, meteorological weather parameters that influence biogas production were monitored continuously. Based on typical rural household electrical usage profile from 2-years of data observed at the sub-station level, assumptions about the cooking times and electrical demands were made. It was found that the bio-digesters are capable of supplying the energy required for cooking, provided the digesters are continuously fed at least every 5th day. Also, 1.0 m3 of CH4 is equivalent to 4.70 kWh of electricity. With reloading after every 5th day, the total biogas produced per day over 31 days is 2.93 m3. This is equivalent to demand-side avoidance of 13.77 kWh/day and monetary savings of R26,88/day or R833,43/month. A financial cost of approximately R 17 000,00 per digester, Net Present Value of R22 000,00 and a payback period of 22 months was obtained for the feasibility of the project. Based on the findings of the study, it can be said that biogas digesters are financially sound investments and economically feasible at both household and societal levels. These digesters can also ensure that the household remains above the poverty threshold.

The treat-to-target strategy, which defines clinical remission as the primary therapeutic goal for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is a widely recommended treatment approach in clinical guidelines. Achieving remission has been associated with improved clinical outcomes, quality of life, and productivity. These benefits are likely to translate to reduced economic burden in terms of lower healthcare costs and resource utilization. As such, a literature review was conducted to better understand the economic value of remission. Despite the large heterogeneity found in RA-related economic outcomes across studies, patients in remission consistently had lower direct medical and indirect costs, less healthcare resource utilization, and greater productivity compared to those without remission. Remission was associated with 19–52% savings in direct medical costs and 37–75% savings in indirect costs. The economic value of remission should thus be considered in economic analyses of RA therapies to inform treatment and reimbursement decisions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12325-021-01946-w.

Non-renewable resources such as natural stone and asphalt are in short supply. Recycling technology, with its lower cost, has been used as the primary approach to asphalt pavement maintenance engineering. The inclusion of reclaimed asphalt pavement materials in producing new asphalt pavements may increase the risk of cracking. The strength and toughness of the asphalt mixture can be reduced. In this study, Hamburg wheel tracking tests (HWTT) were performed on rejuvenated asphalt mixtures with distinct maintenance processes. Different kinds of fibers have been used as additives to reinforce the rejuvenated asphalt mixtures. The HWTT rutting curve was identified as having three stages, including the post-compaction stage, the creep stage, and the stripping stage. The three-stage rutting curve model was used to determine the intersection point between the creep stage and stripping stage. The other two feature points (i.e., the post-compaction point and the stripping inflection point) were redefined with a new calculation method. Then, the rutting effect and stripping effect were separated with these feature points. The performance and economic benefits of fiber-reinforced rejuvenated asphalt mixtures were investigated through grey correlation analysis under the three maintenance processes. The feature points of the HWTT curve and the cost of the corresponding maintenance process were selected as the impact factors. Finally, the optimal scheme was developed by analyzing the influence of each factor on both performance and economic benefits.

RESUMEN El objetivo de la investigación fue evaluar el efecto de aplicaciones foliares complementarias de Zn y Mo sobre el rendimiento, rentabilidad y eficiencia agronómica del nitrógeno en maíz de secano. El trabajo se desarrolló durante las temporadas lluviosas 2020 y 2021, en el valle del río Carrizal, Manabí, Ecuador. Los tratamientos evaluados fueron: Fertilización edáfica NPK complementada con aplicación foliar de Zn y Mo (T1), y fertilización edáfica NPK sin aplicación foliar de Zn y Mo (T2). Se registró el rendimiento de grano (RG), eficiencia agronómica de N (EAN) y el beneficio económico neto de la fertilización (BEN). Los datos fueron analizados con prueba estadística de t de Student para observaciones pareadas. El tratamiento T1 aumentó el RG en 15,58% y 14,03% durante el 2020 y 2021, respectivamente, con respeto al tratamiento T2. Del mismo modo, el tratamiento T1 incrementó la EAN en un 28,30% y 24,60%, en las temporadas 2020 y 2021, respectivamente, con respeto al tratamiento T2. Finalmente, el tratamiento T1 produjo el mayor BEN, con un incremento del 23,05% y 16,37%, durante el 2020 y 2021, respectivamente, con relación al tratamiento T2. La fertilización foliar complementaria con Zn y Mo, potenció el efecto de la fertilización edáfica NPK e incrementó el rendimiento, rentabilidad y EAN en maíz de secano. ABSTRACT The research aimed to evaluate the effect of complementary foliar applications of Zn and Mo on the yield, profitability, and agronomic efficiency of nitrogen in rainfed maize. The work was carried out during the rainy seasons of 2020 and 2021 in the Carrizal river valley, Manabí, Ecuador. The treatments evaluated were: NPK soil fertilization supplemented with foliar application of Zn and Mo (T1) and NPK soil fertilization without foliar application of Zn and Mo (T2). Grain yield (RG), agronomic efficiency of N (EAN), and the net economic benefit of fertilization (BEN) were recorded. Data were analyzed with Student's t-test for paired observations. Treatment T1 increased the RG by 15.58% and 14.03% during 2020 and 2021, respectively, concerning treatment T2. Similarly, the T1 treatment increased the EAN by 28.30% and 24.60% in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, respectively, concerning the T2 treatment. Finally, treatment T1 produced the highest BEN, with an increase of 23.05% and 16.37%, during 2020 and 2021, respectively, about treatment T2. Complementary foliar fertilization with Zn and Mo enhanced the effect of NPK soil fertilization and increased yield, profitability, and EAN in rainfed maize.

Water allocation needs to adhere to the principles of efficiency, equity, and sustainability, but, equity usually is less considered. Foumanat irrigation area with five command areas is one of the three areas of Sefidroud irrigation and drainage network that more than 90% of it is covered by paddy fields. Since water plays a key role in paddy fields, the lack of uniform distribution of water resources throughout the irrigation area during the rice cultivation period causes irrigation water scarcity and severe damage to some irrigation areas. In this study, the equity of groundwater withdrawal and the received surface water from Sefidroud irrigation and drainage canals according to the shared water resources among Foumanat’s command areas were evaluated using the Gini coefficient. Therefore, a water allocation optimization model was developed to maximize the equity in the allocation of groundwater and surface water of canals according to the minimum current economic benefit in the command areas. The results showed that in optimum conditions, the equity of groundwater and surface water resources allocation was increased by 46.3% and 43.7%, respectively. The evaluation of the optimal allocation of available water resources also showed that the amounts of groundwater withdrawal and the received surface water from canals are distributed equally among command areas.

Almost all activities in all sectors are supported by technology and information. Fintech has attracted much attention, but the current use of Fintech is still in doubt. This study aims specifically to determine the specific benefits that are felt as well as the negative impacts arising from the use of Fintech together can influence the use of Fintech repeatedly, specifically for the younger generation. This type of research is quantitative research. The sampling method used is Quota Sampling. In this study, 20 samples will be taken from several universities in Malang. Based on the results of the research and discussion of this study, it can be concluded that the higher the economic benefits and comfort provided by Fintech, the higher the recurring assistance for Fintech. Financial risk (financial influence) as a moderating variable that influences the effect of economic benefits (economic benefits) on the continuation of financial technology intentions (intention to use repeatedly in financial technology products). The financial risk offered by Fintech means the higher interest in using Fintech because of the higher the level of Fintech usage the higher.

The article considers the problem of current accounting of stocks in public sector organizations through the prism of new standards. As a result, the unity of the system of requirements for accounting of tangible assets was confirmed. The paper reveals the positions of modern scientists and practitioners on the novelty of requirements in the accounting of short-term assets. The author presents the logical scheme of application of norms of accounting of material stocks in the budgetary sphere from the point of view of their subordination. The study generally discloses the criteria for fulfilling the utility of the potential contained in the asset. The article presents and discloses the logical scheme for achieving the utility criterion reflected in the material stock. The author describes the necessity to use inventory as a way to identify signs of attributing assets to stocks or property in storage.

The imbalance between the supply and demand of electricity is becoming expansive due to the increase in renewable energy penetration. Consequently, the time-varying electricity price is proposed as a tool to manage the mismatch. To cope with the electricity price difference across time and to extract the benefit to the limit, an energy storage system (ESS) can be a good tool to smooth out electricity usage. Nevertheless, ESS can be expensive due to the high installation cost and centrally managed system. In this paper, we propose a distributed ESS installed in each home appliance. Separately installed batteries can avoid sizeable initial investment costs. We calculated the benefit of the system that mainly stemmed from the electricity price difference and compared the benefits across various sizes of the battery system. In addition, the charging/discharging schedule depends on the power consumption profile and electricity price distribution. Decreasing battery prices and rising electricity price volatility can increase the system’s potential benefit.

La investigación en Colombia sobre procesos de transformación digital en sectores tradicionales de servicios como las ventas de mayoreo y mostrador de Construcción y ferretería es reducida, a pesar de que la integración de la tecnología y sus tendencias actuales en el marco de la cuarta revolución industrial implican una oportunidad para que las empresas innoven y sobrevivan frente a los nuevos avances tecnológicos y requerimientos del cliente. Diversas partes interesadas privadas y públicas definen distintas estrategias para conseguir una transformación digital que logre innovar en el modelo de negocios y apropie el valor de este proceso, sin embargo, surge la pregunta ¿Cómo una compañía de venta tradicional logra hacerlo y que beneficio económico puede obtener? Así los objetivos de este estudio de caso es la exploración de este fenómeno en una compañía de suministro de materiales de construcción y ferretería con el fin de describir como se logra la transformación de su modelo de negocios retail por medio de la integración de la tecnología de inteligencia de datos y dilucidar el impacto de este proceso en el beneficio económico de la misma. Para ese fin se sigue el marco de transformación digital desarrollado por Boston Consulting Group (BCG), mediante el cual se identifican las áreas clave estrategia, digitalización y crecimiento, donde se evidencia como un modelo para implementación de analítica de datos CRISP-DM impulsa la estrategia corporativa, modificando la estructura del modelo de negocios y su diseño para la generación de valor y finalmente afectan el resultado económico obtenido. Posteriormente se discute la dificultad de identificar y atribuir tácitamente el resultado financiero exclusivamente a la transformación digital. Finalmente se evidencia la necesidad de complementar este tipo de investigaciones con estudios de tipo organizacional para comprender de mejor manera los procesos de transformación digital su impacto y beneficio. Con este estudio de caso se busca contribuir al entendimiento de como las pequeñas y medianas empresas pueden explotar la tecnología de inteligencia de datos y como pueden aplicar las teorías existentes de transformación digital para innovar en su modelo de negocios. Research in Colombia on digital transformation processes in traditional service sectors such as wholesale and counter-sale in the construction and hardware sectors is limited, although the integration of technology and its current trends within the framework of the fourth industrial revolution imply an opportunity for companies to innovate and survive in the face of new technological advances and customer requirements. Various private and public stakeholders define different strategies to achieve a digital transformation that manages to innovate in the business model and appropriate the value of this process, however, the question arises, How does a traditional sales company manage to do it? And what economic benefit can it obtain? So, the objectives of this case study are the exploration of this phenomenon in a company of supply of construction materials and hardware in order to describe how the transformation of its retail business model is achieved through the integration of data intelligence technology and elucidate the impact of this process on the economic benefit of it. To achieve this purpose, the digital transformation framework developed by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is followed, through which the key areas of strategy, digitalization and growth are identified, where it is evident how a model for the implementation of data analytics CRISP-DM drives the corporate strategy, modifying the structure of the business model and its design for the generation of value and finally affecting the economic result obtained. Subsequently, the difficulty of tacitly identifying and attributing the financial result exclusively to digital transformation is discussed. Finally, the need to complement this type of research with organizational studies to better understand the processes of digital transformation its impact and benefit is evident. This case study seeks to contribute to the understanding of how small and medium-sized companies can exploit data intelligence technology and how they can apply existing theories of digital transformation to innovate in their business model.

Introduction The aim of this study was to compare healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) before and after initiation of eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) in the long-term care (LTC) setting (rehabilitation center, mental health center, LTC non-skilled nursing facility/assisted-living facility, home health, assisted living, nursing home, other/unknown). Methods This retrospective analysis used IQVIA’s New Data Warehouse, which includes deterministically linked LTC, prescription, and professional fee claims data and IQVIA Hospital Charge Data Master database. The study period was 1 April 2013 to 31 December 2019. The index date was the date of ESL initiation in the LTC setting. Inclusion criteria were: (1) ≥ 1 new ESL prescription between 1 April 2014 and 31 December 2018; (2) diagnosis of focal seizure (FS) during the 12 months pre-index date; and (3) no ESL prescription during the 12-month period pre-index. A 12-month pre-post analysis compared epilepsy-specific and all-cause HCRU before and after ESL initiation. Categorical variables were compared with McNemar’s tests. Results A total of 307 patients (mean age 52.2 years, 57.7% male) with FS were included, of whom 24.8% were in nursing homes. Patients used a mean of 3.1 antiseizure drugs prior to initiation of ESL, and 87.9% of patients initiated ESL as adjunctive treatment. There were significant reductions in proportion of patients with epilepsy specific physician office visits, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and all-cause physician office visits and hospitalizations in the post-index period compared to the pre-index period (P

International audience; Bypass, which consists of intentionally circumventing a collaborative platform in the final transaction phase, represents a threat for commission-based platforms. This paper examines collaborative consumers' motivations to bypass and proposes a conceptual model explaining bypass intention. Multigroup analysis of 549 UK respondents (310 accommodation-rental users; 239 ride-sharing users) using PLS-SEM shows that perceived enjoyment and perceived risk are strong predictors of bypass intention. Our findings also confirm the significant impact of economic benefit influencing bypass decisions, both directly and indirectly, by reducing perceived risk and increasing perceived enjoyment. This study extends the literature on collaborative consumers' bypass motivations, identifying an interplay of utilitarian motive (economic benefit), hedonic motive (perceived enjoyment), and perceived risk. It also contributes to the field of misbehaviors in hospitality and tourism, by showing empirically the link between pleasure and deviance. Finally, it helps platforms to determine the types of exchange that are more prone to bypass.

The COVID‐19 pandemic is significantly disrupting human capital in labour markets. Workforce reductions cause firm outputs to fall and prices to rise, leading to unprecedented economic costs. To quantify the economic costs, we develop a dynamic general equilibrium macroeconomic model that incorporates susceptible–infectious–recovered epidemiology dynamics, where individuals can be healthy, infected or recovered so that evolution of human capital can be well tracked. We characterise optimal public policy responses to the decline in human capital by either isolating susceptible residents from infected residents to reduce the spread of disease or increases in government spending to improve the recovery and death rates.

Excessive or insufficient application of fertilizer has raised broader concerns regarding soil and environmental degradation. One-time application of slow release fertilizer (SF) has been widely used to reduce yield gap with potential maize yield and improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). A 2-year field experiment (2018–2019) was conducted to evaluate the effects of SF rates from 0 to 405 kg N ha–1 (named F0, SF225, SF270, SF315, SF360, and SF405) and 405 kg N ha–1 of common fertilizer (CF405) on the grain yield, biomass and N accumulation, enzymatic activities related with carbon–nitrogen metabolism, NUE and economic analysis. Results indicated that the highest grain yields, NUEs and economic returns were achieved at SF360 in both varieties. The enzymatic activities related with carbon–nitrogen metabolism, pre- and post-silking accumulation of biomass and N increased with increasing SF rate, and they were the highest at SF360 and SF405. The grain yield at SF360 had no significant difference with that at SF405. However, the N partial factor productivity, N agronomic efficiency and N recovery efficiency at SF360 were 9.8, 6.6 and 8.9% higher than that at SF405. The results also indicated that the average grain yields, NUE and economic benefit at SF405 were 5.2, 12.3 and 18.1% higher than that at CF405. In conclusion, decreasing N rate from 405 kg ha–1 (CF) to 360 kg ha–1 (SF) could effectively reduce the yield gap between realized and potential maize yields. The N decreased by 11.1%, but the yield, NUE and economic benefit increased by 3.2, 22.2 and 17.5%, which created a simple, efficient and business-friendly system for spring maize production in Jiangsu Province, China.

Hunan is the main double cropping rice production area in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. A long-term experiment of a winter crop-double cropping rice rotation system began in 2004 on a red paddy soil in Hunan Province. The experiment consisted of five treatments, including fallow-double cropping rice, potato-double cropping rice, ryegrass-double cropping rice, milk vetch-double cropping rice, and rape-double cropping rice, with three replicates of all the treatments. In order to optimize winter crop-double cropping rice rotation pattern, promote efficient use of resources, and increase farmers' income, the efficiencies of solar radiation and heat resource, and the economic benefit of the five rotation systems were analyzed and compared in 2017. The annual solar radiation use efficiency of potato-double cropping rice rotation system was significantly higher than other models. Compared with ryegrass-double cropping rice, milk vetch-double cropping rice, and rape-double cropping rice, solar radiation productive efficiency of potato-double cropping rice rotation system was significantly increased by 0.16, 0.18 g·MJ-1, and 0.21 g·MJ-1, respectively. The accumulated heat productive efficiency of the potato-double cropping rice rotation system was significantly increased by 1.24, 1.36 kg·hm-2·℃-1·d-1, and 1.52 kg·hm-2·℃-1·d-1, respectively. There were no significant differences in phosphorus nutrient biomass production efficiency of the five rotation systems. The order of nitrogen nutrient biomass production efficiency was potato-double cropping rice(73.23) > fallow-double cropping rice(69.84) > rape-double cropping rice(68.30) > ryegrass-double cropping rice(65.47)> milk vetch-double cropping rice(60.99). The order of potassium nutrient biomass production efficiency was milk vetch-double cropping rice(70.63) > fallow-double cropping rice(66.10) > rapedouble cropping rice(57.58) > ryegrass-double cropping rice(56.37) > potato-double cropping rice(47.91). There was no significant differences in the NPK partial factor productivity of early rice and late rice in the five rotation systems(P>0.05), and there was a significant difference in the NPK harvest index of late rice(Prapedouble cropping rice>ryegrass-double cropping rice>milk vetch-double cropping rice>fallow-double cropping rice. The potato-double cropping rice was high input and high output type, ryegrass-double cropping rice and rape-double cropping rice were low input and middle output type, and milk vetch-double cropping rice was low input and low output type. The results indicate that the potato-double cropping rice rotation system is suitable for popularization and application in Hunan double cropping rice area.

Background: Childhood injury has been recognized as a major threat to child survival and health, as well as economic burden, which includes the cost to government and out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) to families. Child-To-Child Approach is an innovative technique to reduce childhood injuries and expenses on their treatment. Objectives: To assess economic benefit in the treatment of unintentional childhood injuries, including OOPE by families, by the implementation of the child-To-Child approach. Materials and Methods: The present study is part of a quasi-experimental before-and-after intervention study conducted in the rural area of Delhi for the prevention of childhood injuries through intervention by the child-To-Child approach. Cost of injury treatment, including travel and accommodation expenses, and wage loss were noted. The projected gain in the total cost and out-of-pocket expenditure on injury treatment throughout 20 years of childhood and adolescence were calculated. Results: Both incidences of injuries and total expenditure for treatment of injuries had decreased during the postintervention period in the intervention group, against a rise in the control group. The proportion of OOPE for availing private health care facilities for treatment of injuries, which was more than one-fourth of total expenses, also had decreased in the intervention group during the postintervention period. On economic analysis, it is projected that there will be enormous gain in cost by the implementation of child-To-Child approach in the study area in 20 years, along with saving of OOPE of the families. Conclusion: Child-To-Child approach is effective in preventing childhood injuries and reducing the cost of treatment of injuries.

Emissions from the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are one of the primary cause of air pollution and climate change. In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming a more sensible alternative to these ICE vehicles. With the recent breakthroughs in battery technology and large-scale production, EVs are becoming cheaper. In the near future, mass deployment of EVs will put severe stress on the existing electrical power system (EPS). Optimal scheduling of EVs can reduce the stress on the existing network while accommodating large-scale integration of EVs. The integration of these EVs can provide several economic benefits to different players in the energy market. In this paper, recent works related to the integration of EV with EPS are classified based on their relevance to different players in the electricity market. This classification refers to four players: generation company (GENCO), distribution system operator (DSO), EV aggregator, and end user. Further classification is done based on scheduling or charging strategies used for the grid integration of EVs. This paper provides a comprehensive review of technical challenges in the grid integration of EVs along with their solution based on optimal scheduling and controlled charging strategies.

The South Korean government currently designates toluene as a hazardous chemical, only limiting its use in products that are feared to be harmful. Since no measures to prohibit the use of toluene have been implemented, toluene is frequently detected in amounts that exceed the limit. Accordingly, the Government is considering implementing a plan to tighten the current regulations related to the use of toluene to prevent the occurrence of diseases caused by exposure and addiction to it. Therefore, the most important objective of this research is to evaluate quantitatively the economic benefits arising from the implementation of the plan in South Korea. To achieve the purpose of this paper, contingent valuation, an economic technique for analyzing data collected from a survey of people based on economic theory, is applied. For this purpose, a survey of 1000 people nationwide is conducted, and an analysis model that is well received in the literature is adopted. In other words, the annual willingness to pay (WTP) per household to strengthen the regulations to reduce the human health risks of toluene is evaluated to calculate its economic benefits. All the estimated WTP models secure statistical significance. The average WTP per household per annum is derived as KRW 3394 (USD 3.02). Considering that the country contained 20,573,060 households in 2021, the national economic benefits are calculated as KRW 69.82 billion (USD 62.23 million) every year. It is difficult to estimate accurately the costs incurred by tightening the regulations on toluene use, but they do not seem to exceed the benefits. Because tightening the regulations would be socially desirable, the Government would be justified in making this decision.

Rice is commonly produced without the application of any fertilizer nutrient in the southwestern parts of Ethiopia. However, the previous research results indicated the high response of rice crops to the application of N fertilizer nutrients in different soil and environmental conditions in Ethiopia. Improved management practices are important to enhance the growth, development, and yield of upland rice. A field experiment was conducted at “Choba” on-farm during 2019 and 2020 at Gimbo district in Kaffa zone, South-west Ethiopia to evaluate agronomic management practices on rice yield and profitability. RCB design was carried out with three replications. Treatments consisted of the improved management practices with Suparica-1, improved management practice with local cultivar, Farmers' practice with Suparica-1, and farmers’ practices with local cultivar. The agronomic management practices significantly (p-1as compared to the local cultivar with the same management practices. Both local and improved varieties showed good performance under improved agronomic management practices. The economic profitability of this study was also carried out. Based on both yield and economic profitability, growing improved variety with improved agronomic management practices was found to be appropriate practice. Therefore, the promotion and popularization of improved variety must include all the production packages that were recommended during the variety release.

Optimizing economic benefit while reducing soil CO2 emissions in cropping systems has become the focus of agricultural study. We assessed the influence of short-term straw mulch and no-tillage on soil respiration (Rs), heterotrophic respiration (Rh), and autotrophic respiration (Ra), as well as economic benefit, in a traditional Chinese winterwheat and summermaize rotation system. Combinations of four treatments were tested: NS (no straw), SM (straw mulch), CT (conventional tillage) and NT (no-tillage). For wheat, SM significantly increased Rs in 2019 but significantly decreased Rs in 2020 relative to NS. NT significantly decreased Rs by 5.8% compared to CT from 2019 to 2020. For maize, during all three annual cycles, SM increased Rs relative to NS. NT increased Rs in 2018 with respect to CT but decreased it in 2019 and 2020. From the perspective of annual Rs both wheat and maize, SM increased Rs by 34.8%, 19.8%, and 18.8% in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. NT increased Rs by 4.9%, −1.6%, and −0.7% in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. The lowest annual Rs occurred for SM+NT in 2020. Relative to NS and CT, SM and NT promoted Rh but inhibited Ra for wheat during 2019 and 2020. For maize, SM increased Rh and suppressed Ra while NT had no significant effect on Rh and suppressed Ra. Therefore, SM increased Rs by promoting Rh, while NT decreased Rs by inhibiting Ra. In all treatments, Rh averaged 1.82–3.36 times higher than Ra. Soil temperature had a greater influence on temporal variations in soil respiration than soil moisture. Averaged from 2018 to 2020, the annual economic benefit was increased by 11.7% and 15.3% in SM and NT than NS and CT, respectively. Our results suggest that straw mulch and no-tillage should be promoted as an environment-friendly agroecosystem management practice for wheat and maize, as these practices can achieve a balance between improving economic benefit and reducing soil CO2 emissions, contributing to the mitigation of climate change and the early achievement of carbon neutrality goals.

In this paper, we consider the design of an open bioreactor for the cultivation of microalgae. The main feature of this design is a cascade type of tank, which allows you to satisfy parameters such as lightness, mixing, energy efficiency, and economical. The proposed methodology can help to assess all types of bioreactors for microalgae cultivation applying on the waste water treatment. Based on the previous researches, statistical data, modeling and requirement to the bioreactor parameters the construction of cascade bioreactor was proposed. According to proposed methodology of efficiency estimation received that this bioreactor construction is efficient on 85% and offset during the year is positive. The main advantages of the proposed technology and bioreactor construction are environmental, economic and energy-efficient features. These three directions are main proposal to sustainable development which modern world strive for.

Introduction This study assessed the association between early initiation of eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) as first-line therapy (1L cohort) or as first adjunctive regimen to either levetiracetam (LEV) or lamotrigine (LTG) (add-on cohort), and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and charges among adults with treated focal seizures (FS). Methods This retrospective, longitudinal cohort analysis used Symphony Health’s Integrated Dataverse (IDV®) claims data to identify patients aged ≥ 18 years with a diagnosis of FS who had a new prescription for ESL between April 2015 and June 2018. Baseline was the 90-day period immediately prior to the date of the first-dispensed claim for ESL (index date) with a follow-up of 1–4 consecutive 90-day periods. Linear regression models were estimated to assess changes in HCRU and charge outcomes. Results There were 274 and 153 patients who received ESL in the 1L cohort and add-on cohort, respectively. The 1L cohort experienced significant reductions from baseline during follow-up in all-cause inpatient (IP; P

The paper presents the economic benefits of the long term development of gas pipeline infrastructure in Nigeria. The study reviewed related literature and modeled a sensitivity analysis of the tax rate with tax holiday, without tax holiday and economic impact analysis. The sensitivity analysis of tax rate with tax holiday and without tax holiday was also evaluated and it indicated that the 20% corporate income is more viable for gas pipeline projects in Nigeria. The economic impact analysis evaluated the direct, indirect and induced impact of the gas pipeline project on GDP, employment and tax revenue in Nigeria with respect to short term (5 years), medium term (15 years) and long term (40 years): The impacts analysis indicates a total GDP of 60 billion USD, 55,626 jobs created and 1.6 billion USD tax revenue generated as a result of the gas pipeline project.

A study was carried out to evaluate the suitability and effectiveness of improved postharvest management practices (IPMP) in enhancing the eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) value chain of Bangladesh. In IPMP, sorting, grading and washing of eggplants were done, and packed them in plastic crates with or without modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Traditional postharvest management practices (TPMP) existed in the value chain was used as control treatment. IPMP including the use of plastic crate with MAP reduced weight losses by 26.7 and 38.0% at wholesale and 2-days display at retail outlets. The total postharvest loss of eggplant handled with TPMP including packed in jute sack was 40.0%, whereas it was only 4.5% when followed IPMP. The reduction of postharvest losses of eggplants handled with IPMP amounted to 88.7%, and 100.0% fruit could be sold at retail outlets. The additional weekly gross income of a small trader by selling 1000 kg eggplant handled with IPMP comprising the plastic crates with MA packaging would be BDT 17,190 (USD 207). Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 9(2): 35-41, December 2019

In the article the evaluation of sources of funding, investment projects, and the current activities of the organizations. The technique, which allows to estimate the influence of the structure and magnitude of funding on the financial performance of organizations.

В статье проводится анализ сложившейся практики и тенденций налогообложении доходов граждан в России в условиях быстрого роста цен, развития финансового рынка, увеличения числа его непрофессиональных участников за счет населения, высокой волатильности и обвала цен на ценные бумаги. Установлен увеличивающийся запрос на справедливость налогообложения доходов населения, как со стороны самих граждан, так и со стороны научного сообщества. Изучение исследований в области повышения значимости социальной функции подоходного налога и справедливости в налогообложении доходов показало, что большинство авторов в своих научных работах большее внимание уделяют вопросам установления ставок НДФЛ, в частности прогрессивного налогообложения, а также установления минимального необлагаемого дохода в разных формах. В то же время анализ методов расчета налоговой базы по НДФЛ, в том числе норм Налогового кодекса РФ, методических рекомендаций и разъяснений Минфина и ФНС России, судебной практики, показал, что существуют серьезные проблемы в определении налоговой базы по подоходному налогу в части полноты учета расходов, необходимых для получения облагаемых налогом доходов. Данный факт не только приводит к необоснованному завышению величин налоговых обязательств, требуемых государственными органами с физических лиц, но и увеличивает объем доходов, скрываемых от налогообложения. Кроме того, фактически осуществляется дискриминация физических лиц при уплате налога с доходов по сравнению с юридическими лицами, уплачивающими с аналогичных по своей экономической сути доходов налог на прибыль организаций, поскольку у последних расходы при определении налоговой базы учитываются в большой мере. Исходя из вышеуказанного, сформированы рекомендации по совершенствованию методологического подхода к определению налоговой базы по НДФЛ., The article analyzes the current practice and trends in taxation of citizens’ incomes in Russia in the context of rapid price growth, the development of the financial market, an increase in the number of non-professional participants among the population, high volatility and securities collapse. An increasing demand for equity in taxation of incomes of the population has been established both from the citizens themselves and from the scientific community. The analysis of researches in the field of increasing the importance of the social function of income tax and equity in income taxation shows that most authors in their scientific works pay most attention to setting personal income tax rates, in particular, progressive taxation, as well as establishing a minimum non-taxable income in various forms. At the same time, the analysis of methods for calculating the tax base for personal income tax, including the norms of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, methodological recommendations and explanations of the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Service of Russia, as well as judicial practice shows that there are serious problems in determining the tax base for income tax in terms of the completeness of accounting for expenses, necessary to earn taxable income. This fact not only leads to an unreasonable overestimation of the amount of tax liabilities required by government agencies from individuals, but also increases the amount of income hidden from taxation. In addition, individuals are actually discriminated against when paying income tax compared to legal entities that pay corporate income tax on incomes similar in their economic essence, since the latter take into account expenses to a large extent when determining the tax base. Based on the above, recommendations are formulated to improve the methodological approach to determining the tax base for personal income tax., Бизнес. Образование. Право, Выпуск 2 (59) 2022

Khon Kaen Agriculture Journal, 50, 6, 1738-1751

Σκοπός της διατριβής είναι η διαπραγμάτευση της ορθής ή όχι προσαρμογής των Διεθνών και Ευρωπαϊκών κειμένων που στοιχειοθετούν την έννοια του οργανωμένου εγκλήματος στο ελληνικό δίκαιο και, ειδικότερα, εάν ο προσπορισμός του οικονομικού οφέλους αποτελεί ή όχι συστατικό στοιχείο της εγκληματικής οργάνωσης όπως τυποποιείται στον Ποινικό μας Κώδικα. Παρουσιάσαμε αρχικά μια σύντομη ιστορική αναδρομή της εξέλιξης των πιο γνωστών εγκληματικών οργανώσεων, οι οποίες κατά τις πρώτες δεκαετίες της διαμόρφωσής τους αποτελούσαν ομάδες προσώπων, περιορισμένου βεληνεκούς, οι οποίες είχαν συσταθεί για την επίτευξη ενός ορισμένου σκοπού. Εν συνεχεία, εξετάσαμε τους λόγους που καθιστούν αδήριτη την ανάγκη της ύπαρξης ενός κοινού ορισμού σε διεθνές επίπεδο προς τον σκοπό του περιορισμού της δράσης του οργανωμένου εγκλήματος, τονίζοντας τόσο τους παράγοντες που δημιουργούν γόνιμο έδαφος για την εξάπλωση της δράσης του, όσο και τους κινδύνους που ελλοχεύουν σε περίπτωση που δεν υπάρχει μια κοινή γραμμή στις νομοθεσίες των διαφόρων κρατών. Έτσι, προβήκαμε σε παρουσίαση της Διεθνούς Σύμβασης των Ηνωμένων Εθνών για την Καταπολέμηση του Οργανωμένου Εγκλήματος, γνωστή και ως Σύμβαση του Παλέρμο, καθώς και της Κοινής Δράσης του 1998 και της υπ’ αριθμ. 2008/841/ΔΕΥ Απόφασης – Πλαίσιο, τα οποία κείμενα καθορίζουν τα ελάχιστα απαραίτητα στοιχεία που οφείλουν να ενσωματώσουν οι εθνικοί νομοθέτες στο δίκαιό τους προς τον σκοπό αποτελεσματικής αντιμετώπισης του φαινομένου του οργανωμένου εγκλήματος. Κατόπιν αυτών, καταφύγαμε σε μια περιληπτική παράθεση των τροποποιήσεων που έχει υποστεί η διάταξη του άρθρου 187 παρ. 1 του Ποινικού μας Κώδικα, στο οποίο τυποποιείται το αδίκημα της σύστασης ή ένταξης σε εγκληματική οργάνωση, καταλήγοντας σε εκτενή ανάλυση της ισχύουσας μορφής της μετά τον ν. 4619/2019. Ακολούθως, παρατηρώντας πως ο Έλληνας νομοθέτης δεν περιορίστηκε στην συνδρομή του κινήτρου της επίτευξης περιουσιακών ωφελημάτων από την οργάνωση προκειμένου αυτή να δύναται να υπαχθεί στο έγκλημα του άρθρου 187 παρ. 1 ΠΚ, κίνητρο το οποίο εξειδικευόταν στα ως άνω διεθνή και ευρωπαϊκά κείμενα, παρατίθενται οι διαφορετικές απόψεις που έχουν αποτυπωθεί σχετικά με την ορθή ή όχι προσαρμογή στο Ελληνικό Δίκαιο των προβλέψεων αυτών, λαμβάνοντας επιπλέον υπόψη πως αφενός την νομολογία έχουν απασχολήσει εγκληματικές οργανώσεις με οικονομικές στοχεύσεις, αφετέρου ο τρόπος διάρθρωσης και λειτουργίας αυτών ομοιάζει με τις σύγχρονες, προηγμένες και καθ’ όλα νόμιμες επιχειρήσεις. Δεδομένου πάντως πως, όπως μας έχει δείξει η νομολογία, το κίνητρο των σύγχρονων εγκληματικών οργανώσεων συνίσταται κατά κύριο λόγο σε επίτευξη περιουσιακών ωφελημάτων, η τελευταία ενότητα της εργασίας αφιερώνεται στη διάκριση του αδικήματος της σύστασης ή ένταξης σε μια τέτοια οργάνωση από το οικονομικό έγκλημα, το οποίο μάλιστα διαπράττεται όλο και περισσότερο σε οργανωμένη βάση. Η διατριβή καταλήγει στην άποψη της γράφουσας σχετικά με τη συμβατότητα ή μη της προσαρμογής του Ποινικού μας Δικαίου με τις επιταγές του Συντάγματός μας κατά το μέρος που αφορά την μεταφορά των διεθνών προβλέψεων στο εσωτερικό ποινικό σύστημα, στηρίζοντας επιπλέον αυτήν με μία ηθική τεκμηρίωση., The aim of the present thesis is the negotiation of the correct or incorrect adaptation of the International and European legal texts that substantiate the concept of the Organized Crime in Greek Law and, in particular, whether or not the provision of financial benefit is an essential element of a criminal organization as standardized in our Penal Code. Firstly, we presented a brief historical overview of the evolution of the most well-known criminal organizations, which, in the first decades of their formation, were groups of individuals, of limited scope, and were formed to achieve a certain purpose. We looked into the reasons why the need for a common definition on an international basis to limit the action of organized crime is urgent, highlighting both the factors that create fertile ground for the spread of its action and the underlying risks that in case there is not a common line among the laws of the different states. Thus, we presented the United Nations International Convention against Organized Crime, also known as the Palermo Convention, as well as the 1998 Joint Action and Council Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA, which determine the minimum necessary elements which national legislators must incorporate into their legislation in order to deal with the phenomenon of organized crime effectively. Subsequently, we resorted to a summarized presentation of the amendments made to the provision of article 187 par. 1 of our Penal Code, which standardizes the offense of forming or joining a criminal organization, concluding with an extensive analysis of its current form after the Law 4619/2019. Next, observing that the Greek legislator was not limited to the assisting motivation to achieve property benefits from the organization in order for it to be subject to the crime of article 187 par. 1 of Penal Code different views that have been reflected on the correct or incorrect adaptation to Greek Law of these provisions, taking into account that on the one hand the jurisprudence has been occupied by financially targeted criminal organizations, on the other hand the way they are structured and operated is modern, advanced and fully legitimate businesses. However, since, as the case law has shown us, the motive of modern criminal organizations is primarily to achieve material benefits, the last section of the work is devoted to distinguishing the offense of setting up or joining such an organization from financial crime, which in fact is increasingly being committed on an organized basis. The thesis concludes the author's view on the compatibility or not of the adaptation of our Criminal Law with the requirements of our Constitution in the part concerning the transfer of international provisions in the domestic penal system, further supporting it with a moral justification., Σε συνεργασία με: Νομικής (Δημοκρίτειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θράκης)

Thai Environmental Engineering Journal (TEEJ), 36, 1, 33-47

Effective, economical and feasible remediation technology of heavy metal pollution in farmland is an important research concentration in the field of farmland soil remediation. In order to investigate the remediation effects of formula fertilizer and biochar on cadmium (Cd)–plumbum (Pb) contaminated farmland, blank (CK), lime (SH), biochar (SWT), formula fertilizer (FL), and biochar + formula fertilizer (FS) were set up in Cd–Pb contaminated farmland. The results demonstrated the following: (1) Compared with CK, SWT and FS increased the yield by 11.21% and 15.00%, respectively, which was significantly higher than other treatments. (2) The concentrations of Cd and Pb in maize kernels under all treatments were lower than the limited value stipulated by GB 2762-2022 in China. Compared with CK, FS reduced the concentration of Cd and Pb in maize kernels by 24.96% and 31.46%, respectively, which were the most significant. All the treatments can reduce the concentrations of Cd and Pb in maize cob and straw and inhibit the transfer of Cd and Pb from the lower part of the maize field to the overground part. (3) FL, SWT, and FS increased soil pH by 0.17, 0.10, and 0.19 units, respectively. FS can reduce the concentrations of available cadmium (DTPA-Cd) and available lead (DTPA-Pb) significantly, which are 31.05% and 38.57% lower than CK, respectively. (4) Each treatment can reduce the extraction state and reducible state of weak acid Cd and Pb in soil, while increasing the proportion of oxidizable state and residual state. FL and FS significantly increased the percentage of residual Cd and Pb by 18.00% and 24.32%, respectively, and 33.33% and 37.76%, respectively. (5) FL (1.747) and FS (1.679) were relatively higher than CK in input/output. In conclusion, the combined application of biochar and formula fertilizer in Cd/Pb polluted farmland can effectively reduce the concentration of Cd and Pb in maize and has high economic benefits and practicability.

In practice, most Chinese farmers usually apply excessive fertilizers to ensure wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield, resulting in environmental impacts. How to maintain an even increase wheat yield with less fertilizers is still not clear. This study evaluated the yield, quality, nutrient accumulation, and environmental costs of winter wheat under optimal fertilization management strategies. A field trial was set up with a randomized block design, constituted of eight different fertilization management strategies and four replicate plots. The results showed that optimal fertilization management strategy increased wheat yield and net benefit, and increased N, P, K accumulation, N and P fertilizer partial productivity and N and P uptake efficiency. Compared with the farmers’ practice, the yield in the different optimal fertilization management strategies was increased by 2.21–8.42% through improving the spike number or the grain number per spike. Meanwhile, the net benefit increased by 6.83–11.29% in different optimal fertilization management strategies. Furthermore, NO3− leaching and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission in the different optimal fertilization managements were reduced by 25.50–35.15%, 48.80–60.26%, and 29.60–38.36%, respectively. In conclusion, CF3, CF1, 90%CF1 fertilization management can not only achieve high yield of wheat, but also improve economic benefits and reduce environmental costs, which are effective fertilization management strategies.

Heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) in road freight are a primary contributor of PM2.5 and NOX emissions in many cities. Shenzhen, a megacity of China, has already made great efforts to promote the green transport transition, including via the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) HDTs program, which may be the largest alternative fuel vehicle promotion program in the world. In order to fully understand the actual efficiency of such program, the economic and environmental impacts of LNG HDTs were analyzed in this study. The results revealed that, while the capital cost of LNG HDTs is higher than that of diesel HDTs, the aggregated cost during the entire operation period of LNG HDTs is 10% to 17% lower than that of diesel HDTs. By replacing existing diesel HDTs mode (including China-I to China-V) with LNG HDTs (100%), environmental impact analysis showed that PM2.5 and NOX emissions could be reduced by 96.7% and 73.2% in the city level, respectively. Moreover, the environmental benefits of using purely LNG HDTs versus just China-V diesel HDTs were also compared, which indicated that LNG substitution is superior to China-V, with a reduction of 20.9% for PM2.5 and 35.4% for NOX, respectively. Overall, the effectiveness of the promotion of LNG HDTs is notable in Shenzhen, and these findings could provide references for other cities to promote LNG HDTs and beyond.

In the multiple cropping regions of southern China, straw returning has become a widely practiced agronomic measure for rice cultivation. However, excessive straw often leads to a high proportion of stubble in topsoil, which prolongs the leveling time of the paddy field and delays the transplanting date for rice seedlings. In particular, scholars in this region have successively improved multiple paddy field levelers to realize excellent straw returning and subsequent land preparation synchronously, but the economic benefit from land preparation to crop harvest was less reported. Therefore, this study carried out a 2-year rice cultivation experiments to compare the effects of paddy field preparation methods on rice growth and economic benefits within the same growing duration. Three treatments were designed: traditional tillage (TT), double axis rotary tillage (DR) and multiple operations for paddy field preparation (DR + ML), with three repeats. The results showed that DR + ML treatment simplified the operation process while improving the quality of land preparation. Within the same growing duration, DR + ML treatment could reduce the paddy field preparation time and extend the growing time in the field by 5–6 days. Furthermore, in comparison to TT treatment, DR + ML showed advantages in stimulating plant development, increasing dry matter accumulation (DMA), and thereby increasing rice yield by more than 12%. The economic benefits were mainly reflected in saving operation cost of paddy field preparation and improving the output (grain yield), which can generally increase the total profit by 58%. The implementation of this study can provide a reference for a simplified high yield cultivation technique in rice-related multiple cropping systems.

አህፅሮት 50 እና 75 በመቶ የሆልስቴን ፍሬዥያን ዝርያ ደም ያላቸው ወተት መመገብ ያቆሙ የዲቃላ ወንድ ጥጆችን የዕድገት ብቃትንና በወይፈንነት ዕድሜያቸው የማደለብ ኢኮኖሚያዊ አዋጪነትን ለመገምገም በሆለታ ግብርና ምርምር ማዕከል ለ 626 ቀናት ያህል ጥናት ተካሂዷል፡፡ ለዚሁ ጥናትም ሃያ አራት 50 በመቶ እና ሌሎች ሃያ አራት 75 በመቶ የሆልስቴን ፍሬዥያን ደም ያላቸውን ጥጆች በስድስት የአመጋገብ ስርዓት (Treatments) እንዲመደቡ ተደርጓል፡፡ የአመጋገብ ስርዓቶቹም፣ 1ኛ. 25 በመቶ የኑግ ፋጉሎ +74 በመቶ የስንዴ ፉርሽካ +1 በመቶ የጨው ቅልቅል ሆኖ 18 በመቶ፣ 2ኛ. 38.5በመቶ የኑግ ፋጉሎ +60.5 በመቶ የስንዴ ፉርሽካ +1 በመቶ የጨው ቅልቅል ሆኖ 20 በመቶ፣ 3ኛ. 29 በመቶ የተልባ ፋጉሎ +70 በመቶ የስንዴ ፉርሽካ +1 በመቶ የጨው ቅልቅል ሆኖ 18 በመቶ፣ 4ኛ. 43 በመቶ የተልባ ፋጉሎ +56 በመቶ የስንዴ ፉርሽካ + 1 በመቶ የጨው ቅልቅል ሆኖ 20 በመቶ፣ 5ኛ. 27 በመቶ የጥጥ ፋጉሎ +72 በመቶ የስንዴ ፉርሽካ + 1 በመቶ የጨው ቅልቅል ሆኖ 18 በመቶ፣ 6ኛ. 40 በመቶ የጥጥ ፋጉሎ +59 በመቶ የስንዴ ፉርሽካ +1 በመቶ የጨው ቅልቅል ሆኖ 20 በመቶ የሰውነት ገንቢ ንጥረ ነገር (ክሩድ ፕሮቲን) ይዘት ያላቸው ነበሩ፡፡ 20በመቶ ክሩድ ፕሮቲን ይዘት ያለው የጥጥ ፋጉሎ የተካተተበትን የድጎማ መኖ የተመገቡት ወይፈኖች በ1 ዓመት ዕድሜያቸው በአማካይ 196.50 ኪ.ግ፣ በ2 ዓመታቸው ደግሞ 404.88 ኪ.ግ መመዘን ችለዋል፡፡ በሌላ መልኩ 18 በመቶ ክሩድ ፕሮቲን ይዘት ያለው የተልባና የጥጥ ፋጉሎ የተካተተበትን የድጎማ መኖ የተመገቡት ወይፈኖች በ1 ዓመታቸው 162.50 ኪ.ግ፤በ2 ዓመታቸው ደግሞ 314.25 ኪ.ግ መመዘን ችለዋል፡፡ እንዲሁም 20 በመቶ ክሩድ ፕሮቲን ይዘት ያለው የጥጥ ፋጉሎ የተካተተበትን የድጎማ መኖ የተመገቡ 50 በመቶ የሆልስቴን ፍሬዥያን ደም ያላቸው ወይፈኖች 75በመቶ የሆልስቴን ፍሬዥያን ደም ካላቸው ወይፈኖች የተሻለ የቁም ክብደትና የቀን ዕድገት ያሳዩ መሆኑን ጥናቱ ጠቁሟል፡፡ ቀደም ብሎ የተጠቀሰውን የድጎማ መኖ ተመግበው የደለቡ 50በመቶ የሆልስቴን ፍሬዥያን ደም መጠን ያላቸው ወይፈኖች በአማካይ 10792.70 ብር፣ ተመሳሳይ የፕሮቲን ይዘት ያለው የተልባ ፋጉሎ የተካተተበትን የድጎማ መኖ ተመግበው የደለቡ ተመሳሳይ የደም መጠን ያላቸው ወይፈኖች ደግሞ 5772.60 ብር በከብት የተጣራ ገቢ የሚያሰገኙ መሆኑን ጥናቱ አረጋግጧል፡፡ በአጠቃላይ የወተት ከብት አርቢዎች በዕርባታቸው የሚወለዱ ወይፈኖችን፤ በተለይም 50 በመቶ የሆልስቴን ፍሬዥያን ደም ያላቸውን ወይፈኖች 20 በመቶ የፕሮቲን ይዘት ያላቸውን የጥጥና የተልባ ፋጉሎዎች የተካተቱባቸውን የድጎማ መኖዎች እየመገቡ በማደለብ ተጠቃሚ መሆን ይችላሉ፡፡ Abstract The study was conducted at Holetta Research Center to evaluate growth performance and economic feasibility of fattening 50 and 75% Friesian-Boran growing crossbred bull calves for the period of 626 days. Twenty-four 50% Frisian-Boran crossbred weaned male calves and another twenty- four 75% Frisian-Boran crossbred growing weaned calves reared at Holetta Research Center were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments; T1=Noug seed cake based supplement with 18% CP level, T2=Noug seed cake based supplement with 20% CP level, T3= Linseed cake based supplement with 18% CP level, T4= Linseed cake based supplement with 20% CP Level, T5=Cottonseed cake based supplement with 18% CP and T6=Cottonseed cake based supplement with 20% CP Level. The interaction effect between feed supplements and calf genotypes was not significant. In this study higher (p

Biological control is considered as a promising alternative to pesticide and plant resistance to manage plant diseases, but a better understanding of the interaction of its natural and societal functions is necessary for its endorsement. The introduction of biological control agents (BCAs) alters the interaction among plants, pathogens, and environments, leading to biological and physical cascades that influence pathogen fitness, plant health, and ecological function. These interrelationships generate a landscape of tradeoffs among natural and social functions of biological control, and a comprehensive evaluation of its benefits and costs across social and farmer perspectives is required to ensure the sustainable development and deployment of the approach. Consequently, there should be a shift of disease control philosophy from a single concept that only concerns crop productivity to a multifaceted concept concerning crop productivity, ecological function, social acceptability, and economical accessibility. To achieve these goals, attempts should make to develop “green” BCAs used dynamically and synthetically with other disease control approaches in an integrated disease management scheme, and evolutionary biologists should play an increasing role in formulating the strategies. Governments and the public should also play a role in the development and implementation of biological control strategies supporting positive externality.

In recent years, with the rapid development of China’s economy, China’s energy demand has also been growing rapidly. Promoting the use of renewable energy in China has become an urgent need. This study evaluates the potential of solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation on the roofs of residential buildings in rural areas of mainland China and calculates the area that can used for generating energy, the installed capacity, and the power generation, and conducts a comprehensive analysis of the economic benefits of investing in the construction of distributed PV systems in various provinces. The findings unveiled in this study indicate that China still has more than 6.4 billion m2 of rural construction area available for the installation of PV modules. If this is all used for solar power generation, the annual power generation can reach up to 1.55 times the electricity consumption of urban and rural residents for the whole society. Through a comprehensive evaluation of energy efficiency and economic benefits, the Chinese mainland can be divided into three types of resource areas. The three types of resource areas have their own advantages and disadvantages. According to their own characteristics and advantages, we can reasonably formulate relevant policies to accelerate the development of PV system application in rural areas.

Objective: comparative assessment of the economic effect of oral vinorelbine when used as indicated, taking into consideration the new registered price.Material and methods. A clinical-economic study was performed to compare active platinum-containing chemotherapy regimens of the first line for stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer with oral vinorelbine and pemetrexed as well as first-line chemotherapy regimens for metastatic breast cancer presented with oral vinorelbine and ixabepilone alone. A systematic search for information in medical databases was carried out, the cost estimate was made out in accordance with the recommendations of The Center for Healthcare Quality Assessment and Control of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The direct medical costs were estimated, formed on the basis of the dosage, frequency and dosage regimen of the compared drugs, based on the data of the State Register of maximum selling prices, clinical guidelines for the studied nosologies, and instructions for medical use. The comparison of the economic effect of the studied drugs was carried out in pairs using the cost minimization method with a sensitivity analysis. Further, the calculations of the amounts of reimbursement of medical care provided were made using each of the compared drugs. An economic assessment of the economic effect of oral vinorelbine was carried out taking into consideration the change in the price of the drug and a budget impact analysis with a sensitivity analysis.Results. It was determined that the use of oral vinorelbine provides financial savings for a medical organization at the amount of 246,042.34 rubles per 6 cycles of chemotherapy for each patient with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer compared with the use of pemetrexed, and 558,659.32 rubles per year – for the treatment of each patient with metastatic breast cancer compared with ixabepilone. The results of the budget impact analysis showed that the indication of oral vinorelbine saved 3,287,470.56 rubles for the budget fund considering the change in the cost of 1 mg of the drug for a hypothetical population of patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer in 1000 people. This would create the possibility of therapy for additional 15 patients with this diagnosis. The indication of oral vinorelbine in first-line chemotherapy of metastatic breast cancer for a similar target population would save 18,355,043.96 rubles for the budget fund, which makes it possible to treat 15 more patients with this diagnosis.Conclusion. The use of oral vinorelbine is associated with the saving of financial resources of a medical organization. In addition, the reimbursement for medical care provided from the compulsory medical insurance funds when using regimens with oral vinorelbine is primarily lower than for comparison drugs. Thus, the use of regimens with oral vinorelbine is more beneficial for the payer (the Federal Compulsory Health Insurance Fund) and for the medical organization. The change in the cost of the drug is associated with an increase in the availability of medical care for patients with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer and patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how the convergence of private and public sector accounting standards is affecting conceptual and practical issues relating to heritage. More specifically, the paper is intended to provide a better understanding of the state of the art in national and international accounting standards on heritage assets, and of the views influencing such standards. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative documentary analysis is carried out to explore the variety of existing positions and views on heritage, ranging from the scholarly literature, through potential stakeholders and users, to international and national standard setters. Findings The analysis shows that the path of convergence between public and private sector standards and practices is still problematic. After more than two decades of debate around the nature, definition, measurement, and reporting of heritage, these issues are far from settled. Research limitations/implications In the light of calls for increased measurement and reporting of public sector “assets”, and specifically for the definition of standards to recognise heritage, the paper suggests the need to strongly reconsider whether the convergence between public and private sector standards is desirable, feasible and effective. As such, the risks of embracing simplified or hybrid forms of accounting and reporting for heritage should be more seriously assessed. While reporting on heritage is important, it is fundamental to keep it distinct from reporting on government’s regular operations, in order to appreciate its specific value, nature and features. Originality/value Looking at European national standards for heritage, the IPSASB’s proposals, and the reactions to the latter by relevant stakeholders, the paper provides a pluralistic view on the positions and experiences about heritage, contributing to the debate on the convergence between private and public sector accounting standards.

Coral reef ecosystems possess tangible and intangible economic benefits to human society that are still underestimated and not fully understood. This study aims: to determine 1) economic benefits and economic losses due to coral reef damage, 2) compensation values as replacement costs for damaged coral reefs as well as references to sustainable coral reef management. Based on the calculation, the TEV of coral reef ecosystems was estimated to be USD 11.96 billion or 2.82 million USD/ha. The economic losses due to coral reef destruction over the 20-year period from 1994 to 2014 were USD 1 billion or 50.18 million USD/yr. We anticipate that the economic loss of coral reefs will continue to rise due to the intensification of destructive fishing practices. Therefore, an effective management policy should be established to prevent further destruction of coral reefs in this area in the future. This study suggests that tangible procedures for compensation for coral damage and law enforcement for destroyers are required to be implemented to reduce the economic losses of coral reefs, and the economic values estimated in this study can be a quantitative reference for various stakeholders to build a concensus for designing coral reef recovery programs in the future.

Generalization of the theoretical-methodological instrumentarium of research on the public sector of economy suggests that the fundamental conceptualisation of the processes of production and consumption of public benefits together with pioneer researches in this area are laid down by Western European scientists-humanists. The complex discourse of the theory of public benefits requires research in such direction as the theories of behavior of individuals in the public benefits sector; German tradition of public benefits research (which is known to be based on the theoretical platform of public interest and collective needs). Another theoretical mainstream of researching public benefits issues is the theory of transaction costs, among the others. There is every reason to assert that global public benefits at the present stage of civilizational development not only play a decisive role in ensuring the economic, political and social progress, but also create a solid cementing basis for an effective response of the world community to the global problems (climate change; food problem; transboundary epidemics of infectious diseases; financial, debt and budgetary crises; dynamic distribution of virtual currencies, etc.). However, despite the significant aggravation of global risks in recent decades, there is still no reliable data on the accumulated expenditure of governments on the production of global public benefits.

Traditional tourism development has adopted a top-down approach, and the role of government has primarily been decision making and regulation in regard to tourism development. There has been growing interest in residents’ participation in tourism destination development and management. The study aims provide empirical evidence by examining the relationship between participative leadership, empowerment, and tourism participation among residents living in the provinces near the borders in Korea. We examine the economic benefits derived from tourists as a moderator. A total of 758 questionnaires were used. This study performed descriptive analysis, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM). This study examined the effects of participative leadership and empowerment on three categories of residents’ participation in tourism in DMZ areas in South Korea. This present study tests the relationships between and evaluated the effects of participatory leadership and resident empowerment on three types of resident participation. Participative leadership positively influences empowerment and resident participation. In addition, a positive effect of psychological empowerment between participative leadership and participation as a mediator was found. Participative leadership affects motivational processes, and psychological empowerment leads to participation. The results found that residents perceive their participation as important, and there is no difference based on the additional income they derive from tourism. The study contributes to the enhancement of sustainable development and a deeper understanding of how residents act. Furthermore, the results can provide direction for the creation of participative approaches in tourism development.

Stand-density management and fertilization practices are the main two factors affecting bamboo-shoot yield. However, the appropriate density and fertilization rates are still unclear for improving the bamboo-shoot yield and its economic benefits, especially for a high economic value bamboo-shoot forest. To fill this gap, we conducted a two-year split-plot design experiment in a Chimonobambusa pachystachys shoot forest. The main plots were assigned to five density rates, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, 70,000, and 100,000 culms ha−1, and the subplots were assigned to four fertilization rates (nitrogen:phosphorus:potassium = 23:3:15): 0, 820, 1640, and 2460 kg ha−1 a−1. Results showed that the bamboo-shoot yield increased first and then decreased with stand density, while it increased with fertilization rates. Density management and fertilization regulate bamboo-shoot yield by changing the soil’s Olsen P, available nitrogen, organic matter, and available potassium contents. The maximum bamboo-shoot yield was 9315.92 kg ha−1, which appeared in the density of 60,000 culms ha−1 and the fertilization of 2460 kg ha−1 a−1. However, the maximum bamboo-shoot net profit was 135,242.63 CNY ha−1, which appeared at the density of 60,000 culms ha−1 and the fertilization of 1640 kg ha−1 a−1. The economic-benefit analysis shows that density management achieves a net-profit growth comparable to fertilizer application at a much lower cost. The study results provide a basis for the scientific management of C. pachystachys shoot forests and bamboo farmers to improve their income.