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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Energy productivity and energy intensity within the industrial sector of the economy are examined. Results suggest that relative prices and other economic factors can explain much of the variation in both energy productivity and energy intensity for manufacturing and mining and for the industrial sector as a whole. Cyclical factors, seasonal factors and trend variables are also useful in explaining variation in these data, both for annual and monthly time series. Of the variables examined, it appears that the relative price of energy is a highly significant factor in accounting for the difference between actual industrial energy intensity and that which might have been expected had pre-1973 trends continued.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Utilities looking to thrive in increasingly competitive markets are reexamining their approach to pricing. To compete effectively, utilities will need to both control costs and offer customers pricing options that are competitive and reflect the diversity in their customer base. These price structures must reflect two key factors -- marginal costs, which will increasingly reflect market prices, and consumers` responsiveness to those price structures. To accomplish this requires the capability to forecast customers` response to price structures that often provide complex signals to customers about how changes in their energy consumption and maximum power demand affect their bill, and to calculate corresponding changes in utility profits and customer net benefits. Much discussion of competitive pricing focuses on ...

CERN Document Server

We introduce a new formulation of asset trading games in continuous time in the framework of the game-theoretic probability established by Shafer and Vovk (2001). In our formulation, the market moves continuously but an investor trades in discrete times, which can depend on the past path of the market. We prove that an investor can essentially force that the asset price path behaves with the variation exponent exactly equal to two. Our proof is based on embedding high-frequency discrete time games into the continuous time game and the use of the Bayesian strategy of Kumon, Takemura and Takeuchi (2007b) for discrete time coin-tossing games. We also clarify that the main growth part of the investor's capital processes is lucidly described by the information quantities, which are derived from the Kullback-Leibler information with respect to the empirical fluctuation of the asset price.

CERN Document Server

The stock market has been known to form homogeneous stock groups with a higher correlation among different stocks according to common economic factors that influence individual stocks. We investigate the role of common economic factors in the market in the formation of stock networks, using the arbitrage pricing model reflecting essential properties of common economic factors. We find that the degree of consistency between real and model stock networks increases as additional common economic factors are incorporated into our model. Furthermore, we find that individual stocks with a large number of links to other stocks in a network are more highly correlated with common economic factors than those with a small number of links. This suggests that common economic factors in the stock market can be understood in terms of deterministic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This study estimates the electricity demand function for the residential sector of South Korea with the aim of examining the effects of improved energy efficiency, structural factors and household lifestyles on electricity consumption. In the study, time series data for the period from 1973 to 2007 is used in a structural time series model to estimate the long-term price and income elasticities and annual growth of underlying energy demand trend (UEDT) at the end of the estimation period. The result shows a long-term income elasticity of 1.33 and a long-term price elasticity of -0.27% with -0.93% as the percentage growth of UEDT at the end of the estimation period. This result suggests that, in order to encourage energy efficiency in the residential sector, the government should complement the market based pricing policies with non-market policies such as minimum energy efficiency standards and public ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper studies the pricing of variance swap derivatives with stochastic volatility by the control variate method. A closed form solution is derived for the approximate model with deterministic volatility, which plays the key role in the paper, and an efficient control variate technique is therefore proposed when the volatility obeys the log-normal process. By the analysis of moments for the underlying processes, the optimal volatility function in the approximate model is constructed. The numerical results show the high efficiency of our method; the results coincide with the theoretical results. The idea in the paper is also applicable for the valuation of other types of variance swap, options with stochastic volatility and other financial derivatives with multi-factor models.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An ``energy snapshot`` article is included on housing characteristics in 1993 (survey of 7,111 households). The rest of the document is divided into: energy overview, energy consumption, petroleum, natural gas, oil and gas resource development, coal, electricity, nuclear energy, energy prices, international energy, and appendices (conversion factors, CO2 emission factors from coal, index, glossary).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper provided an outline of the Canadian natural gas commodity market and a forecast for Canadian natural gas supply and prices for the 2007 winter heating season. Since 2001, steady demand growth and slow supply growth have contributed to higher North American natural gas commodity prices. The loss of natural gas supply due to hurricanes pushed North American natural gas commodity prices to record levels in 2005. Canadian natural gas production levels currently exceed domestic gas consumption. In 2005, Canada produced 16.5 billion cubic feet per day of marketable natural gas. Approximately 45 per cent was consumed domestically, and the remainder was exported to the United States. Despite high levels of drilling activity, production of natural gas from western Canada has flattened out since 2001. In 2006, natural gas prices in Canada declined due to the restoration of United States Gulf Coast ...

Science.gov (United States)

However, market based pricing does not apply where the pricing requirements for specific services or .... Market based pricing only applies to the extent ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This conference was attended by decision makers throughout the supply chain in the natural gas industry who face the continuing challenges of changes in market mechanisms, pricing options, and transmission alternatives. It provided an opportunity to review issues affecting producers, shippers, marketers, and end-users in an environment of tight energy markets and high, inelastic demand. The constraints on adequate energy supplies are influenced by economic factors, current and future resources, materials, equipment, skilled labour, technology and financial capital. The 8 sessions of the conference dealt with the tight North American gas supply; the slow development of new supplies; resource access issues, including politics and supply security; the geopolitics of natural gas; impacts of high prices on the North American economy; energy industry impacts of high natural gas prices; domestic politics and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polarization measurements are allowing the electric to magnetic form factor ratio of the proton to be determined with unprecedented precision. Recent results indicate that there is a large deviation from unity in the proton form factor ratio around Q{sup 2}{approx_equal}0.35 GeV{sup 2}. Furthermore, the deviation from unity is attributed to a deviation of the electric form factor from standard fits and calculations. A new, partially completed, experiment will significantly improve the existing data and will determine the presence, if any, of a narrow structure in the form factor ratio. The new measurement, combined with the expected high precision cross section measurements, will allow the extraction of individual form factors with unprecedented accuracy at low Q{sup 2}.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper investigates the relationship between economic growth and pollutant emissions for a small and open developing country, Tunisia, during the period 1961-2004. The investigation is made on the basis of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using time series data and cointegration analysis. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are used as the environmental indicators, and GDP as the economic indicator. Our results show that there is a long-run cointegrating relationship between the per capita emissions of two pollutants and the per capita GDP. An inverted U relationship between SO2 emissions and GDP has been found, with income turning point approximately equals to $1200 (constant 2000 prices) or to $3700 (in PPP, constant 2000 prices). However, a monotonically increasing relationship with GDP is found more appropriate for CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the causality results show that the relationship ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The production of and emission factors for the air-polluting matters sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons (esp. benz(a)pyrene), aldehyde and soot with regard to natural gas, excluding process furnaces, are dealt with. The comparison with other fuels indicates that only as to nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide are emission factors equal in order of magnitude. As a summary measure of all air-polluting matters the emission index as proposed already in 1972 is applied. It shows emissions with single-room furnaces for heating oil EL to be six times as high as with natural gas; with black-coal briquettes the factor is at least 33, with wood chimneys about 200.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Monthly Energy Review (MER) presents an overview of the Energy Information Administration`s recent monthly energy statistics. The statistics cover the major activities of US production, consumption, trade, stocks, and prices for petroleum, natural gas, coal, electricity, and nuclear energy. Also included are international energy and thermal and metric conversion factors. 37 figs., 61 tabs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper outlines an approach to develop estimates of individual customer contestability using a combined statistical and engineering analysis. The approach is targeted for use for mid-size commercial and industrial customers who are not being considered for individual flexible pricing contracts. Contestability is defined as the potential lost revenue associated with customers leaving the utility or significantly reducing electricity purchases. Contestability is modeled from the customer`s perspective using a two-stage decision process. In the first stage, the customer decides if he will continue to purchase electricity from the utility (referred to as customer retention), and in the second stage, the customer determines the amount of electricity purchased (referred to as load retention). Measures of individual customer contestability will be key factors in developing market segments and new rate offerings in future energy markets.

Science.gov (United States)

As coal becomes more and more important as a power plant fuel in this time of energy shortage and the combustion of high-sulfur coals that would impair air quality, efforts have been made to devise efficient processes to control sulfur dioxide emission. Besides desulfurization before combustion, flue gas desulfurization is considered the most promising method that could also be applicable to all other fossil fuels. In this article, the flue gas desulfurization processes are briefly reviewed, and processes with highest use and with high potential for future use are compared from technical and economical points of view. In the selection of a desulfurization process, it is very important to consider the capacity of the plant, fuel type and fuel-to-sulfur ratio, availability and price of the reagent to be used, type, price, and market of side products, disposal problems of wastes, and environmental factors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Fresnel solar collector is a promising concept to reduce the electricity cost price in solar thermal power plants. The optical performance of a Fresnel collector depends on material properties, on its geometric layout and on the level of optical accuracy that can be obtained. A variety of geometric parameters, e.g. the height of the absorber, the number, size and distance of primary mirrors in.uence the shading and blocking of rays and the amount of rays missing the absorber. To evaluate the in.uence of the parameter variation regarding the electricity cost price and to yield an optimization, the optical performance is assessed with an annual simulation based on hourly weather-data. To permit a consideration of changes in collector cost according to different geometric layouts, cost factors where allocated to geometric parameters. The paper presents the method and the simulation results of the optimization under ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An effort to determine the effect of restructuring on prices finds that, on average, prices for industrial customers in restructured states were lower, relative to predicted prices, than prices for industrial customers in non-restructured states. This preliminary analysis also finds that these price changes are explained primarily by high pre-restructuring prices, not whether or not a state restructured. (author)

CERN Document Server

We discuss the foundations of factor or regression models in the light of the self-consistency condition that the market portfolio (and more generally the risk factors) is (are) constituted of the assets whose returns it is (they are) supposed to explain. As already reported in several articles, self-consistency implies correlations between the return disturbances. As a consequence, the alpha's and beta's of the factor model are unobservable. Self-consistency leads to renormalized beta's with zero effective alpha's, which are observable with standard OLS regressions. Analytical derivations and numerical simulations show that, for arbitrary choices of the proxy which are different from the true market portfolio, a modified linear regression holds with a non-zero value $\\alpha_i$ at the origin between an asset $i$'s return and the proxy's return. Self-consistency also introduces ``orthogonality'' and ``normality'' conditions ...

Science.gov (United States)

Many factors such as poverty, ineffective institutions and environmental regulations may prevent developing countries from managing how natural resources are extracted to meet a strong market demand. Extraction for some resources has reached such proportions that evidence is measurable from space. We present recent evidence of the global demand for a single commodity and the ecosystem destruction resulting from commodity extraction, recorded by satellites for one of the most biodiverse areas of the world. We find that since 2003, recent mining deforestation in Madre de Dios, Peru is increasing nonlinearly alongside a constant annual rate of increase in international gold price (?18%/yr). We detect that the new pattern of mining deforestation (1915 ha/year, 2006-2009) is outpacing that of nearby settlement deforestation. We show that gold price is linked with exponential increases in Peruvian national mercury imports over ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Facility management has long been regarded as a cost reduction measure, but it is also a means of raising the financial worth of a building so that landlords can get higher rents or sell the building at a better price. [German] Lange Zeit wurde Facility Management als eine Massnahme zur Kostensenkung angesehen. Heutzutage zeigt sich immer mehr, dass das Facility Management sehr viel umfassender zu verstehen ist: Der Wert eines Gebaeudes bemisst sich nicht allein an einer niedrigen Kostenquote, sondern er soll umfassend Investoren wie Mietern den hoechst moeglichen Nutzen bringen. Nicht allein der kostenguenstige Betrieb ist entscheidend, sondern der Wert des Gebaeudes muss insgesamt gesteigert werden. (orig.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Today, as a result of increase in oil prices, limited fossil fuel resources, environmental consideration and global warming, the methyl ester fuels have been focused on alternative fuels. Methyl ester fuels can be used more efficiently in low heat rejection engines (LHR), in which the temperature of combustion chamber is increased by creating a thermal barrier. In this study, the piston, cylinder head, exhaust and inlet valves of a diesel engine were coated with the ceramic material Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-TiO{sub 2} by the plasma spray method. Thus, a thermal barrier was provided for the parts of the combustion chamber with these coatings. The effects of corn oil methyl ester that produced by the transesterification method, and No. D2 fuels' performance and exhaust emissions' rate were studied by using equal in every respect coated and uncoated engines. Tests were performed on the uncoated engine, and then repeated on the coated ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Field experiments were conducted in the 30-km zone of Gomel's region of the Byelorussia to study factors aecting a biological radionuclide accessibility. A contamination density by radiocesium equaled 2,7-9,9 MBk/m"2, strontium 90 - 0,3-0,5 MBk/m"2 in 1991. A sowing of oats barley, lupin was carried out. It was shown that radionuclide accumulation by agricultural plants was determined basically by biological peculiarities of plants in greater degree than by the contamination density. It was shown that strontium 90 migration from the soil was more intensive than that of radiocesium. 8 tabs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

While there is growing interest in Real Time Pricing as a competitive tool, its adoption to date has been constrained by wariness on the part of many utilities and many of their customers. That wariness is not misplaced, for Real Time Pricing is not for everyone. In order for both utilities and their customers to benefit, the pricing system must be properly tailored for, and offered to, the appropriate audience. This paper discusses needs for identifying targets, implications of targeting of Real Time Pricing to various types of customers, and implications for design and marketing of such pricing systems. Examples from utility experiences are provided, and recommendations are offered for development of improved targeting of Real Time Pricing.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In Arabian Gulf industrial development, location factors show a favorable decline compared to the US as a result of industrial experience and the development of a data base on which to base comparisons. Petrochemical feedstocks and capital are the major resources for the Arabian states' investments. Cost analyses of ammonia, ethylene, and methanol show that production is only a little more than half the US production costs. While ethylene derivatives lose their economic advantage, they are more practical for marketing. Methanol production is developing slower than the production of ethylene derivatives because of competition in industrialized countries and low world prices for gas, but rising gas prices and the use of methanol for fuel are changing this situation. Comparisons of the growing aluminum industry with the investment and operating costs of other countries show that total operating costs are low, total ...

Science.gov (United States)

The objective of this paper is to reveal to what degree bio-based jet fuels (bio-jet) can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the US aviation sector. A model of the supply and demand chain of bio-jet involving farmers, bio-refineries, airlines, and policymakers is developed by considering factors that drive the decisions of actors (i.e. decision-makers and stakeholders) in the life cycle stages. Two kinds of feedstock are considered: oil-producing feedstock (i.e. camelina and algae) and lignocellulosic biomass (i.e. corn stover, switchgrass, and short rotation woody crops). By factoring in farmer/ feedstock producer and bio-refinery profitability requirements, land availability and suitability, as well as a time delay factor, a more realistic estimate of the level of bio-jet supply and emissions reduction can be developed under different oil price assumptions. Factors that ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The electricity sector is Canada's largest single source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper discussed electricity and carbon pricing approaches to reducing GHG emissions in the electricity sector. An overview of the links between electricity pricing and climate change was presented, and current and emerging trends in electricity pricing related to encouraging energy conservation were reviewed. Market prices and failures were discussed. Approaches to pricing electricity included an increase in block prices; time-of-use prices; demand-side management and energy efficiency; and carbon pricing in Canada and electricity pricing signals. The study showed that several provincial utilities in Canada are experimenting with market-based pricing approaches for electricity and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper shows that a stochastic regime-switching model can represent the volatile behavior of wholesale electricity prices associated with price spikes effectively. The structure of the model is very flexible because the mean prices in the two regimes and the two transition probabilities are functions of the load and/or the implicit reserve margin. Using price data from the single settlement market in PJM (May 1999 to May 2000), the results show that the estimated switching probability from the low to the high regime predicts price spikes well if the reserve margin is measured accurately.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shale oil as a fuel source would need to compete with crude oil. The prospects for shale oil therefore depend upon the market outlook and likely prices for crude oil and its products. These are examined for both the world and Australia. For Australia, market prospects for shale oil are assessed in terms of maintaining a degree of self-sufficiency in petroleum fuels. Shale oil might also need to compete with other synthetic liquid fuels. The prospects for producing these in Australia are discussed. Some factors which might influence the pattern of development of a synthetic fuels industry in Australia are described and a role suggested for the federal government to ensure optimum development for national economic growth. 6 refs., 1 fig.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Using a sample of Uruguayan manufacturing establishments we analyze employment, capital, and productivity dynamics over a period of currency appreciation; changes in trade policy; and changes in the institutional setting of wage negotiations. As the relative capital-labor price ratio fell, capital intensity increased. At the same time, there was an increase in labor and total factor productivity. Creation and destruction rates were relatively high and pervasive over time, sectors, establishment size, and establishment age, with exits explaining a sizeable part of destruction rates. Most of the excess reallocation was due to movements -within- rather than -between- sectors. Thus, high reallocation rates were linked to establishment-level heterogeneity rather than aggregate shocks.

CERN Document Server

We discuss some methods to quantitatively investigate the properties of correlation matrices. Correlation matrices play an important role in portfolio optimization and in several other quantitative descriptions of asset price dynamics in financial markets. Specifically, we discuss how to define and obtain hierarchical trees, correlation based trees and networks from a correlation matrix. The hierarchical clustering and other procedures performed on the correlation matrix to detect statistically reliable aspects of the correlation matrix are seen as filtering procedures of the correlation matrix. We also discuss a method to associate a hierarchically nested factor model to a hierarchical tree obtained from a correlation matrix. The information retained in filtering procedures and its stability with respect to statistical fluctuations is quantified by using the Kullback-Leibler distance.

Science.gov (United States)

New interest by Australians in the state of rural education requires new understanding of factors affecting rural education and its related issues. Educational programs have not been flexible enough to cope with rural diversity, a key element in the milieu. Standards such as "equality of opportunity" and "uniformity" have been misapplied to rural Australian education, which is made distinctive by the inter-relatedness of many factors. Three dimensions of isolation are discussed: (1) types of isolation (geographic, cultural, social, and professional isolation); (2) ways of coping with isolation (understanding isolation, developing a sense of community, developing awareness of options, training the isolated, application, and technology); and (3) conditions affecting educational changes in isolated communities (social and political climate, pedagogy, finance, and incentives for change). All these concerns focus on the issue ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary The aim of this cross-sectional study was to find possible relationships between insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), adipocytokines (leptin and adiponectin) and twitch contraction (TC) characteristics of the knee extensor (KE) muscles in healthy physically active postmenopausal women (n = 28, 64-78 years old). We hypothesized that IGF-1 is related at least to isometric TC peak torque (Pt) as the highest value of isometric torque production and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque, and there will not be any relationships between TC characteristics and leptin and adiponectin. During the measurement of MVC torque and twitch contractile properties of KE muscles, the subjects sat in a custom-made dynamometric chair with the knee and hip angles equal to 90degree and 100degree, re...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isopropyl chloroacetate has been synthesized by esterification of chloroacetic acid and isopropanol, using lanthanum dodecyl sulfate (LDDS) as the catalyst. Various factors that affected the esterification have been investigated, such as reaction time, different water-carrying agent and the amount of catalyst. Under the condition of 1.2/1 molar ratio of isopropanol to chloroacetic acid, 1.0% catalyst (molar percent of chloroacetic acid), 2.5 h reaction time, 5 mL cyclohexane as water-carrying agent and reflux temperature, the esterification conversion of isopropyl chloroacetate reaches 98.3%. The catalytic activity of LDDS is almost equal to that of a Bronsted acid. LDDS, as one kind of water-tolerant Lewis acid, is an excellent catalyst compared to the traditional Lewis acid. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We investigate the quantum cosmology of spatially homogeneous models with compact spatial sections admitting a u(2) isometry algebra. The metric ansatz in these models is that of Bianchi type IX with two scale factors set to be equal. We apply the Hartle-Hawking no-boundary path integral prescription and find the semi-classical contributions to the wave function. Exact formulae are obtainable for certain contributions and otherwise the limits of large and small anisotropy (for the pure vacuum case) and large spatial volume or small anisotropy (for the case with a positive cosmological constant) are considered. For the pure vacuum case we find no semiclassical components which would correspond to Lorentzian universes. For the case with a cosmological constant the Hartle-Hawking boundary conditions formally constrain one of the parameters in the Lorentzian solutions to be purely imaginary. Possible interpretations of this imaginary parameter are ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

AZ31 Mg alloy samples were extruded by an equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) process and subsequently annealed to obtain fine-grained material with a low dislocation density. Tensile tests at room temperature exhibited an apparent steady-state deformation region and a large tensile elongation of 47%. The deformed microstructure at an elongation of 2% indicated a substantial cross-slip to nonbasal planes possibly induced by grain-boundary compatibility effects. The nonbasal segments of dislocations were found to consist of 40% of the total dislocation density at a yield anisotropy factor of only 1.1 instead of an expected value of 100 from single-crystal experiments. (orig.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In 1991 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) continued it efforts to restructure the electric utility industry, emphasizing market-based pricing of wholesale power transactions and transmission access and pricing. Other issues covered in this report include pricing and policy initiatives, filing procedures, the generic rate of return on common equity, the price squeeze, contract interpretation, and legislative developments.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inhalation of radon and its daughter products makes the major contribution to the total exposure of the population to natural radiations. In implementing a complex ecological survey, concentrations of radon and its daughter products were measured in different regions of Russia, namely, in the St. Petersburg Region, the Central Territories and the Altay Territory. Two suitable low price versions of the dosemeters for measuring environmental radon concentrations based on track-etch and activated-charcoal detectors were used. The radon daughter product activity and the effective dose equivalents were calculated with an equilibrium factor of 0.5 and a recommended effective dose equivalent factor of 0.061 mSv (Bq m{sup -3}){sup -1}. Indoor measurements were taken in more than 1000 dwellings and public and industrial buildings of 21 towns and villages. The track chambers were exposed for about 2-3 months and the charcoal ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper examines the dynamic international political economic environment in which petroleum exploration and production companies must operate when considering investments in the economically transitional nations of the former Soviet Union or developing nations In this period of critical global changes low oil prices is only one factor with which petroleum companies Must be. concerned in their investment decisions Other factors include the transition from a bipolar world to a multipolar world of free trade zones. the general malaise of the international economy public and political recognition that nations and industries can no longer practice environmental {open_quotes}beggar-thy-neighbor{close_quotes} policies, and the rejection of aggregate national economic growth policies for sustainable economic development policies in both the Developed and developing world This paper focuses on actions which investing petroleum ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This study examines the degree of price-integration of equity indices between the major markets of Africa, namely Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia and South Africa with the European markets of London and Paris. Vector Autoregressive and Autoregressive Distributed Lag methods reveal that African markets are largely price-segmented. The only markets that are price-integrated have shared economic and financial institutions, such as Namibia and South Africa, and Egypt, Tunisia and France. The evidence suggests that development policy should be focussed on enhancing existing institutions rather than embarking prematurely on regional integration.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To evaluate the predictive factors for treatment response and prognostic factors affecting survival outcomes after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma. Medical records of forty two patients with histologically confirmed analsquamous cell carcinoma, who had complete CCRT between 1993 and 2008, were reviewed retrospectively. Median age was 61.5 years (39-89 years), and median radiotherapy (RT) dose was 50.4 Gy (30.0-64.0 Gy). A total of 36 patients had equal to or less than T2 stage (85.7%). Fourteen patients (33.3%) showed regional nodal metastasis, 36 patients (85.7%) were treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus mitomycin, and the remaining patients were treated by 5-FU plus cisplatinum. The median follow--up time was 62 months (2-202 months).The 5-year overall survival, locoregional relapse-free survival, disease-free survival, and colostomy-free survival rates were 86.0%, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The rapid growth in the use of in vitro methods for nanoparticle toxicity assessment has proceeded with limited consideration of the unique kinetics of these materials in solution. Particles in general and nanoparticles specifically, diffuse, settle and agglomerate in cell culture media as a function of several systemic and particle factors: media density and viscosity, particle size, shape and density. Cellular dose then is also a function of these factors as they determine the rate of transport of nanoparticles to cells in culture. Here we develop and apply the principles of particokinetics and dosimetry in vitro and outline an approach for simulation of nanoparticle particokinetics in cell culture systems. We illustrate that where equal mass concentrations (?g/ml) imply equal doses for dissimilar materials, the corresponding particle number or surface area concentration doses differ by orders of ...

CERN Document Server

The centre of the symmetric group algebra $\\mathbb{C}[\\mathfrak{S}_n]$ has been used successfully for studying important problems in enumerative combinatorics. These include maps in orientable surfaces and ramified covers of the sphere by curves of genus $g$, for example. However, the combinatorics of some equally important $\\mathfrak{S}_n$-factorization problems forces $k$ elements in $\\{1,...,n\\}$ to be distinguished. Examples of such problems include the star factorization problem, for which $k=1,$ and the enumeration of 2-cell embeddings of dipoles with two distinguished edges \\cite{VisentinWieler:2007} associated with Berenstein-Maldacena-Nastase operators in Yang-Mills theory \\cite{ConstableFreedmanHeadrick:2002}, for which $k=2.$ Although distinguishing these elements obstructs the use of central methods, these problems may be encoded algebraically in the centralizer of $\\mathbb{C}[\\mathfrak{S}_n]$ with ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

If geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) are to make a significant mark in the market, we believe that it will be through energy service pricing contracts offered by retailcos. The benefits of GHPs are ideally suited to energy service pricing (ESP) contractual arrangements; however, few retailcos are thoroughly familiar with the benefits of GHPs. Many of the same barriers that have prevented GHPs from reaching their full potential in the current market environment remain in place for retailcos. A lack of awareness, concerns over the actual efficiencies of GHPs, perceptions of extremely high first costs, unknown records for maintenance costs, etc. have all contributed to limited adoption of GHP technology. These same factors are of concern to retailcos as they contemplate long term customer contracts. The central focus of this project was the creation of models, using actual GHP operating data and the experience of seasoned ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In this study, the authors evaluated how much price changes in food and energy - two basic living expenditures competing for consumers' budgets - would affect consumer welfare. We first estimated a US complete demand system to quantify the interdependent demand relationships among 11 categories of consumption expenditures. Among the estimates, the own price elasticities of both food and energy are relatively inelastic, a finding that explains the dynamics of the recent soaring food and energy prices. The estimated demand elasticities were then incorporated into the measurement of Hicksian compensating variation to analyse the consumer welfare effects of price changes in food and energy. The results indicated that an increase in food and energy prices would increase compensated expenditures...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this report, the concept of exergy and the general methodology of the exergetic analysis and the thermoeconomic (combined exergetic and economic) analysis of energy conversion systems are presented. The THESIS (THermodynamic and Economc SImulation System) computer program used for these analyses is briefly described. Detailed mass, energy, exergy and money balances for a reference steam power plant (Harry Allen Station) are shown. The effect of the most important process parameters on the overall efficiency is investigated. A year-by-year and a levelized revenue requirement analysis are presented. The costs of exergy losses are compared with the capital costs and other expenses due to owning and operating each particular plant component. The question whether it is profitable to reduce the exergy losses by increasing these costs and vice versa is investigated. A cost sensitivity analysis including the effect of coal price and average annual capacity ...

Science.gov (United States)

This paper summarizes the progress to date by CH2M HILL and the UKAEA in development of a parametric modelling capability for estimating the costs of large nuclear decommissioning projects in the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe. The ability to successfully apply parametric cost estimating techniques will be a key factor to commercial success in the UK and European multi-billion dollar waste management, decommissioning and environmental restoration markets. The most useful parametric models will be those that incorporate individual components representing major elements of work: reactor decommissioning, fuel cycle facility decommissioning, waste management facility decommissioning and environmental restoration. Models must be sufficiently robust to estimate indirect costs and overheads, permit pricing analysis and adjustment, and accommodate the intricacies of international monetary exchange, currency fluctuations and contingency. The development ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Economic analysis was performed at KAERI with the assistance of US DOE to compare single reactor fuel cycle costs for a once-through option and a thermal recycle option to operate 1 GWe of a PWR plant for its lifetime. A reference fuel cycle cost was first calculated for each option with best estimated reference input data. Then a sensitivity analysis was performed changing each single value of such fuel cycle component costs as yellow cake price, enrichment charges, spent fuel storage cost, reprocessing cost, spent fuel disposal cost and reprocessing waste disposal cost. Savings due to thermal recycle in requirements of uranium, conversion, and enrichment were examined using formulas suggested by US DOE, while MOX fabrication penalty was accounted for. As a result of the reference fuel cycle cost analysis, it is calculated that the thermal recycle option is marginally more economical than the once-through option. The major factors affecting ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report surveys the possibilities and restrictions of different construction materials for the purpose of the blades of a small stall regulated turbine. For example scaling up, material saving at decreasing of static or dynamic loads, comparisons of global costs based on prices per unit of weight, etc. For the mutual comparison of construction materials for turbine blades the starting point is a stall regulated horizontal axis turbine with a rotor diameter of 16 m and a tipvane speed of about 64 m/s. Short descriptions are given of the materials and of the applied production methods with the resulting blade geometry. The blade skins are dimensionized for storm loads after the optimalization of the blade geometry, needed for the design wind speed, is recorded. The resulting blade skins are mutually compared as for weight, mass inertia and bending stiffness. Also a comparison took place of the resulting reserve factors against load variations ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reviews types of hydraulic power shovels used in coal surface mines in the USA, FRG, Japan and other countries. Excavators of the first, second and third generation are compared. Hydraulic schemes of the excavators are compared. The following excavators are reviewed: the RH-75, RH-75C, 1000 SK, H-801, RC-1500, H-185, EX-1800, R-994, RH-120C, H-241, Marion 3560, H-285, EX-3500, H-485, RH-300. The following parameters are compared: mass, price, digging range, digging power, productivity, motors, travelling speed, availability coefficient, pressure in the hydraulic systems, control systems. The following elements are discussed: schemes of hydraulic drives, main motors and engines, pump stations, hydraulic equipment, hydraulic accumulators, systems for cleaning and cooling hydraulic fluids, control systems, working fluids. Reliability of hydraulic power shovels and factors that influence reliability are analyzed. 54 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Non-linear autoregressive Markov regime-switching models are intuitive. Time-series approaches for the modelling of electricity spot prices are frequently proposed. In this paper, such models are compared with an ordinary linear autoregressive model with regard to their forecast performances. The study is carried out using German daily spot-prices from the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig. Four non-linear models are used for the forecast study. The results of the study suggest that Markov regime-switching models provide better forecasts than linear models. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In 1995, 25,8 % of the world electricity consumption was of nuclear origin, while in the EU this figure is increased up to 50,6 %. In order to maintain and even to increase its share in the electricity generation, Nuclear Energy needs to achieve a good economic performance as a base load source when compared with its competitors, basically coal and gas fired plants. Fossil-fired generation costs have declined over the past ten years, mainly due to lower fossil fuel prices. This factor together with the recently observed tendency of higher discount rates to be applied are challenging the attractiveness of the nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is a capital intensive option. Taken into account extensive standardization programs has been established aiming at cost reductions as well as to increase efficiency of nuclear energy utilization, among their main purposes. Externalities play an important role, as they are already internalized in nuclear ...

CERN Document Server

We apply the potential force estimation method to artificial time series of market price produced by a deterministic dealer model. We find that dealers' feedback of linear prediction of market price based on the latest mean price changes plays the central role in the market's potential force. When markets are dominated by dealers with positive feedback the resulting potential force is repulsive, while the effect of negative feedback enhances the attractive potential force.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The added incentive to modify electric use under hourly versus monthly market-based pricing is small for most mass market customers in Upstate New York. If the ultimate policy goal of demand-response programs is to reduce peak load, then promoting conservation measures under monthly market-based pricing holds more promise. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The effect of adding hydrogen to methane as a fuel for spark ignited engines has been extensively investigated. Both the possibility of adding a limited amount of hydrogen as well as equal amounts of hydrogen and carbon dioxide to natural gas has been investigated. A 10 vol% addition of hydrogen to the natural gas caused a reduction in UHC of approximately 40%, and an increase in efficiency of approximately three percentage points at the test engine. It is unknown if the gain is representative for large engines. Similar results for UHC reduction and efficiency were obtained for combined hydrogen and carbon dioxide addition. The carbon dioxide was added by exhaust gas recirculation. However, the price of hydrogen, makes this idea uneconomical even when carbon dioxide is readily available through recirculation of engine exhaust. Adiabatic prereforming may be used to convert natural gas into methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide in order to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

When chest radiographs are obtained using an anti-scatter grid in a mobile x-ray unit by Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR), right lung densities may differ from left lung densities owing to misalignment caused by an oblique x-ray beam. Such misalignment is considered to be caused by factors such as the shape of the bed and angle of the x-ray tube. Misalignment is especially frequent when exposure is carried out in the sitting position. Although a low-ratio grid has been reported to offer improvement, the misalignment is not completely eliminated. Therefore, we used a copper plate without a lattice feature instead of grid, and examined the results. The copper plate was found to have the ability of a grid to eliminate radiation scatter, and, furthermore, to offer the physical capabilities of a grid as determined by Carlin's new grid assessment method. Image quality was demonstrated through contrast manipulation to be equal to that obtained ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The transfer kinetics of the negatively charged glycosphingolipid II"3-N-acetylneuraminosyl-gangliotetraosylceramide (GM_1) were investigated by monitoring tritiated GM_1 movement between donor and acceptor vesicles. After appropriate incubation times at 45 "0C, donor and acceptor vesicles were separated by molecular sieve chromatography. Donors were small unilamellar vesicles produced by sonication, whereas acceptors were large unilamellar vesicles produced by either fusion or ethanol injection. Initial GM_1 transfer to acceptors followed first-order kinetics with a half-time of about 40 h assuming that GM_1 is present in equal mole fractions in the exterior and interior surfaces of the donor vesicle bilayer and that no glycolipid flip-flop occurs. GM_1 net transfer was calculated relative to that of ["1"4C]cholesteryl oleate, which served as a nontransferable marker in the donor vesicles. Factors affecting the GM_1 interbilayer transfer rate ...

CERN Document Server

Suppose we would like to know all answers to a set of statistical queries C on a data set up to small error, but we can only access the data itself using statistical queries. A trivial solution is to exhaustively ask all queries in C. Can we do any better? + We show that the number of statistical queries necessary and sufficient for this task is---up to polynomial factors---equal to the agnostic learning complexity of C in Kearns' statistical query (SQ) model. This gives a complete answer to the question when running time is not a concern. + We then show that the problem can be solved efficiently (allowing arbitrary error on a small fraction of queries) whenever the answers to C can be described by a submodular function. This includes many natural concept classes, such as graph cuts and Boolean disjunctions and conjunctions. In doing so we also give a new learning algorithm for submodular functions that improves upon recent results in a different context. While ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neutron scattering experiments on the mixed-valence (MV) compounds SmB{sub 6} are reported. The inelastic magnetic response of SmB{sub 6} at T = 2 K, measured on a double-isotope single crystal,displays a strongly damped peak at 35 meV corresponding to the inter multiplet transition of Sm{sup 2+}. At lower energies ( h.{omega} {approx_equal} 14 meV), a narrow magnetic excitation is observed, with remarkable scattering-vector and temperature dependences of its intensity. This novel feature is discussed in terms of recent theoretical works describing the formation of an anisotropic local bound state in semiconducting MV materials. If the average samarium valence is decreased by substituting La for Sm, a peak is found to appear at high energies. The elastic magnetic form factor of SmB{sub 6} was determined using polarised neutrons and no significant difference is observed in its Q-dependence with respect to that of pure divalent samarium. This ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The reliability of the surface condenser is a key factor in plant performance level and maintenance cost optimization. This is especially the case for thermal nuclear plants where condenser raw wa-ter ingress can introduce contamination into the chemically-controlled, steam/water loop potentially causing damage to sensitive equipment. Two important parameters must be taken into account when attempting to optimize the quality and the reliability of condenser tubing. They include selecting the appropriate material according to the cooling water corrosion level present. A second and equally important parameter is the manufac-turing of the tubing product itself. This paper will identify methods to optimize manufacturing processes and improve tubing quality, according to VALTIMET's 30 years of condenser welded tubing production experience. Those methods complete the core manufacturing process (forming and welding), through improvement of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

State-of-the-art approaches for the calculation of gamma heating in LMFBR core, blanket and reflector regions have been evaluated, with particular emphasis on coupled neutron-gamma methods/cross section sets. The major source of calculational error was found to be the apparent failure to impose a mass-energy balance on total gamma energy yield from neutron capture and other interactions in the preparation of representative neutron-gamma cross section sets. The applicability of many simplifying assumptions was demonstrated, including: volume-weighted homogenization, insensitivity to the shape of the gamma-source-spectrum, gamma energy deposition equal to gamma energy source more than 10 cm inside large zones of uniform composition, and the negligible effect of bremsstrahlung. A simple one-group method was developed to permit rapid, accurate estimation of the large (factor of 2) changes in the gamma energy deposition-to-source ratio possible near ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An evaporator using a hydrophobic membrane made from a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was developed to improve DF (Decontamination Factor) and to reduce evaporator size. The membrane distillation, provided by the evaporator, is a new technique for liquid purification. Fundamental experiments were carried out to develop the membrane filter (tube type, outer diameter, 8 mm; membrane thickness, 500 {mu}m) for radioactive liquid treatment. The continuous operation test using actual liquid waste was also made during about 3,000 h. (This is almost equal to the operation time of an actual evaporator per year.) The evaporation rate decreased with increase an operation time due to contamination of waste impurity. But the rate was recovered by washing the membrane with hot water and then drying it. DF was over 10{sup 4} which is ten times larger than that for a conventional system. A pilot plant (capacity, 200 kg-liquid waste/h) was constructed and its ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A key factor that demands special attention in the pipeline construction is the cold bending process, since 30 to 40% of the pipes use this process in the field. This study aimed to evaluate the X80 cold bending operational parameters, in order make viable the use of this process in the installation of future onshore pipelines. Three 34''OD x 0,750'' pipes were bended. The bending was conducted using a hydraulic equipment with application of equally spaced punches, recording the correspondent angles related to the elastic and plastic deformations in order to assess the spring-back effect and performing dimensional inspection. Samples from pipe and the weld were subjected to mechanical and metallographic tests. It was possible to obtain a 19 deg curve and 27D radius without presenting any evidence of wrinkles, out of roundness or any type of mechanical damage. After analysis, all criteria established from ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We investigate the quantum cosmology of spatially homogeneous models with compact spatial sections admitting a u(2) isometry algebra. The metric ansatz in these models is that of Bianchi type IX with two scale factors set to be equal. We apply the Hartle-Hawking no-boundary path integral prescription and find the semi-classical contributions to the wave function. Exact formulae are obtainable for certain contributions and otherwise the limits of large and small anisotropy (for the pure vacuum case) and large spatial volume or small anisotropy (for the case with a positive cosmological constant) are considered. For the pure vacuum case we find no rapidly oscillating semiclassical components in the wave function, and hence do not recover lorentzian space-time as a prediction of the no-boundary proposal. For the case with a cosmological constant the wave function does contain rapidly oscillating components and thus predicts approximately ...

Science.gov (United States)

We present a high-statistics calculation of nucleon electromagnetic form factors in N{sub f}=2+1 lattice QCD using domain wall quarks on fine lattices, to attain a new level of precision in systematic and statistical errors. Our calculations use 32{sup 3}x64 lattices with lattice spacing a=0.084 fm for pion masses of 297, 355, and 403 MeV, and we perform an overdetermined analysis using on the order of 3600 to 7000 measurements to calculate nucleon electric and magnetic form factors up to Q{sup 2{approx_equal}}1.05 GeV{sup 2}. Results are shown to be consistent with those obtained using valence domain wall quarks with improved staggered sea quarks, and using coarse domain wall lattices. We determine the isovector Dirac radius r{sub 1}{sup v}, Pauli radius r{sub 2}{sup v} and anomalous magnetic moment {kappa}{sub v}. We also determine connected contributions to the corresponding isoscalar observables. We extrapolate these ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe equal headway instability phenomenon is pervasive in public transport systems. This instability is characterized by an aggregation of vehicles that causes inefficient...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... where the total palladium concentration equals that of silicon, the concentrations of palladium associated with various palladium silicides (Pd(x)Si , ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In a future power system with a high proportion of distributed and intermittent generation, it will be difficult and costly to ensure short-term security of supply if demand is unable to react to fluctuations on the supply side. At present, most power consumers in the EU, with the exception of the largest consumers such as energy intensive industries, buy their power on fixed tariffs. Fixed tariffs provide no incentives for consumers to alter their patterns of power consumption. This calls for more interaction between the supply and demand sides, which in turn would allow better matching of demand to intermittent supply. The development of cheap and reliable electronic communication technologies has made this a realistic option, so we are left with the general question of how the demand side can become more active in the future power market. Liberalisation of the wholesale power markets has introduced market-based pricing for the marginal electricity supply. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Thai natural rubber economy is described in the context of the world rubber market. An econometric model is estimated for 15 structural equations; it includes the Thai, US, and rest-of-the-world rubber economies. Several simulation experiments are analyzed for the period from 1984 to 1995. Impact and dynamic multipliers are reported for major endogenous variables in response to changes in US GDP, world crude oil price, Thai replanting cess tax and Thai natural rubber production. A 1%, one-time increase in the US GDP has a positive effect on the Singapore natural rubber price. A world crude oil price decline shock has a negative effect in both the short-run and the long-run. The INRO buffer stock stabilization policy as well as alternative domestic Thai policies of market intervention are analyzed. The simulation results show that buffer stock management which allows a price band of +/-20% around the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

High and volatile natural gas prices have increasingly led to calls for investments in renewable energy. One line of argument is that deployment of these resources may lead to reductions in the demand for and price of natural gas. Many recent US-based modeling studies have demonstrated that this effect could provide significant consumer savings. In this article we evaluate these studies, and benchmark their findings against economic theory, other modeling results, and a limited empirical literature. We find that many uncertainties remain regarding the absolute magnitude of this effect, and that the reduction in natural gas prices may not represent an increase in aggregate economic wealth. Nonetheless, we conclude that many of the studies of the impact of renewable energy on natural gas prices appear to have represented this effect within reason, given current knowledge. These studies specifically ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper introduces a new way of estimating parameters in a Brownian motion regime switching asset model to incorporate volatility clustering. The regime switching model is then applied to pricing of up-and-in barrier call options. We take the probability of crossing the barrier between simulation points into account, and we increase accuracy in simulations by importance sampling. The regime switching model is compared to the Normal Inverse Gaussian model and the traditional Black-Scholes model, and option prices from the regime switching model are compared to the closed form expression of up-and-in barrier calls in a Black-Scholes market.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A 1976 decision of the US Supreme Court made it clear that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (then the Federal Power Commission) has a responsibility to consider and determine allegations that proposed wholesale electric rates create a price squeeze against customers who compete with the wholesaler in making retail electric sales. This article reviews how the commission has approached the matter of discharging its newly recognized responsibility since that time, and describes its current position regarding the several issues and questions that price squeeze allegations raise. 35 references.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

From 1981 up to February 1985, a total of 93 protocol patients entered the study CESS 81. The protocol recommended an initial 18-week period of polychemotherapy (VACA) followed by local therapy and two additional cycles of chemotherapy. Local therapy consisted either of radical surgery or of incomplete resection plus postoperative irradiation with 36 Gy or of radiotherapy alone (46 and 60 Gy). Centrally located lesions were always irradiated with 60 Gy. This article summarizes the data after 5 years. Data of 93 patients were analysed in October 1986 after a median follow-up of 37 months. The projected 5-year survival is 50%. The relapse rate was 42%, distant relapses occurred in 19%, local (plus distant) relapses in 23%. Most of the relapses occurred during the first 3 years of observation. Failure rate was high in patients undergoing irradiation alone (44%). Initial tumour mass (> 100 ml) and histopathologic response to initial chemotherapy were identified as major prognostic ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saturated flow boiling and convective condensation experiments for oil-free refrigerant R22 been carried out with a micro fin tube of new design and with a smooth tube. Both tube have the same outer diameter of 9.52 mm and are horizontally operated. Two-phase flow pattern data have been obtained in addition of heat transfer coefficient and pressure drops; more-over, adiabatic tests have been also performed in order for flow pattern map to cover even adiabatic flows. Data are for mass fluxes ranging from about 90 to 400 Kg/s m"2. In boiling tests, the nominal saturation temperature is 5 degree C, with inlet quality varying from 0.2 to 0.6 and the quality change ranging from 0.1 to 0.5. In condensation, results are for saturation temperature equal to 35 degree C, with inlet quality between 0.8 and 0.4, and quality change within 0.6 and 0.2. The comparison shows a large heat transfer augmentation with a moderate increment of pressure drops, especially in evaporation ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sasol Limited's 1986 annual report for the year ended June 30, 1986 reported an increase in profit of 14.8% for the year. Financial measures taken in order to counteract the effect of the lower oil prices are described. Operating results and technical modifications of the Sasol One, Two, and Three plants are discussed. Sasol believes that crude oil prices will remain volatile for some time and will fluctuate between $10 and $18 per barrel. A steady increase in crude oil prices will then occur in the 1990's. As a result of the conservative financial policy of the past few years, Sasol is well equipped to cope with low fuel prices in the short and medium term.

Science.gov (United States)

by the radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis into several groups according to the atomic number of the determined element. Table I documents this. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this paper an analysis will be performed to assess the economical competitiveness of Nuclear Power against other base load technologies. There are several plans to build more nuclear power plants in western countries; these plans are result among other things of the fossil fuel high prices and the concern for the global warming. France started the construction of one EPR at Flamanville in 2007 and at the end of 2008 there were 17 applications before NRC for construction and operation licenses (COL) to build as much as 26 new reactor units in USA, among the designs selected are the US-EPR, APWR, ESBWR, ABWR and AP1000. Currently, there is a lot of uncertainty about what is the overnight cost for a new generation III nuclear power plant and the vendors are not providing too much information. However, it is expected that under the new economy conditions the overnight cost will be between 2500 and 3500 USD/kW, the output electricity power of the units mentioned ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Over the past few years, the development of domestic oil shale resources has regained significant attention. High oil prices, emerging recovery technologies, increasing world demand for liquid hydrocarbons, and the continued decline in United States conventional oil production has contributed to this interest. Several initiatives have been undertaken by the United States federal government and the private sector to encourage the development of a domestic oil shale industry. The United States has nearly 2.0 trillion barrels of oil shale resources across the eastern and western states. However, the development of this massive resource is constrained by a number of key factors, such as resource access, technology, economics, infrastructure and environmental and regulatory issues. In order to review emerging oil shale technologies from 23 companies and identify options to accelerate the development of this resource, a comprehensive analysis has ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The worldwide oil shale resources are extremely large. As an example, the calculated recoverable oil from just the Green River Formation in the tri-state area of Colorado-Utah-Wyoming is as large as the estimated ultimate total conventional oil production from the entire world. In addition there are significant resources in other parts of the USA and in other countries. Despite the great potential, the peace of western oil shale development took a general downturn in 1982 because of a combination of factors led by an uncertainty concerning short to intermediate term pricing for crude oil, a lesser demand for petroleum products, and increased projected costs for development. An example is Exxon's announcement that the Exxon/TOSCO multi-billion dollar project would be discontinued and most of its support equipment sold. In the eastern part of the country, Paraho decided not to move its project to Kentucky unless additional financial ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geologically estimated natural gas resources are 500 Tcm. With the advance in geological science increase of estimated resources is expected. Natural gas reserves in 2000 have been proved to be around 165 Tcm. As it is known the reserves are subject to two constraints, namely: capital invested in the exploration and drilling technologies used to discover new reserves. The natural gas scarcity factor, i.e. ratio between available reserves and natural gas consumption, is around 300 years for the last 50 years. The new discovery of natural gas reserves has given rise to a new energy strategy based on natural gas. Natural gas utilization is constantly increasing in the last 50 years. With new technologies for deep drilling, we have come to know that there are enormous gas resources available at relatively low price. These new discoveries together with high demand for the environment saving have introduced a new energy strategy on the world scale. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Power source requirements for the military were presented to provide guidelines for research and development planning. Power sources that contain a high amount of energy and are small, light and durable are a common request from military users. Safety, reliability and low temperature performance are also important factors in the selection of power sources, as are cost and energy efficiency. Issues concerning advanced batteries were reviewed with reference to high energy density cathode materials. Various thermoelectric and renewable energy materials were discussed, with reference to recovery and conversion of waste heat. It was suggested that photovoltaic devices could help revolutionize military logistics by modifying energy re-supply requirements. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) were considered in relation to the high price of the ceramic materials required for operation. It was noted that the development of SOFC anodes capable of generating ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

There are a multitude of cost centers in the typical coal mine, and almost as many ways to calculate their individual and collective effect on the bottom line. The costs of explosives is, in some ways, very difficult to determine without consideration of drilling, loading, hauling and breaking costs. Saving a nickel in explosive costs, for example, could end up costing a dollar more in crushing expenses. Typically, mines request quotations for explosives products on a weight basis. Were the market one of pure commodities, this would give a valid comparison. However, the energy being purchased often is not considered. The cost of any explosive should be considered in light of the work it can do, not the air it displaces or the price per pound. Consider in essence, the purchase of explosive energy as you would the sale of coal, in terms of dollars per Btu. Recent new developments in explosives technology make the economic implications of blast design and explosive ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As competition dramatically reshapes power markets, electric utilities strive to increase flexibility in their commitments and limit exposure to market risks. This paper provides an overview of a promising tool called option valuation which is useful for analyzing and managing risks. The paper demonstrates an application of these techniques for developing new pricing products tailored to meet customers` risk preference.

CERN Document Server

Reputation and recommendation systems are fundamental for the formation of community market places. Yet, they are easy targets for attacks which disturb a market's equilibrium and are often based on cheap pseudonyms used to submit ratings. We present a method to price ratings using trusted computing, based on pseudonymous tickets.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper analyses the complex, non-linear effects of spot price drivers in wholesale electricity markets: their intra-day dynamics and transient irregularities. The context is the UK market, after the reforms introduced in March 2001, analysed with an original set of price drivers reflecting economic, technical, strategic, risk, behavioural and market design effects. Models are estimated separately as daily time-series of the 48 half-hourly trading periods. All coefficients exhibit substantial intra-day variation, relating to the heterogeneity of operating plants and market design aspects. This reveals a market responding to economic fundamentals and plant operating properties, with learning and emergent financial characteristics, as well as some strategic manipulation of capacity, most effectively exercised by the more flexible plants. Using regime-switching parameters, the effects of capacity margin and inter-day capacity adjustment are ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

One purpose of this article is to alert state utility commissions involved in restructuring electric utilities to pay special attention to proposals that would fragment the utility's billing and metering (B and M) operations. Such fragmentation would essentially foreclose an important future option for handling all levels of retail deregulation. A fusing of B and M could become the linchpin for transitioning retail electricity from its present cost-based fixed rates to a market-based pricing regime fully exploiting the high economic efficiencies that are characteristic of most commodity pricing regimes. Realizing such economic efficiencies requires self enforcing economic discipline that makes and keeps retail pricing of electricity responsive to: imbalances in supply and demand (S and D), tensions between potential customers and competing suppliers, the need to meet a return-on-investment (ROI) objective, and the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis states that pollution levels increase as a country develops, but begin to decrease as rising incomes pass beyond a turning point. In EKC analyses, the relationship between environmental degradation and income is usually expressed as a quadratic function with the turning point occurring at a maximum pollution level. Other explanatory variables have been included in these models, but income regularly has had the most significant effect on indicators of environmental quality. One variable consistently omitted in these relationships is the price of energy. This paper analyzes previous models to illustrate the importance of prices in these models and then includes prices in an econometric EKC framework testing energy/income and CO_2/income relationships. These long-run price/income models find that income is no longer the most relevant indicator of ...

Science.gov (United States)

The SCF approximation is used in a statistical theory of melting based on equality of the chemical potentials. The results for the melting points of the inert gases are close to the observed values.

Science.gov (United States)

... equal volume of vehicle, sesame oil only (n = 10). At 75 days 2.0. ... thracene IDMBA) and sesame oil were purchased from Sigma ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The authors solve the instability of perturbative vacuum of Gross-Neveu model. They use a variational method. The analysis is nonperturbative as it uses only equal time commmutator/anticommutator algebra.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The peak evaluation in alpha liquid scintillation is known to be easy, mostly due to the gaussian shape of the peaks. However, we often observed a high-energy tail in addition to a pure gaussian function. This effect is only detectable with a high resolution {alpha} liquid scintillation spectrometer such as the PERALS trademark system. Indeed, its intrinsic resolution (180 keV for a 4 MeV {alpha} particle) is better than that obtained for conventional LSC spectrometers. The peak asymmetry was quantified using the Fisher's coefficient {gamma}{sub 1} (symmetry factor). We show that the main effect responsible for the asymmetry is internal conversion. Indeed, most of the even-even nuclides have low {alpha} intensity transitions leading to excited levels of their daughter nuclides. The internal conversion is almost equal to 100% and consequently produces a sum peak at higher energy. No generalization is possible for odd-even nuclides, but ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Competition to produce cast parts of higher quality, lower rejection rate, and lower cost is a fundamental factor in the global economy. To gain an edge on foreign competitors, the US casting industry must cut manufacturing costs and reduce the time from design to market. Casting research and development (R&D) are the key to increasing US compentiveness in the casting arena. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is the home of a wide range of R&D projects that push the boundaries of state-of-the art casting. LLNL casting expertise and technology include: casting modeling research and development, including numerical simulation of fluid flow, heat transfer, reaction/solidification kinetics, and part distortion with residual stresses; special facilities to cast toxic material; extensive experience casting metals and nonmetals; advanced measurement and instrumentation systems. Department of Energy (DOE) funding provides the leverage for LLNL to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The objective of this paper is to present a theoretical evaluation of soil and house related factors that may affect the transport of radon from the soil into houses. A two-dimensional mathematical model was used to simulate the diffusive and convective transport of radon into the house through idealized openings in the understructure. With the help of model predictions we tried to find out whether diffusion or convection predominates and under which circumstances. Radon transport through cracks in the house understructure is influenced mainly by the soil permeability, radon concentration at the soil-crack interface, the total area of cracks and the pressure difference across cracks. Because of its large range of variability, the soil permeability appears to have the greatest effect on the radon transport through cracks. At permeabilities below 1x10"-"1"2 m"2 diffusive transport predominates and is almost invariable with the soil permeability. For permeabilities ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the Joule II project JOU2-CT 94-0428 `Development and Testing of Stand-Alone small-size Solar Photovoltaic-Hydrogen power Systems (SAPHYS)`, different design configurations are compared and discussed. In this paper we present some of the proposed design configurations and discuss their benefits and drawbacks. Simplified expressions for system efficiency for the different configurations are presented. These expressions are based on average efficiencies for the solar cells, the electrolyzer, the batteries, the hydrogen storage and the fuel cells. Mean fractions of energy passing through the energy storages are also assumed. From considerations in the paper one conclusion becomes apparent, i.e. the direct use of the energy should be maximized. Another conclusion is that one of the most important factors in Solar Photovoltaic Hydrogen Power Systems is the solar cell efficiency. This point seems to be lost in typical projects where focus is put on the electrolyzer, ...

Science.gov (United States)

It is evident that, in the cost elements for blast furnace coke, the specific importances of the fixed portions are not the same for the Dnepr area and Donbass area plants. An even greater difference is observed between the indices for the individual plants. Analysis of the data shows that the specific importance of the fixed portion in the costs of manufacturing products is a function of plant structure, its level of technical development, condition of the equipment and many other factors. From analysis of the data and calculations it was possible to isolate the fixed portion in the costs extra to manufacturing. The mean value of the stable portion of costs extra to manufacturing in the Ukrkoks is equal to 38.6% with individual plants varying within the limits 36.6 to 40.0%. It has also been possible to establish the specific importance of the fixed portion of costs in the total estimated costs for producing coking products. The average for ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A single amino acid substitution (Asp #-># Asn) at position 138 of E. coli EF-Tu was induced in the tufA gene by an M13 phage oligonucleotide site-directed mutagenesis protocol. The mutated tufA gene was then subcloned in a plasmid vector and expressed in maxicells. The properties of ["3"5S]methionine labelled mutant and wild type EF-Tu's were compared by in vitro assays. Mutant and wild-type EF-Tu's bound EF-Ts with approximately equal affinities. The 138-Asn mutation greatly reduced the protein's affinity for GDP; however, this mutation dramatically increased the proteins affinity for XDP. The mutant protein forms a stable complex with phe-tRNA and XTP, which binds to ribosomes; whereas, it does not form a complex with phe-tRNA and GTP. These results suggest that in EF-Tu x NDP complexes amino acid residue 138 must interact with the substituent on C-2 of the purine ring. Thus in wild-type EF-Tu Asp-138 would H-bond to 2-NH_2 of GDP, and in the mutant EF-Tu ...

CERN Document Server

In the insurance industry, spreadsheets have emerged as an invaluable tool to for product pricing, because it is relatively straightforward to create and maintain complex pricing models using Excel. In fact, Excel is often preferred to "hard-code" whenever there are frequent changes to the calculations and business logic which under-pin the pricing of an insurance product. However, problems arise as soon as spreadsheets are deployed to end-users: version control, security of intellectual property, and ensuring correct usage are obvious issues; frequently, integration with other systems is also a requirement. Zurich Financial Services Group is a leading financial services provider; several possible solutions to these problems have been evaluated, and EASA has been selected as the preferred technology. Other spreadsheet collaboration approaches which were considered include Excel Services, and/or custom-built software; ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which obtain their fuel from the grid by charging a battery, are set to be introduced into the mass market and expected to contribute to oil consumption reduction. In this research, scenarios for 2020 EVs penetration and charging profiles are studied integrated with different hypotheses for electricity production mix. The impacts in load profiles, spot electricity prices and emissions are obtained for the Portuguese case study. Simulations for year 2020, in a scenario of low hydro production and high prices, resulted in energy costs for EVs recharge of 20cents/kWh, with 2 million EVs charging mainly at evening peak hours. On the other hand, in an off-peak recharge, a high hydro production and low wholesale prices'...

CERN Document Server

Using ultra-high-frequency data extracted from the order flows of 23 stocks traded on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, we study the empirical regularities of order placement in the opening call auction, cool period and continuous auction. The distributions of relative logarithmic prices against reference prices in the three time periods are qualitatively the same with quantitative discrepancies. The order placement behavior is asymmetric between buyers and sellers and between the inside-the-book orders and outside-the-book orders. In addition, the conditional distributions of relative prices in the continuous auction are independent of the bid-ask spread and volatility. These findings are crucial to build an empirical behavioral microscopic model based on order flows for Chinese stocks.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper uses selection criteria from various models in a bounds testing approach to cointegration to estimate the price and income elasticities of demand for total petroleum products (gasoline and diesel) and gasoline share in total products in Indonesia. The results suggest that both total products and gasoline share estimates are more responsive to changes in income than changes in the real price of petroleum products. These results have important policy implications as they suggest that policy makers may need to use market-based pricing policies and other policies such as public enlightenment in addition to regulations like minimum energy efficiency standards to promote efficiency and conservation and curb the rising consumption of petroleum products in Indonesia. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This report summarizes the results and activities funded by this three-year award. The principal goal of this project was to determine the thermal conductivity in clusters of galaxies. Intracluster plasmas possess chaotic magnetic fields. Since charged particles are constrained to move primarily along magnetic field lines, the topology of intracluster magnetic fields slows particle diffusion relative to the non-magnetized case, thereby reducing the thermal conductivity. Our first approach to this problem was to employ the static-magnetic-field approximation. In reality, intracluster magnetic field lines are constantly moving, since they are advected by turbulent intracluster motions. The turbulent velocities, however, are much smaller than the rapid speeds of thermal electrons, which make the dominant contribution to the thermal conductivity. In the static-field approximation, one neglects turbulent motions of field lines, and calculates the diffusion coefficient of thermal electrons ...

Science.gov (United States)

Hypercholesterolemia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Describes progress made with the new economic system in the USSR coal industry since full self-financing was introduced on 1 January 1989, pointing out that mining is now being carried out at greater depths than before (515 m in 1988, 457 m in 1981 on the average) and that an increasing proportion of coal is being produced by mines liable to coal and gas bursts (62.3% in 1988, 59.6% in 1981). More difficult conditions means that mining costs are increasing. Explains system of agreements between teams of workers and mine management regarding output and extraction costs. Reveals that on 1 January 1990 a new list of coal prices will include 90% price rises on average, as a result of need for mines to finance themselves. There are to be 2 variants of this price list: one containing standard nationwide prices, the other based on mining areas, taking into account different geological and other conditions. ...

CERN Document Server

The statistical properties of the bid-ask spread of a frequently traded Chinese stock listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange are investigated using the limit-order book data. Three different definitions of spread are considered based on the time right before transactions, the time whenever the highest buying price or the lowest selling price changes, and a fixed time interval. The results are qualitatively similar no matter linear prices or logarithmic prices are used. The average spread exhibits evident intraday patterns consisting of a big L-shape in the morning and a small L-shape in the afternoon. The distributions of the spread with different definitions decay as power laws. The tail exponents of spreads at transaction level are well within the interval $(2,3)$ and that of average spreads are well in line with the inverse cubic law for different time intervals. Based on the detrended fluctuation ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Monthly Energy Review provides an overview of the production, distribution, and consumption of energy derived from petroleum natural gas, coal, electricity, and nuclear energy. It also discusses oil and gas resource development, energy prices, and issues relevant to international energy markets.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A small-sample survey of consumer preferences for a second car - featuring both conventional and electric vehicle choices - indicates a proelectric bias. The potential of electric cars in the utility market largely depends on dramatic improvements in battery technology and the right mix of electricity and gasoline prices.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rising oil prices are a problem for the automobile industry. A new ambitious electric car was recently presented by an American producer. The Tesla Roadster runs exclusively on electric power. (orig.)

Wastenet

... stock code: BOXmixed description: blue skies x 3, sunflower x 3, lupins x 2, meadow x 2, pencils x 2, fishy x 2, poppy field x 2, Recycle x 2, Yummy x 2 Introductory Offer price: 𧵎.00 per box, plus delivery normal price 𧵘 UK only Poppy field box add to basket ... Lupins box add to basket Lavender box add to basket Sunflower box add to basket Blue skies box add to basket Meadow box add to basket Floral box add to basket Mixed box add to basket ...

CERN Document Server

We study the risk premium impact in the Perturbative Black Scholes model. The Perturbative Black Scholes model, developed by Scotti, is a subjective volatility model based on the classical Black Scholes one, where the volatility used by the trader is an estimation of the market one and contains measurement errors. In this article we analyze the correction to the pricing formulas due to the presence of an underlying drift different from the risk free return. We prove that, under some hypothesis on the parameters, if the asset price is a sub-martingale under historical probability, then the implied volatility presents a skewed structure, and the position of the minimum depends on the risk premium $\\lambda$.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This forum provided insights into Ontario's new smart meter program. Challenges related to implementing the smart meter program were reviewed, and various functional and operational considerations of the meters were considered. The implications and benefits of using real time metering systems were discussed along with issues related to energy conservation and demand management. Various communications technologies were considered in relation to smart metering program implementation. Issues related to pricing and pricing policies were also discussed. The conference featured 11 presentations, of which 2 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs.

Wastenet

...May 2011, 693-709 On the valuation of fader and discrete barrier options in Heston's stochastic volatility model by Susanne Griebsch & Uwe Wystup [Downloadable!... (restricted)] 863-881 Nonlinearities in stochastic clocks: trades and volume as subordinators of electronic markets by Rafael Velasco-Fuentes & Wing Lon Ng [...and estimation of stock prices and trading volume in Barndorff-Nielsen and Shephard stochastic volatility models by Friedrich Hubalek & Petra Posedel [Downloadable!... (restricted)] 665-691 Generic pricing of FX, inflation and stock options under stochastic interest rates and stochastic volatility by Alexander van Haastrecht & Antoon ...

CERN Document Server

With the prevalence and development of GNSS technologies, location-based vehicle services (LBVS) have experienced a rapid growth in recent years. However, location is a sensitive and private piece of information, so the design and development of such services just take the clients' privacy concerns into account. In this paper, we propose a new electronic toll pricing system based on group signatures, which provides a strong guarantee for the clients' anonymity within groups. Our system achieves a balance between privacy and the communication overhead imposed upon the users.

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The results of experiments received on the plasma focus (PF) device with energy stored equal 4 kJ are represented. Photos of the current plasma sheath (CPS), pre-pinch, sphere-like plasma formations are produced with help of the electron-optical converter contained a gated micro-channel plate (MCP) and the CCD-camera imaging system in the visible region. The redial velocity of the CPS is about 107 cm/s. Neon plasma electron density measured with help of the interferograms in the visible region and the spectra in the soft X-ray region is equals to 3?1018 cm-3. Electron temperature is equal to about 200 eV. Discharge integral photos were obtained with help of the soft X-ray pinhole camera. Pictures with 2 ?s resolution of the plasma luminescence above PF anode region were made by CCD-camera.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gross electricity production in 1993 in the OECD (including generation from pumped storage plants) was 7 466 TWh, a rise of 1.2 per cent from the level of gross production in 1992 (Tables 1 and 3). Nuclear plants accounted for 24.2 per cent of total gross electricity production in 1993, hydroelectric plants 16.7 per cent, total thermal plants 58.7 per cent and geothermal and other renewables 0.4 per cent. In 1992 total OECD heat production that is sold to third parties by public producers was 25 Mtoe (Table 6). About 86 per cent of this heat (21.6 Mtoe) was produced in CHP plants, about 12 per cent (3.1 Mtoe) in heat plants, and the remainder (0.3 Mtoe) in nuclear power plants (in Canada and Switzerland only). Based on preliminary data, apparent consumption of electricity (gross production plus imports less exports) in 1993 in OECD was 7 474 TWh. The corresponding figure for 1992 was 7 379 TWh, indicating a rise of 1.3 per cent in apparent electricity consumption in OECD countries in ...

Science.gov (United States)

In systems of fast decimal counters, there are three problems to be resolved: to study a bistable having a short switching time, to form with the aid of three bistables a circuit divisible by 5, and to normalize the input pulses. The solutions to these problems for the nonsecond scaler are presented. (J.S.R.)

Science.gov (United States)

Data reveal that sodium pentobarbital anesthesia does not depress glucose uptake of neutrophils stimulated by the addition of live E. coli. E. coli viability was reduced equally in blood obtained before and after sodium pentobarbital anesthesia. Pre- and ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Cd36 is a small-molecular-weight integral membrane protein expressed in a diverse, but select, range of cell types. It has an equally diverse range of ligands and physiological functions, which has...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The strategy for building SASOL plants reflects a commitment to long-range planning. The first plant, which represented a large investment for a moderate production capacity, was built to establish a technology for reducing South Africa's dependence on imported motor fuels. After the success of the plant, SASOL made plans for a larger plant, which had to be justified solely on economic grounds. At that time, petroleum crude was cheap and plentiful, and the second plant was cancelled. But when OPEC formed and the price of petroleum crude was increased, the South African government reconsidered the plans for another SASOL plant. Furthermore, because the cost of fuels produced at Sasol I proved to be significantly insensitive to inflation and future OPEC price increases were expected, SASOL projected that a new, larger plant should make a profit within a few years after its initial operation. But OPEC prices and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In light of the recent rapid increase in the fossil fuel prices it is meaningful to evaluate the impact of these price changes in the economics of dual-purpose desalination projects producing electricity and fresh water simultaneously. The price of crude oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) has increased by about 200% and 100% during the past three or four years. The uranium price has also increased by nearly 500% during the same period. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and compare the economics of SMART (System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) which is being developed as a small size PWR type and the LNG Combine Cycle coupled with MED (Multi-Effect Distillation) which are being acknowledged as promising energy sources for the future in Korea. The methods of analysis used in this paper are the lifetime leveled cost method for the power and water cost calculation and the power credit method for ...

Science.gov (United States)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare nutrient content and cost of home-packed lunches to nutrient standards and prices for reimbursable school lunches. Methods: Researchers observed food and beverage contents of 333 home packed lunches at four north Texas elementary schools. Nutritionist Pro was used to analyze lunches for calories, total fat, saturated fat, protein, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, fiber, and sodium content. These values were then compared to National School Lunch Program (NSLP) standards and other nutrient standards. Cost of each home-packed lunch was estimated based on food prices at three local supermarkets. A one-sample t-test (p = 0.05) was used to compare nutrient values of home packed lunches to National School Lunch Program (NSLP) standards. A paired t-test was used to compare cost of home packed lunches to each school's full price for a reimbursable school lunch. Results: ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A summary of the effects presented here is given in the table. The designation "factor present" implies that there is knowledge (from human or animal studies, or both) of a specific factor(s) present...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The State of the Espirito Santo will become until the end of 2008, one of the main producers and natural gas exporters of Brazil, where, according to PETROBRAS, the State will produce about 20 million /day m{sup 3}, what it will go to contribute significantly for reduction of the dependence of the Bolivian gas, and still to give support to the natural gas sector in Brazil. The Intention of this work, is to identify proposals so that it has left of the gas produced in the State of the Espirito Santo, has a differentiated price. It does not make sensible the State to pay for the gas that is removed in its proper territory the same price that paid Sao Paulo for the gas that consumes imported of national Bolivia. With the markdown of the gas the State will be able to attract investments of great transport, to generate job and income and to advance in the question of the regional development that is of great importance for the developed cities less. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

California utilities have been exploring the use of critical peak prices (CPP) to help reduce needle peaks in customer end-use loads. CPP is a form of price-responsive demand response (DR). Recent experience has shown that customers have limited knowledge of how to operate their facilities in order to reduce their electricity costs under CPP (Quantum 2004). While the lack of knowledge about how to develop and implement DR control strategies is a barrier to participation in DR programs like CPP, another barrier is the lack of automation of DR systems. During 2003 and 2004, the PIER Demand Response Research Center (DRRC) conducted a series of tests of fully automated electric demand response (Auto-DR) at 18 facilities. Overall, the average of the site-specific average coincident demand reductions was 8% from a variety of building types and facilities. Many electricity customers have suggested that automation will help them institutionalize their ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between the subprime asset-backed collateralized debt obligations (CDO) market and Large Complex Financial Institutions (LCFIs). We attempt to account for the dynamics between the ABX index returns and the banks' equity returns through conditioning our analysis on the historical correlation between the variables. Three key results emerge from the analysis. First, we find a positive correlation between movements of the ABX index and the equity returns for all the LCFIs. Second, the volatility of ABX index returns tend to be transmitted to the volatilities of the equity returns of the financial institutions. Third, ABX prices changes lead equity returns changes of the European-based LCFIs. For the US LCFIs a two-way linkage emerges.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

During the 1990's, natural gas was the energy source with the fastest rate of growth in the world energy balance. Nevertheless, recent evolutions of the energy context, in particular in terms of prices, have had a rather strong impact on the progress of the different energy sources penalizing gas a little. Beyond this competition between energies, which may increase, the medium-term perspectives of natural gas development is in keeping with an environment full of uncertainties. This article presents: the world supply and demand prospects for 2010-2015 (impact of high gas prices on other energy sources, occurrence of production constraints, political decisions of producing countries and world gas industry balance), trends on main markets (North America, Europe, Asia-Oceania), and international trade. (J.S.)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Electric supply industry is facing deregulation all over the world. Under deregulated power supply scenario, power transmission congestion has become more intensified and recurrent, as compared to conventional regulated power system. Congestion may lead to violation of voltage or transmission capacity limits, thus threatens the power system security and reliability. Also the growing congestion may lead to unanticipated divergent electricity pricing. Owing to these facts congestion management has become a crucial issue in the deregulated power system scenario. Fast and precise prediction of nodal congestion prices in real time deregulated/spot power market may enable market participants and system operators to keep pace with the congestion by taking preventive measures like transaction resc...

CERN Document Server

We empirically investigated the relationships between the degree of efficiency and the predictability in financial time-series data. The Hurst exponent was used as the measurement of the degree of efficiency, and the hit rate calculated from the nearest-neighbor prediction method was used for the prediction of the directions of future price changes. We used 60 market indexes of various countries. We empirically discovered that the relationship between the degree of efficiency (the Hurst exponent) and the predictability (the hit rate) is strongly positive. That is, a market index with a higher Hurst exponent tends to have a higher hit rate. These results suggested that the Hurst exponent is useful for predicting future price changes. Furthermore, we also discovered that the Hurst exponent and the hit rate are useful as standards that can distinguish emerging capital markets from mature capital markets.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An attempt to develop a simple framework for financial evaluation of renewable energy technologies (RETs) such as photovoltaic (PV) pump, windmill pump, biogas and producer gas-driven dual fuel engine pumps for irrigation water pumping has been made. The unit cost of water and unit cost of useful energy delivered by the RETs have been estimated. The monetary benefits that accrued to the end-user have been quantified in terms of the amount of diesel or electricity saved. Financial figures of merit for the investments made in the RETs have been estimated. The effect of fuel price escalation on these measures of financial performance has also been evaluated along with the estimation of the break-even prices of fuels likely to be substituted by RETs. Results of some exemplifying calculations are presented and briefly discussed.

CERN Document Server

We consider the exact path sampling of the squared Bessel process and some other continuous-time Markov processes, such as the CIR model, constant elasticity of variance diffusion model, and hypergeometric diffusions, which can all be obtained from a squared Bessel process by using a change of variable, time and scale transformation, and/or change of measure. All these diffusions are broadly used in mathematical finance for modelling asset prices, market indices, and interest rates. We show how the probability distributions of a squared Bessel bridge and a squared Bessel process with or without absorption at zero are reduced to randomized gamma distributions. Moreover, for absorbing stochastic processes, we develop a new bridge sampling technique based on conditioning on the first hitting time at zero. Such an approach allows us to simplify simulation schemes. New methods are illustrated with pricing path-dependent options.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The potential profitability of a horizontal borehole drilling program for recovering methane gas in an Alabama coalbed for 6 yr in advance of mining is estimated in the Bureau of Mines report. A cash flow analysis based on estimated capital investments, annual operating costs, and the selling price of methane gas was used to determine the net income and net cash flow for each year of operation. Subsequently, the annual net cash flows were capitalized to determine the discounted cash flow rate of return. Findings indicate that a 25.08-percent interest rate of return on investment could be realized from the sale of methane gas in excess of 3 billion cubic feet during the years 1985 through 1990 at a minesite price of $2.25/per thousand cubic feet.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The battery size of a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is decisive for the electrical range of the vehicle and crucial for the cost-effectiveness of this particular vehicle concept. Based on the energy consumption of a conventional reference car and a PHEV, we introduce a comprehensive total cost of ownership model for the average car user in Germany for both vehicle types. The model takes into account the purchase price, fixed annual costs and variable operating costs. The amortization time of a PHEV also depends on the recharging strategy (once a day, once a night, after each trip), the battery size, and the battery costs. We find that PHEVs with a 4kWh battery and at current lithium-ion battery prices reach the break-even point after about 6 years (5 years when using the lower nig...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Dysregulation of the alternative pathway of complement activation, caused by mutations or polymorphisms in the genes encoding factor H, membrane co-factor protein, factor I or factor B, is associated...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Human Factor VIII/von Willebrand factor, purified by calcium citrate-cellulose chromatography and 4% agarose gel filtration was subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis on gels containing...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Most antibodies to factor VIII have recently been shown to react with discrete regions of the factor VIII light chain (within the C2 domain) and/or the factor VIII heavy chain (within the amino-terminal...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Testing of barrier properties of insulating materials against radon is usually based on the measurement of the radon diffusion coefficient. Presented report summarizes results of radon diffusion coefficients measurements in more than 120 insulating materials obtained throughout Europe. All measurements were performed by the Czech Technical University, Faculty of Civil Engineering in cooperation with the Radiation Protection Institute. We have found out that great differences exist in diffusion properties, because the diffusion coefficients vary within eight orders from 10"-"1"5 m"2/s to 10"-"8 m"2/s. For each material category of different chemical composition statistical evaluation of results is presented. Possibilities of usage of the radon diffusion coefficient for the design of radon resisting membranes are discussed. Based on the experience from the Czech Republic the paper is trying to show that controlling applicability of membranes by setting of the upper limit for the radon ...

Wastenet

... (I still say no to bags though if I can, even if it means the bus driver looks at me funny when I get on balancing a pie and bread roll on top of 18 better-than-half-price recycled toilet rolls - as happened on Tuesday night.) I know some cloth/nylon bags are designed to fold up tightly - either with poppers or a bag to keep them neat - so ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ontario's electricity industry restructuring program is reviewed, with a view to identify the reasons behind the failure of deregulation which was expected to create competition, to stabilize, or even reduce, prices to consumers, and attract serious private sector investment for the construction of new generating capacity. The report painstakingly reviews the series of events which resulted in a steep rise in electricity rates during the summer of 2002, immediately after deregulation came into effect, which led to freezing retail electricity rates and related charges by the then Conservative provincial government, and the reversal of that decision by the newly-elected Liberal government in the fall of 2003, and plans to bring back retail hydro rates that reflect the cost of production. The authors provide a discussion of policy options and a series of recommendations that are expected to create incentives to reduce and shift demand, encourage the use of ...

Science.gov (United States)

The aim of the classical multiple test strip is to perform routine chemical analysis in one single operation, yielding maximum diagnostic and prognostic information. A maximum of 10 test areas should not be exceeded. The efficiency of the currently marketed test strips is discussed and improvements within acceptable price limits are suggested. PMID:10841930

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this paper author deals with the regulation of electricity prices in the Slovak Republic. Author contests the social policy of the government through doped prices of electricity. Two thirds of electricity is generated in nuclear power plants in Slovakia. Hence, it is necessary to focus on the solution of problem of nuclear waste. In 2004 Ministry of Economy stated, that the deficit in nuclear fund, from which the country have to fully cover the costs of liquidation and final disposal of nuclear waste, is estimated in the amount of around 89 billion Slovak crowns (? 3.7 billion $). From it, so called historical deficit, which originated because of late foundation of fund, represents officially 15 billion Slovak crowns (? 0.62 billion $). In Slovakia exists the real risk, that by maintenance of present state by creation and draw of the fund, it will be possible to ensure only 39 per cent of financial sources necessary for full financial ...

Wastenet

... (restricted)] 98-118 Oil prices and competitiveness: time series evidence from six oil-producing countries by Mohammad R. Jahan-Parvar & Hassan Mohammadi [Downloadable! (restricted)] 2008, Volume 35, Issue 6 444-485 The S-shaped labor supply schedule: evidence from industrialized countries by Maryke ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contains Executive Summary and Chapters on: Energy and the Internet; Internet Developments; Search Guide; Oil and Gas Industry; Electricity and Utilities; Nuclear Energy; Coal Industry; Alternative Energy; Government and Supranational Agencies; Research Institutions and Universities; Energy Statistics; Commodity Pricing and financial Markets; Company Information; Country Information; Associations; Engineering; Environment; Patents, Trademarks and Standards; News; Industry Events; Miscellaneous. (Author)

Science.gov (United States)

Key elements in strategic planning in the nonferrous mining industry are discussed. Included are price forecasting, financial planning, government relations, research and development, and exploration. Financial planning is discussed in terms of 1) forecasting of earnings, 2) investment policy and 3) tax planning. Costs of environmental liabilities are expected to have a major impact on the industry. (JMT)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A complete analysis is performed to simulate biomass production incorporated into a realistic whole farm situation, including or replacing a typical crop mix. Representative farms are constructed to accommodate such simulation. Four management systems are simulated for each firm, with each simulation depicting a different crop mix and/or use of different farming technologies and production methods. The first simulation was a base farm plan in which the operator would maintain the historical crop mix for the area, participate in all price support programs, and not participate in either a conservative reserve or a biomass production program. In the second simulation, the operator would again maintain the historical crop mix, would not participate in a conservation reserve or biomass production program, and would be ineligible to participate in any price support system. The third simulation introduced the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Department of Energy has used its seldom-used statutory authority and filed comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission urging support for Public Service Company of Indiana's request that the FERC allow it to sell up to 450 megawatts of firm power to eligible wholesale purchasers at negotiated or market-based rates in exchange for open transmission access for other generators.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Many banks are under pressure to increase funding by capital, especially equity capital. Return on assets increases, the leverage multiplier declines and the return required by investors should decline as banks increase reliance on equity financing. This article empirically demonstrates the importance of risk and profitability on bank value, and then conceptually illustrates how the price/book ratio and related value should be affected by those banking units either able to issue equity capital or change their capital structure.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We compare the lifecycle costs of an electric car to a similar gasoline-powered vehicle under different scenarios of required driving range and cost of gasoline. An electric car is cost competitive for a significant portion of the scenarios: for cars of lower range and for higher gasoline prices. Electric cars with ?150 km range are a technologically viable, cost competitive, high performance, high efficiency alternative that can presently suit the vast majority of consumers' needs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In May 1995, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) released two proposals for restructuring the state`s electric power industry. The two proposals follow more than a year of testimony and public comment after the CPUC issued the ``Blue Book`` (CPUC 1994a) on April 20, 1994, which called for retail wheeling to be phased in to all customers over 5 years. The majority proposal, supported by three of the four CPUC commissioners (one seat was vacant when the proposals were released), calls for creating a central pool, or ``poolco``; setting electric prices to reflect true costs of service, or ``real-time pricing``; and allowing parties to negotiate ``contracts for differences`` between the pool price and the contract price. The minority proposal, sponsored by Commissioner Jesse Knight, calls for retail wheeling, or ``direct access,`` and for utilities to divest or spin off their generating ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Results are presented from studies on the quality of cast parts made by counterpressure casting of high-strength aluminum alloy AMKh-605, and Al-Cu-Mn-Cr alloys (5.6-6.4% Cu, 0.25-0.55% Mn, 0.20-0.55% Cr, 0.20-0.45% Ti, 0.08-0.25% Zr, less than or equal to0.25% Fe, less than or equal to0.25% Si, less than or equal to0.05% Mg). Chill castings were heat treated by quenching from 450/sup 0/C (20 hours) in water, aging at 160/sup 0/C for five hours with cooling in air. Fractograms of tensile specimens are presented. Scanning electron microscopy allows an ambiguous determination of the cause of failure of a part, be it at initial crystallization crack defects or burns, and also allows a relationship to be established between structure and mechanical properties.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Q/sub ..beta..-values are determined for 18 nuclei (Zr-, Nb-, Mo-, Tc-, Ru- and Rh-nuclides) with mass numbers 101 less than or equal toA less than or equal to106 and A=109 from measurements of beta decay energies which were carried out at the LOHENGRIN mass separator at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble (France). The given Q/sub ..beta..-values between 2 and 8 MeV show errors of about 1.5% (with the exception of /sup 103/Zr and /sup 105/Nb resp. and /sup 103/Tc for which larger errors result due to statistical resp. systematic reasons): /sup 101/Zr 5500+-70, /sup 101/Nb 4580+-45, /sup 102/Zr 4670+-40, /sup 102/Nb 7230+-70, /sup 103/Zr 6790+-240, /sup 103/ 5740+-70, /sup 103/Mo 3575+-80, /sup 103/Tc 2585+-70, /sup 104/Nb 8250+-130, /sup 104/Mo 2180+-40, /sup 104/Tc 5520+-100, /sup 105/Nb 6570+-150, /sup 105/Mo 4885+-80, /sup 105/Tc 3750+-60, /sup 106/Mo 3515+-45, /sup 106/Tc 6540+-70, /sup 109/Ru 4150+-80, /sup 109/Rh 2550+-50 (all values ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Several kinds of catalysts for coal liquefaction were analysed by means of high pressure differential thermal analysis (DTA). The activity order is as follows: Fe(OH)/sub 3/.Ni(OH)/sub 2/ > 3665 > Fe(OH)/sub 3/.MoO/sub 3/ > Jin Chuan Mineral > concentrated pyrite > Japan red-mud approx. equal to Fe(OH)/sub 3/.CuO approx. equal to no catalyst. If the catalysts are promoted by sulphur., the activity order is 3665 + S > Fe(OH)/sub 3/.Ni(OH)/sub 2/ + S > Fe(OH)O/sub 33/ + S > Japan red mud + S > Fe(OH)O/sub 3/.CuO + S > no catalyst. The kinetic parameters of three catalysts commonly used in the liquefaction of coal were determined.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pure Cu of 99.98 wt.% purity has been processed at room temperature by diverse techniques of severe plastic deformation, namely equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP), high pressure torsion (HPT) and a combination of both in order to find out the evolution on the microstructural homogeneity for each of the processes and their combination. Starting with a grain size of #approx#60 #mu#m, severe plastic deformation has been introduced to the material while maintaining the sample dimensions unchanged through the processes of ECAP and HPT. A significant decrease in grain size was observed by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). Microtensile and microhardness tests were carried out on the deformed material in the three processing conditions. A significant improvement of the tensile strength was promoted with admissible penalization on ductility.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The K/sub ..beta..//K/sub ..cap alpha../ X-ray intensity ratios are measured for Mn and Fe and for six other elements with Z lying in the range 49 less than or equal to Z less than or equal to 82 following electron capture decay and photon excitation using /sup 241/Am and /sup 57/Co sources. High-resolution Si(Li) and HpGe detector systems were used in the experiments. The dependence of K/sub ..beta..//K/sub ..cap alpha../ values on the mode of excitation in the case of Mn and Fe is attributed to chemical effects, while no such dependence is found for the high-Z elements.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Objective:EEG source imaging provides important information regarding the underlying neural activity from noninvasive electrophysiological measurements. The aim of the present study was to evaluate source reconstruction techniques by means of the intracranial electrocorticograms (ECoGs) and functional MRI.Methods:Five source imaging algorithms, including the minimum norm least square (MNLS), LORETA with Lp-norm (p equal to 1, 1.5 and 2), sLORETA, the minimum Lp-norm (p equal to 1 and 1.5; when p=2, the MNLS method is mathematically equivalent to the minimum Lp-norm) and L1-norm (the linear programming) methods, were evaluated in a group of 10 human subjects, in a paradigm with somatosensory stimulation. Cortical current density (CCD) distributions were estimated from the scalp somatosensor...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A procedure for lowering an offshore rig support block into water, one with water displacement elements, including transfering a structure ready for installation from construction supports onto the grillage that has been set up on the slide, and then lowering the structure together with the grillage into the water. With the goal of dereasing the volume of hydrotechnical operations, the slides have been extended only to the waterline, and the water-displacing elements of the support block are mounted or the structure in a manner whereby the following conditions are fulfilled: Msigmaless than or equal toM /SUB wi/ sigma-W/Lless than or equal toq where Msigma, M /SUB w/ - are the mass moments of the support block and bouyancy forces correspond to the threshhold; sigma and W - the weight force and bouyancy; L - the support length of the block on the grillage; q - the allowable linear load for the support block structure.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Background:Tobacco smoking is the most important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development. Inhaled cigarette smoke can induce tumor necrosis factor-α...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The experiments at the incinerator for low-level wastes processing, (containing transuranium radionuclides) are described. Air decontamination factors and detector readings correction factors for efficiency and absorption are indicated.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A fluid-phase immunoradiometric assay has been developed which identifies an antigen on the Factor VIII (antihemophilic factor) procoagulant protein. This sensitive and quantitative assay is not influenced...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Caries is a multifactorial disease, and studies aiming to unravel the factors modulating its etiology must consider all known predisposing factors. One major factor is bacterial colonization,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The extracellular domain of human fibroblast growth factor receptor (XC-FGF-R) was expressed in Escherichia coli. The protein was purified to homogeneity and the interaction with basic fibroblast growth...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The book is divided into two approximately equal parts. The first four chapters are relatively lengthy and cover the basic principles of radiation biology, carcinogenesis and therapy, along with a brief introduction to radiological physics to orient the reader without background in this specialized related discipline. The remainder consists of twenty-four relatively brief chapters, each covering the radiation biology of a specific organ, tissue, or systems tissues, with emphasis on the tumorigenic and tumoricidal action of ionizing radiations.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The experimental superconducting magnetic system of 0.5 MJ energy storage is described. The step variation of the winding inductance provides a control by the discharge current at the energy output on a high-ohmic load. The voltage on a load is 45 kV at the current 1100 A under the controllable discharge conditions. The energy transfer coefficient constitutes 0,76 under the maximum-to-minimal current ratio equal to 1.3. 7 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The proton therapy gives an irradiation adapted to the shape and the depth of tumors ( eyes, head and neck) with a millimetric, even sub millimetric precision for the ophthalmological tumors. It is equally an excellent tool for the pediatrics tumors. For numerous treatments in France the proton therapy is associated to the photons treatments (x radiation). however, others physical treatments could modulate the medical offer, such thermal therapy or treatments by ultrasonic waves. (N.C.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The influence of rigid-body and differential rotation and of a fine-scale chaotic magnetic field and a poloidal magnetic field on the minimum mass of a main-sequence star is investigated. It is shown that rotation and a magnetic field with an energy equal to 10--20% of the star's gravitational energy increase the minimum mass of a main-sequence star by 1.5--2 times.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The energy challenges of the next 30 years appear daunting and, in certain cases, in conflict with one another. Their complexity is such that one solution alone cannot provide a full answer. It is nevertheless equally clear that hydro-electricity, being renewable, proven, highly efficient, storable and with still very significant resource potential, possesses a unique combination of attributes which will aid decision-makers to plan and execute energy development with confidence.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Results of americium-242m and americium-242 preparation by irradiating initial americium-241 at a reactor in the form of a diphtalocyanine complex are presented. The enrichment coefficient, equalling 10, has been obtained using the extraction method of recoil atom separation from the parent isotope. Application of the chromatographic column with Dowex-50 permits to increase the enrichment coefficient of isotopes upto 24.6.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Differences of the deformation parameters for the 2"+_1 states of even-even spherical nuclei extracted from electromagnetic excitation #beta#sup(em)_2 and from proton scattering #beta#sup(pp')_2 are discussed. It is found that the ratio #beta#sup(pp')_2/#beta#sup(em)_2 is equal to about unity and that there is a small isotope dependence for several incomplete shell nuclei. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The relative merits and difficulties of the primary and secondary origin hypotheses for the observed cosmic ray antiprotons, including the low energy measurement of Buffington, were examined. It is concluded that the cosmic ray antiproton data may be strong evidence for antimatter galaxies and baryon symmetric cosmology. The present antiproton data are consistent with a primary extragalactic component having antiproton/proton approximately equal to .0032 + or - 0.7.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The phenomenon of runaway electrons (REs) at high values of the ratio field intensity/gas number density {ital E}/{ital N} and {ital N} up to the Loshmidt number {ital N}{sub {ital L}}{approx_equal}2.7{times}10{sup 19} cm{sup {minus}3} is described. REs are shown to govern the breakdown and discharges at such condition. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An imaging detector for {gamma}-rays ({approx equal}1 MeV) based on minicell MWPCs with converters and a position resolution of {Delta}x=0.5 mm has been developed and tested. Very high rate capability (>10{sup 8}/cm{sup 2} s) and a special readout for suppression of scattered radiation are implemented allowing to enhance the measured contrast. The relevant physical processes are discussed and first pictures are presented. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A method is proposed for producing a stabilizer of wash drilling muds; by hydrolysis of polyacrylonitrile in an aqueous solution of alkaline agent with heating. To raise the heat resistance of the stabilizer, as the alkaline agent is used monosilicate of sodium, while the hydrolysis is done at a molar ratio of polyacrylonitrile, sodium monosilicate and water equal to 1.0:0.7-2.5:100, to a degree of hydrolysis of 25-40.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radium is known to be taken up by aquatic animals, and tends to accumulate in bone, shell and exoskeleton. The most common approach to estimating the uptake of a radionuclide by aquatic animals for use in health and environmental risk assessments is the concentration factor method. The concentration factor method relates the concentration of a contaminant in an organism to the concentration in the surrounding water. Site specific data are not usually available, and generic, default values are often used in risk assessment studies. This paper describes the concentration factor method, summarizes some of the variables which may influence the concentration factor for radium, reviews reported concentration factors measured in marine environments and presents concentration factors derived from data collected in a study in coastal Louisiana. The use of generic default ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The purpose of this article is to critically review the available evidence pertaining to occupational, environmental, and individual factors that can affect the development of occupational asthma (OA)....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Although the initiating factor(s) is unknown, it is now accepted that pulmonary sarcoidosis develops as a result of an over-stimulated local cellular immune response. Starting as a lymphocytic alveolitis,...Full Text Available

CERN Document Server

Factoring Potential Accelerator Transmutation of Waste Demonstrations into Accelerator Production of Tritium Design Planning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The natural gas industry has proposed an increase in the DOE gas R&D budget from about $100 million to about $250 million per year for each of the next 10 years. The proposal includes four programs: natural gas supplies, fuel cells, natural gas vehicles and stationary combustion systems. This paper is a qualitative assessment of the gas industry proposal and recommends a natural gas R&D strategy for the DOE. The methodology is a conceptual framework based on an analysis of market failures and the energy policy objectives of the DOE`s (1991) National Energy Strategy. This framework would assist the DOE in constructing an R&D portfolio that achieves energy policy objectives. The natural gas supply program is recommended to the extent that it contributes to energy price stability. Stationary combustion programs are supported on grounds of economic efficiency and environmental quality. The fuel cell program is supported on grounds of environmental quality. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The trade-off which must be established between the various functions of pumped-storage plants is examined. A compromise between supply security and economic planning can be found only by coordinated planning of pumped-storage units and thermal generation plants. A model used by Electricite de France (EDF) to ensure optimized daily planning of thermal and pumped-storage units is described. The model, called the DEMETER model, ensures the optimization of the daily planning of thermal and pumped-storage plants. The model iterates between two levels: coordination where the prices of the generated energy and the operating reserve are determined to adjust generation to load and keep a sufficient reserve; and decomposition where the schedule of each unit is optimized on the basis of the above prices and taking into account local constraints such as unavailability, and minimum shut down time. The role of EDF is to supply customers with energy while ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This document gathers a series of very short articles concerning nuclear industry around the world. Areva company is investing 30 million euros in its Chalon-Saint-Marcel plant, it is the consequence of the extension of service life of nuclear power plants in the Usa. Areva holds 40% of the American market concerning the replacement of steam generators and 50% of that concerning the replacement of closure heads. The Obrigheim nuclear power plant was definitely closed down on may 2004, this decommissioning is a step forward in the German policy of progressively stepping out of nuclear energy. Chinese authorities are willing to construct 40 nuclear reactors in 15 years, despite that, the contribution of nuclear energy to the generation of electricity will reach only 4% in 2020. In 2007 Cea will begin the construction works of a new research reactor (Jules Horowitz reactor) in the Cadarache site. Prices of the yellow cake have been going up during the last years: from ...

CERN Document Server

Recent studies have revealed a number of striking dependence patterns in high frequency stock price dynamics characterizing probabilistic interrelation between two consequent price increments x (push) and y (response) as described by the bivariate probability distribution P(x,y) [1,2,3,4]. There are two properties, the market mill asymmetries of P(x,y) and predictability due to nonzero z-shaped mean conditional response, that are of special importance. Main goal of the present paper is to put together a model reproducing both the z-shaped mean conditional response and the market mill asymmetry of P(x,y) with respect to the axis y=0. We develop a probabilistic model based on a multi-component ansatz for conditional distribution P(y|x) with push-dependent weights and means describing both properties. A relationship between the market mill asymmetry and predictability is discussed. A possible connection of the model to agent-based picture is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The publication is an economic evaluation of the Bureau of Mines electrolytic process for recovering lead from scrap lead-acid batteries. In this process, scrap batteries are crushed and separated into metal and sludge fractions. The metal fraction is cast as anodes and electro-refined. Lead in the sludge fraction is converted to lead carbonate by reaction with an ammonium carbonate-ammonium bisulfite solution. The lead carbonate is then dissolved in a fluosilicic acid electrolyte from which pure lead metal is electrowon. A cost estimate is presented for a plant capable of processing 10,000 scrap batteries per day. The fixed capital cost for the plant is estimated to be $14 million on a fourth quarter 1984 basis. Operating costs are estimated to be $0.15/lb Pb recovered. Assuming a lead selling price of $0.17/lb, the interest rate of return on investment after taxes is 11 pct. A lead selling price of about $0.21/lb is needed to obtain a ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The objective of this project is to identify feasible Louisiana-grown biomass crops and residues, to combine these with technically and economically feasible conversion processes, and to provide integrated biomass energy production systems in Louisiana. Among the recommended integrated systems are: cotton gin trash and rice hull processing residues used for either direct combustion or methane or ethanol production. Steam generation via direct combustion is recommended. Hardwood chips are economically feasible despite considerable price and supply instability, while high sugar or starch content crops are easily converted to ethanol but limited by price. Possible breakthroughs in biomass production or in the hydrolysis of starch or cellulose substrates may decrease processing costs. Recommended areas for future study dealing with production include: (1) increase biomass availability and density; (2) increase harvesting, transportation and storage ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deregulation of the electric power industry in Alberta holds the prospect of providing greater choice for customers. One such option will be `green power` which is provided by renewable energy technologies. The energy produced would be without environmental impacts such as air emissions, water pollution, flooding, thermal emissions or waste by-products. Wind power, small scale hydro power, photovoltaics and biomass technologies have been termed as `green power`. The choices that customers make will not be focused on price alone. Market forces are emerging to demand reduction in emissions which will result in a market for `green energy` products and facilitate achieving goals for a sustainable future.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Overhead, high power transmission lines have secured rights of way on agricultural lands in Minnesota. The economic impact of such utility crossings, including effects on land price, was investigated. Sale records and survey data were analyzed. Buyers, sellers, and brokers were interviewed concerning inconvenience, radio interference, appearance, and loss of irrigation possibilities due to the transmission lines. In nine affected sales, there was only one case in which less money was indicated for the farm because of the presence of a transmission line.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The objective of this work is a study for the application of a new technology that will be used in the engine management system in the vehicle; where the final consumer can opt for the inquiry performance or seeking an economy for the fuel consumption depending on its daily use and of the prices offered in the gas stations. Flexible Fuel is a technology in development for the automobile market that mixes the use of two fuels (gasoline and ethanol) and their mixtures in the internal combustion engine. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

ABS>A horizontal steam generator design for the SM-2 was lysis to determine the per formance of such a steam generator under steady state operating conditions and during load transients, The configuration for this design is a two- drum unit consisting of a heat exchanger unit and separator drum interconnected by integral riser and downcomer. An analog computer was used to analyze the steam generator behavior Wring load transients. The effect of various design changes on the response of the steam generator to step chages in load was determined. The horizontal steam generator design was compared to the existing vertical steam generator design for weight, size, price, and performance. (auth)

Wastenet

... John Cannaday and Ken Weddle present the framework for a Product Design Engineering project (http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/~teps/images/ProductDesign.pdf) for high school students which may have relevance at a more advanced level. David Price has created a Mechanical Engineering Design (http://www.soton.ac.uk/~cds/) site containing engineering design notes. The Virtual Reality Engineering Library Home Page at the University of Bristol (http://www.dig.bris.ac.uk/virtual_lib/) is a library ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Energy production during Feb 95 totaled 5.4 quadrillion Btu (Q), 3.1% over Feb 94. Energy consumption totaled 7.4 Q, 0.7% below Feb 94. Net imports of energy totaled 1.3 Q, 5.6% below Feb 94. This publication is divided into energy overview, energy consumption, petroleum, natural gas, oil and gas resource development, coal, electricity, nuclear energy, energy prices, and international energy.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This Publications Catalogue lists all sales publications of the IAEA published in 2004, 2005 and forthcoming in 2006. Most IAEA publications are issued in English, some are also available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish. This is indicated at the bottom of the book entry. A complete listing of all IAEA priced publications is available on the IAEA's web site: http://www.iaea.org/books