Cost advantages of an integrated documentation approach

Interactive use of on-line computing terminals for updating programs is discussed. An integrated documentation approach using predocumented subroutines and metaprogram techniques is found to be an efficient means of generating the relevant documentation and of reducing program development costs

Impacts of land certification on tenure security, investment, and land markets : evidence from Ethiopia

Although early attempts at land titling in Africa were often unsuccessful, the need to secure rights in view of increased demand for land, options for registration of a continuum of individual or communal rights under new laws, and the scope for reducing costs by combining information technology with participatory methods have led to renewed interest. This paper uses a difference-in-difference approach to assess economic impacts of a low-cost registration program in Ethiopia that, over 5 years, covered some 20 million parcels. Despite policy constraints, the program increased tenure security, land-related investment, and rental market participation and yielded benefits significantly above the cost of implementation.Environmental Economics&Policies,Urban Housing,Climate Change and Environment,Common Property Resource Development,Rural Land Policies for Poverty Reduction

A Journey of Educational Transformation and Organizational Improvement through Development of an Institutional Patient Blood Management Program

Providence Holy Cross Medical Center (PHCMC) has embarked on this journey to improve outcomes by reducing the number of unnecessary transfusions through the development of a PBM program. Transfusion-related health risks and increasing economic pressures have driven hospitals to recognize development of blood management programs as an important strategy to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs

Engine Seal Technology Requirements to Meet NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology Program Goals

Cycle studies have shown the benefits of increasing engine pressure ratios and cycle temperatures to decrease engine weight and improve performance of commercial turbine engines. NASA is working with industry to define technology requirements of advanced engines and engine technology to meet the goals of NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology Initiative. As engine operating conditions become more severe and customers demand lower operating costs, NASA and engine manufacturers are investigating methods of improving engine efficiency and reducing operating costs. A number of new technologies are being examined that will allow next generation engines to operate at higher pressures and temperatures. Improving seal performance - reducing leakage and increasing service life while operating under more demanding conditions - will play an important role in meeting overall program goals of reducing specific fuel consumption and ultimately reducing direct operating costs. This paper provides an overview of the Advanced Subsonic Technology program goals, discusses the motivation for advanced seal development, and highlights seal technology requirements to meet future engine performance goals

Offset Banking - A Way Ahead For Controlling Nonpoint Source Pollution In Urban Areas in Georgia

Nonpoint source discharges remain the major cause of non-attainment of water quality goals in urban areas within Georgia. Hence controlling nonpoint source discharges will be a critical part of achieving water quality goals within urban areas. Efforts to reduce nonpoint discharges are expected to intensify with implementation of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and changes to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Program (NPDES) permits.Given the need to reduce existing nonpoint source discharges in many urban counties within Georgia, it is likely that regulatory authorities will become more circumspect about approving new developments with negative environmental impacts. Thus, given current policies, conflicts between environmental and developmental goals are expected to increase in future years.In this working paper we discuss the use of Offset Banking, which is flexible mechanism that can facilitate development, but with no net environmental impact. Indeed, it is possible to design an Offset Banking program that results in net environmental improvements from additional development. As well as benefits to the environment, offset banking can provide benefits to developers by enabling further development to occur, reducing overall nonpoint source discharge control costs and reducing uncertainty within the development process.Offset Banking is conceptually similar to wetland mitigation banking, except that it focuses on the control of nonpoint source discharges. In an Offset Banking program, an "Offset Bank" undertakes a series of projects to reduce nonpoint source discharges. In return for undertaking these projects, the bank receives offset credits. When new developments create net environmental impacts, they must offset these impacts by purchasing credits from an offset bank with credits available from a nearby project. In this way, development can proceed without there being an overall negative impact on environmental quality, and potentially an environmental improvement if developers are required to purchase more credits than the pollution generated. Offset Banking thus represents a pragmatic solution to future conflicts between developmental and environmental goals within urban areas. Working Paper #2002-00

Departments in Crisis: What to do when the Department is Threatened

Falling enrollments coupled with scarce resources have forced many institutions to urgently cut costs. While reducing discretionary spending may solve short-term financial shortfalls, institutions are more frequently considering academic reorganization or program elimination. Managing these situations as chairperson is not only challenging, but extremely stressful. This session will provide participants with practical, research-based advice for dealing with several exigent department-level situations. Crisis leadership, enrollment management, recruitment, program development, and discovering new revenue streams will be discussed

A Computerized Method of Precipitation Data Quality Control

A computerized data quality check and data edit program has been developed to aid in the processing of telemetered precipitation data. The logic considerations and program development are discussed and results are displayed. This effort has resulted in successful editing of large amounts of precipitation data gathered by automated remote data acquisition techniques. The application of this processing routine has resulted in reducing data editing costs to about three percent of that required to do the work manually

Liquefied Natural Gas for Trucks and Buses

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is being developed as a heavy vehicle fuel. The reason for developing LNG is to reduce our dependency on imported oil by eliminating technical and costs barriers associated with its usage. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has a program, currently in its third year, to develop and advance cost-effective technologies for operating and refueling natural gas-fueled heavy vehicles (Class 7-8 trucks). The objectives of the DOE Natural Gas Vehicle Systems Program are to achieve market penetration by reducing vehicle conversion and fuel costs, to increase consumer acceptance by improving the reliability and efficiency, and to improve air quality by reducing tailpipe emissions. One way to reduce fuel costs is to develop new supplies of cheap natural gas. Significant progress is being made towards developing more energy-efficient, low-cost, small-scale natural gas liquefiers for exploiting alternative sources of natural gas such as from landfill and remote gas sites. In particular, the DOE program provides funds for research and development in the areas of; natural gas clean up, LNG production, advanced vehicle onboard storage tanks, improved fuel delivery systems and LNG market strategies. In general, the program seeks to integrate the individual components being developed into complete systems, and then demonstrate the technology to establish technical and economic feasibility. The paper also reviews the importance of cryogenics in designing LNG fuel delivery systems

NASA LaRC Hazardous Material Pharmacy

In 1993-1994 the Office of Environmental Engineering contracted SAIC to develop NASA Langley's Pollution Prevention (P2) Program. One of the priority projects identified in this contract was the development of a hazardous waste minimization (HAZMIN)/hazardous materials reutilization (HAZMART) program in the form of a Hazardous Materials Pharmacy. A hazardous materials pharmacy is designed to reduce hazardous material procurement costs and hazardous waste disposal costs. This is accomplished through the collection and reissue of excess hazardous material. Currently, a rarely used hazardous material may be stored in a shop area, unused, until it passes its expiration date. The material is then usually disposed of as a hazardous waste, often at a greater expense than the original cost of the material. While this material was on the shelf expiring, other shop areas may have ordered new supplies of the same material. The hazardous material pharmacy would act as a clearinghouse for such materials. Material that is not going to be used would be turned in to the pharmacy. Other users could then be issued this material free of charge, thereby reducing procurement costs. The use of this material by another shop prevents it from expiring, thereby reducing hazardous waste disposal costs

Recent advances in smart biotechnology: Hydrogels and nanocarriers for tailored bioactive molecules depot

Over the past ten years, the global biopharmaceutical market has remarkably grown, with ten over the top twenty worldwide high performance medical treatment sales being biologics. Thus, biotech R&D (research and development) sector is becoming a key leading branch, with expanding revenues. Biotechnology offers considerable advantages compared to traditional therapeutic approaches, such as reducing side effects, specific treatments, higher patient compliance and therefore more effective treatments leading to lower healthcare costs. Within this sector, smart nanotechnology and colloidal self-assembling systems represent pivotal tools able to modulate the delivery of therapeutics. A comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in the self assembly of the colloidal structures discussed therein is essential for the development of relevant biomedical applications. In this review we report the most promising and best performing platforms for specific classes of bioactive molecules and related target, spanning from siRNAs, gene/plasmids, proteins/growth factors, small synthetic therapeutics and bioimaging probes.Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)COST Action [CA 15107]People Program (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Program under REA [606713 BIBAFOODS]Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [PTDC/AGR-TEC/4814/2014, IF/01005/2014]Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia [SFRH/BPD/99982/2014]Danish National Research Foundation [DNRF 122]Villum Foundation [9301]Italian Ministry of Instruction, University and Research (MIUR), PRIN [20109PLMH2]"Fondazione Beneficentia Stiftung" VaduzFondo di Ateneo FRAFRAinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio