Residential Water Consumption: A Cross Country Analysis

Survey data from over 1,600 households in ten countries were used to analyse the determinants of residential water demand. Results show that in every country the price elasticity is negative and statistically significant. Households that do not have to pay for the water they use (volumetric water charges) consume about a third more water than similar households that do have to pay such charges. Consumers’ attitudes do not have a statistically significant effect on total water use, although they do increase the probability of households using some water saving behaviours. Volumetric water charges also have an impact on the adoption of water saving actions. Full-cost water pricing appears to be a highly effective instrument to manage residential water demand.water demand, water consumption, water pricing, Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, C21, Q25, Q50,

Ambiguity in Text Messages: “I Hate You for Using Emojis Inconsistently With Your Text in WhatsApp ”

This study investigates whether incongruency of valences between emoji and text in texting will promote stronger negative inference in readers. An experiment assessed participants’ judgments of the text messages by recording their response times and perceived valence from the messages (either positive or negative) under the following manipulations: positive or negative messages paired with an emoji that convey positive, negative or ambiguous/neutral emotions (i.e. the pairing of emojis and test may be congruent or incongruent in their valences). Compared with congruent text messages, we found that incongruency between emojis and texts promoted stronger negative inference and elicited a longer processing time, even in texts that conveyed a positive meaning or when the emoji itself was ambiguous/neutral. These results suggest that texts and emojis jointly influence the perceived mood of messages, hinting the importance of the effective use of emojis in order to convey intended meanings and emotions efficiently

Corrosion protection of carbon steel by an epoxy resin containing organically modified clay

This study focusses on the use of montmorillonite clay (MMT) treated with an organic compound (aminotrimethylphosphonic acid (ATMP)) and dispersed in an epoxy resin to improve corrosion protection of carbon steel. X-ray diffraction was performed to verify that the individual silicate layers were separated and dispersed in the epoxy resin. Corrosion resistance of the coated steel was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and local electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (LEIS). Three systems were tested: the epoxy clear-coat, the epoxy resin containing 2 wt.% clay and the epoxy resin containing 2 wt.% clay modified byATMP (ATMP-modified clay). From conventional EIS, it was shown that the incorporation of clay or ATMP-modified clay in the epoxy matrix significantly improved the barrier properties of the coating. The corrosion resistance of the carbon steel coated by the epoxy resin containing ATMP-modified clay was higher than that obtained for the system containing non-treated clay. Local electrochemical measurements performed on scratched samples revealed the inhibitive role of ATMP at the carbon steel/coating interface

The Relationship between Immigration to Australia and the Labour Market Outcomes of Australian-Born Workers

We examine the relationship between immigration to Australia and the labour market outcomes of Australian-born workers. We use immigrant supply changes in skill groups, defined by education and experience, to identify the impact of immigration on the labour market. We find that immigration flows into those skill groups that have the highest earnings and lowest unemployment. Once we control for the impact of experience and education on labour market outcomes, we find almost no evidence that immigration harms the labour market outcomes of those born in Australia

Layered double hydroxides as containers of inhibitors in organic coatings for corrosion protection of carbon steel

The present work focuses on the use of layered double hydroxides (LDH) as containers for corrosion inhibitors in an epoxy coating. 2-Benzothiazolylthio-succinic acid (BTSA), used as corrosion inhibitor, was intercalated by co-precipitation in magnesium-aluminum layered double hydroxides. The obtained LDH-BTSA was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. BTSA release from LDH-BTSA in NaCl solutions was investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy. The inhibitive action of LDH-BTSA on carbon steel corrosion was characterized by electrochemical methods and the protective properties of an epoxy coating containing LDH-BTSA were evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It was shown that the BTSA was intercalated in the layered double hydroxide and its loading was about 33%. The BTSA release was dependent on the NaCl concentration in the electrolyte. The polarization curves obtained on the carbon steel sample showed that the LDH-BTSA is an anodic inhibitor. Its efficiency was about 90% at a concentration of 3 g/l. The impedance results showed that the incorporation of LDH-BTSA (3%) in the epoxy matrix improved the corrosion protection of the carbon steel

Incorporation of an indole-3 butyric acid modified clay in epoxy resin for corrosion protection of carbon steel

In the present work, indole-3 butyric acid (IBA) was inserted between montmorillonite clay platelets by cation exchange. The clay treated with the organic compound (IBA-modified clay) was then dispersed in an epoxy resin at a low concentration (2 wt.%). IBA was chosen to act both as an inhibitor and an adherence promoter. The effect of the IBA-modified clay on the microstructure and on the protective properties of the epoxy coating deposited on carbon steel was evaluated by a thermostimulated-current (TSC) method and by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The TSC measurements showed the specific action of IBA-modified clay which decreased the molecular mobility of the polymer chain by comparison with the pure epoxy. Impedance measurements corroborated the role of the modified clay on the barrier properties of the coating which remained high as a function of exposure time in a 0.5 M NaCl solution. The corrosion resistance of the carbon steel coated with the epoxy resin containing IBA-modified clay was significantly higher than that obtained with the clear coat. Polarization curves plotted in the presence of an artificial defect demonstrated the inhibitive role of IBA at the carbon steel/coating interface. The good adherence of the coating was seen during salt spray test

Policy Response, Social Media and Science Journalism for the Sustainability of the Public Health System Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Vietnam Lessons

Vietnam, with a geographical proximity and a high volume of trade with China, was the first country to record an outbreak of the new Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2. While the country was expected to have a high risk of transmission, as of April 4, 2020—in comparison to attempts to contain the disease around the world—responses from Vietnam are being seen as prompt and effective in protecting the interests of its citizens, with 239 confirmed cases and no fatalities. This study analyzes the situation in terms of Vietnam’s policy response, social media and science journalism. A self-made web crawl engine was used to scan and collect official media news related to COVID-19 between the beginning of January and April 4, yielding a comprehensive dataset of 14,952 news items. The findings shed light on how Vietnam—despite being under-resourced—has demonstrated political readiness to combat the emerging pandemic since the earliest days. Timely communication on any developments of the outbreak from the government and the media, combined with up-to-date research on the new virus by the Vietnamese science community, have altogether provided reliable sources of information. By emphasizing the need for immediate and genuine cooperation between government, civil society and private individuals, the case study offers valuable lessons for other nations concerning not only the concurrent fight against the COVID-19 pandemic but also the overall responses to a public health crisis

Ownership Concentration and Accounting Conservatism: The Moderating Role of Board Independence

The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of board independence on the relationship between ownership concentration and accounting conservatism. Using fixed-effect regressions for a sample of 165 Vietnamese listed companies from 2007 to 2017, the results revealed that the proportion of outstanding shares owned by the largest shareholder is negatively associated with accounting conservatism and board independence plays a moderating role in this relationship. Our results are robust after applying alternative measures of the largest ownership and correcting for potential endogeneity using fixed-effects regression with instrumental variables. Overall, our evidence shows that firms with concentrated ownership should keep a high non-executive ratio to maintain accounting conservatism. In other words, increasing the number of non-executive directors on boards in firms with a substantial proportion of shares held by the largest shareholder is likely to strengthen the information environment, giving financial reporting more credibility.JEL Classification: G30; G32. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-01-07 Full Text: PD

THE INFLUENCE OF ZrO2/SILANE PRE-TREATMENT ON CORROSION RESISTANCE OF POWDER COATING

Carbon steel was treated by immersion in silane doped hexafluorozirconic acid solution. Treated surface was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and electrochemical methods. The effect of ZrO2/silane pretreatment on the protective properties of powder coating was studied by adhesion measurement and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The obtained results showed that the morphology and electrochemical characteristics of ZrO2/silane film depend on solution pH. Surface morphology was uniform and compact at solution pH = 4. The best corrosion performance obtained with the film formed in solution with pH and immersion time of 4 and 4 mins, respectively. The ZrO2/silane pretreatment significantly improved adhesion and corrosion resistance of powder coating on carbon steel