Energy efficiency in China: The local bundling of interests and policies

With the end of China's 11th Five-Year Plan approaching, this paper analyzes sub-national governments' implementation strategies to meet national energy efficiency targets. Previous research focuses on the way governance practices and decision-making structures shape implementation outcomes, yet very little attention has been given to what strategies local leaders actually employ to bridge national priorities with local interests. To illustrate how leaders work politically, this paper highlights specific implementation mechanisms officials use to strengthen formal incentives and create effective informal incentives to fulfill their energy efficiency mandates. The analysis is drawn from fifty-three interviews conducted in June and July 2010 in Shanxi, a major coal-producing and energy-intensive province. Findings suggest that local government leaders conform to the national directives by 'bundling' the energy efficiency policy with policies of more pressing local importance or by 'bundling' with the interests of groups with significant political influence. Ultimately, officials take national policies and then frame them in ways that give them legitimacy at the local level. --China,local state,policy implementation,energy policy,governance

Do the benefits of international policy commitments outweigh the burdens for small island states? : a case study of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Federated States of Micronesia

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a small island developing state (SIDS) comprising four semi-autonomous states. The country faces a number of environmental challenges, not least of which is the loss of biodiversity upon which it relies for subsistence and economic development. The FSM is a signatory to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and must develop and deliver a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan as a way of implementing the convention and protecting its biodiversity. For a SIDS like the FSM, being a party to the CBD presents a notable burden: fielding personnel to global meetings, crafting necessary policies and legislation and implementing such policies. This article explores the perceptions of what being a signatory to the CBD brings to those in countries such as the FSM who are responsible for, or involved in, developing and implementing biodiversity conservation policy and actions. It highlights specific perceived benefits and challenges, and considers these in relation to the status of biodiversity in the FSM today.peer-reviewe

Energy efficiency in China: The local bundling of interests and policies

With the end of China's 11th Five-Year Plan approaching, this paper analyzes sub-national governments' implementation strategies to meet national energy efficiency targets. Previous research focuses on the way governance practices and decision-making structures shape implementation outcomes, yet very little attention has been given to what strategies local leaders actually employ to bridge national priorities with local interests. To illustrate how leaders work politically, this paper highlights specific implementation mechanisms officials use to strengthen formal incentives and create effective informal incentives to fulfill their energy efficiency mandates. The analysis is drawn from fifty-three interviews conducted in June and July 2010 in Shanxi, a major coal-producing and energy-intensive province. Findings suggest that local government leaders conform to the national directives by 'bundling' the energy efficiency policy with policies of more pressing local importance or by 'bundling' with the interests of groups with significant political influence. Ultimately, officials take national policies and then frame them in ways that give them legitimacy at the local level

Hydrogenation of Organic Matter as a Terminal Electron Sink Sustains High CO2:CH4 Production Ratios During Anaerobic Decomposition

Once inorganic electron acceptors are depleted, organic matter in anoxic environments decomposes by hydrolysis, fermentation, and methanogenesis, requiring syntrophic interactions between microorganisms to achieve energetic favorability. In this classic anaerobic food chain, methanogenesis represents the terminal electron accepting (TEA) process, ultimately producing equimolar CO2 and CH4 for each molecule of organic matter degraded. However, CO2:CH4 production in Sphagnum-derived, mineral-poor, cellulosic peat often substantially exceeds this 1:1 ratio, even in the absence of measureable inorganic TEAs. Since the oxidation state of C in both cellulose-derived organic matter and acetate is 0, and CO2 has an oxidation state of +4, if CH4 (oxidation state -4) is not produced in equal ratio, then some other compound(s) must balance CO2 production by receiving 4 electrons. Here we present evidence for ubiquitous hydrogenation of diverse unsaturated compounds that appear to serve as organic TEAs in peat, thereby providing the necessary electron balance to sustain CO2:CH4 \u3e1. While organic electron acceptors have previously been proposed to drive microbial respiration of organic matter through the reversible reduction of quinone moieties, the hydrogenation mechanism that we propose, by contrast, reduces C-C double bonds in organic matter thereby serving as 1) a terminal electron sink, 2) a mechanism for degrading complex unsaturated organic molecules, 3) a potential mechanism to regenerate electron-accepting quinones, and, in some cases, 4) a means to alleviate the toxicity of unsaturated aromatic acids. This mechanism for CO2 generation without concomitant CH4 production has the potential to regulate the global warming potential of peatlands by elevating CO2:CH4 production ratios

Characteristics and outcomes of over 300,000 patients with COVID-19 and history of cancer in the United States and Spain

Background: We described the demographics, cancer subtypes, comorbidities, and outcomes of patients with a history of cancer and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Second, we compared patients hospitalized with COVID-19 to patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and patients hospitalized with influenza. Methods: We conducted a cohort study using eight routinely collected health care databases from Spain and the United States, standardized to the Observational Medical Outcome Partnership common data model. Three cohorts of patients with a history of cancer were included: (i) diagnosed with COVID-19, (ii) hospitalized with COVID-19, and (iii) hospitalized with influenza in 2017 to 2018. Patients were followed from index date to 30 days or death. We reported demographics, cancer subtypes, comorbidities, and 30-day outcomes. Results: We included 366,050 and 119,597 patients diagnosed and hospitalized with COVID-19, respectively. Prostate and breast cancers were the most frequent cancers (range: 5%–18% and 1%–14% in the diagnosed cohort, respectively). Hematologic malignancies were also frequent, with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma being among the five most common cancer subtypes in the diagnosed cohort. Overall, patients were aged above 65 years and had multiple comorbidities. Occurrence of death ranged from 2% to 14% and from 6% to 26% in the diagnosed and hospitalized COVID-19 cohorts, respectively. Patients hospitalized with influenza (n ¼ 67,743) had a similar distribution of cancer subtypes, sex, age, and comorbidities but lower occurrence of adverse events. Conclusions: Patients with a history of cancer and COVID-19 had multiple comorbidities and a high occurrence of COVID-19-related events. Hematologic malignancies were frequent. Impact: This study provides epidemiologic characteristics that can inform clinical care and etiologic studies.</p

Increased Incidence of Vestibular Disorders in Patients With SARS-CoV-2

OBJECTIVE: Determine the incidence of vestibular disorders in patients with SARS-CoV-2 compared to the control population. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: Clinical data in the National COVID Cohort Collaborative database (N3C). METHODS: Deidentified patient data from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative database (N3C) were queried based on variant peak prevalence (untyped, alpha, delta, omicron 21K, and omicron 23A) from covariants.org to retrospectively analyze the incidence of vestibular disorders in patients with SARS-CoV-2 compared to control population, consisting of patients without documented evidence of COVID infection during the same period. RESULTS: Patients testing positive for COVID-19 were significantly more likely to have a vestibular disorder compared to the control population. Compared to control patients, the odds ratio of vestibular disorders was significantly elevated in patients with untyped (odds ratio [OR], 2.39; confidence intervals [CI], 2.29-2.50; CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of vestibular disorders differed between COVID-19 variants and was significantly elevated in COVID-19-positive patients compared to the control population. These findings have implications for patient counseling and further research is needed to discern the long-term effects of these findings

Cabbage and fermented vegetables : From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT(1)R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe

Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19 : time for research to develop adaptation strategies

There are large between- and within-country variations in COVID-19 death rates. Some very low death rate settings such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, the Balkans and Africa have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods whose intake is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) anti-oxidant transcription factor. There are many Nrf2-interacting nutrients (berberine, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, sulforaphane) that all act similarly to reduce insulin resistance, endothelial damage, lung injury and cytokine storm. They also act on the same mechanisms (mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin, PPAR gamma:Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NF kappa B: Nuclear factor kappa B, ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and eIF2 alpha:Elongation initiation factor 2 alpha). They may as a result be important in mitigating the severity of COVID-19, acting through the endoplasmic reticulum stress or ACE-Angiotensin-II-AT(1)R axis (AT(1)R) pathway. Many Nrf2-interacting nutrients are also interacting with TRPA1 and/or TRPV1. Interestingly, geographical areas with very low COVID-19 mortality are those with the lowest prevalence of obesity (Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia). It is tempting to propose that Nrf2-interacting foods and nutrients can re-balance insulin resistance and have a significant effect on COVID-19 severity. It is therefore possible that the intake of these foods may restore an optimal natural balance for the Nrf2 pathway and may be of interest in the mitigation of COVID-19 severity

Embedded Interests and the Managerial Local State: Methanol Fuel-Switching in China

This paper analyzes the determinants of alternative automobile fuel regulation and development support with a particular focus on methanol fuel. We find that embedded interests, bureaucratic reforms, and political circumstances in the Chinese national, provincial, and municipal governments have all shaped policy outcomes in this area. The paper seeks to explain why at, the national level, support for alternative fuels has waned and finds that the concerns of state oil majors and disorganization during the process of national bureaucratic restructuring have been the deciding factors. Interestingly, at the sub-national level promotion of methanol continues unabated in some places. At the local level, business relationships as well as the embedded economic and personal interests of local leaders help to explain managerial local government behavior and sheds light on why government officials actively create and manage methanol fuel business opportunities through local standardization, subsidies, and hands-on management of SOE opposition. The switch towards methanol fuel was more successful in localities where individuals, either government officials or enterprise managers, formed an alliance and made this their 'pet projects'. The analysis draws on 55 interviews conducted between June and October 2010 in Shanxi, a major coal-producing province which has supported methanol fuel-switching programs for over ten years. The findings contribute to debates about the condition of the local state in China. The argument put forward in this paper is that because of limited state capacity at the central level and insufficient concerns for the development of alternative fuels in the short-term, some sub-national governments with strong embedded interests promote certain alternative fuels by taking on active managerial roles, adopting creative and ad-hoc strategies to fill in the national level policy gap at the local level

THE PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND USE OF UNSUPPORTED IRON-COBALT CATALYSTS FOR FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS

To understand the effects of Fe/Co bimetallic catalyst composition on the kinetics of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, a series of unsupported Fe/Co bimetallic catalysts were prepared along with their monometallic constituents. A multi-technique characterization of these materials throughout their genesis as well as before and after Fischer-Tropsch synthesis was employed to correlate the kinetic behavior of these catalysts with their physical and chemical properties. Two major conclusions were derived from this investigation: (1) the surface and bulk compositions of the alloys were identical; and (2) all iron-containing catalysts exhibited iron-like hydrocarbon selectivities. The bulk composition of each catalyst was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and electron microprobe analysis. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and Mossbauer spectroscopy were used to identify and characterize the bulk phases present in the catalysts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was utilized to ascertain the concentration and chemical state all species present in and on the surface layers of the catalysts. Catalyst homogeneity was determined by energy dispersive analysis of X rays (EDAX), XRD, and Mossbauer spectroscopy. Catalyst particle size determinations were made utilizing both the BET method and XRD line broadening. Atmospheric pressure kinetics were conducted at 250(DEGREES)C in a 3.3 H(,2)/CO reactant mixture using gas chromatographic analysis. The CO conversion level was maintained below four percent. The precipitation-calcination-reduction catalyst preparation technique employed during this investigation produced high purity, moderate surface area catalysts. The Fe/Co bimetallics produced by this method were shown to be alloys. However, not all of these alloys were completely homogeneous. The degree of inhomogeneity exhibited was greatest for the iron-rich samples, and resulted from the inability to quantitatively form the initial mixed metal ferrite. The reduced catalysts were very susceptible to room temperature oxidation. However, this oxidation was limited to the first few atomic layers. Cobalt exhibited the greatest resistance to oxidation and enhanced the reducibility of iron in the bimetallics. The mild surface enrichment in iron exhibited in XPS of the iron-rich bimetallics, was attributed mainly to inhomogeneity. Thus, the surface and bulk compositions of the alloys were found to be identical. Alloy composition had little effect on hydrocarbon selectivity. All bimetallics exhibited iron-like hydrocarbon selectivities. Hydrocarbon selectivity appeared to be controlled by the hydrocarbon adlayer associated with the catalyst\u27s surface. Hydrocarbon precursors generated on iron atoms seemed to dominate the composition of this layer. Straight-chain olefins and paraffins were the major hydrocarbon products, with methane always the most abundant. Cobalt exhibited the highest methane selectivity. Olefins were shown to be the probable precursors of all higher hydrocarbons. However, a strong inverse relationship was shown to exist between relative olefin production and CO conversion level. This effect drastically limited olefin production for conversions above three percent. Carbon dioxide production was most predominant on iron-rich catalysts. Water was the major oxygen-containing product for cobalt-rich catalysts. Catalyst activity and deactivation were shown to be related to the formation of an inactive carbon layer. The thickness of this graphite overlayer was found to be inversely proportional to the activity of the catalyst. Graphitization did not occur on the cobalt catalyst. The iron catalyst produced (chi)-carbide during the reaction. Carbide formation in the iron-rich bimetallics resulted from inhomogeneity