A reply to “Historical construction costs of global nuclear power reactors”

Lovering et al. (2016) present data on the overnight costs of more than half of nuclear reactors built worldwide since the beginning of the nuclear age. The authors claim that this consolidated data set offers more accurate insights than previous country-level assessments. Unfortunately, the authors make analytical choices that mask nuclear power's real construction costs, cherry pick data, and include misleading data on early experimental and demonstration reactors. For those reasons, serious students of such issues should look elsewhere for guidance about understanding the true costs of nuclear power

How and when does big data analytics capability contribute to market performance

YesThis study looks at the relationship between big data analytics capability and market performance and how this relationship can be facilitated by adopting disruptive business models in competitive environments

Dynamic and structural stability of cubic vanadium nitride

Structural phase transitions in epitaxial stoichiometric VN/MgO(011) thin films are investigated using temperature-dependent synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), resistivity measurements, high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD). At room temperature, VN has the B1 NaCl structure. However, below T_c=250K, XRD and SAED results reveal forbidden (001) reflections of mixed parity associated with a noncentrosymmetric tetragonal structure. The intensities of the forbidden reflections increase with decreasing temperature following the scaling behavior I∝(T_c−T)^(1/2). Resistivity measurements between 300 and 4 K consist of two linear regimes resulting from different electron/phonon coupling strengths in the cubic and tetragonal-VN phases. The VN transport Eliashberg spectral function α^(2)_(tr)F(ℏω), the product of the phonon density of states F(ℏω) and the transport electron/phonon coupling strengthα^(2)_(tr)(ℏω), is determined and used in combination with AIMD renormalized phonon dispersion relations to show that anharmonic vibrations stabilize the NaCl structure at T>T_c. Free-energy contributions due to vibrational entropy, often neglected in theoretical modeling, are essential for understanding the room-temperature stability of NaCl-structure VN, and of strongly anharmonic systems in general

Molecular Hydrogen and Global Star Formation Relations in Galaxies

(ABRIDGED) We use hydrodynamical simulations of disk galaxies to study relations between star formation and properties of the molecular interstellar medium (ISM). We implement a model for the ISM that includes low-temperature (T<10^4K) cooling, directly ties the star formation rate to the molecular gas density, and accounts for the destruction of H2 by an interstellar radiation field from young stars. We demonstrate that the ISM and star formation model simultaneously produces a spatially-resolved molecular-gas surface density Schmidt-Kennicutt relation of the form Sigma_SFR \propto Sigma_Hmol^n_mol with n_mol~1.4 independent of galaxy mass, and a total gas surface density -- star formation rate relation Sigma_SFR \propto Sigma_gas^n_tot with a power-law index that steepens from n_tot~2 for large galaxies to n_tot>~4 for small dwarf galaxies. We show that deviations from the disk-averaged Sigma_SFR \propto Sigma_gas^1.4 correlation determined by Kennicutt (1998) owe primarily to spatial trends in the molecular fraction f_H2 and may explain observed deviations from the global Schmidt-Kennicutt relation.Comment: Version accepted by ApJ, high-res version available at http://kicp.uchicago.edu/~brant/astro-ph/molecular_ism/rk2007.pd

Environmental impact of wind energy:Synthesis and Review

One purpose of wind turbines is to provide pollution-free electric power at a reasonable price in an environmentally sound way. In this focus issue the latest research on the environmental impact of wind farms is presented. Offshore wind farms affect the marine fauna in both positive and negative ways. For example, some farms are safe havens for porpoises while other farms show fewer harbor porpoises even after ten years. Atmospheric computer experiments are carried out to investigate the possible impact and resource of future massive installations of wind turbines. The following questions are treated. What is the global capacity for energy production by the wind? Will the added turbulence and reduced wind speeds generated by massive wind farms cool or heat the surface? Can wind farms affect precipitation? It is also shown through life-cycle analysis how wind energy can reduce the atmospheric emission of eight air pollutants. Finally, noise generation and its impact on humans are studied

Risk analysis and outcome of mediastinal wound and deep mediastinal wound infections with specific emphasis to omental transposition

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To report our experience, with Deep mediastinal wound infections (DMWI). Emphasis was given to the management of deep infections with omental flaps</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From February 2000 to October 2007, out of 3896 cardiac surgery patients (prospective data collection) 120 pts (3.02%) developed sternal wound infections. There were 104 males & 16 females; (73.7%) CABG, (13.5%) Valves & (9.32%) CABG and Valve.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Superficial sternal wound infection detected in 68 patients (1.75%) and fifty-two patients (1.34%) developed DMWI. The incremental risk factors for development of DMWI were: Diabetes (OR = 3.62, CI = 1.2-10.98), Pre Op Creatinine > 200 μmol/l (OR = 3.33, CI = 1.14-9.7) and Prolong ventilation (OR = 4.16, CI = 1.73-9.98). Overall mortality for the DMWI was 9.3% and the specific mortality of the omental flap group was 8.3%. 19% of the "DMWI group", developed complications: hematoma 6%, partial flap loss 3.0%, wound dehiscence 5.3%. Mean Hospital Stay: 59 ± 21.5 days.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Post cardiac surgery sternal wound complications remain challenging. The role of multidisciplinary approach is fundamental, as is the importance of an aggressive early wound exploration especially for deep sternal infections.</p

Global comparison of warring groups in 2002–2007: fatalities from targeting civilians vs. fighting battles

Background Warring groups that compete to dominate a civilian population confront contending behavioral options: target civilians or battle the enemy. We aimed to describe degrees to which combatant groups concentrated lethal behavior into intentionally targeting civilians as opposed to engaging in battle with opponents in contemporary armed conflict. Methodology/Principal Findings We identified all 226 formally organized state and non-state groups (i.e. actors) that engaged in lethal armed conflict during 2002–2007: 43 state and 183 non-state. We summed civilians killed by an actor's intentional targeting with civilians and combatants killed in battles in which the actor was involved for total fatalities associated with each actor, indicating overall scale of armed conflict. We used a Civilian Targeting Index (CTI), defined as the proportion of total fatalities caused by intentional targeting of civilians, to measure the concentration of lethal behavior into civilian targeting. We report actor-specific findings and four significant trends: 1.) 61% of all 226 actors (95% CI 55% to 67%) refrained from targeting civilians. 2.) Logistic regression showed actors were more likely to have targeted civilians if conflict duration was three or more years rather than one year. 3.) In the 88 actors that targeted civilians, multiple regressions showed an inverse correlation between CTI values and the total number of fatalities. Conflict duration of three or more years was associated with lower CTI values than conflict duration of one year. 4.) When conflict scale and duration were accounted for, state and non-state actors did not differ. We describe civilian targeting by actors in prolonged conflict. We discuss comparable patterns found in nature and interdisciplinary research. Conclusions/Significance Most warring groups in 2002–2007 did not target civilians. Warring groups that targeted civilians in small-scale, brief conflict concentrated more lethal behavior into targeting civilians, and less into battles, than groups in larger-scale, longer conflict

Raman scattering in C_{60} and C_{48}N_{12} aza-fullerene: First-principles study

We carry out large scale {\sl ab initio} calculations of Raman scattering activities and Raman-active frequencies (RAFs) in ${\rm C}_{48}{\rm N}_{12}$ aza-fullerene. The results are compared with those of ${\rm C}_{60}$. Twenty-nine non-degenerate polarized and 29 doubly-degenerate unpolarized RAFs are predicted for ${\rm C}_{48}{\rm N}_{12}$. The RAF of the strongest Raman signal in the low- and high-frequency regions and the lowest and highest RAFs for ${\rm C}_{48}{\rm N}_{12}$ are almost the same as those of ${\rm C}_{60}$. The study of ${\rm C}_{60}$ reveals the importance of electron correlations and the choice of basis sets in the {\sl ab initio} calculations. Our best calculated results for ${\rm C}_{60}$ with the B3LYP hybrid density functional theory are in excellent agreement with experiment and demonstrate the desirable efficiency and accuracy of this theory for obtaining quantitative information on the vibrational properties of these molecules.Comment: submitted to Phys.Rev.

How to increase technology transfers to developing countries: a synthesis of the evidence

The existing United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has failed to deliver the rate of low-carbon technology transfer (TT) required to curb GHG emissions in developing countries. This failure has exposed the limitations of universalism and renewed interest in bilateral approaches to TT. Gaps are identified in the UNFCCC approach to climate change TT: missing links between international institutions and the national enabling environments that encourage private investment; a non-differentiated approach for (developing) country and technology characteristics; and a lack of clear measurements of the volume and effectiveness of TTs. Evidence from econometric literature and business experience on climate change TT is reviewed, so as to address the identified pitfalls of the UNFCCC process. Strengths and weaknesses of different methodological approaches are highlighted. International policy recommendations are offered aimed at improving the level of emission reductions achieved through TT