Econometric modeling of tobacco exports in the milieu of changing global and national policy regimes: repercussions on the Indian tobacco sector

IntroductionTobacco, an important commercial crop, plays a crucial role in farmers' incomes and livelihoods to a sizable population and contributes significant exchange earnings to the Indian economy. Currently, India is the second-largest tobacco producer after China, with a production of 758 million kg (13% of global production) and exports of ~190 million kg of tobacco (9% of global tobacco export volume). However, there are uncertainties surrounding the tobacco sector, such as growing public health and environmental issues associated with tobacco production and consumption and changing national and international tobacco-related policy regimes. In this context, the current study investigates the determinants of tobacco exports and geographical shifts in export destinations over the years.MethodsThe statistical models employed are co-integration, and vector error-correlation models to test the short-run and long-run dynamics relationship between tobacco exports and the explanatory variables, and the Markov chain approach to find out geographical shifts in export destinations.Results and discussionThe econometric model estimated the relationship between the tobacco export volume with domestic production, export price, and global demand for Indian tobacco, and investigated the geographical shift in export destinations of tobacco in the context of changing global and national policy regimes on the sector. The econometric modeling framework confirms that there exists a statistically significant relationship between Indian tobacco export demand, domestic production, export price, and world demand for Indian tobacco. The geographical shift was evident in major export destinations during the post-WHO-FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) regime. The model findings direct that India should take advantage of the export price, and global demand for tobacco as India ratified WHO-FCTC; there is no scope for horizontal expansion of the area under tobacco. This modeling framework aids as a tool to direct and explore the possible options with a greater emphasis on export-centric farming system in tobacco production by augmenting crop compliance and quality to meet the standards of international markets

Nucleation of the electroactive γ phase and enhancement of the optical transparency in low filler content poly(vinylidene)/clay nanocomposites

Poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, based nanocomposites with different clays structures have been processed by solvent casting and melt crystallisation. Depending on the melting temperature of the polymer, the nanocomposite recrystalises in the electroactive or non electroactive β-phase of the polymer. This fact is related to the thermal behaviour of the clay. For montmorillonite clay, the full crystallisation of the electroactiveγ-phase occurs for clay contents lower than 0.5 wt%, allowing the nanocomposites to maintain the mechanical properties of the polymer matrix. The electroactivity of the material has been proven by measuring the piezoelectric d33 response of the material. The obtained value of d33 is -7 pC/N, lower than in β-PVDF obtained by mechanical stretching, but still among the largest coefficients obtained for polymers. Further, the optical transmittance in the visible range is strongly enhanced with respect to the transmittance of the pure polymer. Finally, it is demonstrated that the nucleation of the β-phase can be also obtained in other clays, such as in kaolinite and laponite.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - NANO/NMed-SD/0156/2007, PTDC/CTM/69316/2006, PTDC/CTM-NAN/112574/2009, SFRH/BD/62507/2009.FEDER funds through the "Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade – COMPETECOST Action MP1003, the ‘European Scientific Network for Artificial Muscles’ (ESNAM)

Insights into interdisciplinary approaches for bioremediation of organic pollutants: innovations, challenges and perspectives

Modern industrialization has originated a tremendous industrial growth. Discharge of industrial effluent is a critical threat to a safe environment. Removal of various pollutants from industrial wastewater is obligatory for controlling environmental pollution. Bioremediation using biotechnological interventions has attracted greater attention among the researchers in the field of control and abatement of environmental pollution. This review is aimed to introduce methods for bioremediation on the removal of organic pollutants from industrial wastewater that have been discussed, and the kinetic models that are related to it have been introduced. In addition, biotechnological interventions on bioremediation of pollutants have been discussed fingerprinting of microbial sp. present at polluted sites. Microbial electrochemical technologies such as a green technology for the removal of pollutants from industrial effluents and simultaneous resource recovery from industrial waste have been discussed to generate up-to-date scientific literature. This review also provides detailed knowledge gaps, challenges and research perspectives related to the topic.(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A review of the benefits and drawbacks to virtual field guides in today’s Geoscience higher education environment

Virtual Field Guides are a way for educators to tackle the growing issue of funding pressures in areas of higher education, such as geography. Virtual Field Guides are however underutilised and can offer students a different way of learning. Virtual Field Guides have many benefits to students, such as being more inclusive, building student skills and confidence in a controlled environment pre fieldtrip and can increase engagement in the topic studied. There are also benefits to the educator, such as reduced cost, more efficient students on fieldwork tasks and the ability to tailor and update their field guides to suit their needs. However there are drawbacks in the challenge of creation and their outcome as educational standalone tools. This paper reviews the literature around the benefits and draw backs to the creation and incorporation of virtual field guides in geoscience education. © 2017, The Author(s)

Virtual field trips as physically active lessons for children: a pilot study.

The modern classroom is an inherently sedentary environment. Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) using interactive whiteboards to explore virtual scenes are a potential method of converting sedentary class-time into physically active teaching. This pilot aimed to assess the effects of a developed VFT on physical activity and learning in primary-school children.Participants (n = 85) were randomly assigned to a) a 30-minute physically active London 2012 Olympics-themed VFT, or b) a 30-minute sedentary version of the same VFT. Activity was measured using GT1M Actigraphs, content recall was assessed with a quiz and user evaluations were gained from teacher and pupil questionnaires.Pupils in the active VFT displayed significantly less sedentary time (p < 0.001), and significantly more light (p < 0.001), moderate (p = 0.01) and vigorous physical activity (p < 0.001) than sedentary VFT pupils. No differences in content recall were found between intervention groups: suggesting that adding physical activity into classroom teaching may not compromise attainment. High acceptability was found in teachers and active VFT students rated their session significantly higher than sedentary pupils (p < 0.002).This one-day pilot provides early evidence of the ability of VFTs to convert sedentary academic time into active time. Longitudinal research is needed to assess prolonged effects of active VFTs in reducing sedentary time.University College Londo

Palliative hypofractionated radiation therapy in incurable head-and-neck cancer patients – 2-year follow-up experience from a tertiary center from South India

Purpose: The main aim of the study was to assess tumor response to hypofractionated (HYPO Trial schedule) course of radiotherapy in patients with incurable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck in our patients. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of 23 patients treated between January 2019 and December 2019 with hypofractionated radiation therapy. These patients were given palliative radiation if they were deemed to be unsuitable for curative treatment due to poor general condition, comorbidities, advanced stage of disease, and/or advanced age. Radiation therapy schedule was 30 Gy in 5 fractions twice weekly and all the patients were treated with telecobalt machine. The assessment was done clinically. Records of tumor response, mucosal, and skin toxicity noted during radiation therapy and during follow-up were taken from patient records. Results: The most common primary site was oral cavity (48%) followed by oropharynx (31%). Most of the patients presented in Stage IVA (52%) followed by Stage III (31%) at diagnosis. Grades 2 and 3 mucositides were reported in 14 (64%) and 8 (36%), respectively. Eighty percent of the patients had partial response in primary and 65% of the patients had partial response in node. Twenty-seven percent of our patients had stable diseases. Partial response was seen in highest in patients with primary in oral cavity (80%) patients followed by hypopharynx (75%). Conclusion: This regimen offers better symptom palliation, acceptable treatment toxicity and appears practical in centers having a significant proportion of incurable head-and-neck cancer patients