The Dynamics of Good Governance in Promoting Energy Security: The Case of Bangladesh

In the modern era, energy and its sustainability have emerged as one of the most important economic issues worldwide. It is widely believed that no country has managed to embrace development without ensuring a sustainable energy supply that could be accessed by a large portion of the population. Thus, this concept of energy sufficiency is of greater importance for the underdeveloped countries those, historically, had not been able to match their local energy demand. Apart from the inefficiencies and resource constraints associated with the energy sector, lack of good governance within an economy is believed to be a critical issue in aggravating energy crisis in those countries. However, following strategic impotence, political unwillingness and inefficient governance of the energy sector, the underdeveloped countries have failed to mitigate the energy deficits which in turn have hampered the development prospects in those countries. This paper highlights the potential roles good governance can play to promote energy security considering the case of Bangladesh, a developing country that is leaving no stones unturned in becoming a middle-income country by 2021. Besides, the role of good governance in complementing fuel diversification as a tool for ensuring energy security has also been put forward. Thus, the government of Bangladesh should reinstate good governance within the economy creating a favourable environment for investment in the energy sector which would enhance competition and mitigate inefficiencies in energy generation, transmission, and distribution

Effect of nutrient supplementation on single cell protein production from watermelon and pineapple peels

The fast growing population of the world has led to an increased demand for protein rich food; this exerts great pressure on food and feed industries to produce sufficient quantities of protein to meet the high nutrient requirements of vulnerable populations (children and women). Single cell protein (SCP) has proven to be a sustainable approach since agricultural residues can be used for the production. In the present study, efforts were made to improve the growth support capacity of watermelon and pineapple fruit peels by submerged fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Fruit hydrolysate media supplemented with glucose and nitrogen recorded the highest concentrations of total carbohydrate (6.6 g/L) and crude protein (20 g/L) on the 16th day of fermentation, as compared to that of the fruit hydrolysate media without supplementation which produced 3.6 g/L of total carbohydrate and 5.6 g/L of crude protein. Similarly, fruit hydrolysate media supplemented with nitrogen recorded higher content of total carbohydrate (5.4 g/L) and crude protein (20 g/L); while fruit hydrolysate media supplemented with glucose produced 5.1 g/L and 6.0 g/L of total carbohydrate and crude protein, respectively. Thus, S. cerevisiae produces higher amount of Single Cell Protein by submerged fermentation of pineapple peel hydrolysate (9.8%) as compared to watermelon peel hydrolysate (2.42%). It was also observed that, the combination of the two fruit peels produces higher SCP than watermelon but lower than pineapple fruit peels. However, supplementation with nutrients (Glucose and Ammonium sulphate) at 2% (w/v) greatly increased SCP production in all the fruit combinations. This suggest that microbial growth support capacity of fruit peels can best be improved by addition of nutrient supplements rather than combining different fruit peels. The findings in this study indicated that pineapple peels could serve as a good substrate for SCP production which is strongly influenced by glucose and ammonium sulphate supplementations.Keywords: Yeast, Single Cell Protein, Watermelon, Pineapple, Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Activation of stress-activated protein kinase in osteoarthritic cartilage: evidence for nitric oxide dependence

AbstractObjective We have demonstrated in bovine chondrocytes that nitric oxide (NO) mediates IL1 dependent apoptosis under conditions of oxidant stress. This process is accompanied by activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK; also called stress-activated protein kinase). In these studies we examined activation of JNK in explant cultures of human osteoarthritic cartilage obtained at joint replacement surgery and we characterized the role of peroxynitrite to act as an upstream trigger.Design A novel technique to isolate chondrocyte proteins (<10% of total cartilage protein) from cartilage specimens was developed. It was used to analyse JNK activation by a western blot technique. To examine the hypothesis that chondrocyte JNK activation is a result of increased peroxynitrite, in vitro experiments were performed in which cultured chondrocytes were incubated with this oxidant.Results Activated JNK was detected in the cytoplasm of osteoarthritis (OA) affected chondrocytes but not in that of controls. In vitro, chondrocytes produce NO and superoxide anion. IL-1 (48h), which induces nitric oxide synthase, resulted in an activation of JNK; this effect was reversed by N-monomethylarginine (NMA). TNFα treated chondrocytes at 48h produce superoxide anion (EPR method). Exposure of cells to peroxynitrite led to an accumulation of intracellular oxidants, in association with JNK activation and cell death by apoptosis.Conclusion We suggest that JNK activation is among the IL-1 elicited responses that injure articular chondrocytes and this activation of JNK is dependent on intracellular oxidant formation (including NO peroxynitrite). In addition, the extraction technique here described is a novel method that permits the quantitation and study of proteins such as JNK involved in the signaling pathways of chondrocytes within osteoarthritic cartilage

Observation of a kilogram-scale oscillator near its quantum ground state

We introduce a novel cooling technique capable of approaching the quantum ground state of a kilogram-scale system-an interferometric gravitational wave detector. The detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) operate within a factor of 10 of the standard quantum limit (SQL), providing a displacement sensitivity of 10−18 m in a 100 Hz band centered on 150 Hz. With a new feedback strategy, we dynamically shift the resonant frequency of a 2.7 kg pendulum mode to lie within this optimal band, where its effective temperature falls as low as 1.4 μK, and its occupation number reaches about 200 quanta. This work shows how the exquisite sensitivity necessary to detect gravitational waves can be made available to probe the validity of quantum mechanics on an enormous mass scale

Providers' mediating role for medication adherence among cancer survivors

Background We conducted a mediation analysis of the provider team's role in changes to chronic condition medication adherence among cancer survivors. Methods We used a retrospective, longitudinal cohort design following Medicare beneficiaries from 18-months before through 24-months following cancer diagnosis. We included beneficiaries aged ≥66 years newly diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung or prostate cancer and using medication for non-insulin anti-diabetics, statins, and/or anti-hypertensives and similar individuals without cancer from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data, 2008-2014. Chronic condition medication adherence was defined as a proportion of days covered ≥ 80%. Provider team structure was measured using two factors capturing the number of providers seen and the historical amount of patient sharing among providers. Linear regressions relying on within-survivor variation were run separately for each cancer site, chronic condition, and follow-up period. Results The number of providers and patient sharing among providers increased after cancer diagnosis relative to the non-cancer control group. Changes in provider team complexity explained only small changes in medication adherence. Provider team effects were statistically insignificant in 13 of 17 analytic samples with significant changes in adherence. Statistically significant provider team effects were small in magnitude (<0.5 percentage points). Conclusions Increased complexity in the provider team associated with cancer diagnosis did not lead to meaningful reductions in medication adherence. Interventions aimed at improving chronic condition medication adherence should be targeted based on the type of cancer and chronic condition and focus on other provider, systemic, or patient factors

Changes in chronic medication adherence, costs, and health care use after a cancer diagnosis among low-income patients and the role of patient-centered medical homes

Background: Approximately 40% of patients with cancer also have another chronic medical condition. Patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) have improved outcomes among patients with multiple chronic comorbidities. The authors first evaluated the impact of a cancer diagnosis on chronic medication adherence among patients with Medicaid coverage and, second, whether PCMHs influenced outcomes among patients with cancer. Methods: Using linked 2004 to 2010 North Carolina cancer registry and claims data, the authors included Medicaid enrollees who were diagnosed with breast, colorectal, or lung cancer who had hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and/or diabetes mellitus. Using difference-in-difference methods, the authors examined adherence to chronic disease medications as measured by the change in the percentage of days covered over time among patients with and without cancer. The authors then further evaluated whether PCMH enrollment modified the observed differences between those patients with and without cancer using a differences-in-differences-in-differences approach. The authors examined changes in health care expenditures and use as secondary outcomes. Results: Patients newly diagnosed with cancer who had hyperlipidemia experienced a 7-percentage point to 11-percentage point decrease in the percentage of days covered compared with patients without cancer. Patients with cancer also experienced significant increases in medical expenditures and hospitalizations compared with noncancer controls. Changes in medication adherence over time between patients with and without cancer were not determined to be statistically significantly different by PCMH status. Some PCMH patients with cancer experienced smaller increases in expenditures (diabetes) and emergency department use (hyperlipidemia) but larger increases in their inpatient hospitalization rates (hypertension) compared with non-PCMH patients with cancer relative to patients without cancer. Conclusions: PCMHs were not found to be associated with improvements in chronic disease medication adherence, but were associated with lower costs and emergency department visits among some low-income patients with cancer

Urban agriculture, civil interfaces and moving beyond difference: the experiences of plot holders in Dublin and Belfast

Recent literature suggests that a “shared politics of place” attained through joint activities fosters social integration and provides people with a means to practise co-operation [Baumann, G., 1996. Contesting culture: discourses of identity in multi-ethnic London. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; Sanjek, R., 1998. The future of us all: race & neighbourhood policies in New York City. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press; Sennett, R., 2012. Together: the rituals, pleasures and politics of cooperation. UK: Penguin]. Such a “shared politics of place” is most likely to occur in the context of public space conceptualised broadly as “the setting for everyday spatial behaviour of individuals and communities, emphasizing ordinary activities of citizens” [Lownsbrough, H. and Beunderman, J., 2007. Equally spaced? Public space and interaction between diverse communities. London: Demos, p. 8]. Here we explore one element of such public space – urban agriculture sites – with a view to identifying the extent to which a “shared politics of place” can be created and nurtured among the cultivating citizenry. The paper draws on data collected on allotment gardening sites in two urban contexts: Dublin (Ireland) and Belfast (Northern Ireland) over the period 2009–2013. We demonstrate the centrality of allotment cultivation to the generation of solidarity, mutuality and trust among participating citizens. Individuals engaging in allotment gardening in both Dublin and Belfast create and sustain civil interfaces – dismantling barriers, exchanging knowledge, challenging stereotypes, generating empathy and getting on with the business of simply getting on with their lives. The modus operandi of allotment gardening is predicated on a willingness to disregard social and ethno-national categorisations while on site. This is not to deny that such differences exist and persist, but allotments offer a “space of potential” where those differences are, at least for a time, rendered less salient

Detector Description and Performance for the First Coincidence Observations between LIGO and GEO

For 17 days in August and September 2002, the LIGO and GEO interferometer gravitational wave detectors were operated in coincidence to produce their first data for scientific analysis. Although the detectors were still far from their design sensitivity levels, the data can be used to place better upper limits on the flux of gravitational waves incident on the earth than previous direct measurements. This paper describes the instruments and the data in some detail, as a companion to analysis papers based on the first data.Comment: 41 pages, 9 figures 17 Sept 03: author list amended, minor editorial change

Erratum: Search for gravitational waves from binary black hole inspiral, merger, and ringdown (Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 2011; 83(12):122005-1-122005-20)

This paper was published online on 6 June 2011 with an omission in the Collaboration author list. S. Dwyer has been added as of 12 April 2012. The Collaboration author list is incorrect in the printed version of the journal.J. Abadie... D. J. Hosken... J. Munch... D. J. Ottaway... P. J. Veitch...et al. (LIGO Scientific Collaboration, VIRGO Collaboration

Erratum: All-sky search for gravitational-wave bursts in the first joint LIGO-GEO-Virgo run (Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology - 2010: 81(10) 102001-1-102001-20)

This paper was published online on 5 May 2010 with an omission in the Collaboration author list. S. Dwyer has been added as of 12 April 2012. The Collaboration author list is incorrect in the printed version of the journalJ. Abadie... D. J. Hosken... J. Munch... D. J. Ottaway... P. J. Veitch...et al. (LIGO Scientific Collaboration, VIRGO Collaboration