Studies on Solar Thermal Hydrogen Production-A Review

Climate change increasing environmental acts are placing the force of pressure on the energy sector to divest from fossil fuels, with the transportation sector expected to be the most affected. Electric vehicles and hydrogen are two current alternative energy sources. Conventional hydrogen production processes are reliant on fossil fuels and emit considerable amounts of CO2. To manufacture non pollute hydrogen in the world, this article investigates several strategies to combine geothermal mechanics into H2 manufacturing. Because of its enormous solar resources, Africa has the largest participant in the H2 market. Thermal hydrogen, on the other hand, is at a pricing disadvantage to traditional production technologies due to the high expenses involved with solar energy. Solar hydrogen is not likely to reach significant market penetration in the next 10 years, but price reductions owing to improved production technologies and bigger manufacturing quantities may decrease the delay in the long run

Enablers for Competitiveness of Indian Manufacturing Sector: An ISM-Fuzzy MICMAC Analysis

AbstractNow a days global competitive scenario plays a critical role in success of Indian manufacturing sector. The present study argues that innovation can play a very important role in providing this competitiveness of Indian manufacturing sector. The study identifies 11 enablers for promotion of innovation in the Indian manufacturing sector. Based on the rigorous literature review 11 major innovation enablers (IEs) are obtained. The Delphi technique is applied as a potentially valuable tool for the grouping these enablers. The study, analyse the impact of innovation enablers (IEs) to enhance the manufacturing competitiveness and categories into three phases firstly, identification of innovation enablers, secondly, qualitative analysis of enablers and final quantitative analysis of the innovation enablers. The research theme has been categories into three segments, i.e. identifying the enablers from the literature, conduct interviews with directors of different departments and analysis of the manufacturing industries. The study involves 100 manufacturing companies across India and the data is gathered using a 5-point Likert scale. Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) has been used to analyse the relationships among these enablers as well as fuzzy MICMAC (Matriced’ Impacts Croise's Multiplication Appliquée a UN Classement) analysis used to find out driving and the dependence power of enablers. To identify the driving and the dependence power of various IEs the final outcomes of ISM are used as input to the fuzzy MICMAC analysis. This analysis serves to identify which (IEs) is performing as the most leading one to raise the competitiveness of manufacturing industries. This study plays a vital role to enhance the competitiveness of manufacturing industries in India

Designing case studies from secondary sources – A conceptual framework

Liberalization and globalization has risen the opportunity to third-world nations for the development of industry and educational standards. This paradigm inspires us to suggest a conceptual model for writing case studies and encourage faculty and instructors likely to apply the case learning method in management programs. This paper has been prepared from the viewpoint of faculty and researchers, and it has developed a conceptual framework for case writing. The framework for writing Type II Case Studies would be greatly helpful to faculty, doctoral scholars, and research consultants while teaching management theories effectively in a lecture theater. Exclusively, the authors suggest a case structure and a list of reputed case publishing journals. The conceptual study is written from the perspective of management studies, and the same may apply for possible results in other areas, like engineering, medical, political science, etc., with requisite modifications. Faculty, senior researchers, and budding scholars may apply the suggested conceptual framework while designing case studies from secondary sources. It will also help them in publishing literary work. This is an original attempt to develop a conceptual framework for writing Type II Case Studies from the availability of authenticated secondary sources

Implantable micromechanical parylene-based pressure sensors for unpowered intraocular pressure sensing

This paper presents the first implantable, unpowered, parylene-based microelectromechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensor for intraocular pressure (IOP) sensing. From in situ mechanical deformation of the compliant spiral-tube structures, this sensor registers pressure variations without electrical or powered signal transduction of any kind. Micromachined high-aspect-ratio polymeric hollow tubes with different geometric layouts are implemented to obtain high-sensitivity pressure responses. An integrated device packaging method has been developed toward enabling minimally invasive suture-less needle-based implantation of the device. Both in vitro and ex vivo device characterizations have successfully demonstrated mmHg resolution of the pressure responses. In vivo animal experiments have also been conducted to verify the biocompatibility and functionality of the implant fixation method inside the eye. Using the proposed implantation scheme, the pressure response of the implant can be directly observed from outside the eye under visible light, with the goal of realizing convenient, direct and faithful IOP monitoring in glaucoma patients

Evaluation of non-invasive ventilation compliance in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or obesity hypoventilation syndrome patients: an observational study

Background: Recent times have seen the rise in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome/obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OSAS/OHS) patients across the globe. Availability of sleep study centers, questionnaires, and more awareness have made the diagnosis of OSAS/OHS early. But still, the majority of patients suffer from morbidity associated with OSAS/OHS despite the better diagnosis, the most common cause being non-adherence to (CPAP). This needs to be addressed more vigilantly and with utmost importance for successful management of OSAS/OHS.Methods: This is an observational study, we selected patients by reviewing sleep study records at a tertiary care center (Rohilkhand medical college and hospital) in Bareilly, India. All diagnosed patients with OSAS/OHS (i.e. AHI >5) were telephoned and enquired about symptoms and non-invasive ventilation (NIV) use. They were evaluated using a self-designed questionnaire.Results: In our study, we had total of 49 OSAS/OHS patients with mean age of 50.6 years and mean BMI of 35.63. Male patients were 37 (75.5%) and at the time of diagnosis AHI (mean) was 60.67 events/hour. In NIV users there were 24 patients (48.97%), 22 patients (91.7%) feel they have been benefitted from CPAP and 2 patients (8.3%) do not feel benefit from CPAP (NIV) use. Among NIV users there was significant drop of AHI (mean) to 8.07. Among NIV users there was a reduction in symptoms like excessive day time sleepiness in 18 patients (81.81%), witnessed apnea in 15 patients (88.23%), snoring in 21 patients (91.30%), blood pressure in 3 patients (21.42%), blood sugar levels in 2 patients (20%), morning headache in 5 patients (83.30%), depressive mood in 2 patients (40%), perceived memory loss in 3 patients (33.3%), sense of choking in 17 patients (94.4%) and weight loss in 19 patients (76%).Conclusions: CPAP significantly improves symptoms and provides objective as well as subjective benefit to OSAS/OHS patients but still significant proportion of patients hesitate to initiate the therapy. Poor education/awareness regarding OSAS/OHS and non-availability of affordable CPAP remains the leading cause of non-compliance. There is a need for early education, reinforcement and affordable CPAP therapy

Correlation of clinical examination, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy as diagnostic tools in shoulder pathology

Background: Shoulder pathologies can cause significant pain, discomfort, and affect the activity of daily living. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of clinical examination, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with shoulder arthroscopy in diagnosing various shoulder pathologies, considering shoulder arthroscopy as the gold standard tool.Methods: This was a prospective, comparative study conducted over 35 patients, between 18-75 years of age presenting with chronic shoulder pain or instability of more than 2 months duration. All patients were examined clinically, followed by high resolution ultrasound, MRI, arthroscopy of the affected shoulder.Results: The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography (USG) for diagnosing full thickness tear was 100% each and for MRI was 88% and 100% respectively. For subacromial impingement USG had sensitivity of 66.67%, specificity of 94.12%, positive predictive value of 50% and negative predictive value of 88.89%. For rotator cuff tear USG had sensitivity of 92.86%, specificity of 50%, positive predictive value of 81.25% and negative predictive value of 75% considering shoulder arthroscopy as gold standard.Conclusions: USG and MRI both are sensitive techniques for diagnosing of rotator cuff pathologies. USG has high accuracy in diagnosing partial thickness tears as compare to MRI. MRI proved to be superior in estimation of site and extent of tear. Considering shoulder arthroscopy as gold standard, it can be reserved for patients with suspicious of USG/MRI findings or those who may need surgical intervention simultaneously

Choosing Glucose-lowering Therapy: A Collaborative Choice Model

Diabetes care is challenging, and the increasing number of available therapeutic options has made it even more complex. Moreover, with an increasing prevalence across the world, it needs to be managed right from the primary care level to a quaternary care hospital. This calls for an easy-to-use algorithm that can be used by a general practitioner, who is often the first contact of a patient to manage diabetes in many countries. There are multiple models to assist in choice of pharmacotherapy, and these have evolved over time. We propose a user-friendly collaborative choice, as an aid to clinical decision-making. This alliterative framework supplements and strengthens existing guidance, by creating a comprehensive, yet simple, thought process for the diabetes care professional

Share repurchases, signalling effect and implications for corporate governance: Evidence from India

It is worth mentioning that a great deal of financial liberalization, privatization and internationalization policies in emerging economies have significantly increased the corporate restructuring activities like mergers, acquisitions, share repurchases, and stock splits, among others. Indeed, the activity that is investigated in this paper is ‘share repurchases’ and its effect on stock returns and price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. More deeply, this paper will answer the research question–does a share repurchase offer abnormal returns around the announcement? Thus, it is performed in one of the Asian emerging markets–India. To do so, we use event-study method to examine abnormal returns and P/E signaling around the announcement of 64 share repurchases, announced during 2008-2009. It is found that stock performance does not adequate, and notices lower as well as negative earnings during post-buyback period. Briefly, we conclude that share repurchases assure short-term returns, and observe lower P/E compared to pre-buyback period. In addition, we show some interesting results that derived from industrial and services sectors. The outcome of this paper would help financial analysts, financial advisors, corporate enterprises and regulatory bodies in designing policies on earnings distribution, managerial incentives, takeovers, and so forth of regulatory aspects

Share repurchases, signaling effect and implications for corporate governance: Evidence from India

It is worth mentioning that a great deal of financial liberalization, privatization and internationalization policies in emerging economies have significantly increased the corporate restructuring activities like mergers, acquisitions, share repurchases, and stock splits, among others. Indeed, the activity that is investigated in this paper is ‘share repurchases’ and its effect on stock returns and price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. More deeply, this paper will answer the research question–does a share repurchase offer abnormal returns around the announcement? Thus, it is performed in one of the Asian emerging markets–India. To do so, we use event-study method to examine abnormal returns and P/E signaling around the announcement of 64 share repurchases, announced during 2008-2009. It is found that stock performance does not adequate, and notices lower as well as negative earnings during post-buyback period. Briefly, we conclude that share repurchases assure short-term returns, and observe lower P/E compared to pre-buyback period. In addition, we show some interesting results that derived from industrial and services sectors. The outcome of this paper would help financial analysts, financial advisors, corporate enterprises and regulatory bodies in designing policies on earnings distribution, managerial incentives, takeovers, and so forth of regulatory aspects