Economic Analysis of an Iranian Water Development: The Sefeed Rood Project

This thesis is an evaluation of the methods and assumptions employed by those groups responsible for preparation of the original benefit/cost data describing the Sefeed Rood project. Benefit/cost ratios reported by the French engineering firm, Cotha Sogreah, and Plan Organization in a joint study range from 2:1 to 2.6:1 (6 and 10). A priori these seem suspect since the dam plus necessary canals and diversion works are obviously large and costly and only primary benefits are considered. The question is whether the potential benefits are likely to ever yield a positive return on investment and, if so, how long a pay-off period will be required

Sustainability Study of a New Solid-State Aluminum Chips Recycling Process: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach

Nowadays, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in all human activities has become crucial. This article presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) investigation conducted to evaluate the environmental benefits of a newly developed solid-state recycling process for aluminum chips, involving two steps: direct rolling and accumulative roll bonding. A comparison was made between this process and two current industrial methods of recycling aluminum scraps to obtain wrought products, which involve melting, casting, and subsequent rolling. The LCA analysis considered a scenario where 50% of the total electric requirement was met by photovoltaic energy. The results of the study indicate that in all examined impact categories, direct rolling has a lower environmental footprint compared to both traditional recycling and twin-roll cast technology. These results suggest that this new solid-state recycling procedure has significant potential to replace environmentally harmful melting processes

Prediction Models of the final properties of steel rods obtained by thermomechanical rolling process

The objective of this research project was the setting up of a numerical model able to predict the microstructureof rod rolled products which, taking into account the rolling schedule and cooling, is able to provide themechanical and microstructural final characteristics. The model was developed starting from the theoreticalknowledge proposed by many researchers who have dealt with these issues, and the experience gained in thedesign of rolling systems by Siemens-VAI. In order to allow the maximum working flexibility to the final user, theprediction model requires to fill in the thermomechanical conditions for rod rolling (preheating temperature,reduction pass, rolling temperatures, interpass time, strain rate and cooling profile); a database of more than150 steel types was developed, containing CCT curves and the mechanical properties relative to the coolingrates. The tool provides the CCT curves, suitably modified to take into account the microstructure of the rolled,superimposed with the cooling trajectory set up by the operator, as well as mechanical and microstructural dataof interest for that particular class of steel. The Model was validated by direct comparison with the properties ofrod rolled products under controlled conditions, obtaining an excellent prediction capabilit

Estrogen deficiency – a central paradigm in age-related impaired healing?

Wound healing is a dynamic biological process achieved through four sequential, overlapping phases; hemostasis, inflammation, tissue proliferation and remodeling. For effective wound healing, all four phases must occur in the appropriate order and time frame. It is well accepted that the wound healing process becomes disrupted in the elderly, increasing the propensity of non-healing wound states that can lead to substantial patient morbidity and an enormous financial burden on healthcare systems. Estrogen deprivation in the elderly has been identified as the key driver of age-related delayed wound healing in both genders, with topical and systemic estrogen replacement reversing the detrimental effects of aging on wound repair. Evidence suggests estrogen deprivation may contribute to the development of chronic wound healing states in the elderly but research in this area is somewhat limited, warranting further investigations. Moreover, although the beneficial effects of estrogen on cutaneous healing have been widely explored, the development of estrogen-based treatments to enhance wound repair in the elderly have yet to be widely exploited. This review explores the critical role of estrogen in reversing age-related impaired healing and evaluates the prospect of developing more focused novel therapeutic strategies that enhance wound repair in the elderly via activation of specific estrogen signaling pathways in regenerating tissues, whilst leaving non-target tissues largely unaffected

Estimation of efficiency of the use of financial resources on enterprises

Стаття присвячена дослідженню теоретичних та практичних питань аналітичного забезпечення управління використанням фінансових ресурсів підприємств. Запропоновані комплексні показники оцінки даного процесуThe article is devoted to research of theoretical and practical questions of the analytical providing of management the use of financial resources of enterprises. The complex indexes of estimation of this process are offere

Author Correction: Antimicrobial activity of Ti-ZrN/Ag coatings for use in biomaterial applications.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper

Characterizing Nature and Participant Experience in Studies of Nature Exposure for Positive Mental Health: An Integrative Review

A growing number of studies demonstrate significant associations between nature experiences and positive mental health outcomes (e.g., improved mood, decreased stress). However, implementation of this research by practitioners in fields such as urban design or public health has been limited. One reason for this is that it remains unclear what elements of nature and types of participant experience are consistently associated with mental health benefits. As a result, decision-makers who aim to enhance mental health in cities have little guidance about which elements of nature and types of experiences in natural areas may lead to positive mental health outcomes. We reviewed 30 studies with 41 distinct exposures in nature that elicited positive mental health benefits and characterized the elements of nature found at these sites, as well as aspects of participants’ experience. Elements of natural areas considered include: forest, managed grass, and water as dominant land cover types, specific water features (e.g., small ponds, fountains) and built features (e.g., trails, paths). The majority of the studies we reviewed assessed the experiences of individuals (vs. in groups) participating in walks during warmer seasons. Most studies did not describe the “nature of the nature” associated with positive mental health outcomes. We contacted authors and used Google Earth imagery to reconstruct the specific natural elements, landscape typology, and site adjacencies present in past studies. We recommend specific ways researchers could better and more transparently document important elements of nature and participant experience in study design and reporting that will enhance the planning and design relevance of their work