Suchergebnisse

The South Carolina Arts Commission awards grants to not-for-profit organizations, government agencies and schools in support of arts projects and programs that are generally not self-supporting. This book describes the programs and gives guidelines for applying for the various grants.

Explaining strategies of political action committee (PAC) contributions to candidates takes two forms. Scholars emphasize either PAC or candidate characteristics as having more explanatory power over variation in PAC contributions, and this choice results in different expectations for PAC contribution patterns. Using California fruit, nut, and wine PACs, this research revisits a much-debated question: Why do PACs give to some candidates and not others? The findings indicate a mediated model best explains PAC contributions, as these PACs contribute money according to legislator characteristics but predominantly within the state of California. Adapted from the source document.

Explaining strategies of political action committee (PAC) contributions to candidates takes two forms. Scholars emphasize either PAC or candidate characteristics as having more explanatory power over variation in PAC contributions, and this choice results in different expectations for PAC contribution patterns. Using California fruit, nut, and wine PACs, this research revisits a much-debated question: Why do PACs give to some candidates and not others? The findings indicate a mediated model best explains PAC contributions, as these PACs contribute money according to legislator characteristics but predominantly within the state of California.

The European Union created a European Green Deal Program (EGDP). This program aims at a sustainable economy through the transformation of the challenges related to climate and the environment. The main goal of EGDP is climate neutrality by 2050. The increase of alternative biomass residues utilization from various food processing industries and cooperation in the energy and waste management sector is required to meet these expectations. Nut shells are one of the lesser-known, yet promising, materials that can be used as an alternative fuel or a pre-treated product to further applications. However, from a thermal conversion point of view, it is important to know the energy properties and kinetic parameters of the considered biowaste. In this study, the energy and kinetic parameters of walnut, hazelnut, peanut, and pistachio shells were investigated. The results showed that raw nut shells are characterized by useful properties such as higher heating value (HHV) at 17.8–19.7 MJ∙kg−1 and moisture content of 4.32–9.56%. After the thermal treatment of nut shells (torrefaction, pyrolysis), the HHV significantly increased up to ca. 30 MJ∙kg−1. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) applying three different heating rates (β; 5, 10, and 20 °C∙min−1) was performed. The kinetic parameters were determined using the isothermal model-fitting method developed by Coats–Redfern. The activation energy (Ea) estimated for β = 5 °C∙min−1, was, e.g., 60.3 kJ∙mol−1∙K−1 for walnut, 59.3 kJ∙mol−1∙K−1 for hazelnut, 53.4 kJ∙mol−1∙K−1 for peanut, and 103.8 kJ∙mol−1∙K−1 for pistachio, respectively. Moreover, the increase in the Ea of nut shells was observed with increasing the β. In addition, significant differences in the kinetic parameters of the biomass residues from the same waste group were observed. Thus, characterization of specific nut shell residues is recommended for improved modeling of thermal processes and designing of bioreactors for thermal waste treatment.

Innovation constitutes an important factor for growth in all EU countries. Regions of the EU play a principle role in shaping new innovation trajectories and in bringing out the hidden potential for national growth. However, it is not only the level of innovation that diversifies regions, but also the innovative potential and the level of its realization. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to assess the realization of innovative potential, defined as effectiveness, in EU NUTS 0 and, if possible, NUTS 2 regions. To accomplish this goal a relative effectiveness method in used. The DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) makes it possible to analyse the relative technical effectiveness based on regional inputs and outputs, without incorporating the legal and technological specifications of innovations, thus treating it like a production process. The inputs of the process are employment in technology and knowledge-intensive sectors and R&D expenditure, while the outputs include the number of patents and GDP. All variables are standardized by the size of the economically active population. DEA results divide regions in to two groups – effective, being the leaders; and ineffective, or followers. The DEA approach was combined and extended by ESDA (Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis) in order to pinpoint spatial patterns of innovation efficiency across NUTS 2 regions. Defining the best practices and implementing the learning-from-the-best policy is important in the process of regional development and specialization.