Suchergebnisse

Context To assess the real impact of human-made structures on bird and bat communities, a significant number of carcass-removal trials has been performed worldwide in recent decades. Recently, researchers have started to use camera traps to record carcasses exact removal time and better understand the factors that influence this event. Aims In our study, we endeavoured to identify the factors that significantly affect carcass-persistence time, such as (1) season, (2) scavenger guild, (3) type of carcass, (4) habitat and (5) weather conditions. Additionally, we aimed to assess the performance of camera-trapping technology in comparison to the conventional method typically used in carcass-removal trials. Methods We conducted two trials in two wind farms during early spring and during summer season. In each trial, we used 30 bird carcasses and 30 mice carcasses as surrogates for bats. Digital infrared camera traps were used to monitor each carcass. Chi-squared test was used to investigate differences between wind farms regarding the scavenger guild. A log-rank test was used to compare carcass-persistence times for both wind farms. Carcass-persistence times were analysed using both non-parametric and parametric survival models. Finally, we evaluated the percentage of carcasses removed during the day time and night time. Key results In our study area, carcass-persistence times were influenced by the scavenger guild present and by the exposure to rain. Camera traps allowed to record the exact removal time for the majority of the carcasses, reducing the number of visits to the study site about five times. However, there were also cases wherein loss of data occurred as a result of equipment flaws or camera theft. Conclusions Results demonstrated the importance of undertaking site-specific carcass-removal trials. Use of camera-trap methodology is a valid option, reducing displacement costs. Costs related to equipment purchase and the risk of camera theft should be taken into consideration. Implications When choosing camera-trapping, the main aspect to evaluate is the balance between the investment in equipment purchase and the cost savings through reduced displacement costs. Further studies are required concerning the real effects of the data collected on the accuracy of carcass-removal correction factor obtained.

Objective: This national survey was aimed at measuring the access to cardiovascular disease (CVD) medicines in terms of their availability, price, and affordability in Pakistan. This was done by using the standard WHO/Health Action International (HAI) methodology. Methods: The price and availability data for 18 CVD medicines were collected from public sector hospitals (n = 40) and private sector retail pharmacies (n = 40) in eight cities of Pakistan. The outcome measures were availability (calculated as percentage of health facilities stocked with listed medicines), medicine price to the international reference price ratio (i.e., median price ratio (MPR)), and affordability (calculated as number of days' wages (NDWs) of the lowest paid unskilled government worker required to afford one-month treatment of a chronic disease). The affordability of standard treatment in Pakistan with four CVD drugs was compared with data from six other low and middle income countries (LMICs) using HAI database. Findings: The mean percent availability of CVD medicines was significantly low (p < 0.001) in the public sector as compared to the private sector, that is, 25.5% vs. 54.6% for originator brands (OBs) and 30.4% vs. 34.9% for lowest price generics (LPGs), respectively. For all OBs and LPGs, the inflation-adjusted mean MPR was 2.72 and 1, respectively. CVD medicines were found to be unaffordable with average NDWs of 6.4 and 2.2 for OBs and LPGs, respectively, that is, NDWs of more than 1. In international comparison with countries such as Sudan, Lebanon, Egypt, India, Afghanistan, and China, the affordability of standard treatment with selected CVD medicines (atenolol, amlodipine, captopril, and simvastatin) in Pakistan was found to be low. Overall, all four OBs and three out of four LPGs of selected CVD drugs were found unaffordable in Pakistan. Conclusion: This data indicated that the availability of selected CVD medicines was low in both public and private sector medicine outlets. Both OBs and LPGs were found unaffordable ...

Ideas related to the systematization of educational technologies are of great interest. This is due, among other things, to the principles of symmetry. On the basis of their application, the synthesis of well-established facts and principles in international education will be realized. Practical needs that are directed towards the future will also be realized. This paper is devoted to the study and creation of a methodology that makes it possible to evaluate the resource efficiency of an interethnic digital platform. The developed methodology of resource allocation for the promotion of digital educational programs is unified and can be applied in any region or country. Considering the specific legislative acts on the financial support of higher education and the need for professionals in certain areas, this method allows you to give a qualitative assessment and determine the necessary resources for the development and promotion of an interethnic digital educational platform, identifying the most appropriate areas of education depending on the region or country.

As a number of support programmes for competence improvement are provided to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Korea, it is recommended that these enterprises collaborate with each other. However, without information about other enterprises in the industry that they belong to or are planning to enter, many SMEs f ind it diff icult to look for partners that they can collaborate with. This article focuses on extracting a list of enterprises in a supply chain of a specif ic industry through a business information database and a Korean trademark rights database. Also, it focuses on suggesting a methodology that would show a list of actual deals made between enterprises found through a business deal database. Through these, it becomes possible for SMEs to have knowledge about other enterprises and their previous deals in a supply chain or a system of a specif ic industry. SMEs will thus be able to build a suitable business plan based on such information. Moreover, this article will be helpful for policymakers as it will help them understand the system and characteristics of the industry and come up with a suitable programme for the industry that can support SMEs.

Single factor combined with response surface methodology was used to optimise the process parameters of tea saponin extraction from Camellia oleifera. Four factors including material-liquid ratio, extraction temperature, extraction time, and ethanol concentration were selected as the influencing factors on the basis of single factor. The extraction rate of tea saponin was used as the response factor to analyse the response of these four factors and three levels. Results showed that extraction temperature of 81.69°C, material-liquid ratio of 1:11.85 g/mL, time of 6.17 h, and ethanol concentration of 56.69% were the best extraction conditions. The estimated yield of extraction was 7.46%. Analysis of the tea saponin samples by using high performance liquid chromatography showed that the main peak time was 6.668 min, and the absorption peaks and peaks were symmetric.

Public universities face the challenge of retrofitting the actual campus buildings into nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB). In this study, a novel methodology for evaluating historical energy use and renewable energy production for all the buildings of a university, including hourly, daily and monthly data assessments is presented. This analysis is useful as a baseline for comparisons with future energy retrofits and enables determining the current gap between actual energy indicators at building and campus levels and the established limits for NZEB non-residential buildings in the European Union. The methodology is applied to a case study at the University of Lleida, a typical average-size university in Spain. Results show a wide variation in energy use among campus buildings, ranging between 50 and 470 kWh/m2 year. Constant or slightly increasing energy use and decreasing trends in renewable energy generation are observed. The daily electricity profiles have shown similar patterns among buildings and substantial potential energy savings during unoccupied periods. In the NZEB analysis, the average non-renewable primary energy use is about 4 times higher than the maximum estimated Spanish threshold range of 45-55 kWh/m2 year. Deep energy renovation strategies are, thus, needed for universities to meet EU NZEB targets. ; The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. PIRSES-GA-2013-610692 (INNOSTORAGE).