The pass through of oil prices into euro area consumer liquid fuel prices in an environment of high and volatile oil prices

Crude and refined oil prices have been relatively high and volatile on a sustained basis since 1999. This paper considers the pass through of oil prices into consumer liquid (i.e. petrol, diesel and heating) fuel prices in such an environment.The pass through of oil prices into consumer liquid fuel prices has already been addressed extensively in the literature. Nonetheless much of this literature has either focused on the United States or on a time period when oil prices were relatively stable, or has used monthly data. The main contribution of this paper is a comprehensive combination of many features that have been considered before but rarely jointly. These features include: (1) the analysis of the euro area as an aggregate and a large number of countries (the initial 12 member states); (2) the consideration of different time periods; (3) the modelling of the data in raw levels rather than in log levels. This turns out to have important implications for our findings; (4) the use of high frequency (weekly) data, which, as results will suggest, are the lowest frequency one should consider; (5) the investigation of the different stages of the production chain from crude oil prices to retail distribution — refining costs and margins, distribution and retailing costs and margins; (6) the examination of prices including and excluding taxes — excise and value-added; (7) the modelling of prices for three fuel types — passenger car petrol and diesel separately and home heating fuel oil; (8) lastly we also address the issue of possible asymmetries, allowing for the pass through to vary according to (a) whether price are increasing or decreasing and (b) whether price levels are above or below their equilibrium level.The main findings are as follows: First, as distribution and retailing costs and margins have been broadly stable on average, the modelling of the relationship between consumer prices excluding taxes and upstream prices in raw levels rather than in logarithms has important implications for the stability of estimates of pass through when oil price levels rise significantly. Second, considering spot prices for refined prices improves significantly the fit of the estimated models relative to using crude oil prices. It also results in more economically meaningful results concerning the extent of pass through. Third, oil price pass through occurs quickly, with 90% occurring within three to five weeks. Fourth, using a relatively broad specification allowing for asymmetry in the pass through from upstream to downstream prices, there is little evidence of statistically significant asymmetries. Furthermore, even where asymmetry is found to be statistically significant, it is generally not economically significant. Lastly, these results generally hold across most euro area countries with few exceptions.     

The effect of mincing method on the quality of refrigerated whiting burgers

Different mincing methods in the preparation of refrigerated whiting burgers had a significant effect on the products' quality during storage ( P  < 0.05). The burgers containing pre-cooked mince products (PCMP) had the lowest microbial load with longest sensory shelf life (10 days). Oven drying of dry ingredients with subsequent hygienic practices markedly decreased microbial load in final products, from 5.30 to <1.47 log CFU g⁻¹ for PCMP, 5.80–2.45 log CFU g⁻¹ for washed mince products (WMP), 5.65–2.14 log CFU g⁻¹ for unwashed mince products. The lowest trimethylamine and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) were observed with WMP reaching 14.7 and 42.03 mg per 100 g, respectively, at the end of storage. The differences in average surface colours of samples with different preparations and different additives were significant after mincing, but decreased after addition of ingredients, and after cooking. This study indicates the possibility of using pre-cooking as a method for formulated fish mince-based products as it had the highest consumer acceptance as well as longer sensory shelf life despite its higher values of trimethylamine and TVB-N compared with WMP.     

供热系统采用微机控制与调节设备相结合的探讨

热网系统不平衡造成“近热远冷”;采用SNI城市热网控制系统后一次网的自动控制;采用自力式流量控制阀以后二次网的调节,从而保证整个系统的正常运行。     

Experimental investigation of phenolic wastewater treatment using combined activated carbon and UV processes

Experimental investigation shows that UV/hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) oxidation of a more concentrated phenolic wastewater can lead to economical savings. The savings can be achieved by the lower amount of H₂O₂ required and time needed to treat the wastewater. Phenolic wastewater can be concentrated by treating the bulk wastewater with activated carbon. The concentrated wastewater that is generated from activated carbon regeneration (assumed to be fully regenerated by steam) can then be treated with UV/H₂O₂. Experimental results show that H₂O₂ concentration goes through an optimum value where adding any more H₂O₂ will result in less effective removal of contaminants. Conductivity of treated wastewater increases sharply then drops down. This could be attributed to the presence of high molecular compounds, inorganic acids, and OH radicals.     

Decreasing formaldehyde emission from medium density fiberboard panels produced by adding different amine compounds to urea formaldehyde resin

In this study, medium density fiberboard panels were produced by adding different ratios of some amine compounds to urea formaldehyde resin, which had 1:1.17 mol ratios. The formaldehyde contents, physical, and mechanical properties of medium density fiberboard panels were determined according to EN standard methods.In this study, it was determined that the formaldehyde emission emitted from medium density fiberboard panels decreased by adding urea, propylamine, methylamine, ethylamine, and cyclopentylamine solution. It was found that the water absorption and thickness swelling values increased slightly; however, the internal bond strength, modulus of rupture, and modulus of elasticity of medium density fiberboard panels also increased substantially, but these properties of medium density fiberboard panels decreased by adding higher ratios of urea solution. It was found that the formaldehyde emission of medium density fiberboard panels decreased 16.5% by using a 16% rate of urea formaldehyde resin and 0.8% rate of urea and ethylamine solution. These decreases were determined as 57% for cyclopentylamine solution addition, 41% for propylamine solution addition, and 48% for methylamine solution addition.     

Isolation and characterisation of six novel mycobacteriophages and investigation of their antimicrobial potential in milk

Using Mycobacterium smegmatis as a rapidly growing host, six mycobacteriophages were isolated from a variety of environmental sources and characterised by restriction endonuclease digestion. All six phages had long, non-contractile tails and isometric heads characteristic of Siphoviridae and were relatively heat-stable up to 72 °C and generally retained infectivity at pH4–pH10 for 60 min. Each individual phage, when tested against M. smegmatis in both growth media and reconstituted milk, typically reduced host numbers by up to 7 logs. When all 6 phages were combined as a cocktail in milk, a strong bactericidal effect on M. smegmatis was observed over 96 h, evidenced by a 9-log reduction in host cell numbers. These results achieved against M. smegmatis, indicate that mycophages may have a potential application as anti-mycobacterial agents when used against more virulent pathogens such as Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, which has been detected in both raw and pasteurised milk.     

Lactic Acid Bacteria as a Cell Factory for the Delivery of Functional Biomolecules and Ingredients in Cereal-Based Beverages: A Review

In this review, we aim to describe the mechanisms by which LAB can fulfil the novel role of efficient cell factory for the production of functional biomolecules and food ingredients to enhance the quality of cereal-based beverages. LAB fermentation is a safe, economical, and traditional method of food preservation foremost, as well as having the additional benefits of flavor, texture, and nutrition amelioration. Additionally, LAB fermentation in known to render cereal-based foods and beverages safe, in a chemical-free, consumer-friendly manner, from an antinutrient and toxigenic perspective.

Huge market opportunities and potential exist for food manufacturers who can provide the ideal functional beverage fulfilling consumer needs. Newly developed fermented cereal-based beverages must address markets globally including, high-nutrition markets (developing countries), lifestyle choice consumers (vegetarian, vegan, low-fat, low-salt, low-calorie), food-related non-communicable disease sufferers (cardiovascular disease, diabetes), and green label consumers (Western countries). To fulfil these recommendations, a suitable LAB starter culture and cereal-based raw materials must be developed. These strains would be suitable for the biopreservation of cereal beverages and, ideally, would be highly antifungal, anti-mycotoxigenic, mycotoxin-binding and proteolytic (neutralize toxic peptides and release flavor-contributing amino acids) with an ability to ferment cereals, whilst synthesizing oligosaccharides, thus presenting a major opportunity for the development of safe cereal-based prebiotic functional beverages to compete with and replace the existing dairy versions.     

Effects of hydrophobicity of the cathode catalyst layer on the performance of a PEM fuel cell

The effects of hydrophobicity of the cathode catalyst layer on the performance of a PEM fuel cell are studied. The surface contact angle is measured to understand the changes of the hydrophobicity of the cathode catalyst layer upon the addition of hydrophobic dimethyl silicone oil (DSO). The results show that the contact angle increases with the DSO loadings in the cathode catalyst layer ranging from 0 to 0.65 mg/cm². The subsequent electrochemical measurements of the fuel cells with various cathodes reveal that the addition of DSO in the cathode catalyst layer can effectively prevent the cathode flooding at high current density, thus leading to a much higher limiting current density and the maximum power density when compared to the fuel cell with a normal cathode. An optimal DSO loading in the cathode catalyst layer is found to be around 0.5 mg/cm² under the testing conditions in this work. The fuel cell with cathode loaded with 0.5 mg/cm² can reach the maximum power density of 356 mW/cm² in H₂/air (or 709 mW/cm² in H₂/O₂) at room temperature, which is around 2.5 times in H₂/air (or 1.8 times in H₂/O₂) of that with normal cathode. All of the results indicate that the hydrophobicity of the cathode catalyst layer plays a crucial role in the water management of the fuel cell. The possible function of the DSO on improved oxygen solubility for the oxygen starved cathode during flooding warrants some further investigation.     

基于OPNET的高频通信协议仿真与分析

由于电离层信道具有不可摧毁性,在应急通信领域研究短波通信协议就显得尤为重要。文中在第三代短波自动链路协议基础上,采用新技术对多址接入技术进行了研究分析,并利用OPNET Modeler 14.5网络仿真平台验证方案的可行性。在短波通信网络模型中,管道机制利用长期信道预测软件VOACAP获取电离层信道质量参数进行无线信道建模;核心函数和C编程语言进行3G-ALE节点模型及相关进程模型、网络模型的建模。对不同场景进行的仿真实验表明,信道质量对网络节点间建链成功率影响最明显,网络节点个数及两节点间距离对建链成功率影响次之。     

低渗透油层压裂改造技术的研究与应用

马厂、桥口油田属低渗透、多油层、非均质复杂断块油藏,进入注水开发中后期,由于合注合采,Ⅰ类油层水淹严重,Ⅱ、Ⅲ类油层动用程度低。为了改善这种状况,应用低渗透油层压裂改造技术,充分挖掘Ⅱ、Ⅲ类油层的生产潜力。利用剩余油研究结果,结舍压裂井层地质条件和开发状况,确定了压裂选井选层标准,应用效果显著。