Age-dependent food utilisation of Acheta domesticus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) in small groups at two temperatures

Insects hold potential as a sustainable source of animal protein. In recent years a new and rapidly growing industry of insect-based foods has emerged. The house cricket, Acheta domesticus (L.) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), is one of the most important insect species being produced commercially in the USA for feed and food. However, the price of cricket powder remains much higher in comparison with other animal sources of protein. This study seeks to contribute to reduce cricket production costs by determining food conversion efficiency at different ages as a mean of establishing an optimal harvesting age. Two temperature treatments of 27 and 29 °C consisting of 27 groups of five crickets each were monitored weekly to measure food consumption and growth for a period of 10 and 9 weeks respectively. Data were used to calculate efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI) for each week and treatment. Crickets at 27 °C produced more biomass and adults were significantly larger than those developing at 29 °C. The peak individual weekly biomass gain was observed at the end of 8 weeks at 27 °C (87.9±8.1 mg) (mean ± SEM) and at the end of 6 weeks at 29 °C (51.4±7.1 mg). Mean ECI values during weeks 1 to 8 at 27 °C (20.7, 22.6, 22, 20.8, 21.6, 20.9, 20, and 16.5%) and weeks 1 to 6 at 29 °C (18, 24.4, 19.9, 18.9, 21.1, and 16.4%) did not differ significantly. Decline of ECI values was better explained by the increase in adult proportions than by mortality. The optimal age to harvest based on food consumption and cricket biomass gain ratios was at the end of 8 weeks at 27 °C and at the end of 6 weeks at 29 °C. An economic analysis resulted in slightly higher profits ($ 1.04 USD) per g of hatchling/year at 27 °C.

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Correlation of Mortality Burdens of Cerebrovascular Disease and Diabetes Mellitus with Domestic Consumption of Soya and Palm Oils

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17155410 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (15) ◽

pp. 5410

Author(s):

Maznah Ismail ◽

Abdulsamad Alsalahi ◽

Huzwah Khaza’ai ◽

Mustapha Umar Imam ◽

Der Jiun Ooi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Palm Oil ◽

Edible Oils ◽

Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

Positive Correlation ◽

Mortality Burden ◽

The Usa ◽

Soya Oil ◽

Health Burdens

Background: Cerebrovascular diseases (CBVDs) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are interrelated and cumbersome global health burdens. However, the relationship between edible oils consumption and mortality burdens of CBVDs and DM has not yet been evaluated. This review aims to explore correlations between per capita mortality burdens of CBVDs and DM, as well as food consumption of palm or soya oils in 11 randomly selected countries in 2005, 2010, and 2016. Methods: After obtaining data on food consumption of palm and soya oils and mortality burdens of CBVDs and DM, correlations between the consumption of oils and mortality burdens of diseases were explored. Results: There was a positive correlation between the consumption of soya oil with the mortality burden of CBVDs in Australia, Switzerland, and Indonesia, as well as the mortality burden of DM in the USA. The consumption of palm oil had a positive correlation with the mortality burden of DM in Jordan only. Conclusions: Food consumption of soya oil in several countries possibly contributes to the mortality burden of CBVDs or DM more than food consumption of palm oil, which could be a possible risk factor in the mortality burdens of CBVDs and DM.

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Cost implications of increased solar penetration and time-of-use rate interactions

Clean Energy ◽

10.1093/ce/zkaa010 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 247-269

Author(s):

Dominique Bain ◽

Tom Acker

Keyword(s):

Cost Model ◽

Peak Load ◽

Production Costs ◽

Electricity Grid ◽

Load Change ◽

Marginal Prices ◽

The Usa ◽

Locational Marginal Prices ◽

Grid Operators ◽

Solar Generation

Abstract Electricity-grid operators are facing new challenges in matching load and generation due to increased solar generation and peak-load growth. This paper demonstrates that time-of-use (TOU) rates are an effective method to address these challenges. TOU rates use price differences to incentivize conserving electricity during peak hours and encouraging use during off-peak hours. This strategy is being used across the USA, including in Arizona, California and Hawaii. This analysis used the production-cost model PLEXOS with an hourly resolution to explore how production costs, locational marginal prices and dispatch stacks (type of generation used to meet load) change due to changes in load shapes prompted by TOU rates and with additional solar generation. The modelling focused on implementing TOU rates at three different adoption (response) levels with and without additional solar generation in the Arizona balancing areas within a PLEXOS model. In most cases analysed, implementing TOU rates in Arizona reduced reserve shortages in the Western Interconnect and, in some cases, very substantially. This result is representative of the interactions that happen interconnection-wide, demonstrating the advantage of modelling the entire interconnection. Production costs were decreased by the additional solar generation and the load change from TOU rates, and high response levels reduced the production costs the most for high-solar-generation cases. Load change from TOU rates decreased locational marginal prices for a typical summer day but had inconsistent results on a high-load day. Additional solar generation decreased the usage of combustion turbines, combined cycles and coal-fired generation.

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Food consumption and manufacturing output

Human Resource Management International Digest ◽

10.1108/hrmid-04-2016-0041 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 38-40

Author(s):

Graham Cole

Keyword(s):

Chronic Disease ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Healthcare Costs ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Reading Time ◽

Well Being ◽

Content Type ◽

The Usa ◽

Pertinent Information ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Recent decades have witnessed growing concerns about obesity and serious medical conditions. These issues are especially prominent in the USA. One significant consequence is a stronger commitment toward improving health in the workplace. It is widely accepted that positive correlation exists between employee well-being and productivity. The reverse is also true though. Chronic disease among the workforce invariably affects the organization’s ability to compete with its rivals. An inevitable rise in healthcare costs further heightens the negative fallout. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent, information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

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Global prospects of unconventional oil in the turbulent market: a long term outlook to 2040

Oil & Gas Science and Technology – Revue d’IFP Energies nouvelles ◽

10.2516/ogst/2018063 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 73 ◽

pp. 67 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Nikita O. Kapustin ◽

Dmitry A. Grushevenko

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Technology Development ◽

Business Environment ◽

Production Costs ◽

Liquid Fuels ◽

Open Pit ◽

Open Pit Mining ◽

Resource Base ◽

Unconventional Oil ◽

The Usa

Unconventional oils have taken the global oil industry by storm and have secured an 8% share in the global liquid fuels production in under 20 years. And it is without a doubt that these resources will continue to play an important role in the future. Cost analysis of unconventional oil types has shown that Light Tight Oil (LTO) or shale oil still holds potential for technological and economical improvement, however, the revolutionary stage in development has probably already been passed in the US. For the rest of the world, the issue of kick starting LTO production lies as much in the fields of adapting the existing technologies, as overcoming economic, legislative and environmental barriers. The same cannot be said for heavy oil and bitumen production, as open pit mining is demonstrating cost escalation and resource base depletion, whilein situproduction approach has reached the limit of technological progress and production costs are mostly determined by external factors. Oil price fluctuation and the emergence of more economically viable unconventional oil sources have shifted attention away from kerogen oil and substantially halted production technologies development. The forecast of unconventional oil was conducted along two scenarios: Baseline (a business-as-usual scenario) and Technological (scenario of forced technology development and transfer). The share of unconventional oil in global crude production will increase to 17–21%, depending on scenario. The main difference between scenarios is the rate of kerogen production, which benefits from the favorable conditions of the Technological scenario. Large-scale LTO production will remain a local North American phenomenon in both scenarios. More important than geological or technological factors is the unique business environment, characteristic for the USA, which would be impossible to replicate in any other country. Expansion of unconventional oil production as stimulated competition on the liquid fuels market. Conventional oil producers have mostly adapted to the new environment and will continue to dominate in the forecast period. The greatest pressure is put on the more costly alternative supply sources: biofuels, coal-to-liquid and gas-to-liquid; which have the least promising prospects in the current market.

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Optimal harvesting for periodic age-dependent population dynamics with logistic term

Applied Mathematics and Computation ◽

10.1016/j.amc.2009.09.010 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 215 (7) ◽

pp. 2701-2715 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Laura-Iulia Aniţa ◽

Sebastian Aniţa ◽

Viorel Arnăutu

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Optimal Harvesting ◽

Age Dependent

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Effect of Two Temperatures on Reflection Coefficient in Micropolar Thermoelastic with and without Energy Dissipation Media

Advances in Acoustics and Vibration ◽

10.1155/2014/846721 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Rajneesh Kumar ◽

K. D. Sharma ◽

S. K. Garg

Keyword(s):

Energy Dissipation ◽

Temperature Effects ◽

Plane Waves ◽

Angle Of Incidence ◽

Amplitude Ratios ◽

Reflected Waves ◽

Two Temperatures ◽

Thermally Conducting ◽

Without Energy Dissipation ◽

Two Temperature

The reflection of plane waves at the free surface of thermally conducting micropolar elastic medium with two temperatures is studied. The theory of thermoelasticity with and without energy dissipation is used to investigate the problem. The expressions for amplitudes ratios of reflected waves at different angles of incident wave are obtained. Dissipation of energy and two-temperature effects on these amplitude ratios with angle of incidence are depicted graphically. Some special and particular cases are also deduced.

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