How Wide is the Euro?

Ventura Luigi,Witte Mark David 한국국제경제학회 2024 International Economic Journal Vol.38 No.1

This paper examines the impact of Euro invoicing on Italian exports to non-EU countries. In addition to examining the role of currency invoicing on the intensive and extensive margin of trade, we introduce the ‘entrenched’ margin of trade. We define the entrenched margin of trade as the number of transactions between two countries of a particular good. With highly disaggregated data, we use a two-stage methodology to predict the probability of Euro dominated Italian exports and then use that predicted probability on the intensive, extensive and entrenched margin of trade. Results show that the probability of Euro dominated trade invoicing reduces all three margins of trade. Specifically, a 10% increase in probability of Euro dominated Italian exports has roughly the same impact as additional 1532 km on the intensive margin of trade, 1096 km on the extensive margin of trade and 1314 km on the entrenched margin of trade. The negative effect of Euro invoicing is most consistent with lowermiddle income trading partners and more thinly traded goods. We surmise that these results are due to varying access to financial instrumentation among Italian trade partners and a trade diversion effect of Italian exports to EU countries versus non-EU markets.

Hexanic and Methanolic Extracts of in vitro Propagated Aristolochia elegans (Mast.) against Scorpion Venom

Ventura Z. Elsa,Mora I. Alejandro,Osuna T. Lidia,Jimenez F. Enrique,Bazaldua M. Crescencio,Jimenez A. Antonio,Bermudez T. Kalina 한국원예학회 2006 한국원예학회 기타간행물 Vol.- No.-

Structural robustness of RC frame buildings under threat-independent damage scenarios

Ventura, Antonio,De Biagi, Valerio,Chiaia, Bernardino Techno-Press 2018 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.65 No.6

This study focuses on a novel procedure for the robustness assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) framed structures under threat-independent damage scenarios. The procedure is derived from coupled dynamic and non-linear static analyses. Two robustness indicators are defined and the method is applied to two RC frame buildings. The first building was designed for gravity load and earthquake resistance in accordance with Eurocode 8. The second was designed according to the tie force (TF) method, one of the design quantitative procedures for enhancing resistance to progressive collapse. In addition, in order to demonstrate the suitability and applicability of the TF method, the structural robustness and resistance to progressive collapse of the two designs is compared.

Life cycle analyses of CO₂, energy, and cost for four different routes of microalgal bioenergy conversion

Ventura, J.R.S.,Yang, B.,Lee, Y.W.,Lee, K.,Jahng, D. Elsevier Applied Science 2013 Bioresource technology Vol.137 No.-

With a target production of 1000ton of dry algae/yr, lipid content of 30wt.%, and productivity of 30g/m<SUP>2</SUP>-d in a 340-day annual operation, four common scenarios of microalgae bioenergy routes were assessed in terms of cost, energy, and CO<SUB>2</SUB> inputs and outputs. Scenario 1 (biodiesel production), Scenario 2 (Scenario 1 with integrated anaerobic digestion system), Scenario 3 (biogas production), and Scenario 4 (supercritical gasification) were evaluated. Scenario 4 outperformed other scenarios in terms of net energy production (1282.42kWh/ton algae) and CO<SUB>2</SUB> removal (1.32ton CO<SUB>2</SUB>/ton algae) while Scenario 2 surpassed the other three scenarios in terms of net cost. Scenario 1 produced the lowest energy while Scenario 3 was the most expensive bioenergy system. This study evaluated critical parameters that could direct the proper design of the microalgae bioenergy system with an efficient energy production, CO<SUB>2</SUB> removal, and economic feasibility.

<i>In-vitro</i> and <i>in-vivo</i> evaluation of hemostatic potential of decellularized ECM hydrogels

Ventura, Reiza D.,Padalhin, Andrew R.,Lee, Byong Taek Elsevier 2018 Materials letters Vol.232 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogels with a porous microstructure and good swelling behavior were fabricated via lyophilization and cross-linked with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC). Platelet adhesion studies revealed that platelets easily adhered to hydrogels while coagulation studies showed rapid blood aggregate formation. <I>In-vitro</I> cytotoxicity studies showed ECM hydrogels are biocompatible. In-vivo studies using rat tail bleeding and rabbit arterial injury showed ECM hydrogels' ability in hemostasis. ECM hydrogels formed a physical barrier and activated platelets that resulted in rapid thrombin formation during in-vivo application. The present study revealed ECM hydrogels could be a potential biomaterial for hemostat application.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> HECM hydrogels are biocompatible and do not contained toxic byproducts. </LI> <LI> Increased platelet adhesion as ECM concentration in hydrogels increased. </LI> <LI> Hemostatic properties increased as ECM concentration in hydrogels increased. </LI> <LI> ECM proteins were attributed to good hemostatic properties of HECM hydrogels. </LI> <LI> HECM hydrogels decreased the bleeding time when applied in-vivo. </LI> </UL> </P>

Enhanced butanol production in Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 by double overexpression of 6-phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase genes

Ventura, Jey-R S.,Hu, Hui,Jahng, Deokjin Springer-Verlag 2013 Applied microbiology and biotechnology Vol.97 No.16

<P>This study elucidated the importance of two critical enzymes in the regulation of butanol production in Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824. Overexpression of both the 6-phosphofructokinase (pfkA) and pyruvate kinase (pykA) genes increased intracellular concentrations of ATP and NADH and also resistance to butanol toxicity. Marked increases of butanol and ethanol production, but not acetone, were also observed in batch fermentation. The butanol and ethanol concentrations were 29.4 and 85.5?% higher, respectively, in the fermentation by double-overexpressed C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824/pfkA+pykA than the wild-type strain. Furthermore, when fed-batch fermentation using glucose was carried out, the butanol and total solvent (acetone, butanol, and ethanol) concentrations reached as high as 19.12 and 28.02?g/L, respectively. The reason for improved butanol formation was attributed to the enhanced NADH and ATP concentrations and increased tolerance to butanol in the double-overexpressed strain.</P>

Enhanced reduction of excess sludge and nutrient removal in a pilot-scale A2O-MBR-TAD system

Ventura, J. S.,Seo, S.,Chung, I.,Yeom, I.,Kim, H.,Oh, Y.,Jahng, D. IWA Publishing 2011 Water Science & Technology Vol.63 No.8

<P>In this study, a pilot scale anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A2O) process with submerged membrane (MBR) in the oxic tank was coupled with thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) reactor and was operated for longer than 600 days to treat real domestic wastewater. Regardless of the varying conditions of the system, the A2O-MBR-TAD process removed MLSS, TCOD, BOD, TN, TP, and E. coli about 99%, 96%, 96%, 70%, 83%, and 99%, respectively. The additional TP removal of the system was due to the precipitating agent directly added in the oxic reactor, without which TP removal was about 56%. In the TAD reactor, receiving MLSS from the oxic tank (MBR), about 25% of TSS and VSS were solubilized during 2 days of retention. The effluent of the TAD reactor was recycled into the anoxic tank of A2O-MBR to provide organic carbon for denitrification and cryptic growth. By controlling the flowrate of wasting stream from the MBR, sludge production decreased to almost zero. From these results, it was concluded that the A2O-MBR-TAD process could be a reliable option for excellent effluent quality and near zero-sludge production.</P>

Comparing noise zoning experiences in municipalities of several italian cities

Francesco Ventura 한국소음진동공학회 2003 한국소음진동공학회 국제학술대회논문집 Vol.2003 No.8

Structural robustness of RC frame buildings under threat-independent damage scenarios

Antonio Ventura,Valerio De Biagi,Bernardino Chiaia 국제구조공학회 2018 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.65 No.6

This study focuses on a novel procedure for the robustness assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) framed structures under threat-independent damage scenarios. The procedure is derived from coupled dynamic and non-linear static analyses. Two robustness indicators are defined and the method is applied to two RC frame buildings. The first building was designed for gravity load and earthquake resistance in accordance with Eurocode 8. The second was designed according to the tie force (TF) method, one of the design quantitative procedures for enhancing resistance to progressive collapse. In addition, in order to demonstrate the suitability and applicability of the TF method, the structural robustness and resistance to progressive collapse of the two designs is compared.

NLQR Control of High Pressure EGR in Diesel Engine

Loris Ventura,Stefano A. Malan 제어로봇시스템학회 2020 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2020 No.10

The tightening of the diesel pollutant emission regulations has made the performances obtainable from steady-state map controls, commonly employed in Internal Combustion Engine management, unsatisfactory. To overcome these limitations a NonLinear Quadratic Regulator (NLQR) system for the High Pressure Exhaust Gas Recirculation (HP-EGR) loop of a turbocharged diesel engine has been developed to control the intake O₂ concentration and the Intake MAnifold Pressure (IMAP). This model-based control approach exploits the prediction of two dynamic Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) to compute the command actions for the HP-EGR valve and VGT (Variable Geometry Turbocharger) rack position. Engine speed, engine load, HP-EGR and VGT valves positions together with the intake O₂ concentration and IMAP feedbacks are the inputs used by the RNN to compute the predictions. In order to select the next HP-EGR and VGT control actions the effect of different command combinations, retrieved from a discretized action space, are evaluated through a quadratic objective function to be minimized. Two different transient profiles have been used to test the designed control system against the steady-state map approach. The developed control system has shown a satisfactory performance improvement over the map control. Therefore it is suitable for the subsequent assessment on the real engine.