Measurement of a linkage among environmental,operational, and financial performance in Japanese manufacturing firms: A use of Data Envelopment Analysis with strong complementary slackness condition

This study investigates a linkage among environmental, operational and financial performance in Japanese manufacturing industry. All manufacturing firms examined in this study are listed in Tokyo stock exchange market. We use DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) as an evaluation methodology. This study finds that large firms have managerial capabilities to improve their operational and environmental performance. The improvement leads to the enhancement of their financial performance. However, we cannot find such a business linkage in small and medium-sized firms. They improve their operational performance and then direct themselves toward the improvement of their environmental performance. Their environmental performance is, not the first priority, the second priority for the small and medium-sized firms even though Japanese government is currently making a policy pressure on all manufacturing firms to pay attention to various environmental issues related to the global warming and climate change. The environmental protection policy is effective on only large Japanese manufacturing firms that have technological and financial capabilities for environmental protection.     

爆炸成型弹丸对Al2O3装甲陶瓷材料的侵彻实验研究

用爆炸成型弹丸(explosively formed projectile, EFP)对Al2O3装甲陶瓷材料进行了侵彻（depth of penetration, DOP）实验,得到了99Al2O3装甲陶瓷对模拟EFP的质量防护因数和差分防护因数及他们随陶瓷块厚度的变化规律,初步评估了99Al2O3装甲陶瓷对EFP的抗侵彻性能,解释了装甲陶瓷对EFP的抗侵彻过程和机理。研究结果表明,增加约束可以提高陶瓷的抗侵彻性能。     

Use of Isotope Methods for the Development of a New Structural-Geological Model in the Finne Region

Abstract

Since the 1960s intensive isotope hydrogeological studies have been carried out in the Finne mountain range between Herrengosserstedt in Thuringia and the River Unstrut near Karsdorf in Saxony-Anhalt. The new railway line Erfurt-Leipzig/Halle, a part of the traffic projects German Union - Railway-No. 8-, will cross this area with two tunnels, each of which is 6 km long. The tunnelling of the Middle Bunter rocks on the west side involves the crossing of an area with deep wells used for drinking water supply.

To clarify the hydrodynamic situation in this area, the planning company for railway construction German Union (PB DE) contracted Trischler und Partner to carry out an extensive exploration programme. This programme included not only investigations using the isotopes ²H, ¹⁸O, ³H, ¹³C and ¹⁴C, but also single measurements of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and a multitude of hydrochemical analyses.

Because of stratum related ground water sampling, an aquifer related evaluation of the investigation results was possible. Based on these results a fundamentally new structural-geological model for the investigation area was developed. In addition to its great importance for the tunnel planning, with the new model it will be possible to solve urgent questions concerning the drinking water supply in this region.     

Tracer Study on Catalytic Hydrogen Exchange Reactions over Nickel Catalyst

In heterogeneous catalysis it is important to know the reactivity of C-H bond in the hydrocarbon molecules. Experiments have been performed to obtain information about the exchange reaction of adsorbed hydrogen with methane and ethylene. In order to reduce the probability of forming products which contain more than one tritium atom, hydrogen labelled with H³ with low activity has been used.     

Zerstörungsfreie risstiefenbestimmung in Betonbauwerken mittels Radiotracerverfahren

At the Leipzig Technical University a method was developed, which allows to determine nondestructive the crack depth in concrete up to 15 cm. Based on a radiotracer technique the access to only one side of the object is required. The labelling of artificial-made cracks was carried out by use of a transport medium (not miscible with water) on the base of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and In- 113m as radionuclide. For the calculation of crack depth, measure-geometrical parameters were used. The improvement of the reliability of building-diagnostical interpretation using radio-physical parameters is described. A first application is provided for concrete structures below chemical equipments built as a barrier against ecologically harmful substances (petrol tanks). The intersectional aspect of further qualifications of the technique is emphasized.     

Zur Durchführung von Strahlenschutzbauartprüfungen im Deutschen Amt für Meßwesen und Warenprüfung

Es wurde eine Methode zur Bestimmung von Stoffen durch eine Fällungstitration unte Anwendung von radioaktiven Kryptonaten als Redox-Indikatoren entwickelt. Als ein praktisches Beispiel wird die Bestimmung von Ba²⁺ durch eine Titration mit K₂Cr₂O₇ als Maβlösung und Ag[⁸⁵Kr] als Äquivalenzpunktindikator angeführt. Bis zum Erreichen des Äquivalenzpunktes verläuft die Fällungsreaktion unter Bildung des Niederschlages von BaCrO₄ und nach Überschreiten des Åquivalenzpunktes eine Redox-Reaktion zwischen der Maβlösung und dem radioaktiven Kryptonat, wobei ⁸⁵ Kr freigesetzt wird.     

Studies upon Qualification of Meat from Animals Irradiated and Contaminated with Radiocaesium

Abstract

The problem concerning qualification of food originated from animals irradiated and contaminated with ¹³⁷caesium appeared especially after the Chernobyl accident. So, it was a reason to undertake respective studies on 108 rabbits divided into three groups: group I – non-irradiated rabbits, group II – irradiated with a dose of 103 mCkg^?1 (400 R), group III – irradiated with a dose of 206 mCkg^?1 (800 R). All animals were contaminated intragastrically with an aqueous solution of ¹³⁷CsCl. After slaughter samples of the muscles were cured in 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15% brine or were cooked for 2 hrs. In the case of curing the radioactivities of meat and brine, and the concentrations of salt in cured meat were estimated after 7, 14, and 21 days. The radioactivities of cooked meat, broth, and condensed water vapour were estimated after 1 and 2 hrs. Taking into account the decrease of the radioactivities, duration of curing, and concentrations of salt in cured meat the optimum results were achieved when the meat from non-irradiated rabbits was cured for 7 days in 3% brine, and that of irradiated rabbits in 5% brine with regard to a lower stability of this meat. The decontamination effectiveness of cooking was similar in all examined rabbits. Radiocaesium penetrates into the brine or broth and escapes with water vapour thereafter.     

Modification of the Fractionated γ-Radiation-Induced Alteration in the Na+/K+-ATPase Activity of Radiosensitive Tissues by Vitamin A

The effect of pre or post-administration of vitamin A in ameliorating the radiation-induced alteration in intestinal and spleen Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity of rats was determined. Rats subjected to multifractionated γ-radiation (20 × 0.5 Gy) over the whole-body showed a significant reduction in Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity being more obvious in spleen than in intestine. Administration of vitamin A at a daily i. p. dose of 15,000 IU/kg bd. wt. for 7 days prior to fractionated γ-irradiation and thereafter twice weekly throughout the exposure period (as pretreatment regimen) or following the end of irradiation for 7 days (as posttreament regimen) afforded a significant protection from radiation-induced inhibition of spleen and intestinal Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity. Even though, pretreatment regimen is more efficient against radiation injury to this enzyme than posttreatment, so that its activity was nearly normalized in the first regimen. The regeneration of normal enzyme activity in the tissues of the vitamin A-pretreated group suggests that the intestinal and spleen epithelia in presence of vitamin A are rendered relatively radioresistant.