Opioids prescribed more often than recommended to patients with musculoskeletal pain

by National Institutes of Health JANUARY 17, 2020

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

During their first physician visit, patients experiencing newly diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal pain are prescribed opioids more often than physical therapy, counseling, and other nonpharmacologic approaches, according to a new study published in the Journal of Pain. The use of opioids over other approaches stands in contrast with clinical recommendations for the use of nonopioid pain approaches and nonpharmacologic approaches. The study included authors from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health; the University of Montreal; and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

"Particularly when the patient is experiencing pain that may become chronic, that first clinical encounter can set the course for patient care moving forward," said Helene Langevin, M.D., director of NCCIH. "This study was designed to assess the ways in which real-world practice compares and contrasts with practice guidelines for these initial patient encounters."

Study authors analyzed data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), conducted between 2007 and 2015. The survey data are collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics and represent how medical care services are used in the United States. The results concur with the high prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain in the United States, with an average of 36.8 million initial visits (for a new chronic pain problem) per year or approximately 11.8 percent of the population.

Overall, on initial visit, patients were prescribed nonopioid medication 40.2 percent of the time, opioids 21.5 percent, counseling 15.2 percent, other nonpharmacologic treatments 14.3 percent, and physical therapy (PT) least often, at 10 percent. The most common nonopioid medication prescribed was nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), prescribed at 31.1 percent of initial visits. Nonpharmacologic treatments included counseling, prescribed at 15.2 percent of initial visits, exercise at 11.7 percent, diet and nutrition at 6.4 percent, complementary approaches at 6 percent, and weight reduction at 3 percent.

The study identified multiple patient-related factors that affected the likelihood of patients being prescribed opioids versus physical therapy, counseling, and other nonpharmacologic approaches including age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, race and ethnicity, and payer status.

The study also found that provider specialty was associated with treatment approaches.

• Internists, orthopedists, and neurologists were less likely than family practitioners to prescribe opioids.
• Oncologists, general surgeons, and orthopedists were also less likely to prescribe other types of medication compared to family physicians.
• Orthopedists and neurologists referred patients to PT more than family doctors did.
• General surgeons were less likely to prescribe other nonpharmacologic treatments.
• Compared to physicians with an M.D. degree, those with a D.O. degree were more likely to prescribe nonpharmacologic treatment other than PT or counseling.

The study also found that physicians using electronic medical records were more likely to prescribe opioids than those using paper records, though authors noted it was a novel finding that would need to be confirmed with additional study.

"In recent years, we've seen greater awareness of the risks of opioid prescribing, especially as a first-line treatment, and current guidelines reflect the risks and benefits for patients of prescribing opioids versus other approaches," said Richard Nahin, Ph.D., M.P.H., lead author and senior epidemiologist at NCCIH. "This study serves as a benchmark for clinicians to assess how much progress we're making toward integrating guidelines, including the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, into clinical practice and offers insight on where to focus efforts to close gaps in care during that critical first patient visit."

2014 to 2016 saw decline in U.S. adults prescribed opioids

The paints that eat pollutants and heat homes

by Julianna Photopoulos, Horizon: The EU Research & Innovation Magazine JANUARY 17, 2020

Light-activated catalysts that can neutralise airborne pollutants are being embedded in paint with a view to cleaning up city air. Credit: AM Technology

Applying a coat of paint on the walls of a house may soon help to heat it, saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions. It could also clean the air that we breathe, breaking down chemicals and pollutants, and eliminating harmful pathogens.

In Europe, half of cities' annual energy consumption goes to heating and cooling. Despite the EU's move towards decarbonisation, 75% of heating and cooling comes from fossil fuels, whilst only 19% is generated from renewable energy.

"Renewable energies are not widely used, and a lot of energy is being wasted," said Professor Dmitry Shchukin from the University of Liverpool, UK.

He has developed a thermo-regulating paint that can absorb and release heat inside brick buildings, keeping rooms warm whenever necessary by using excess energy.

"The main idea was to refurbish old houses with such paints," said Prof. Shchukin. "If you have an old historical house, for example, you cannot destroy it and build a new one."

Buildings are the largest energy consumer, he says. Most are old and energy inefficient, and are responsible for about 40% of total energy consumption and 36% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the EU.

The paint, which was developed as part of a project called ENERPAINT, could be used as a form of insulation to increase the energy efficiency of old houses without spending a fortune, he says. Throughout the day, it collects heat produced by radiators or even people, then releases it at night when the temperatures drop because boilers are usually turned off to save on bills. So how does it do this?

Phase-change materials

"It works very simply," said Prof. Shchukin. "Paint and coating manufacturers have their own paints and we just supply some additives—about 5%—to the paint."

These additives are so-called phase-change materials (PCMs), such as paraffins, salt hydrates and fatty acids, encased in protective nanometre-sized capsules which improve heat transfer. PCMs can store large amounts of thermal energy and change states—from solid to liquid and vice versa—without altering their own temperature.

Developing this paint, which is currently being tested, is part of wider project called ENERCAPSULE, where Prof. Shchukin is designing suitable coatings to encapsulate PCMs at nanoscale to use in paints, textiles and medicines.

"For the paints, we used salt hydrates due to their low cost and very high volumetric energy storage density," said Prof. Shchukin. "However, these were very difficult to encapsulate as they are corrosive and hydrophilic (they dissolve in water)."

He was able to enclose salt hydrates in polymer shells as small as 10nm, which protects them from the surrounding environment but also allows them to respond to the heat in a controlled way. The materials that they use have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration but not by the European Medicines Agency, according to Prof. Shchukin.

During the day, when these energy nanocapsules absorb and store heat at their melting temperature, the PCMs turn into liquid and during the cold nights they crystallise at a defined temperature, releasing heat and warming the room, Prof. Shchukin explains.

Pollution-eating murals could be a colourful way to clean city air in the future. Credit: AM Technology

He says European, Chinese and Russian companies are showing interest in their research, and that he now hopes to make nanocapsules for paints that can help cool buildings.

Another type of paint developed and commercialised through a project called AIRLITE uses nanoparticles to purify the air. These paints can reduce pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, kill bacteria, viruses and mould, remove bad smells, and repel dust and dirt.

"The purpose of Airlite (paint) was to create something that makes a difference to human health and well-being in the built environment," said Chris Leighton, vice president of sales and marketing at AM Technology, the company behind Airlite paint.

Air pollution

Air pollution is considered to be one of the world's largest environmental health threats, accounting for 7 million premature deaths around the world every year. Fine particles and compounds such as nitrogen dioxide—like those produced by vehicles and burning fossil fuels—are found in polluted air and can seep into our lungs and bloodstream, causing heart attacks, strokes, asthma attacks and other respiratory diseases.

Airlite came up with a paint that improves air quality by breaking down airborne pollutants. "The basic principle is photocatalysis, a reaction that happens (naturally) in the earth's atmosphere (to break down pollutants)," said Leighton.

When the sun's ultraviolet rays shine on the paint—made with titanium dioxide nanoparticles, which are catalysts—electrons are released at the surface.

The electrons interact with the humidity in the air, breaking water molecules up into highly reactive, short-lived, uncharged ions called hydroxyl radicals. These radicals attack pollutant molecules and turn them into harmless substances.

Embedding the catalysts into paint was the challenge, says Leighton. '(Traditional) paint itself is a pollutant," he said. "If you put them (catalysts) into a paint, the paint attacks itself and you would have gaseous toxins produced."

Dangerous chemicals known as volatile organic compounds are found in regular paints, but Airlite uses a calcium base that is devoid of these. The base is a byproduct from a marble processing site in Italy and the paint itself comes as a powder to mix with water.

The paint was first tested in 2007 in the polluted Traforo Umberto I tunnel in Rome, Italy. After the tunnel was cleaned and all the soot and grime were removed, it was painted with a coat of the pollutant neutralising paint. UV lights to activate the paint's photocatalytic properties were installed.

"Pollution levels reduced in the tunnel after the renovation," said Leighton. For example, a month after renovations, the nitrogen oxide levels had reduced by 20% in the centre of the tunnel. The paint has since been used in hospitals, schools, airports, offices and homes all over the world, Leighton says.

Last year, 21 street artists used these paints to create Europe's first pollution-eating mural, stretching across 100 sq m of a seven-story building in Rome.

Leighton adds that using the paint on the outside of buildings can cool indoor spaces during hot weather because it reflects heat from sunlight, saving energy that would go towards cooling and therefore reducing CO2 emissions. 

Modern technology reconstructs properties of ochre, commonly found in ancient rock art

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Provided by Horizon: The EU Research & Innovation Magazine 

A greener, simpler way to create syngas

by Matthew Chin, University of California, Los Angeles JANUARY 7, 2020

Schematic showing the atomic structure of the copper-ruthenium nanoparticle catalyst. Credit: John Mark Martirez/UCLA

Researchers from UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, Rice University and UC Santa Barbara have developed an easier and greener way to create syngas.

A study detailing their work is published today in Nature Energy.

Syngas (the term is short for "synthesis gas") is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases. It is used to make ammonia, methanol, other industrial chemicals and fuels. The most common process for creating syngas is coal gasification, which uses steam and oxygen (from air) at high temperatures, a process that produces large amounts of carbon dioxide.

One more environmentally friendly way to create syngas, called methane dry reforming, involves getting two potent greenhouse gases to react—methane (for example, from natural gas) and carbon dioxide. But that process is not widely used at industrial scales, partly because it requires temperatures of at least 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit (700 degrees Celsius) to initiate the chemical reaction.

Over the past decade, researchers have tried to improve the process for creating syngas using various metal alloys that could catalyze the required chemical reaction at lower temperatures. But the tests were either inefficient or resulted in the metal catalysts being covered in coke, a residue of mostly carbon that builds up during the process.

In the new research, engineers found a more suitable catalyst: copper with a few atoms of the precious metal ruthenium exposed to visible light. Shaped like a tiny bump about 5 nanometers in diameter (a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter) and lying on top of a metal-oxide support, the new catalyst enables a chemical reaction that selectively produces syngas from the two greenhouse gases using visible light to drive the reaction, without requiring any additional thermal energy input.

In addition, in principle, the process requires only concentrated sunlight, which also prevents the buildup of coke that plagued earlier methods.

"Syngas is used ubiquitously in the chemical industry to create many chemicals and materials that enable our daily life," said Emily Carter, a UCLA distinguished professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and a corresponding author of the paper. "What's exciting about this new process is that it offers the opportunity to react captured greenhouse gases—reducing carbon emissions to the atmosphere—while creating this critical chemical feedstock using an inexpensive catalyst and renewable energy in the form of sunlight instead of using fossil fuels."

Porous silica protects nickel catalyst

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More information: Linan Zhou et al. Light-driven methane dry reforming with single atomic site antenna-reactor plasmonic photocatalysts, Nature Energy (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41560-019-0517-9

Journal information: Nature Energy 

Will electric cars continue to be mainly for affluent buyers?

by Phillip Molnar, The San Diego Union-Tribune JANUARY 16, 2020

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A column from Charles Lane of The Washington Post, which ran in print in The San Diego Union-Tribune on Jan.2, argued that excitement and belief in electric vehicles is overblown.

Lane wrote that mass adoption of electric vehicles will not happen as long as they continue to be more costly than gas vehicles (a "niche product for upper-income folks") and are not worth the government subsidies and transfer of social resources we place on them. He cites research that shows households earning more than $100,000 are the most likely to own electric vehicles.

The San Diego Union-Tribune's Econometer panel considers what the future holds for electric vehicles:

Q: In 10 years, will electric vehicles still be mostly reserved for the wealthy?

Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health

NO: The technological gains over the next decade will be tremendous, with the mid-2020s promising the greatest advances for EVs. As occurs with most new technologies, EV sticker prices are expected to exceed those of conventional cars until that time. Then, greater manufacturing efficiencies will allow for the production of more affordable vehicles. And the rising cost fossil fuels will create an even larger demand for EVs, to which manufacturers will respond.

Jamie Moraga, IntelliSolutions

NO: A 2019 report by Bloomberg indicated, due to dropping prices for EV batteries, that electric vehicles should be more cost-competitive with combustion-engine cars within three years. According to the same report, EV batteries currently make up nearly 60% of the total cost of electric vehicles. As companies like Tesla continue to expand their markets worldwide, they will achieve lower costs through economies of scale. Increased competition should also help lower prices.

Lynn Reaser, Point Loma Nazarene University

NO: The entry of new producers, economies of scale and the possible return of subsidies could lower the price to that deemed more affordable by middle-income households. The larger issue is whether batteries will be developed to deliver the range consumers demand so they will not be stranded on the side of the road with a dead battery. The availability and costs of necessary rare earth minerals could also limit the EV market.

Phil Blair, Manpower

NO: As an early adopter of electric cars, now on my third, we are seeing almost every car manufacturer frantically working to get their version of an electric car into the market. This competition, and innovative technology, will soon allow for the development of the "all people's" car that the Volkswagen bug was many years ago.

Alan Gin, University of San Diego

NO: Ten years is a long time in terms of technology. Remember that the iPhone was released less than 13 years ago, and compare its current capabilities to the original model. Given the global concern over climate change and the resources being used to deal with it, I expect that there will be major improvements in battery technology that will reduce the cost of electric cars and extend their range, which would make them accessible to the middle class.

Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research

NO: Such massive paradigm shift takes time to develop and be widely accepted. Gas powered vehicles originally took much longer to become generally used by the public. Running and maintenance costs are already less than fossil-powered cars. The most expensive component, batteries, have already significantly decreased in price and projected to soon be capable of running a million miles. When costs to purchase and maintain electric vehicles drops below gas vehicles, the transition may seem inevitable.

Gary London, London Moeder Advisors

NO: I would expect that within 10 years the majority of autos will be either electric, hybrid or powered by something other than oil. New technology always starts out initially expensive, then, through mass production and competition, prices drop. Another factor is that there will be battery breakthroughs and other technological improvements which will extend the range and performance of electric vehicles. All of this will happen very soon. It won't take ten years. I'm willing to stake my Tesla on it.

Austin Neudecker, Rev

NO: Decreases in the price of batteries, improved functionality (especially with longevity and range), and volatility in oil prices will make the transition to electric a practical, rather than ideological, decision. The financial tipping-point will not be the same for everyone depending on the distances they drive, regional energy costs, external incentives, etc. Regardless, we should aid the adoption of EVs because the external factors caused by car pollution are severe and affect us all.

James Hamilton, UC San Diego

Not participating this week.

David Ely, San Diego State University

NO: Over the next ten years, many middle-class households will likely purchase electric vehicles. Range will continue to limit demand, but for households who need a second vehicle for commuting to work and running errands, an electric vehicle will become an attractive alternative to a gas-powered one. This will be especially true if the cost of ownership for electric vehicles continues to decline, model choice expands and the infrastructure for recharging improves.

Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates

YES: Electric vehicles will continue to be purchased by wealthy individuals for three reasons. One, it is more cost effective to own a gas-powered car as the additional cost of gas does not equal the cost difference between gas-powered and electric vehicles. Two, government subsidies might lapse. Three, the lack of ability of electric cars to go more than 250 miles without a charge creates difficulty. Ten years is not enough time to turn that around.

Hydrogen is blowing up: From science experiment to export industry

by Alex Dook, Particle JANUARY 16, 2020

Credit: Darren Halstead on Unsplash

Remember those science experiment cars powered by water? That technology could help Australia decarbonize its economy and become a major player in a zero-emissions world.

Did you ever do the science experiment at school where you fueled little plastic cars with water?

Those neat little guys were a cool way to learn about electrolysis, the process of using electricity to split water into two gases: hydrogen and oxygen. These gases became the fuel, and zip! The car would move.

A fun science demonstration, sure. But what if this technology could be used to decarbonize the economy and establish a valuable export industry for Australia?

Key to unlocking the energy industry potential of liquid hydrogen is Steph Munro. She's a chemical engineering whiz and Visiting Student Researcher at UWA's Australian Centre for LNG Futures. Steph is part of a team working towards making hydrogen a viable energy source.

"In recent years, we've seen growing pressure to decarbonize the economy, and government is encouraging this," Steph says.

"Future energy use will come from greener sources, and hydrogen will potentially be a major player in this area."

So how does hydrogen work as a fuel?

Burn, baby!

When burned, hydrogen produces water and releases a lot of heat as energy. That makes it a great fuel with no carbon emissions. But how does the process work?

Until now, hydrogen has mainly been used for various industrial processes. But there's a significant opportunity for hydrogen to be used for electricity, transport, heat and more.

"Hydrogen has become a major player in this area. And that's because it's perfect for decarbonizing parts of the economy that are difficult to electrify," Steph says.

Take long-haul trucks, for example. Because they travel such vast distances, electric batteries aren't suitable. No battery can cover the distance required, and they take too long to recharge. But a hydrogen-fueled truck can be quickly refueled, just like a diesel-fueled truck.

So that little toy fuel cell car from science class? Imagine that, but a long-haul truck.

Going global

As the global demand for hydrogen grows, exporting hydrogen could be big for Australia.

Hydrogen and fuel cells explained. Credit: FuseSchool – Global Education

In 2030, the annual liquid hydrogen demand from China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore is likely to be 3.8 million tonnes, according to CSIRO. That could represent almost $10 billion a year for the Australian economy.

"There is an opportunity for Australia to export hydrogen to nations that don't have the renewable energy infrastructure to decarbonize their economy," Steph says.

So what are we waiting for?

The challenges

Like anything requiring new infrastructure, there are significant challenges to overcome.

"The main challenge with hydrogen is that it exists at atmospheric conditions as a gas, which takes up a large volume," Steph says. "That can be a problem if you want to import 900,000 tonnes as a fuel."

"This is why natural gas is exported as LNG or liquefied natural gas."

But that doesn't mean it's easy to liquefy hydrogen. In order to liquefy gases, you need to cool them to very cold temperatures.

"Natural gas liquefies at -161°C, but hydrogen gas liquefies at -253°C. That requires a lot of energy," Steph says.

It's so hard to cool things down that, in a tank of liquid hydrogen, more than one-third of the energy goes towards liquefying it.

"We're currently working on leveraging our knowledge in LNG to make liquefaction more energy efficient," Steph says.

"There are a number of conceptual models of liquefaction plants that are much more efficient. The next step is developing those conceptual plants into reality."

And lastly, liquid hydrogen is just a bit weird. "Because liquid hydrogen exists at such cold temperatures, we don't yet totally understand it. That makes ironing out inefficiencies quite difficult," Steph says.

"Due to these challenges, we're likely to see a hydrogen industry that embraces multiple technologies, not just liquid hydrogen."

The next steps

While there are challenges, bright minds are working on meeting them.

In the meantime, we'll be playing with our fuel-cell toys.

Five key opportunities identified for hydrogen industry growth

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More information: Find out more about Steph's work at the Australian Centre for LNG Futures: lngfutures.edu.au/hydrogen-liq … port-september-2019/

JANUARY 9, 2020

Preparing for the hydrogen economy

by University of Sydney

Illustration highlighting the association of hydrogen (red) with dislocations in the crystal structure of steel. Credit: University of Sydney

In a world first, University of Sydney researchers have found evidence of how hydrogen causes embrittlement of steels. When hydrogen moves into steel, it makes the metal become brittle, leading to catastrophic failures. This has been one of the major challenges in moving towards a greener, hydrogen-fuelled future, where steel tanks and pipelines are essential components that must be able to survive in pure hydrogen environments.

Published in Science, the researchers found hydrogen accumulates at microstructures called dislocations and at the boundaries between the individual crystals that make up the steel.

This accumulation weakens the steel along these features, leading to embrittlement.

The researchers also found the first direct evidence that clusters of niobium carbide within the steel trap hydrogen in such a way that it cannot readily move to the dislocations and crystal boundaries to cause embrittlement. This effect has the potential to be used to design steels that can resist embrittlement.

Lead researcher Dr. Yi-Sheng Chen from the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis and Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sydney said these findings were an important step to finding a safe solution to produce, store and transport hydrogen.

"These findings are vital for designing embrittlement-resistant steel; the carbides offer a solution to ensuring high-strength steels are not prone to early fracture and reduced toughness in the presence of hydrogen," Dr. Chen said.

Atom probe Image showing accumulations of hydrogen (red) at carbon-rich (blue) dislocations in steel. This evidence underpins the theoretical prediction of the origin of hydrogen embrittlement that limits the progress of hydrogen economy. Credit: University of Sydney

Senior author Professor Julie Cairney from the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis and Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sydney said these findings were a positive step towards implementing clean fuels.

"Hydrogen is a low carbon fuel source that could potentially replace fossil fuels. But there are challenges with the use of steel, the world's most important engineering material, to safely store and transport it. This research gives us key insights into how we might be able to improve this situation," Professor Cairney said.

Illustration highlighting the concentration of hydrogen atoms (red balls) at the crystal boundaries and dislocations in steel. Credit: University of Sydney

Working in partnership with CITIC Metal, the researchers were able to directly observe hydrogen at microstructures in steels thanks to Microscopy Australia's state-of-the-art custom-designed cryogenic atom probe microscope.

Next-gen steel under the microscope

Britain's green energy sector brightens: survey data

JANUARY 16, 2020

A wind turbine looms over Blyth, northeast England on December 13, 2019; Turnover in Britain's low carbon and renewable energy sector expanded 15.5 percent to £46.7 billion ($60.8 billion, 54.6 billion euros) in 2018 compared with 2015

Green energy has boomed in Britain over the last three years, according to survey data published Thursday which also highlighted accelerating investment in wind power.

Turnover in Britain's low carbon and renewable energy sector expanded 15.5 percent to £46.7 billion ($60.8 billion, 54.6 billion euros) in 2018 compared with 2015, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a report.

That rapid growth helped create and sustain a total of 224,800 full-time jobs, compared with 200,800 three years earlier.

The expansion was achieved against the backdrop of Britain's long-standing vow to become carbon neutral by 2050, when it hopes to achieve net zero for UK greenhouse gas emissions.

The sector's biggest component was the energy efficient products—which includes the design, manufacture or installation of energy efficient doors, windows and insulation.

Sales of energy efficient products, excluding lighting, comprised about one third of the total at £16.7 billion in 2018, according to the ONS.

The next biggest component was low emission vehicles, whose turnover stood at £4.4 billion in the same year.

Turning to wind power, the ONS said acquisitions of capital assets in this area accelerated to £4.2 billion in 2018, up from just £700 million in 2015.

The annual ONS survey was based on a sample of 24,000 businesses in low-carbon sectors, collecting data on turnover, imports, exports, employment, aquisitions and asset disposals

London heads European investment in tech sector: study

Tough love for Amazon's Bezos in India

JANUARY 17, 2020

Hundreds of small traders staged protests during his visit to the giant South Asian market this week, which came as anti-trust authorities launched a probe into Amazon and its main rival Walmart-owned Flipkart

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos on Friday promised to create a million new jobs in India in a farewell love letter to the country, after ending a tough visit that reportedly included a snub by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hundreds of small traders staged protests during his visit to the giant South Asian market this week, which came as anti-trust authorities launched a probe into the e-commerce behemoth and its main rival Walmart-owned Flipkart.

A government minister dismissed Bezos's announcement that Amazon would invest $1 billion, and a leading ruling party member hit out at his ownership of the critical Washington Post.

"I fall more in love with India every time I return here. The boundless energy, innovation, and grit of the Indian people always inspire me," Bezos said in a farewell love letter to the country posted on Amazon's local website on Friday.

The $1-billion investment will "digitize micro and small businesses in cities, towns, and villages across India", he said, vowing Amazon would export $10 billion of Indian-made products annually and create one million new jobs by 2025.

Amazon has invested heavily in India offering goods and entertainment to its 1.3 billion consumers, with monthly subscription to Amazon Prime costing just 999 rupees (around $14) a year.

The Indian government has also been angered by the editorial stance of the Washington Post, particularly over New Delhi's actions in disputed Kashmir, as well as other foreign media

But it and Walmart—which bought Flipkart for $16 billion in 2018—have been accused of driving small firms out of business by selling heavily discounted goods at a loss to win market share.

Small traders are seen as important trading bloc for Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won a second term in a landslide election victory last year.

Bezos reportedly wanted a meeting with Prime Minister Modi during his visit—which also saw him hobnob with Bollywood stars in Mumbai—but it was unclear whether he met any leading government member.

"They may have put in a billion dollars but then if they make a loss of a billion dollars every year then they jolly well have to finance that bill," Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said Thursday.

"Where did the loss come from? How can a market place make such a loss unless they are engaging in predatory pricing or some unfair trade practices," Goyal said at a New Delhi conference.

The Indian government has also been angered by the editorial stance of the Washington Post, which is owned by Bezos, the world's richest man, particularly over New Delhi's actions in disputed Kashmir.

Vijay Chauthaiwale, the head of the BJP's foreign affairs department, was quoted by local media as saying that he was "definitely against what the Washington Post is writing

Amazon tycoon Bezos flies into internet trading storm in India

SEE  https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/search?q=AMAZON
SEE  https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/search?q=BEZOS
SEE  https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/search?q=INDIA

Green is the new black

by Wits University JANUARY 17, 2020

Credit: Wits University

Green cars and green energy are not new. Very few conversations go by without someone mentioning green variations of energy.

However, there's a new kid on the block, one that new research has proven could drastically limit the CO2 emissions from our cars, while saving you cash in terms of fuel consumption: green tyres.

In November, two trucks did lap after lap around a track at the Gerotek Test Facilities in Pretoria. One of these trucks was driving on conventional tyres, the other was fitted with a brand-new set of "green" low rolling resistance tyres.

(Low) Rolling in the green

As each vehicle was kept to a steady speed of 80km/h, researchers carefully monitored several datasets—including fuel efficiency—coming from the vehicles. Every two hours, the drivers would take a 10-20-minute break.

"The problem that tyre companies have is that they have found it difficult to get the green truck tyre accepted in the industry because fuel consumption is dependent on so many variables," says Professor Frank Kienhöfer in the Wits School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering. "You look at the driver, the wind speed, and the vehicle. All of this means that tyre companies are struggling to pinpoint that tyres can make a fuel saving difference."

Working under the umbrella of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight South Africa, the research team, which included members from Michelin, Iveco, Afrit, Lafarge, and Total, with research institutions Wits, Cambridge University, and the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research, set out to establish whether green tyres actually make a difference, by setting up a highly controlled test environment.

Tyres on trial

The trials, over a year in the making, were set up by Wits researchers, who oversaw everything from booking the test track, to setting up the test protocols.

"What makes the low rolling resistance tyres different is the materials are slightly different, they have silica instead of carbon black and the tread is different," says Kienhöfer.

"There is less energy being wasted in terms of turning the tyre and that manifests in low temperature." They are considered as safe as conventional tyres.

Once the team started looking at the results, they were pleasantly surprised. They found that, at 80 km/h, the long-haul truck burnt eight percent less fuel on green tyres than on ordinary tyres. This means eight percent less CO2 was emitted into the atmosphere from a single truck. Multiply that by all the trucks on our roads, it could make a significant difference.

"We were thinking the difference would be more in the ballpark of 5 to 6 percent," says Rehaan Abdulla, a Wits MSc student involved in the study. "So, there appears to be massive advantages of using the rolling low resistance tyres."

Even though green tyres have a 25 percent shorter lifespan than their traditional counterparts, they still hold the edge when it comes to financial benefits to transport companies. Kienhöfer points out that such savings on fuel could increase profits by 40 percent, even when calculating in the tyres' shorter lifespan.

Tests on oil recycled from tyres finds a cleaner diesel blend

Toyota shifts Tacoma pickup assembly from US to Mexico

JANUARY 18, 2020

The company said no US jobs would be lost because of the move

Toyota on Friday said it was moving assembly operations for its popular Tacoma pickups from the United States to Mexico but pledged that no US jobs would be affected.

The announcement came a day after the US Senate approved the new US-Mexico Canada Agreement on trade, which importantly revamps the rules for manufacturing and cross-border trade in autos.

Since 2010, the Tacoma has been produced at a plant in San Antonio, Texas that employs 3,200 workers with an annual capacity of 208,000 vehicles.

But this will come to an end in 2021, the company said in a statement, and all production will then take place at a factory in Baja California, Mexico.

Beginning in 2022, the San Antonio plant will switch to producing the Toyota Sequoia SUV, which had previously rolled off the assembly line in Princeton, Indiana.

It was unclear how US President Donald Trump would take the news. In an angry tweet, Trump in 2017 had blasted Toyota's decision to send production of the Corolla sedan to Mexico and the company ultimately continued production in the United States.

Trump had long blasted USMCA's predecessor, the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, saying it promoted offshoring of jobs.

US officials say the USMCA, which has yet to take effect, will promote investment in the domestic auto sector.

Toyota said Friday that moving the Tacoma to Mexico was part of a restructuring effort that involves $13 billion in US investments through 2021.

The company has already invested $7.1 billion, including $1.6 billion at an Alabama auto plant it shares with fellow Japanese automaker Mazda.

Source: $1.6 billion Toyota-Mazda plant planned for Alabama