After proposing the Principle of Minimum Gravitational Potential, in a pursuit to find the explanation behind the correction to Newton's gravitational potential that accounts for Mercury's orbit, by finding all the higher-order corrections it is shown that the consequences of the existence of speed of light for gravity are not yet fully explored.

In this study, the friction factor of turbulent pipe flow for dried rice malt extract solutions is reduced experimentally to that of a Newtonian fluid. The friction factor is measured for four types of solutions at different culture times and concentrations. The results indicate that the experimental data points of the test solutions diverge from the maximum drag reduction asymptote at and above Re√f ≅ 200 and align parallel to those of Newtonian fluids. This drag reduction phenomenon differs from that of artificial high molecular polymer solutions. It is classified as a Type B drag reduction phenomenon of biopolymer solutions and fine solid particle suspensions. The order of drag reduction corresponds approximately to that of 5–50 ppm xanthan-gum solutions reported previously. Furthermore, the velocity profile in a turbulent pipe flow was predicted using a semi-theoretical equation, in which the friction factors were determined using the difference between the experimental results of the tested solutions and Newtonian fluids. The results indicate a more considerable thickening of the viscous sublayer in the turbulent pipe flow of the test solutions than that of Newtonian fluids.

The gas-water relative permeability curve plays a crucial role in reservoir simulation and development for condensate gas reservoirs. In this study, we conducted a series of high temperature and high pressure analysis experiments on real gas cores from Wells A and B in Block L of the Yinggehai Basin to investigate the effects of temperature, pressure, and different types of gas media on gas-water seepage. The experimental results demonstrate that: Temperature has a significant impact on both gas and water relative permeability, particularly on the former. As temperature increases, gas relative permeability shows a substantial increase while water relative permeability remains relatively unchanged. Under the same effective stress, increasing pressure causes downward shifts in both the gas and water relative permeability curves; however, there is a more pronounced decrease in gas relative permeability. Gas type has minimal influence on phase permeability except at higher water saturation where differences become apparent. When water saturation ranges from 80% to 50%, there is no significant variation observed in the measured relative permeability of different displacement gases; however, as water saturation exceeds 80%, distinctions gradually emerge. At bound water saturation conditions, nitrogen exhibits lower relative permeability compared to simulated gases with approximately 92% similarity between them. This investigation into the characteristics of gas-water relative permeability in high temperature and high pressure condensate reservoirs within Yinggehai Basin provides valuable insights for efficient development strategies for similar reservoirs.

Agricultural greenhouse is largely answered in the agricultural sphere, despite the shortcomings it has, including overheating during the day and night cooling which sometimes results in the thermal inversion mainly due to its low inertia. The glasshouse dressed chapel is relatively more efficient than the conventional tunnel greenhouse. Its proliferation on the ground is more or less timid because of its relatively high cost[14-22]. Agricultural greenhouse aims to create a favorable microclimate to the requirements of growth and development of culture, from the surrounding weather conditions, produce according to the cropping calendars fruits, vegetables and flower species out of season and widely available along the year. It is defined by its structural and functional architecture, the quality thermal, mechanical and optical of its wall, with its sealing level and the technical and technological accompanying[12-13]. The greenhouse is a very confined environment, where multiple components are exchanged between key stakeholders and them factors are light, temperature and relative humidity[8]. This state of thermal evolution is the level sealing of the cover of its physical characteristics to be transparent to solar, absorbent and reflective of infrared radiation emitted by the enclosure where the solar radiation trapping effect otherwise called "greenhouse effect" and its technical and technological means of air that accompany. The socio-economic analysis of populations in the world leaves appear especially the last two decades of rapid and profound transformations These changes are accompanied by changes in eating habits, mainly characterized by rising consumption spread along the year[14]. To effectively meet this demand, greenhouse-systems have evolved, particularly towards greater control of production conditions (climate, irrigation, ventilation techniques, CO2 supply, etc ...). Technological progress has allowed the development of greenhouses so that they become increasingly sophisticated and of an industrial nature (heating, air conditioning, control, computer, regulation, etc ...). New climate driving techniques have emerged, including the use of control devices from the classic to the use of artificial intelligence[10-11] such as neural networks and / or fuzzy logic, etc... As a result, the greenhouse growers prefer these new technologies while optimizing the investment in the field to effectively meet the supply and demand of these fresh products cheaply and widely available throughout the year.

Structural health monitoring has been studied by a number of researchers as well as various industries to keep up with the increasing demand for preventive maintenance routines. This work presents a novel method for reconstruct prompt, informed strain/stress responses at the hot spots of the structures based on strain measurements at remote locations. The structural responses measured from usage monitoring system at available locations are decomposed into modal responses using empirical mode decomposition. Transformation equations based on finite element modeling are derived to extrapolate the modal responses from the measured locations to critical locations where direct sensor measurements are not available. Then, two numerical examples (a two-span beam and a 19956-degree of freedom simplified airfoil) are used to demonstrate the overall reconstruction method. Finally, the present work investigates the effectiveness and accuracy of the method through a set of experiments conducted on an aluminium alloy cantilever beam commonly used in air vehicle and spacecraft. The experiments collect the vibration strain signals of the beam via optical fiber sensors. Reconstruction results are compared with theoretical solutions and a detailed error analysis is also provided.

Dark energy and dark matter are described as different manifestations of vacuum energy in a new cyclic universe framework of Extra Dimensional Symmetry (EDS) that doubles large spatial dimensions with microscopic partners. In this testable framework, vacuum energy, constrained by a Planck density constraint, exists in a gravitationally dark state where actual gravitational constant G_o = 0G. While a small repulsive component is constrained by an asymptotically evolving asymmetry to the active state where G_o = 2G, some components in the inert state are enabled to gravitationally attract by neutrino induced gravitational constant with light and shear activated heavy components. Observational and experimental tests are briefly discussed.

In 2021 an acute energy crisis inflicted severe damage on the global economy, leading to escalated prices for electricity, gas, and fuel. In order to shield individuals and businesses from the mounting energy expenses, governments have been compelled to implement policy measures, including tax reductions, price restrictions or discounts, and subsidies. This research paper examines these policy responses through the lens of energy sufficiency. Energy poverty poses a significant threat to social cohesion and support for climate-related initiatives. Therefore, it is imperative to employ compensatory measures. However, the design of such solutions must carefully consider the incentives to reduce energy consumption and associated carbon emissions. The findings of the analysis demonstrate that the escalation of energy costs holds promise for achieving energy sufficiency. Nevertheless, the government's response to the surge in energy prices and energy poverty falls short and lacks precision. Most of the policy changes primarily focus on regressive energy cost subsidies and nudging households away from fossil fuels, but they fail to generate the necessary impetus for achieving energy sufficiency, which involves the elimination of energy poverty and excessive energy consumption.

This study explores the intricate dynamics of customer-centric supply chains and the pivotal role of marketing innovations in enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction. Employing a qualitative research methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders in supply chain management across various industries, providing rich insights into the practices and perceptions related to customer-centric strategies. The findings highlight the centrality of understanding and anticipating customer needs, which necessitates a cultural shift within organizations to prioritize customer satisfaction at all levels. Digital marketing tools, data analytics, e-commerce platforms, and social media emerged as critical enablers of these customer-centric supply chains, facilitating real-time insights, direct customer engagement, and personalized experiences. The integration of these technologies has led to more accurate demand forecasting, optimized inventory levels, and enhanced agility and responsiveness in operations. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of collaboration and partnership within the supply chain network, emphasizing joint initiatives and strong relationships with stakeholders as key drivers of improved resource utilization and service levels. Sustainability, entrepreneurship, and emotional intelligence also play significant roles in shaping effective customer-centric supply chains. Sustainable practices meet growing consumer demands for environmental and social responsibility, while an entrepreneurial mindset fosters continuous innovation and competitiveness. Emotional intelligence among leaders and employees enhances trust, conflict resolution, and collaboration, contributing to a positive organizational culture and superior customer satisfaction. Overall, this study provides comprehensive insights and actionable recommendations for businesses seeking to navigate the complexities of customer-centric supply chain management and leverage marketing innovations to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.

As technology continues to play a central role in shaping global industries, the performance of technology firms on the NASDAQ has significant implications for broader economic trends. Investors, facing an increasingly complex landscape, require detailed insights to make informed decisions and navigate market volatility. Moreover, amid the ongoing digital transformation, understanding the operational dynamics of technology companies is critical for policymakers and regulatory bodies to create frameworks that foster innovation while ensuring market stability. In the current context, characterized by rapid technological advancements, market uncertainties, and evolving consumer demands, the need for a comprehensive study on the operational efficiency of NASDAQ-listed technology companies is more pertinent than ever. Objective of our study is to identify relationships and patterns among selected financial metrics to assess the operational efficiency of NASDAQ-listed technology companies between 2011 to 2023. Financial metrics used in the study include following variables namely revenues, cost of goods sold, operating expenses, research, and development expenses, selling and general administrative expenses, and operating income. Johansen's cointegration methodology is employed to unveil long-term relationships and equilibrium adjustments among the considered variables. Results of our study underscore the paramount importance of efficiently managing the cost of goods sold (COGS) for achieving superior operating performance among these leading technology firms. The findings point to a nuanced interplay among these operational metrics, highlighting the interconnectedness and sustained relationships among them. This suggests that the top technology companies exhibit a sophisticated understanding of the dynamics between these variables, allowing them to navigate the complexities of the industry with strategic finesse.

Different bacterial species have dramatically different generation times, from 20-30 minutes in Escherichia coli to about two weeks in Mycobacterium leprae. The translation machinery in a cell needs to synthesize all proteins for a new cell in each generation. The three subprocesses of translation, i.e., initiation, elongation, and termination, are expected to be under stronger selection pressure to optimize in short-generation bacteria (SGB) such as Vibrio natriegens than in the long-generation Mycobacterium leprae. The initiation efficiency depends on the start codon decoded by the initiation tRNA, the optimal Shine-Dalgarno (SD) decoded by the anti-SD (aSD) sequence on small subunit rRNA, and the secondary structure that may embed the initiation signals and prevent them from being decoded. The elongation efficiency depends on the tRNA pool and codon usage. The termination efficiency in bacteria depends mainly on the nature of the stop codon and the nucleotide immediately downstream of the stop codon. By contrasting SGB with long-generation bacteria (LGB), we predict that 1) SGB to have more ribosome RNA operons to produce ribosomes, and more tRNA genes for carrying amino acid to ribosomes, 2) SGB to have a higher percentage of genes using AUG as start codon and UAA as stop codon than LGB, 3) SGB to exhibit better codon and anticodon adaptation than LGB, and 4) SGB to have weaker secondary structure near translation initiation signals than LGB. These differences between SGB and LGB should be more pronounced in highly expressed genes than lowly expressed genes. We present empirical evidence in support of these predictions.

There are several forms of maintenance high-efficiency hemodialysis (HD) including hemodiafiltrations (HDF) in different technic modes and expanded HD using dialyzers with medium cut-off membranes. The aim of the study was to assess the intradialytic tolerance and length of dialysis recovery time (DRT) in these modalities. This is an exploratory, cross-over study in maintenance HD patients with low comorbidity and no clinical indications for the use of high-efficiency HD, who were exposed to five intermittent dialysis in random order: high flux hemodialysis (S-HD), expanded HD (HDx), pre-dilution HDF (PRE-HDF), mix-dilution HDF (MIX-HDF) and post-dilution HDF (POST-HDF). 24 dialysis sessions of each method were included in the analysis. Dialysis parameters including blood flow rate, dialysis fluid flow rate and temperature, and pharmacological treatment were constant. Average total convection volume for post-HDF, pre-HDF and mix-HDF were 25.6 (3.8), 61.5 (7.2) and 47.1 (11.4) l, respectively. During all therapies, patients had similar hydration status monitored using bioimpedance spectroscopy and similar variability over time in systemic blood pressure, cardiac output, and peripheral resistance monitored using impedance cardiography. The lowest frequency of all intradialytic adverse events were observed during HDx. Delayed DRT was the shortest during PRE-HDF. Patients were also more likely to report immediate recovery while receiving PRE-HDF. These differences did not reach statistical significance, however the study results suggest that, intradialytic tolerance and DRT may depend on the dialysis method used. This support the need of taking into account patient preferences and quality of life while individualizing high efficiency therapy in HD patients.

The jet-slit milk homogenizer is one of the most energy-efficient among all types of homogenizers in the dairy industry. The principle of its operation is based on the creation of a maximum speed difference between the fat globules of cream and the flow of skimmed milk. Reducing the specific energy consumption and finding the optimal parameters of the homogenizer were based on the results of both theoretical and experimental studies. The optimization criteria (decreasing specific energy consumption while maintaining high homogenization quality) were chosen to achieve a dispersion of 0.8 μm with minimal energy consumption. The parameters of the width of the ring gap, the fat content and the speed of the cream have been optimized. It is possible to reduce the specific energy intensity of the process to values of 0.88–0.92 kWh/t when using cream with a fat content of 33–43%, which should be fed through an annular gap with a width of 0.6–0.8 mm. Optimum values of the cream feed speed had been found, which should be equal to 7–11 m/s. The research results are of high practical value for the further development of the energy-efficient industrial model of a jet-slit homogenizer.

Diversification in agroecosystems can increase the sustainability of agricultural production and reduce input dependence in agroecological transitions. This study evaluated the effects of intercropping and the introduction of flowering (aromatic) plant strips on the ratio of land use efficiency and crop damage for broccoli and lettuce association. Two experiments were conducted in 2022 and 2023 in experimental plots in southwestern Colombia. Crop association alone did not impact crop yield; the production was higher in the lettuce monoculture. However, in the presence of flowering plant strips, the land use equivalent ratio (LER) is >1 in the two years of study, with a high yield for broccoli. Regarding the damage by the silverback moth Plutella xilostella L on broccoli, no differences were found between crops established with or without flower strips. Similarly, flower strips did not affect the incidence of lettuce rot caused by Sclerotinia spp. In summary, our results support the idea that farmers can introduce flower strips into their horticultural fields to improve the eco-productive efficiency of their farms and reduce dependence on external polluting inputs. However, further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying these results.

The article is devoted to the study of ultrasonic agglomeration of PM2.5 in uniform and non-uniform ultrasonic fields. The possibility of increasing the efficiency of ultrasonic agglomeration by initiating acoustic streams in a resonant non-uniform ultrasonic field is shown. A non-uniform ultrasonic field with zones of high and low sound pressure levels formed using a bending-oscillating disk transmitter made it possible to initiate acoustic vortex-type streaming that promote the movement of particles into the nodal areas of a standing wave and between them. The efficiency of ultrasonic treatment was determined indirectly by the degree of inertial trapping of agglomerates. It has been established that the impact of an non-uniform ultrasonic field in comparison with the impact of a uniform ultrasonic field makes it possible to increase the efficiency of inertial capture of agglomerates PM2.5 from 89% to 95%, PM1.5 from 85% to 92%, PM0.5 from 76% to 85%. The results obtained made it possible to propose a design for an agglomeration chamber, which allows for a multiple increase in the productivity of ultrasonic processing of a gas-dispersed flow.

Cloud computing is a strong and efficient technology facing some efficiency challenges attributable to its decentralized nature. The emergence of fog computing has subdivided the expansive cloud into numerous smaller units known as "cloudlets." Fog computing is one of the most recent advancements in today’s cloud computing landscape. Each cloudlet is a novel and diminutive architectural element extending the contemporary cloud computing infrastructure. The term "cloudlets" has been integrated with fog computing due to its augmenting impact on the attributes of cloud computing. F fog computing is a significant foundation and an indispensable cloud component. Consequently, this technology holds the potential to address efficiency concerns effectively. As a result, this paper focuses on enhancing the efficiency of the cloud computing environment by fine-tuning the efficiency parameters derived from fog computing. These parameters encompass response time, latency, and network utilization. The proposed solution involves developing a simulation system to minimize task redundancy and increase performance levels in the healthcare environment. The outcomes manifest a substantial improvement in the performance of the suggested system, with a clear increase depending on the three key parameters (response time, network utilization, and latency). Therefore, these findings are encouraging and carry significant implications, promoting the application of the proposed system in the real healthcare environment.

Zn2GeO4 is considered a very promising alternative to current luminescent semiconductors. Previous results suggest that its emitted wavelength may depend on different variables, such as particle size and morphology, among others. In this work, we have prepared pure and highly homogeneous Zn2GeO4 nanorods under hydrothermal synthesis conditions with a willemite-like structure. Their luminescent properties have been explored and their band gap estimated, which are distinct to previously reported Zn2GeO4 bulk particles. Therefore, our results identify particle morphology as a crucial factor for maximizing and fine-tuning the luminesce of Zn2GeO4 nano-phosphors.

We investigate the performance of a novel flat photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) module under high-vacuum through a 1D numerical model based on steady-state energy balance, with the aims of optimizing the simultaneous production of thermal and electrical energy. In the proposed design, the photovoltaic (PV) cell is positioned directly above the selective solar absorber (SSA), in a multilayer or fully integrated PV-SSA structure, which allows full exploitation of spectral solar radiation. In fact, in this configuration the losses related to non-absorption of low-energy photons and thermalization, typical of a classical single-junction PV cell, are reduced. The present study is conducted as the emittance and energy bandgap of the PV layer varied, thus admitting a wide variety of materials into the analysis. The dependence of the temperature coefficient, β(%/K), on the energy bandgap of the PV cell is also included. In the last part of the work, we discuss the performance of the proposed evacuated PV-T equipped with a SSA layer and thin film solar cells, namely those made of CdTe, CdS and GaAs. Overall, the paper highlights the great advantage of using high vacuum insulation, which suppresses conductive losses, and the versatility of the proposed system, which could be adapted to the user's needs simply by choosing the appropriate material for the photovoltaic layer.

The concept of DC power distribution has gained interest within the research community in the past years; especially due to rapid prevalence of solar PVs as a tool for distributed generation in DC microgrids. Various efficiency analyses have been presented for the DC distribution paradigm, in comparison to the AC counterpart, considering a variety of scenarios. However, even after a number of such comparative efficiency studies, there seems to be a disparity in the results of research efforts - wherein a definite verdict is still unavailable: 'Is DC distribution a more efficient choice as compared to the conventional AC system?' A final verdict is absent primarily due to conflicting results. In this regard, system modeling and the assumptions made in different studies play a significant role in affecting the results of the study. The current paper is an attempt to critically observe the modeling and assumptions used in the efficiency studies related to the DC distribution system. Several research efforts will be analyzed for their approach towards the system upon which they have performed efficiency studies. Subsequently, the paper aims to propose a model that may alleviate the shortcomings in earlier research efforts and be able to give a definite verdict regarding the comparative efficiency of DC and AC networks for residential power distribution.

The prevalence of algorithms and computational tools in the modern-day has intersected with nearly every field. Generative design, specifically those using genetic algorithms, is an increasingly effective, yet cost efficient way to generate architectural designs in modern engineering. Thus, we adopt a genetic algorithm model in pursuit of maximizing the durability of a structure when it is stressed while minimizing the material cost. After the model is formulated, the algorithm is able to approximate with high accuracy the load a small-scale structure is able to bear, as well as iterate upon its designs to maximize a fitness function.

Solar energy is a renewable resources of energy which is broadly utilized and have the least pollution impact between the available alternatives of fossil fuels. In this investigation, machine leaening approaches of neural networks (NN), neuro-fuzzy and least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) are used to build the models for prediction of the thermal performance of a photovoltaic-thermal solar collector (PV/T) by estimating its efficiency as an output of the model while inlet temperature, flow rate, heat, solar radiation, and heat of sun are input of the designed model. Experimental measurements was prepared by designing a solar collector system and 100 data extracted. Different analyses are also performed to examine the credibility of the introduced approaches revealing great performance. The suggested LSSVM model represented the best performance regarding the mean squared error (MSE) of 0.003 and correlation coefficient (R²) value of 0.99, respectively.

Bauxite residue (BR) is a well promising resource for critical metals and especially scandium (Sc), a rare and expensive metal with increasing applications in advanced technology. Particularly, Greek BR’s composition indicates a sound possibility for a commercially viable recovery of Sc under the conditions of an optimized leaching process and the subsequent use of advanced separation techniques. Leaching with mineral acids emerges as the dominant selection with comparison to other techniques. This study investigates an optimized leaching condition set on Sc recovery, using sulfuric acid as the most suitable among different acids tested, in the context of process economics and environmental constraints. Several variables were studied individually or combined in order to achieve high Sc concentration in the leachate as well as to ensure selectivity, especially in respect to iron. The most significant parameters proved to be the solid to liquid ratio (S/L), the final pH value as well as the use of recycling of leachate on fresh BR batches. The proposed process, using sulfuric acid at low acid molarities under ambient conditions was integrated rapidly leading to high and selective Sc recovery. A flow diagram of the developed leaching process in industrial scale was proposed based on continuous operation.

The grain size of CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) graphene was controlled by changing the precursor gas flow rates, operation temperature, and chamber pressure. Graphene of average grain sizes of 4.1 µm, 2.2 µm, and 0.5 µm were synthesized in high quality and full coverage. The possibility to tailor the thermoelectric conversion characteristics of graphene has been exhibited by examining the grain size effect on the three elementary thermal and electrical properties of σ, S, and k. Electrical conductivity (σ) and Seebeck coefficients (S) were measured in a vacuum for supported graphene on SiO₂/Si FET (Field Effect Transistor) substrates so that the charge carrier density could be changed by applying a gate voltage (V_G). Mobility (µ) values of 529~1042, 459~745, and 314~490 cm²/V·s for the three grain sizes of 4.1 µm, 2.2 µm, and 0.5 µm, respectively, were obtained from the slopes of the measured σ vs. V_G graphs. The power factor (PF), the electrical portion of the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT), decreased by about one half as the grain size was decreased, while the thermal conductivity (k) decreased by one quarter for the same grain decrease. Finally, the resulting ZT increased more than two times when the grain size was reduced from 4.1 µm to 0.5 µm.

This article proposes a new photovoltaic (PV) solar tracker design based on the advantage that installation latitude offers according to efficiency in function of orientation (EFO) of PVs. First, is described a methodology to let incorporate a low-precision, low-cost and high-availability solar tracking mechanism and control system. The design methodology considers the installation location (latitude and azimuth) as a starting point for establishing an adequate angular range of EFO, simultaneity the aspects of available technology and the knowledge accords to developer. Finally, the design technique is experimentally validated by the implementation of a solar tracker at latitude of 28° longitude of 109° and evaluates the efficiency on a specific day. According to result the feasibility of this type of solar tracker for latitudes close to or greater than 30° is highlighted, given that this tracking system costs 30% less than traditional commercial systems as slew drive with its incorporation of lower-resolution azimuth tracking mechanisms. It also increases collection efficiency by 26%, just as continuous or time-based dual-axis solar trackers do, without the more complex controls and mechanisms of these designs.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health threat linked to increased morbidity and mortality. It has the potential to return us to the pre-antibiotic era. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are recognized as a key intervention to improve antimicrobial use and combat AMR. However, implementation of AMS programs remains limited in Africa, particularly in Rwanda. This qualitative study, conducted at King Faisal Hospital (KFH) in Rwanda, aimed at assessing current prescription practices to identify areas for improvement and promote adherence to AMS principles. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed, revealing four emerging themes. First, emerged on AMS activities that were working well which includes availability of microbiology laboratory results, and prescription guidelines as factors influencing antibiotic prescription adjustments. Second, Implementations challenges to AMS which identified the prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics, limited local data on AMR patterns, stock-outs of essential antibiotics, Thirdly, the importance of adhering to AMR management guidelines at KFH was underscored. Lastly, participant recommendations centered on regular training for healthcare workers, widespread dissemination of AMR findings across departments, and the enforcement of antibiotic restriction policies. These actions can improve prescription behaviors, upholding the highest standards of patient care, and strengthening the nascent AMS program.

Background: Annual influenza epidemics are a serious public health problem, causing particularly severe morbidity and mortality in high-risk groups. The study aimed to understand Poles' attitudes and beliefs towards influenza vaccinations in the flu season of 2022–2023, analyze preferences and unmet needs regarding influenza vaccinations, and examine the perception and acceptance of the influenza vaccine among individuals at risk of flu complications. Methods: A cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out on a sample of 1446 respondents. The Google Forms questionnaire was created and disseminated electronically using social media and e-mail. The pre-test was performed at the beginning of the project. Results: The majority of respondents (71%) could identify "high-risk groups" recommended for influenza vaccination. Furthermore, it was observed that individuals aged 21 to 59 demonstrated a higher level of knowledge in this regard compared to those below 20 and above 65 years old, and individuals with higher and medium education levels were much better at identifying risk groups for influenza virus infection. The majority of respondents (52.01%) reported receiving influenza vaccination at some point in the past, with 32.12% receiving it in the 2022–2023 flu season and 41.09% in the 2021–2022 season. The majority of respondents declaring acceptance of the vaccine for the 2022-2023 season were in the high-risk group. Only 17.28% of respondents declared receiving both influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the 2022-2023 season, with the vast majority being respondents from the "high-risk group" (p

This study examines the dynamic relationship between Green Human Resource Management (Green HRM), Environmental Performance (EP), Green Employee Behavior (GEB), and Environmental Knowledge and Awareness (EKAW) within the Egyptian hospitality sector context. Using Pearson correlation coefficients and regression analyses on a sample of 400 staff members from hotels and tourist villages in Egypt, the study examines Green HRM practices’ influence on EP, mediated by GEB and moderated by EKAW. The findings reveal significant positive correlations between Green HRM practices and these mediators, indicating that comprehensive environmental strategies and incentive management are pivotal in promoting eco-friendly practices among employees. The study further confirms GEB and EKAW’s substantial mediating role in enhancing EP. The results also suggest that while EKAW and GEB independently contribute to EP, their interaction and the role of environmental awareness as a potential moderator warrant further examination. This research contributes to the literature on sustainable business practices by underscoring human resource strategies’ integral role in achieving environmental sustainability goals, highlighting the importance of incentivizing green practices, and cultivating an organizational culture that prioritizes EKAW. These insights are particularly valuable for organizations seeking to enhance their ecological footprint through effective Green HRM practices.

In this study, tree selection/plantation DSS (Decision Support Systems) were reviewed and assessed based on essential objectives in the available literature. We reviewed existing DSS using multiple data sources and available online resources such as web interfaces. We compared the existing DSS, focusing primarily on five primary objectives in this study, which DSS may address when it comes to the tree selection, including a) Climate resilience, b) Infrastructure/Space Optimization, c) Agroforestry, d) Ecosystem services, e) Urban sustainability. Climate resilience of tree species and urban sustainability is addressed relatively less in existing systems, which can be holistically internalized in future DSS tools Based on this review, DNN (Deep Neural Networks) is recommended to address achieving trade-offs between complex objectives such as maximizing ecosystem services, climate resilience of tree species, maintaining Agroforestry, and other benefits.

Fat and oils plays one of the major roles in Sri Lankan modern unhealthy diet. The study was guided to collect, analyze, and interpret data about the awareness of general community on edible fat and oil products available in the market and their knowledge about healthy ways of usage. A total of 250 purchasing women were surveyed with a welldeveloped questionnaire. Results revealed that, Coconut oil (71%) is the leading supermarket oil product purchased and consumption of animal fats and oil are very limited (<3%) in Kandy. Educational level affects significantly (P<0.05) on purchasing behavior. Regardless of educational level and working status, price (73%) will be the most significant factor look at during purchasing edible oils. Total of 57% of purchasing women use the same oil for both deep frying and stir frying. Besides, 43% of women keep two different types. From all respondents, 83% use oil more than one time after first cooking. Working women prefer internet and facebook (38%) as the major food related information searching resource, while newspapers (35%) are among non-working women. All in all, lowering the price of healthy fat and community awareness programs will encourage healthy fat and oil purchasing behavior in Sri Lanka.

Backyard chickens are the most popular poultry in Bangladesh due to their production potential, and income generation. However, this farming can be a factor in zoonotic disease transmission. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to biosecurity and management among backyard chicken households in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 295 households in six sub-districts of different six divisions of Bangladesh. The study used a convenient sampling technique to choose the divisions, then the districts and sub-districts. A well-structured pre-tested questionnaire was used to interview randomly selected households. In this study, most of the respondents relied on agriculture crop production (n=128) as their primary source of income, relied on scavenging for their birds’ feeding (34%), or fed their chickens whole or broken rice (32%), used tube well water (58%), used ash (38%) or sand (28%) as litter material. A significant proportion of households (40%) did not use any nest box at all. Results also showed that the most reported poultry diseases among backyard poultry farmers were Newcastle disease (49%), followed by coccidiosis (30%), fowl cholera (12%), and fowl pox (9%). In the multivariate logistic regression model, knowledge of biosecurity was associated with the household type (OR=1.4, p=0.04), knowledge of vaccination (OR=3.7, p=0.02), don’t know category (OR=4.2, p=<0.001), provision of the nest box (OR=9.5, p<0.001), training (OR=0.1, p=0.04), and air pollution (OR=0.1; p=0.04). The study found a huge knowledge gap on management and biosecurity practices present among backyard chicken farmers, which can negatively impact public health for instance in the outbreak of zoonotic diseases. Increasing farmers' biosecurity awareness through education and outreach activities could minimize the risk of disease transmission and improve both public and poultry health.

Lake Rawapening, Semarang Regency, Indonesia, has incorporated a holistic plan in its management practices. However, despite successful target achievements, some limitations remain that a review of its management plan is needed. This paper identifies and analyzes existing lake management strategies as a standard specifically in Lake Rawapening by exploring various literature, both legal frameworks and scholarly articles indexed in Google Scholar and published in Water by MDPI about lake management in many countries. There are two major types of lake management, namely pillar-based and object-based. While the former is the foundation of a conceptual paradigm that does not comprehensively consider the roles of finance and technology in the lake management, the latter indicates the objects to manage so as to create standards or benchmarks for the implementation of various programs. Overall, Lake Rawapening management should include more programs on erosion-sedimentation control and monitoring of operational performance using information systems.

Usage of antimicrobials in veterinary practices has always been under scrutiny due to the perceived risk of resulting in antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. This creates the necessity for understanding the role of the prescriber group. Hence, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among veterinary practitioners from August to November 2019 in the Chattogram district of Bangladesh, aiming to assess the practitioner’s perceptions regarding antimicrobial prescribing and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) issue. We collected responses from 100 veterinarians engaged in the treatment of the large animal, poultry, and pet animal through a self-administrated questionnaire. Proportions were calculated for categorical variables and the results are presented using visual aids. Our study revealed two key barriers - scarcity of enough information on antimicrobial used, and the lack of training in the proper prescription of antimicrobials. Participants recognized that prescribing too many varieties of antimicrobials and the use of an incomplete course of drugs as two very important causes for the development of antimicrobial resistance. In addition, prescription of inappropriate doses and incentives from pharmaceutical companies were dubbed as important causes. We also found that along with clinical features and types of organisms, the availability of drugs in the local market and the economic conditions of farmers have potential impacts on the antimicrobials prescribing decision of the veterinarians. However, all participants recognized the emerging threats of AMR. Results suggested that capacity building of veterinarians and the maintenance of strong coordination are crucial in ensuring the proper engagement of veterinarians as the front-line fighters for tackling the AMR issue.

The primary purpose of this investigation was to identify safety-oriented bicycling practices commonly used by adult riders in an urban setting (Brooklyn, New York), and to explore whether there are any differences between the safety-oriented practices of men and women riders. Methods: 24 adult riders (14 men, 10 women) in Brooklyn were interviewed concerning their perceptions of bicycling hazards and their safety-oriented practices. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through thematic analysis. Fisher’s Exact Test was employed to test for gender differences. Results: Participants identified a variety of hazards, mainly due to motor vehicles but also pedestrians and roadway conditions. The analysis distilled twenty-one bicycling practices to summarize prevalent views of the participants about safe riding practices. Related items were grouped under broader categories, generating seven safety-oriented bicycling strategies. Few differences based on gender were found in the analysis; however, women in this study were more likely than men to say that they felt disrespected by other road users. Conclusion: Seven strategies may be important for safe urban bicycling: minimizing exposure to other road users (especially motor vehicles) while riding, being vigilant and anticipating what others might do, riding in a predictable fashion, making one’s presence known to other road users, making sure it is safe before proceeding, obeying traffic rules, and riding at a safe speed. Future studies could develop these concepts further and test whether they are associated with involvement in traffic crashes.

The use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS ) as platforms for data capture has rapidly increased in recent years. However, while there has been significant investment in improving the aircraft, sensors, operations, and legislation infrastructure for such, little attention has been paid to supporting the management of the complex data capture pipeline sUAS involve. This paper reports on the outcomes of a four-year-long community-engagement-based investigation into what tools, practices, and challenges currently exist for particularly researchers using sUAS as data capture platforms. The key results of this effort are: (1) sUAS captured data – as a set that is rapidly growing to include data in a wide range of Physical and Environmental Sciences, Engineering Disciplines, and many civil and commercial use cases – is characterised as both sharing many traits with traditional remote sensing data and also as exhibiting – as common across the spectrum of disciplines and use cases – novel characteristics that require novel data support infrastructure. And (2), given this characterization of sUAS data and its potential value in the identified wide variety of use case, we outline eight challenges that need to be addressed in order for the full value of sUAS captured data to be realized. We then conclude that there would be significant value gained and costs saved across both commercial and academic sectors if the global sUAS user and data management communities were to address these challenges in the immediate to near future, so as to extract the maximal value of sUAS captured data for the lowest long-term effort and monetary cost.

Introduction Pharmacovigilance may detect safety issues after marketing of medications, and this can result in regulatory action such as direct healthcare professional communications (DHPC). DHPC can be effective in changing prescribing behaviour, however the extent to which prescribers vary in their response to DHPC is unknown. This study aims to explore changes in prescribing and prescribing variation among GP practices following a DHPC on the safety of mirabegron, a medication to treat overactive bladder (OAB). Methods This is an interrupted time series study of English GP practices from 2014-2017. NHS Digital provided monthly statistics on aggregate practice-level prescribing and practice characteristics (practice staff and registered patient profiles, Quality & Outcomes Framework indicators, and deprivation of the practice area). The primary outcome was monthly mirabegron items as a percentage of all OAB drug items. The exposure was a DHPC issued by the European Medicines Agency in September 2015. Variation between practices in mirabegron prescribing before and after the DHPC was assessed using the systematic component of variation (SCV). Multilevel segmented regression with random effects quantified the change in level and trend of prescribing after the DHPC. Practice characteristics were assessed for their association with a reduction in prescribing following the DHPC. Results This study included 7,408 practices. During September 2015, 88.9% of practices prescribed mirabegron and mirabegron composed a mean of 8.2% (SD 6.8) of OAB items. Variation between practices was classified as very high and the median SCV did not change significantly (p=0.11) in the 6 months after the September 2015 DHPC (12.4) compared to before (11.6). Before the DHPC, there was a monthly trend of 0.294 (95%CI, 0.287, 0.301) percentage points increase in mirabegron percentage. There was no significant change in the month immediately after the DHPC (-0.023, 95% CI -0.105 to 0.058) however there was a significant reduction in trend (-0.036, 95% CI -0.049 to -0.023). Higher numbers of registered patients and patients aged ≥65 years, and practice area deprivation were associated with having a significant decrease in level and slope of mirabegron prescribing post-DHPC. Conclusion Variation in mirabegron prescribing was high over the study period and did not change substantively following the DHPC. There was no immediate prescribing change post-DHPC, although the monthly growth did slow. Knowledge of the degree of variation in and determinants of response to safety communications may allow those that do not change prescribing to be provided with additional supports.

This paper is concerned with a hydraulic cylinder directly controlled by a variable speed fixed displacement pump. The considered configuration is referred to as a one-motor-one-pump (1M1P) motor-controlled hydraulic cylinder (MCC). A 1M1P MCC with a hydraulically driven passive load-holding function enabled by controlled system pressures is proposed. The proposed load-holding functionality works if there is a standstill command, a loss of power supply, or a hose rupture. Additionally, this paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of the proposed system's operation and load-holding function across four quadrants. Simulation results demonstrate the four-quadrant operation and good load-holding performance under the aforementioned scenarios. In conclusion, the proposed 1M1P MCC can be successfully used on practical applications characterized by overrunning loads and four quadrant operation.

Hydrogen has a leading role in accomplishing a net zero green-house gas emission future. Today’s challenge is producing green hydrogen to cover the fuel demand of transportation and industry, to gain independence from fossil fuels. This review’s goal is to demonstrate critically the existing methods of biomass treatment and assess their ability to scale up. Biomass is an excellent hydrogen carrier and biomass-derived processes are the main target for hydrogen production as it is an innovative pathway to green hydrogen production. Comparing the existing processes, thermochemical treatment is found to be far more evolved than biological or electrochemical treatment especially with regard to scaling prospects.

In physics, symmetry is mostly about the symmetry between elementary particles, between matter and antimatter. In the universe, we have two fundamental types of energy: energy of matter and energy of space. These two energies have a symmetry that is not geometry type, not electric charge type, it is energy type. Every physical object with mass m symmetrically diminishes the energy density of space in its center exactly for the amount of its mass. This symmetry of matter and space energies is the physical source of gravity that is also valid in the centre of black holes.

Energy system modelling is an essential practice to assist a set of heterogeneous stakeholders in the process of defining an effective and efficient energy transition. From the analysis of a set of open source energy system models, it has emerged that most models employ an approach directed at finding the optimal solution for a given set of constraints. On the contrary, a simulation model is a representation of a system that is used to reproduce and understand its behaviour under given conditions, without seeking an optimal solution. Given the lack of simulation models that are also fully open source, in this paper a new open source energy system model is presented. The developed tool, called Multi Energy Systems Simulator (MESS), is a modular, multi-node model that allows to investigate non optimal solutions by simulating the energy system. The model has been built having in mind urban level analyses. However, each node can represent larger regions allowing wider spatial scales to be be represented as well. MESS is capable of performing analysis on systems composed by multiple energy carriers (e.g. electricity, heat, fuels). In this work, the tool’s features will be presented by a comparison between MESS itself and an optimization model, in order to analyze and highlight the differences between the two approaches, the potentialities of a simulation tool and possible areas for further development.

Following an updated outlook of global energy production and utilization, we show through selected examples from both developing and developed countries how distributed generation from renewable energy sources, and from solar energy in particular, is the key solution to ending energy poverty across the world. Guidelines aimed at policy makers suggest a systems view of energy that will be instrumental in guiding the transition from fossil fuels to combustion-free renewable energy for all energy end uses.

Global financial investments in energy production and consumption are significant since all aspects of a country's economic activity, and development require energy resources. In this paper, we assess the investment trends in the global energy sector during, before and after financial crises of 2008 using two data sources: (1) Dealogic database providing cross‐border mergers and acquisitions (M&As), and (2) fDi Intelligence fDi Markets database providing greenfield (GF) foreign direct investments (FDIs). We highlight the changing role of China and compare its M&A and GF FDI activities to those of the United States, Germany, UK, Japan and others during this period. We analyze the investments along each segment of the energy supply chain of these countries to highlight the geographical origin and destination, sectoral distribution, and cross‐border M&As and GF FDI activities. Our paper shows that while energy accounts for nearly 25% of all GF FDI, it only accounts for 4.82% of total M&A FDI activity in the period 1996-2016. China's outbound FDI in the energy sector started its ascent around the time of the global recession and had accelerated in the post-recession phase. In the energy sector, the development of China's outbound cross‐border M&As is similar to USA or UK, located mostly in the developed countries in the west, while their outbound GF investments are spread across many countries around the world. Also, China's outbound energy M&As are concentrated in certain segments (extraction, and electricity generation) while their GF covers all segments of the energy supply chain.

In this work, the Pumped Storage Unit (PSU) is proposed to be integrated with wind-thermal generation system owned by a company whose aim is to maximize its profit through optimal self-scheduling of its units by finding the best bidding strategy in day-ahead energy market. The mathematical formulation of the scenario based unit-commitment and coordinated trading problem is formulated as a stochastic mixed integer linear program. The formulation takes into account several uncertain parameters; such as the wind power generation, energy market prices, and imbalances up/down prices. The expected total profit obtained from energy trading with and without coordinating pumped storage system (PSS) with thermal-wind generation system were compared, and a significant improvement in profit resulted from coordination was observed. Furthermore, coordination between PSS and wind-thermal generation improve the conditional value at risk (CVaR) which monitors the biding risk level.

Distributed Energy Resources might have a severe influence on Power Line Communications, as they can generate interfering signals and high frequency emissions or supraharmonics that may cause loss of metering and control data. In this paper, the influence of various energy resources on Narrowband Power Line Communications is described and analyzed through several test measurements performed in a real microgrid. Accordingly, the paper describes the effects on smart metering communications through MAC layer analysis. Results show that the commutation frequency of inverters and the presence of battery chargers are remarkable sources of disturbance in low voltage distribution networks. In this sense, the results presented can contribute to efforts towards standardization and normative of emissions at higher frequencies higher, such as CENELEC EN 50160 and IEC/TS 62749.

This paper introduces an innovative energy circuit that challenges conventional understandings of energy conservation, marking a significant departure from traditional frameworks. Seeking to enhance energy generation within existing paradigms, this innovation holds promise for addressing pressing global issues such as the energy crisis and environmental sustainability, while also stimulating scientific inquiry. In contrast to prevalent misconceptions rooted in philosophical and scientific constraints, this study refutes the notion of generating energy from nothing and questions the viability of perpetual motion machines as conceptual models. Instead, it proposes a novel circuit design derived from an unconventional electrical short circuit, which is shown to disrupt the established principles of energy conservation. This circuit offers a transformative approach with diverse applications, including self-recharging capabilities for electric vehicles, bolstering microgrid infrastructure, and facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources. Transcending conventional scientific boundaries, this paper prompts philosophical reflections on the evolving nature of scientific exploration. Ultimately, the energy circuit represents a pivotal step towards mitigating the global energy crisis by reducing reliance on finite resources and fostering sustainability. The paper concludes by illustrating the circuit's potential to revolutionize energy systems and contribute to a more resilient and sustainable future.

The retrospective noninterventional study investigated the kinetic energy of video images of 18 fertilized eggs (7 were normal and 11 were abnormal) recorded by a time-lapse device leading up to the beginning of the first cleavage. The norm values of cytoplasmic particles were measured by the optical flow method. Three phases profile for normal cases were found regarding the kinetic energy that were 2.199×10⁻²⁴±2.076×10⁻²⁴, 2.369×10⁻²⁴±1.255×10⁻²⁴, and 1.078×10⁻²⁴±4.720×10⁻²⁵ (J) for the phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In phase 2, the energies were 2.369 × 10⁻²⁴ ± 1.255 × 10⁻²⁴ and 4.694 × 10⁻²⁴ ± 2.996 × 10⁻²⁴ (J) (mean ± SD, P = 0.0372), and the time required was 8.114 ± 2.937 and 6.018 ± 5.685 (H) (P = 0.0413) for the normal and abnormal cases, respectively. The kinetic energy change was considered a condition for applying the free energy principle that states that, for any self-organized system to be in equilibrium in its environment, it must minimize its informational free energy. The kinetic energy while interpreting it in terms of the free energy principle suggesting clinical usefulness would further our understanding of the phenomenon of fertilized egg development with respect to the birth of human life.

The accumulation of waste polymer in ecosystems is a problem that affects the environment on a global scale. This paper presents the design of Pwave+, a microwave pyrolysis system that has been optimized to recycle waste polymer into valuable hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals. Heating in a microwave oven is both volumetric and rapid, which improves the effectiveness of pyrolysis and the quality of the product. The production of waste polymer oil and gas products was boosted to its full potential by a continuous microwave vortex reactor. The product gases allowed for complete independence in terms of energy production. Modeling, simulation, and experimentation with advanced technology are used to optimize the pyrolysis parameters and the performance of the reactor. As a result, simulation and programming are solutions to problems. The results of this study demonstrated both the technical viability and the long-term viability of continuous microwave pyrolysis as a method for recycling mixed polymer waste streams. The Pwave+ continuous microwave vortex reactor is described in this study. It is capable of converting various polymer waste streams into hydrocarbon products as well as energy. The use of microwaves to assist in the pyrolysis process has the potential to cut down on plastic pollution and the amount of waste that is dumped in landfills. This could provide valuable insights for the design and commercialization of similar systems.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is experiencing exponential growth, revolutionizing various industries with its ability to connect devices and enable advanced applications. In the realm of energy production, IoT offers significant potential for optimizing processes and improving efficiency. This study presents a comprehensive monitoring and energy management strategy for the University of Cuenca's microgrid photovoltaic (PV) system, utilizing IoT and ThingSpeak as key technologies. The proposed strategy leverages intelligent environments and utilizes ThingSpeak as a robust platform for data presentation and analysis. By integrating IoT devices and sensors, real-time monitoring of PV system parameters such as solar radiation and temperature is achieved. The collected data is then analyzed using advanced algorithms and visualized through ThingSpeak, enabling effective energy management and decision-making. The developed monitoring system was rigorously tested in a laboratory microgrid setting, where the PV system is interconnected with other generation and storage systems, as well as the electrical grid. Through the seamless integration of these components, the monitoring system provides enhanced visibility and control over the microgrid's energy production. The results demonstrate the successful implementation of the monitoring system, showcasing its ability to improve the supervision, automation, and analysis of daily energy production. By leveraging IoT technologies and ThingSpeak, stakeholders can access real-time data, analyze performance trends, and optimize energy resources.

We generalize the dynamical analog of the Berry geometric phase setup to the quaternionic model of Avron et al. In our dynamical quaternionic system, the fast half-integer spin subsystem interacts with a slow two-degrees-of-freedom subsystem. The model is invariant under the 1:1:2 weighted SO(2) symmetry and spin inversion. There is one formal control parameter in addition to four dynamical variables of the slow subsystem. We demonstrate that the most elementary qualitative phenomenon associated with the rearrangement of the energy super-bands of our model consists of the rearrangement of one energy level between two energy superbands which takes place when the formal control parameter takes the special isolated value associated with the conical degeneracy of the semi-quantum eigenvalues. This qualitative phenomenon is of the topological origin, and is characterized by the second Chern class of the associated semi-quantum system. The correspondence between the number of redistributed energy levels and the second Chern number is confirmed through a series of examples.

The Energy Return on Energy Invested, EROEI, is known as an important parameter for evaluating the efficiency of energy-producing technologies. In this paper we examine the concept of EROEI from a general viewpoint, giving insights on a wider range of applications. In general, natural resources can be seen as energy stocks characterized by a “potential” that can be exploited by creating intermediate stocks. This transformation is typical of dissipative systems and for the first time we found that Lotka-Volterra model, usually confined to the study of biology of populations, can represent a powerful tool to estimate EROEI for some such systems, providing an understanding of the reason for the overexploitation phenomenon and, in some cases, the collapse of the exploiting system.

A high-performance Lead-free Piezoelectric Energy Harvester (LPEH) based on a Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.90Zr0.10O3 + CuO 0.3 wt% (BCTZC0.3) composite was fabricated by sintering at 1450℃. The BCTZC0.3 composite, which has an enhanced high-energy-conversion constant (〖d_33×g〗_33), shows improved piezoelectric power-generation performance when compared with conventional piezoelectric energy harvesters. The BCTZC0.3-based LPEH produces instantaneous maximum power of 8.2 mW and an energy density of 107.9 mW/cm3 in a weak magnetic field of 250 μT. This energy harvester can be used to charge a capacitor and operate a wireless sensor network (WSN) system to provide temperature sensing and radio-frequency (RF) transmission in a 250 μT magnetic field. The proposed LPEH is a promising green-energy device for potentially self-powering WSN systems when applied.

In this study, CO2 emissions of the Turkish economy are decomposed for the 1998–2017 period for four sectors; agriculture, forestry and fishery, manufacturing industries and construction, public electricity and heat production, transport, and residential. The analyses are conducted for five fuel types; liquid, solid, gaseous fuels, biomass, and other fuels. In decomposition analysis, Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method is used. The analysis results point out that energy intensity is one of the determining factors behind the change in CO2 emissions, aside from economic activity. The fuel mix component, especially for the manufacturing industries and construction sector, lowers CO2 emissions during the crisis periods when the economic activity declines. Mainly, it is found that changes in total industrial activity and energy intensity are the primary factors determining the changes in CO2 emissions during the study period. Among GDP sectors, manufacturing industries and construction and public electricity and heat production are the two sectors that dominate the change in CO2 emissions. Additionally, the residential and transport sectors’ contributions have gained importance during recent years. Among the manufacturing industries and construction, the non-metallic minerals sector contributes to CO2 emissions, followed by the chemicals sector.

A major goal of neuroscience is understanding how neurons arrange themselves into neural networks that result in behavior. Most theoretical and experimental efforts have focused on a top-down approach which seeks to identify neuronal correlates of behaviors. This has been accomplished by effectively mapping specific behaviors to distinct neural patterns, or by creating computational models that produce a desired behavioral outcome. Nonetheless, these approaches have only implicitly considered the fact that neural tissue, like any other physical system, is subjected to several restrictions and boundaries of operations.Here, we propose a new, bottom-up conceptual paradigm: The Energy Homeostasis Principle, where the balance between energy income, expenditure, and availability are the key parameters in determining the dynamics of the found neuronal phenomena from molecular to behavioral levels. Neurons display high energy consumption relative to other cells, with metabolic consumption of the brain representing 20% of the whole-body oxygen uptake, contrasting with this organ representing only 2% of the body weight. Also, neurons have specialized surrounding tissue providing the necessary energy which, in the case of the brain, is provided by astrocytes. Moreover, and unlike other cell types with high energy demands such as muscle cells, neurons have strict aerobic metabolism. These facts indicate that neurons are highly sensitive to energy limitations, with Gibb’s free energy dictating the direction of all cellular metabolic processes. From this activity, the largest energy, by far, is expended by action potentials and post-synaptic potentials; therefore, plasticity can be reinterpreted in terms of their energy context. Consequently, neurons, through their synapses, impose energy demands over post-synaptic neurons in a close loop-manner, modulating the dynamics of local circuits. Subsequently, the energy dynamics end up impacting the homeostatic mechanisms of neuronal networks. Furthermore, local energy management also emerges as a neural population property, where most of the energy expenses are triggered by sensory or other modulatory inputs. Local energy management in neurons may be sufficient to explain the emergence of behavior, enabling the assessment of which properties arise in neural circuits and how. Essentially, the proposal of the Energy Homeostasis Principle is also readily testable for simple neuronal networks.

A lack of trust in Energy Service Company (ESCo) is the most critical factor affecting the development of Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) in China compared with other constraints. One cannot easily estimate the energy-saving performance of an EPC project. Under that condition, lack of trust may cause the Energy-Consuming Unit (ECU) to suspect the energy-saving performance promised by the ESCo, thus leaving potentially profitable projects without necessary funding. Currently, specific studies taking an across-projects viewpoint on annual energy-saving performance of EPC projects in multiple subsectors objectively and quantitatively are lacking. This paper studies the regression relationships of annual energy-saving quantity in terms of revamping cost and the regression relationships of annual cost saving in terms of revamping cost. The regression results show that there are statistically significant correlations in the above relationships in the nine subsectors investigated. This is significant for ESCos and ECUs because knowledge on energy-saving performance could contribute to EPC investment decisions and trust relationships between ESCos and ECUs. Then a multiple linear regression model of revamping cost is set up to analyze its influencing factors. The model indicates that the subsector the sample belongs to, financing, registered capital of the ESCo, and contract period have significant effects on revamping cost. Thus, policy implications regarding innovation of EE promotion technology, clarifying ESCos’ exit mechanism, innovation of financing mechanism, and improving the market credit environment for promoting investment in EPC projects are provided.

Energy system models have become indispensable to shape future energy systems by providing insights into different trajectories. However, sustainable systems with high shares of renewable energy are characterized by growing cross-sectoral interdependencies and decentralized structures. To capture important properties of increasingly complex energy systems, sophisticated and flexible modelling tools are needed. At the same time open science becomes increasingly important in energy system modelling. This paper presents the Open Energy Modelling Framework (oemof) as a novel approach in energy system modelling, representation and analysis. The framework forms a toolbox to construct comprehensive energy system models and has been published open source under a free license. With a collaborative development based on open processes the framework seeks for a maximum level of participation and transparency to facilitate open science principles in energy system modelling. Based on a generic graph based description of energy systems it is well suited to flexibly model complex cross-sectoral systems and incorporate various modelling approaches. This makes the framework a multi-purpose modelling environment for modelling and analyzing different systems ranging from an urban to a transnational scale.

Coffee has become a significant commodity for the people of Indonesia, including in Bener Meriah Regency. However, the quality of coffee remains low, partly due to deficiencies in the post-harvest process. This study aimed to analyze coffee farmers' post-harvest process in the Permata Sub-district and identify strategies to enhance coffee quality through farmers' institutions. The research method was qualitative, with data collection techniques comprising in-depth interviews and observation. The findings indicated that most coffee farmers in the Permata Sub-district lacked comprehensive post-harvest processing, impacting the coffee quality. The recommendations of this study emphasize the importance of strengthening coffee farmers' institutions, such as coffee farmer groups, to improve farmers' knowledge and skills in conducting optimal post-harvest processing following specialty coffee standards.

The intensification of modern farming methods in developed nations has exacerbated the issue of soil degradation and over-utilization of naturally available resources, hence, tinkering negatively with the health and productive capacity of soil. Chemical fertilizers, while increasing crop yields, have resulted in environmental pollution and health hazards. Green manuring presents a sustainable alternative by enriching soil fertility and reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers. This paper reviews the impact of green manuring on soil properties, crop yield, and farm economies. In-situ green manuring involves growing and incorporating the crops within the field, while ex-situ green manuring incorporates plant material from external sources. Leguminous green manures are particularly effective owing to nitrogen fixation capability and rapid decomposition. The inclusion of green manure improves the availability of nutrients, microbial count and carbon content of the soil, thereby, enhancing the overall health of soil and crop productivity. Additionally, green manures reduce pests and diseases, suppress weeds, and provide supplementary forage. Despite the benefits, challenges such as limited water resources, seed availability, and farmer reluctance hinder widespread adoption. Future research should focus on raising awareness, quantifying benefits, and developing location-specific cropping systems to optimize green manuring practices.

Effective waste elimination is critical for the success of construction projects. Although several studies have focused on various aspects of construction waste, limited efforts have investigated the dynamic effect of Making-Do (MD) practices on productivity, rework, defects, and materials wastage. From a lean construction perspective, this study aims to address MD waste using the Last Planner System (LPS) and BIM. First, the casual structure that can cause MD in construction projects was expressed in a casual loop diagram (CLD), and thematic analysis uncovered the strategies of LPS-BIM to eliminate MD identified by reviewing the literature. Secondly, twenty-five strategies from the LPS and BIM strategies to address MD using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were assessed. Subsequently, a system dynamics model (SDM) for investigating LPS-BIM strategies on MD decisions in a construction project was formulated based on the underlying causal loop diagrams and the mathematical relations among the variables. Finally, the model was applied to three projects, and simulations for four LPS-BIM scenarios were carried out. The findings show that dynamic interactions among diverse production planning and control factors are critical in evaluating MD impacts on a construction project. The results demonstrate that the LPS-BIM approach resulted in an average 43.8% reduction in the tasks performed with MD, 45.3% of constraints, 66.5% of construction waste, increasing 13.7% completion rate, and 29.3% cost reduction, demonstrating that LPS-BIM as a more efficient solution for MD mitigation and construction planning.

There is a growing body of research exploring Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for the overall population; however, few studies have examined the effectiveness and applications of CAM practices in the paediatric population. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), parent's prevalence using CAM in their dependents is estimated to be as high as 80%. This literature review identified broad, heterogeneous, and inconclusive evidence regarding CAM applications and effectiveness caused mainly by variances in sociodemographic factors and national healthcare systems differences. Additionally, a lack of consensus and polarised positions among mainstream professionals regarding the CAM mechanism of action, applications, and effectiveness were identified. This narrative review shows debatable results for most CAM therapies and their applications. However, some evidence suggests that acupuncture, Yoga, Tai Chi, and massage might benefit users' physical and mental health. Additionally, meditation's available evidence indicates that it might be only helpful in the enhancement of mental health, whereas Reiki only displays an effect on patients' perceptions of comfort. Lastly, herbal medicine was observed to have non-specific evidence to support its claim, given the diverse nature and complexity of herbal compounds and procedures. This comprehensive narrative review might offer health professionals a reference to guide their health practices towards a personalised approach, taking into account the patient's values and beliefs, both important aspects of integrated, evidence-based practice, aiming to improve the quality of the offered health services and patients' satisfaction.

Ethiopian Airlines is a leading airline in the world. Its supply chain management is one of the most critical aspects in achieving its sustainability objectives. The present study aims to assess the sustainability practices and strategies of Ethiopian Airways in its supply chain, identifying areas for improvement and recommending strategies for enhancing sustainability. The study concentrates on pertinent sustainability concerns within the aviation sector while examining antecedent research on the sustainability of Ethiopian Airlines’ supply chain management strategies. The findings of the study reveal that there are several areas in need of improvement, including the implementation of waste reduction measures, the establishment of a recycling program, and the reduction of single-use plastic usage. It is suggested that promoting responsible tourism embodying sustainable practices is imperative, particularly within the airline context.

Low carbon supply chain management (LCSCM) strategies are required in the Indian manufacturing industries due to rapidly growing energy usage for financial and environmental concerns. LCSCM technologies face a number of challenges that limit their adoption. Eleven hurdles were selected from the literature as well as the recommendations of business and academic experts. These barriers are defined by a number of factors, including a lack of information, financial worries, environmental concerns, and governmental limits, among others. In addition, efforts are being made to quantify the most optimal relevant barriers using Multi criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques such as interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and decision-making trail and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL). MICMAC analysis is used to estimate the sensitivity and priority of barriers based on dependency power and driving power. One of these barriers is a needed factor; three are driving elements; four barriers are linked factors; and three are self-sufficient factors. The findings of this study can help academic specialists, industry representatives, and practitioners in their ongoing attempts to adopt 'LCSCM techniques' in Indian manufacturing industries. The model is appropriately explained and applies the link between the barriers.The objective of this paper is the Evaluation and selection of most influential of Barriers to Adopt Low Carbon Supply Chain Management (LCSCM) in the Indian Manufacturing Sector is interrelated.

The spatial segregation is a characteristic of Latin American cities, resulting in distinct dynamics of social inclusion and exclusion at both spatial and identity levels. Then, specific green spaces may convert into appreciated and contested territories, where various actors negotiate their uses and regulations. Considering a case-study in a green icon of the metropolitan city of Santiago de Chile, the main objective of the present study was to describe and comprehend the uses and meanings of the Quebrada Macul park among different social groups over the past two decades. We employed qualitative methods including six in-depth interviews with key informants (social and ecological leaders, historical neighbors, and park workers), five participant observations in the park, and statistical analysis of visitors. Results reveal that (1) the transition of being a popularly used hill to a metropolitan park rises tensions between public and private statuses of place; (2) conflicts emerge regarding who uses the space and how, reflecting power dynamics among different social groups; (3) the park, beyond being a public space, holds significant identity value for its historical residents, both for those who fought for its recovery and those who have lived closely, so processes of forgetfulness might be resentful. We conclude on enduring meanings of the park associated with the struggle for the place among different groups, highlighting the role of memory for the social integration of groups among natural spaces.

In view of the expected climate changes, a paradigm shift in soil management, through reduced tillage and/or a different use of crop residues, can be a key point in the mitigation of the climate impacts. The transition from a traditional cropping system (i.e., durum wheat in continuous cropping system under conventional tillage and/or straw removal) to those undergoing the conservative practices require to be evaluated in a medium to long time frame to reach an equilibrium and thus to be properly investigated. In this regard, cropping system simulation models are fundamental tools for the in-silico evaluation of the response of crop growth and soil organic matter dynamics to varying cropping scenarios. This paper reports the evaluations on the parameterization and reliability of the ARMOSA crop simulation model calibrated and validated on experimental datasets collected on durum wheat grown in continuous cropping system under several straw and soil management strategies in a Mediterranean environment.

Information and telecommunications technology (ITT) have expanded into many aspects of modern life and have positively affected human life even in the most remote areas of developing countries. The rapid growth in ITT has led to an improvement in the capacity of computers but simultaneously to a decrease in the product’s lifetime as a result of which increasingly large quantities of e-waste are generated annually. It contains hazardous components that if it is not properly managed, can have adverse environmental and health effects. The management of e-waste poses significant challenges in developing countries. Due to the lack of adequate infrastructure, e-waste is burned or dumped in open areas. Informal and inefficient recycling practices are generally employed which further exacerbate pollution and health risks. So, the implementation of e-waste management, adequate recycling, and waste disposal facilities have become crucial concerns. This article reviews the concept of e-waste generation, challenges, disposal, and its impact on human health & environment in detail.

BACKGROUNDRestrictive practices are defined by measures linked to physical and chemical restraints to reduce the movement or control behaviours during any emergency. Seclusion is an equal part of restrictive practices intended to isolate and reduce the sensory stimulation to safeguard the patient and those within the vicinity. Using interventions by way of virtual reality (VR) could assist with reducing the need for restrictive practices as it could help reduce anxiety or agitation by way of placing users into realistic and immersive environments. This could also aid staff to and change current restrictive practices.AIMTo assess the feasibility and effectiveness of using a VR platform to provide reduction in restrictive practice (RRP) training. METHODSThe study received ethics approval was obtained prior to starting the study from the Health Research Authority in United Kingdom (22/HRA/3030 REFERENCE). A randomised controlled feasibility study was conducted alongside of an evaluation at at 1 month and 6 within inpatient psychiatric wards at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK. Virti Virtual Reality scenarios will be used on VR headsets to provide training on reducing restrictive practices in 3 inpatient psychiatric wards. Outcome measures included General Self-Efficacy (GSE) scale, Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment 7 (GAD-7), Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT-12), The Everyday Discrimination (EDS) Scale, and the Compassionate Engagement and Action (CEA) Scale. RESULTSThe statistical significance of most variables is high, with the exception of the BAT12 score, compassionate engagement to others score, compassionate to others total score, compassionate engagement from others score, and compassionate from others total score, which exhibit lower statistical power in two-sample t-tests. To assess the acceptability, preference, and adherence of users to the Virti VR technology for RRP training, we calculated the System Usability Scale (SUS) scores and visualized the program's completion using pie charts. The majority of respondents reported SUS scores exceeding 70, with a mean SUS score of 71.79. In accordance with the insights provided by Bangor et al. (38), the VR platform demonstrated superior usability compared to approximately 62% of other products. we utilized the GAD7 score to assess the confidence levels within the two groups. We compared the data for the VR group and the control group after one month, as well as the baseline and one-month data for both the VR group and the control group. Given that the p-values are below 0.05 and the statistical power is high, it can be concluded that there are no statistically significant differences in confidence levels between the VR and control groups at baseline and day-30. CONCLUSIONSOur study has revealed the challenges associated with implementing such a program, even though the staff has given it high usability ratings. With the ongoing advancement of VR technology, we have the capability to create scenarios and simulations tailored to various healthcare environments. This empowers staff to receive more comprehensive and effective training for handling a wide range of situations.

Soil resilience has become a central theme in research aimed at understanding the impacts of human activities on the environment and mitigating the negative effects of soil disturbance. To evaluate how soil management practices affect soil resilience, 26 small farms were studied in a mountainous district of Lebanon. Farms were categorized into conventional (C), neutral (N), and regenerative (R), based on the practices adopted including tillage, amendments, rotation, cover crops, residues management, and pest control. Common practices included intercropping (85%), residue retention (73%), cover crops (61%), and organic amendments (46%). Qualitative assessment of soil health used indicators from Latin American Society for Agroecology (SOCLA) as well as from ‘Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation’ of the FAO. The indicators aligned with the classification of farms into their respective C/N/R groups. The sustainability scores were 4.28 (Low) for conventional, 6.34 (Moderate) for neutral, and 7.88 (Good) for regenerative farms. Quantitative analysis determined for 15 selected farms showed significant differences in soil organic matter (1.86% C, 2.75% N, 3.32% R), soil respiration (156C, 296N, 380R mg C-CO₂. week⁻¹), and earthworm abundance/liter (2.92C, 4.24N, 5.72R). The Soil Quality Index (SQI) provided an accurate representation of the current soil health condition, with increment from 0.05, 0.27 (low), to 0.49 (good) in conventional, neutral, and regenerative farms, respectively. The research highlights that soil resilience is influenced by a combination of intricate factors, encompassing biotic interactions, as well as physical, chemical, and biological processes. Particularly in regions like the Mediterranean basin, adopting sustainable soil management practices contributes to enduring productivity while preserving the functional integrity and resilience characteristics of the soil.

Agricultural activities within watersheds can have negative effects on river ecosystems, but numerous conservation practices can be implemented that reduce soil erosion, increase water infiltration, slow runoff, and improve soil quality. Our study focused on analyzing overall stream health (instream and riparian physical, instream biological) at 56 stream sites within an agricultural watershed (83,000 hectares, 70% croplands and rangelands) with a 30+-year history of targeted conservation practices to protect local water resources of importance for tourism and recreation. After implementation of >900 best management practices (BMPs) over the last 20 years in the study subwatersheds, only 20% of the stream sites examined exhibited good stream health and 40% were in poor condition, based on a combination of instream and riparian factors and aquatic community integrity. Time since implementation, location, and total coverage of BMPs within the relatively large subwatersheds all may have contributed to the apparent limited effectiveness of these conservation management practices toward producing observable improvements in stream health to date. Many indicators of stream health (e.g., fine sediments, sediment embeddedness, fish biotic integrity) differed significantly among subwatersheds, but those differences could not be explained by differences in numbers or coverages of BMPs in those subwatersheds. Longitudinal stream health patterns were similar among subwatersheds (moderate health in headwaters, poor in mid-reaches, good in lower reaches), likely due, in part, to similarities in locations of spring discharges and channel instability. New rules protecting stream riparia, maintenance of existing BMPs, and future BMPs targeting remaining problem areas should lead to improving stream health in this large watershed.

This article explores the possible ramifications of incorporating ideas from AEC Industry 6.0 into the design and construction of intelligent, environmentally friendly, and long-lasting structures. This statement highlights the need to shift away from the current methods seen in the AEC Industry 5.0 to effectively respond to the increasing requirement for creative and environmentally sustainable infrastructures. The preceding methodology, AEC Industry 6.0, has substantially improved the efficacy and sustainability of construction by using new technology, digitalization, and environmentally conscious methods. Extensive discussions have occurred on the various benefits of AEC Industry 5.0. These merits include heightened stakeholder involvement, increased efficiency via automation and robots, decision-making processes centered around data, and the optimization of resources. Nevertheless, this study also examines the obstacles linked to the complete adoption of AEC Industry 6.0. These challenges require proficient professionals who can effectively utilize contemporary technologies, manage diverse stakeholder technological competencies, establish interoperable systems and standards, and reinforce cybersecurity measures. This study examines the viability of implementing concepts from Industry 6.0 to create intelligent, sustainable, and environmentally friendly structures. The objective is to showcase the potentially revolutionary impact that these principles may have on the construction industry. This study explores the possible applications of AEC Industry 6.0 within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector, explicitly highlighting the anticipated industry-wide consequences of the forthcoming paradigm shift. This paper comprehensively examines big data analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and collaborative robots as they pertain to the AEC Industry 6.0. This research investigates the interplay between organizational dynamics, human actors, and robotic systems to provide light on the opportunities and obstacles associated with integrating AEC Industry 6.0 concepts into the construction of buildings.

The Philippines is an archipelagic country composed of different indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) spread across various islands. Many of these Indigenous Peoples (IP) are marginalized and do not have access to common resources enjoyed in the lowland areas. An initial assessment focusing on the evaluation of their available livelihood and resources was conducted, in order to find common solutions to existing problems. The assessment took place at the office of the tribal council of Matigsalog in barangay Datu Salumay, Marilog District, Davao City from April 11 to 13, 2023. There were about 42 participants in total for Matigsalog tribes (26 men and 16 women) who attended the meeting and there were 15 participants from the Ata tribe (7 men and 8 women). Validation of the study separately took place through a brief presentation of the results before 15 members of the tribe and a hiking visit in their farmlands. The study determined the existing livelihoods in the two areas which are mainly agricultural, farming of crops (rice, corn, cassava, sweet potato) and fruit trees (coconut, banana, durian, jackfruit, pomelo) and the resources as well as the community’s knowledge, systems, and practices with regards to agricultural crops including climate change. Their sustainable farming practices include intercropping, seed-saving, and exchange practices, preserving these crop varieties and ensuring their availability for future planting seasons, no usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. To conclude, the tribe’s aspirations and resulting recommendations are summarized, to facilitate more directed and effective governmental assistance.

Grasslands are at risk of degradation due to unsustainable management practices and climate change. Sustainable grassland soil management can promote ecosystem service delivery and improve the resilience of the entire grassland ecosystem to anthropogenic change. Here, we re-view the principal soil quality indicators (SQIs) and how they have been used to evaluate the sustainability of different grassland management practices globally. We then discuss sustainable grazing management practices, before reviewing some novel grassland species which may im-prove grassland resilience with relevance for grassland management in Europe and the UK. We also give an overview of current sustainable grassland management methods and their assessment at field scale. From this, we suggest that sustainable Grazing Management Plans (GMPs), together with the testing of drought-resistant grass species and appropriate SQIs monitoring, is key to increasing resilience of grassland ecosystems to anthropogenic change.

Objective: This study aimed to determine impact of eHealth literacy on health promotion activities and preventive health practice among adolescents. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and May 2022 with 706 adolescents in Çorum, Turkey. A face to face questionnaire form including socio demographic characteristics, preventive health practices, eHealth Literacy scale and Adolescent Health Promotion Scale were used. The data of the research were analyzed with the SPSS 22.0 program. Percentage, mean, Pearson Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used in the analyzes. The p<0.05 value was considered statistically significant in the evaluations. Results: In the study, 55.8% were female and the mean age of the whole group was 16.09±2.63 years. The mean score of eHealth Literacy scale was 29.40±6.29. The mean of the total scores obtained from the Adolescent Health Promotion Scale was 137.97±21.87. Among the adolescents 96.0% didn’t use alcohol and 81% didn’t smoke. The rate of annual weight measure was 68.8%. Measurements of annual blood pressure, annual blood iron, annual cholesterol, annual dental examination and regular exercise rate were below 50%. There was a significant positive correlation between eHealth literacy and the Adolescent Health Promotion Scale (p<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to predict eHealth literacy using the variables of Adolescent Health Promotion and preventive health practices. eHealth literacy was positively and significantly predicts health promotion behaviors (β= 0.27, t (695)= 7.54, p<0.001). eHealth literacy increased annual weight measurement by more than 0.13 (β=0.13), the annual blood iron measurement by more than 0.16 (β=0.16), annual dental examination by more than 0.11 (β=0.11). Conclusions: Adolescents ehealth literacy was high and effected via health promotion activities and preventive health practices. Developing eHealth litracy interventions will be important for environments with a high concentration of adolescents (schools, courses). Also, primary health care services should be entegrated with school environment.

Introduction: In the marginalised countries most neglected health issue is Newborn mortality. A study was undertaken to assess the influence of factors and newborn care practices influencing newborn health in the rural area of Bareilly district. Methodology: The Descriptive cross-sectional study was organized in the rural areas of Bareilly. Study participants were selected based on the mothers who gave birth to a baby during the last six months. The mothers who delivered in that area within six months were included, and using the semi-structured questionnaire, data was collected. Data analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 2021 version for windows. Results: Mothers initiating early breastfeeding were more commonly 78 (52.3%) observed in the younger mothers at 24-29 years, followed by 48(32.3%) at 30-35 years, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Delayed bathing was observed in nearly 125 (70.1%) three fourth in the age of 24-29 years, followed by 29 (16.8%) in the age period 30-35 years. It was observed that unsafe cord care practices were observed more among 8(53.4%) nuclear families than 7(46.6%) joint families, and it was found to be statistically insignificant. Conclusion: The practice of essential newborn care still needs to improve in Bareilly; there is a need to create awareness to the mothers and family members on newborn and early neonatal care aspects, such as promoting exclusive and early initiation of breastfeeding and delayed bathing practices.

Previous studies have shown that agricultural works bear a disproportionately higher burden of HIV, which is the highest HIV prevalence ever reported in any working population in South Africa. This study aimed to assess HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices of agricultural workers, as a precarious and vulnerable workforce. A cross-sectional study design was employed. A pre-piloted paper-based questionnaire was administered to a consenting sample of agricultural workers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using stata version 16.1 software, 0.05 level was used as a measure of significance. The majority of agricultural workers had adequate knowledge level (72.1%) regarding HIV/AIDS. Knowledge was significantly associated with having some level of education,) secondary education (AOR: 1.46, 95% CI:1.01-2.12), and post-matric qualification (AOR: 3.07, 95% CI: 1.61-5.83). The attitudes level of workers towards HIV was good (88.1%). Attitude was negatively associated with residing in informal settlements (AOR: 0.64, 95% CI 0.43-0.97). Majority of participants exhibited poor prevention practices regarding HIV (60.9%). Half of participants reported low condom usage (50.9%) and multiple sexual partners (50.6%). The portrayed risky sexual behavior establishes agricultural workers as an HIV high-risk population. Strategizing non-conventional approaches to HIV prevention and behavior change communication targeting agricultural workers is recommended.

Abstract Universities have the potential, and the responsibility, to take on more ecological and relational approaches to facilitating learning-based change in times of interconnected socio-ecological crises. Signs for a transition towards these more regenerative approaches of higher education (RHE) that include more place-based, ecological, and relational, ways of educating can already be found in niches across Europe (see for example the proliferation of education-based living labs, field labs, challenge labs). In this paper, the results of a podcast-based inquiry into the design practices and barriers of enacting such forms of RHE are shown. This study revealed seven educational practices that occurred across the innovation niches. It is important to note these practices are enacted in different ways, or are locally nested in unique expressions, For example, while the ‘practice’ of Cultivating Personal Transformations was represented across the included cases, the way these transformations were cultivated were unique expressions of each context. These RHE-design practices are derived from twenty-six narrative-based podcasts as interviews recorded in the April through June 2021 period. The resulting podcast (The Regenerative Education Podcast) was published on all major streaming platforms from October 2021 and included 21 participants active in Dutch Universities, 1 in Sweden, 1 in Germany, 1 in France, and 3 primarily online. Each episode engages with a leading practitioner, professor, teacher, and/or activist that is trying to connect their educational practice to making the world a more equitable, sustainable, and regenerative place. The episodes ranged from 30 to 70 minutes in total length and included both English (14) and Dutch (12) interviews. These episodes were analyzed through transition mapping a method based on story analysis and transition design. The results include seven design practices such as Cultivating Personal Transformations, Nurturing Ecosystems of Support, and Tackling Relevant and Urgent Transition Challenges, as well as a preliminary design tool that educational teams can use together with students and local agents in (re)designing their own RHE to connect their educational praxis with transition challenges.

This research has critically argued that a vigilant combination of flexibility and certainty in spatial planning can bring about the most optimum planning outcomes. Therefore, to reproachfully evaluate the core argument, this research has tried to empirically respond to the research question of which balance of government intervention and market freedom produces the optimal economic, social and spatial outcomes. This research question has been further translated into an associated central hypothesis i.e., a hybrid planning system with an optimal balance between discretionary and regulatory planning approach can bring about the desired economic, social, and spatial outcomes.

Understanding the soil fertility management practices is indispensable to improve faba bean productivity. However, little effort has been made to assess the soil fertility management practices of faba bean producing farmers of Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. The study was conducted in Damot Gale and Sodo Zuria districts in Wolaita Zone to assess farmers’ soil fertility management practices for faba bean production, in 2019 on 310 framers. Faba bean productivity in the studied districts is majorly constrained by the scarcity of arable land, poor soil fertility, and soil acidity. These cumulative effects have caused negative consequences on soil fertility and faba bean productivity. In most soil fertility, management practices in faba bean farm did not significantly vary among the studied districts. The soil management practices by farmers were inadequate to improve soil fertility and to enhance faba bean productivity. Consequently, the average grain productions of both fertilized and unfertilized faba bean farm were far less than the national average. Therefore, intensive soil fertility management interventions such as faba bean residue management, crop rotation, application of sufficient and balanced fertilizers, adequate lime application, screening acidity tolerant varieties are required to improve faba bean productivity. in the studied districts.

The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to analyze the differential impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown (3rd April 2020) on stress, health practices, and self-care activities across different Hispanic countries, age range and gender groups. 1082 participants from Spain, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador took part in this study. Irrespective of the country, and controlling for income level, young people, especially females, suffered a greater level of stress, perceived the situation as more severe, showed less adherence to health guidelines and reported lower levels of health consciousness, in comparison to their male peers and older groups. However, in the case of self-care, it seems that older and female groups are generally more involved in self-care activities and adopt more healthy daily routines. These results are mostly similar between Colombia, Ecuador, and Spain. However, Chile showed some different tendencies, as males reported higher levels of healthy daily routines and better adherence to health guidelines compared to females and people over the age of 60. Differences between countries, genders and age ranges should be considered in order to improve health recommendations and adherence to guidelines. It would also be crucial to identify vulnerable groups to promote the adoption of health behaviors that may help in the development of effective public health strategies. Future studies should be addressed to explore the possible causations of such differences in more cultural-distant samples and at later stages of the current outbreak.

According to the current European and Italian scenario related to urban re-generation, cultural and landscape heritage, valorisation is being also enhanced by the activation of innovative processes. These involve the development of methodologies and tools that are able to address decision-making processes among low entropy economy, complex values and creative practices. In this perspective, the research aims to investigate the possibilities of developing a Cultural Heritage Low Entropy Enhancement (CHLEE) approach by considering how the complex values of cultural heritage can vary not only through a physical transformation of spaces but also through a program of uses and activities able to produce new values, where the human experience is essential. This type of model modifies the objectives that characterise the valorisation of cultural heritage and landscape, recognising that the fruition is no longer “consumerist” but “experiential”. A crucial role is represented by the heterogeneity of creative practices that contribute to the identificationidentifying and implementation ofimplementing innovative management and governance models. The present paper explores the components of creative regenerative processes, based upon the ex-post evaluation of some Italian experiments, across the PROMETHEE-GAIA multi-criteria method, to understand how creative experiences are building innovation ecosystem thanks to low entropy economy and improve the ex-ante evaluation for new strategies and policies.

Italian floriculture is facing structural changes. Possible options to maintain competitiveness of the involved companies include promotion of added values, from local productions to environmental sustainability. To quantify value and benefits of cleaner production processes and choices, a holistic view is necessary, and could be provided by life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Previous studies on ornamental products generally focused on data from one company or a small sample. The aim of this study was a gate-to-gate life cycle assessment of two ornamental species (Cyclamen persicum Mill. and Pelargonium ×hortorum Bailey) using data from a sample of 20 companies belonging to a floriculture district in Treviso, Veneto region. We also assessed the potential benefits for the environmental impact of the selected species of alternative management choices regarding plant protection and reuse of composted waste biomass. Life cycle impact assessment showed the higher impact scores for the zonal geranium, mainly as a consequence of greenhouse heating with fossil fuels. This factor, along with higher uniformity of production practices and technological level of equipment, translated in lower variability observed in comparison with cyclamen production, which shows a wider results range, in particular for eutrophication, acidification and human toxicity potentials. The application of integrated pest management had significant benefits in terms of impact reduction for acidification and human toxicity of cyclamen, while reduced use of mineral nutrients through compost amendment of growing media resulted in a reduced eutrophication potential. The achievable benefits for zonal geranium were not observable because of the dominant contribution of energy inputs.

This paper aimed to assess climate-smart agricultural practices in Ethiopia, discuss the contribution of climate-smart agricultural practices for mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, and examine determinant factors of climate-smart agricultural practices in mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Conservation agriculture, integrated soil fertility management, agroforestry, crop diversification, and improved livestock feed and feeding practices are among the best climate-smart agricultural practices in Ethiopia. Combination of the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices such as no-tillage increased crop diversity and retaining crop residue on-farm have a mitigation potential of increased SOC in non-flooded crops that change in a significant ton of CO2e ha-1 year-1. In addition, a mitigation potential of CH4 in reduced irrigation of paddy rice farms was also changed in ton CO2e ha-1 year-1. It was found that productivity enhancing interventions in the tropics could reduce emission intensity in dairy systems by up to 0.9 t CO2e per milk. Agroforestry practices and the addition of organic fertilizers on the farm increased mitigation potential of 784093 t CO2e and 193050 t CO2e biomass of carbon and SOC per year respectively. Adoptions of climate-smart agricultural practices are affected by different factors such as farming factors, technology inaccessibility, environmental factors, policy design and social expertise, negative attitudes and motivations of farmers, farmers’ socio-demographic factors, and farmers' socioeconomic factors. To reverse the situation, preparation of targeted climate-smart agricultural practices to areas that are likely to provide the greatest GHG reduction potential and demonstration of these practices to other areas should be encouraged so that other farmers will learn for similar agro-ecologies.

Antimicrobial use in agriculture has been identified as an area of focus for reducing overall antimicrobial use and improving stewardship. In this paper, we outline the design of a complex antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) intervention aimed at developing a national Veterinary Prescribing Champion programme for Welsh farm animal veterinary practices. We describe the process by which participants were encouraged to design and deliver bespoke individualised AMS activities at practice level by forging participant ‘champion’ identities and Communities of Practice through participatory and educational online activities. We describe the key phases identified as important when designing this complex intervention, namely (i) involving key collaborators in government and industry to stimulate project engagement; (ii) grounding the design in the literature, the results of stakeholder engagement, expert panel input and veterinary clinician feedback to promote contextual relevance and appropriateness; and (iii) taking a theoretical approach to implementing intervention design to foster critical psychological needs for participant motivation and scheme involvement. With recruitment of over 80% of all farm animal practices in Wales to the programme, we also describe demographic data of the participating Welsh Veterinary Prescribing Champions in order to inform recruitment and design of future AMS programmes.

Lung transplantation offers patients with end stage lung disease an opportunity for a better quality of life, but with limited organ availability it is paramount that selected patients have the best opportunity for successful outcomes. Nutrition plays a central role in post-surgical outcomes and historically, body mass index (BMI) has been used as the de facto method of assessing a lung transplant candidate’s nutritional status. Here we review the historical origins of BMI in lung transplantation, summarize the current BMI literature, and review studies of alternative/complementary body composition assessment tools, including lean psoas area, creatinine-height index, leptin, and dual x-ray absorptometry. These body composition measures quantify lean body mass versus fat mass and may provide a more comprehensive analysis of a patient’s nutritional state than BMI alone.

Misuse and poor handling of chemical pesticides in agriculture is hazardous to the health of farmers, consumers and the environment. We studied the pest and disease management practices and the type of pesticides used in four root, tuber and banana (RTB) crops in Burundi and Rwanda through in-depth interviews with a total of 811 smallholder farmers. No chemical pesticides were used in banana in either Rwanda and Burundi, whereas the use of insecticides and fungicides in potato is quite frequent. Nearly all insecticides and about one third of the fungicides used are moderately hazardous. Personal protective equipment is used by less than a half of the interviewed farmers in both countries. Reported cases of death due to self- or accidental poisoning among humans and domestic animals in the previous 12 months were substantial in both countries. Training of farmers and agrochemical retailers in safe use of pesticide and handling, and use of integrated pest management approaches to reduce pest and disease damage is recommended.

Green ICT has received significant attention in organizations to reduce global warming since last decade. Several maturity models have been proposed for tracking green ICT practices in organizations. Current literature shows that SMEs around the world try to follow some common strategies such as virtualization, consolidation of devices, energy efficiency and disposal of ICT equipment for greening ICT. The increasing interest for green ICT practices in organizations is not only due to the desire to attain environment-friendly atmosphere but mainly because of sustaining business goals such as cost reduction, competitive advantages and stakeholders’ pressure. Nevertheless, due to the lack of green ICT knowledge, organizations, specially SMEs, tend to ignore those practices. Therefore, this research proposes a framework that provides combination of existing green and sustainable ICT maturity models by mapping them with the strategies the businesses are already following. Out of this framework, a web application has been developed that provides questionnaire for SMEs to identify their present situation of green ICT practices and guidelines for improvement. The results have been analyzed by testing the application in some SMEs of Finland and Bangladesh. Finally, a survey has been conducted to attain SMEs’ perception about the possibility of sustainable development of businesses through this application.

This study aims to analyze various types of pellet fuels used as energy sources in Bulgaria, focusing on their energy characteristics and the consumer preferences. Both standard and specialized methods such as thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are used for the analyses. The results from TG and DSC indicate that during the drying of the samples, moisture is evaporated from their surface, along with the release of volatile substances. The processes during the analysis are accompanied by energy absorption, with the main stage being combustion, where the primary amount of heat is generated. Standard analysis methods show that wood pellets usually contain about 7.31% moisture, 0.72% ash and have a calorific value of 18.33 kJ/kg, while sunflower pellets contain about 7.62% moisture, 2.42% ash and have a calorific value of 19.63 kJ/kg. Mixed pellets contain about 7.07% moisture, up to 0.69% ash and have a calorific value of 18.05 kJ/kg. A specialized marketing research was conducted to investigate consumer attitudes and preferences toward purchasing different types of solid biomass fuels on Bulgarian market. This study provides information on the quality of pellets as fuel by offering a detailed analysis of their fuel properties and ensuring their effective utilization as an energy source.

Under the background that the international technological innovation environment VUCA has been intensifying and the innovation situation of Chinese manufacturing enterprises has been impacted, the innovation dilemma faced by enterprises has attracted increasing attention, while the innovation dilemma is also one of the important factors affecting the operation efficiency of enterprises. Based on the micro-data of China’s A-share manufacturing listed enterprises, this paper empirically analyzes the impact of innovation dilemmas faced by enterprises on operational efficiency (innovation dilemmas are measured by the difference when actual innovation performance is lower than expected innovation performance). The results show that the innovation dilemma of manufacturing enterprises significantly inhibits the operational efficiency of manufacturing enterprises by reducing their risk tolerance, development ability expectation and profitability. After using a series of tests, such as instrumental variable method, propensity score matching method, DID (Differences-in-Differences) and changing variable measure method, the conclusion is still robust. In addition, the inhibitory effect of innovation dilemma on enterprise operation efficiency is more obvious for private enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises, enterprises in the ascend or decline phase, high-tech enterprises and enterprises in the eastern region. Therefore, the government should strengthen the policy support for the manufacturing enterprises in the innovation dilemma, help the enterprises to overcome the innovation bottleneck. Manufacturing enterprises themselves should enhance their innovation capabilities and strive to get rid of the innovation dilemma in order to maintain a stable footing in the fierce market competition and improve the high-quality development of China’s manufacturing industry.

This paper concentrates on computing the efficiency of heliostat field systems. By conducting a comprehensive analysis of the mathematical model for optical efficiency, we have effectively simplified the complex three-dimensional illumination problem of heliostat fields into a two-dimensional issue. Our work primarily investigates the calculation methods for the average optical efficiency and output power of heliostat. Traditionally, calculating shadow and blocking efficiency, key factors affecting the optical performance of mirror fields, has posed a significant technical challenge. Through innovative improvements to the Monte Carlo simulation technique, this study has successfully reduced the spatial dimensionality of the problem. We employed a series of novel coordinate transformations to simulate light tracing on a two-dimensional plane, thereby efficiently calculating the efficiency of shadows and obstructions. Not only have we solved the computational challenges of shadow and obstruction efficiency, but our unique algorithm design also allows us to precisely obtain the overall average optical efficiency of the heliostat field while enhancing computational efficiency.

A novel concept of a finned piston system is presented and analyzed where the compression heat is continuously extracted from the compression chamber. The resulting compression characteristic moves in direction of an isothermal process, reducing so the temperature of the compressed fluid in the compression chamber and reducing the necessary mechanical work for the process. The finned piston concept consists in an integrated heat exchanger inside of the chamber and being constituated of imbricated flat fins placed on the stator part and on the mobile piston. The internal heat exchange surface is strongly increased in comparison with a classical piston/cylinder. The energetic performance of the new system is evaluated with the help of simulation. Pressures, forces and temperature of the compressed gas are simulated as well as the mechanical work needed. The different curves are compared with adiabatic and isothermal characteristics.

The global focus on geopolymer binder production has increased due to the adoption of waste materials and industrial byproducts. Given the gradual decline of the availability of fly ash and ground granular blast furnace slag (GGBFS) resulting from the decarbonization process in electricity and steel productions, waste clay brick powder (WCBP), could be a viable substitute of these pozzolanic by-products. This research is dedicated to thoroughly investigate the techno-eco-efficiency performance of WCBP when utilized as a geopolymer precursor. The favorable mechanical characteristics exhibited by fly ash-GGBFS-WCBP-based geopolymer binder emphasize the importance of assessing its sustainability alongside its technical viability. The study employed life cycle analysis (LCA), following ISO 14040-44 standards, and using the Simapro software, to evaluate the environmental implications of the use of WCBP-based geopolymer mixtures. Human toxicity emerged as the primary impact. Moreover, the analysis of life cycle costs highlighted key financial factors, with around 65-70% attributed to alkaline activators of the total cost. The production of alkaline activators was identified as a critical point for both environmental impact and economic considerations due to energy consumption. While WCBP-rich samples exhibit a 1.7-0.7% higher environmental impact compared to the control mix (CM), their high mechanical strength and cost-effectiveness make them technologically and economically efficient geopolymer mixes. In conclusion, the portfolio analysis for techno-eco-efficiency affirms that mixes containing 40%, 30%, and 20% WCBP are more efficient than those using 10% and 0% WCBP, respectively.

The paper proposes a traceability framework based on methodological approach for the deployment of IOTA-Based Distributed Ledger in the mining industry, as a first step of certification and labelling of the sustainable material production. The methodology is evaluated in real-world implementation in scope of the DIG_IT project. The implementation provides significant amount of heterogeneous data originating from different processes and sources during the operation in mines, such as vehicles operations, mining and raw material extraction, workers physical parameters, environmental parameters, sensors (field, biometric, assets), market (supply chains, commodity prices), weather data, etc. Most of these datasets, especially the data about the emission, needs integrity and the ability to be audited by the public community, government and the stakeholders. The methodology for establishing the transparency for the mining operations, the requirements, technical architecture, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) assessment, Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) infrastructure, as well as end-to-end traceability, are proposed and evaluated with the actual deployment. The approach advocates end to end security for the increased traceability and data integrity based on Distributed Ledger Technology. Namely, W3C Decentralised Identities and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) should be deployed from the data source to the cloud and anchored onto the Blockchain. The approach showed promising results with the regulations compliance made possible, making the data available and advertised publicly for the emission compliance.

Wolfenden and his coworkers observed the astronomical numbers for the catalytic proficiency of some enzymes. We connected that pinnacle of biological evolution to the universal thermodynamic evolution. We added or multiplied a random noise with chosen rate constants to explore the correlation between dissipation and enzyme efficiency for ten enzymes: beta-galactosidase, glucose isomerase, β-lactamases from three bacterial strains, ketosteroid isomerase, triosephosphate isomerase, and carbonic anhydrase I, II, and T200H. The turnover number kcat and catalytic efficiency kcat/KM are proportional to the overall entropy production – the main parameter from irreversible thermodynamics. For most enzymes with the Michaelis-Menten type cycle kinetics, the best increase in the forward kcat/KM follows after increasing the equilibrium constant of substrate-enzyme association. The Discussion section emphasizes the role of biological evolution in harvesting order (high enzyme efficiency) from disorder (high noise and dissipation). It also connects the applications of the maximum partial entropy production theorem in optimizing enzyme kinetics (D. Juretić "Bioenergetics - A Bridge across Life and Universe") with the present total entropy production role analysis. De novo enzyme design and various attempts to speed up the rate-limiting catalytic steps may profit from our theoretical insights.

Aquatic ecosystems are often subject to degradation due to various environmental stressors. The accumulation of an organic sediment layer causes shallowing, algal blooms, and hypertrophy in water reservoirs. The processes of overgrowth and shallowing lead to a reduction in the ecosystem services provided by the reservoir as well as may potentially cause the disappearance of the water body. To address these challenges and restore the ecological balance of water reservoirs, effective and sustainable revitalisation methods are essential. In recent years, biotechnological approaches, particularly utilizing microbiological interventions, have emerged as promising strategies for water reservoir revitalization. Microorganisms, with their remarkable ability to degrade pollutants and enhance nutrient cycling, offer great potential in remediating environmental issues in a natural and eco-friendly manner. The article presents the results of a study of 34 Polish reservoirs subjected to reclamation with microbial biopreparations from 2014 to 2023. The results of changes in bottom sediment reduction, water transparency, dissolved oxygen concentration, and water turbidity are presented. Reduction of and morphological changes in the fraction of soft organic sediments, an improvement in the oxygen profile of the bottom and surface water layers, and an increase of water transparency were observed after the reclamation with the use of biopreparations.

High Vacuum Flat Plate Collectors (HVFPCs) are the only type of Flat Plate Thermal Collectors capable of producing thermal energy for middle-temperature applications (until 180 °C). As the trend of research plans to develop new Selective Solar Absorbers to extend the range of HVFPC application until 250 °C, it is necessary to correctly evaluate the collector efficiency up to such temperature to predict the energy production accurately. We propose an efficiency model for these collectors based on the selective absorber optical properties. The proposed efficiency model explicitly includes the radiative heat exchange with the ambient, which is the main source of thermal losses for evacuated collectors at high temperatures. It also decouples the radiative losses that depend on the optical properties of the absorber adopted from the other thermal losses due to HVFPC architecture. The model has been validated by applying it to MT-Power HVFPC manufactured by TVP-Solar, and it has been used to predict the efficiency and energy production of HVFPC equipped with new, optimized selective solar absorbers developed in recent years.

The massive use of electronic equipment has raised concerns about electromagnetic (EM) pollution, leading to increased attention to EM shielding in both civil and military applications. EM absorption materials play a crucial role in reducing the energy of microwaves projected onto their surface. In this work, we propose a novel OTA (over-the-air) antenna test method to evaluate and analyze the functionality of EM absorption materials. This method offers a new and practical way to assess the effectiveness of these materials. Measured results indicate that the presence of the EM absorption material led to a decrease in antenna gain of approximately 2-3 dB, a reduction in efficiency of more than 10-15%, and a smaller radiation pattern during the actual testing process. These findings highlight the impact of EM absorption materials on antenna performance. Compared to the traditional S-parameter testing method, the gain comparison testing method exhibits the advantages of higher accuracy and simpler operation in the lower frequency experiment.

Multi-junction solar cells comprised of stacked III-V semiconductor junctions represent the highest-efficiency photovoltaic technology, with recent demonstrations exceeding 47% efficiency . Optimizing the design and thickness of each junction is critical for maximizing performance . This work utilizes Silvaco TCAD tools to systematically optimize a 5-junction cell based on AlInP, AlGaInP, AlGaInAs, GaInP, GaAs, InGaAs, and Ge similar to recent record cells . The junction thicknesses are varied using a predictive profiler to sample the parameter space . For each combination, the spectral absorption and I-V characteristics are simulated to determine the efficiency . Statistical analysis identifies the optimal thickness set that maximizes performance to 26% under 1 sun illumination .

The efficiency of rice cum fish culture study was conducted in different areas of Tangail district with those farmers who cultivate rice and fish together at a time. The study was conducted along 60 farmers of different areas in Ghatail upazilla. The primary data were collected through face-to-face interviews and secondary data were collected through different reputed journals, newspapers, authentic portals and so on. Data collection was carried out during the period from November 2021 to May 2022. Both tabular and functional analyses were performed to achieve the specific objectives of the study. NPV, BCR and IRR method was used to estimate the profitability and a multiple regression model was used to find out the factors motivating farmers' decision on rice cum fish cultivation. SWOT analysis was done to find out the internal and external-positive and negative factors faced by the farmers in rice cum fish cultivation. About 40% of farmers are under the age of 30 and most of them got at least primary education. Agriculture was the main occupation of the respondents and fish cultivation was the secondary. The highest annual income among the sample growers came from the production of rice cum fish culture. The BCR of the production is upbeat and 2.09 which indicates that the cultivation is profitable.

This paper presents two designs of high-efficiency polarizer reflectarray antennas able to generate a collimated beam in dual-circular polarization using a linearly polarized feed, with application to high-gain antennas for data transmission links from a Cubesat. First, an 18 cm x 18 cm polarizer reflectarray operating in the 17.2 - 22.7 GHz band has been designed, fabricated and tested. The measurements of the prototype show an aperture efficiency of 52.7% for right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and 57.3% for left-handed circular polarization (LHCP), both values higher than those previously reported in related works. Then, a dual-band polarizer reflectarray is presented for the first time, which operates in dual-CP in the frequency bands of 20 and 30 GHz. The proposed antenna technology enables a reduction of the complexity and cost of the feed chain to operate in dual-CP, as a linear-to-circular polarizer is no longer required. This property, combined with the lightweight, flat profile and low fabrication cost of printed reflectarrays, makes the proposed antennas good candidates for Cubesat applications.

In order to realize the sustainable utilization of water resources and the sustainable development of economy, the evaluation index system of water use efficiency system and economic development system was constructed. Entropy weight method and comprehensive evaluation method were adopted to determine the index weights and conduct comprehensive evaluation for the two systems. The coupling coordination model was used to calculate the coupling degree, coordination degree and coupling coordination degree of the two systems. The annual coupling stage and coupling coordination intensity of the two systems were analyzed and determined. The results showed that the comprehensive evaluation values of both water use efficiency system and economic development system in Jinan City increased greatly from 2008 to 2017, and showed a changing trend of ups and downs. The two systems were in the antagonistic stage, and were gradually approaching the running-in stage, indicating that they were in the state of common development. The coupling coordination degree of the two systems gradually increased in waves, progressed from the moderately to the highly coordinated coupling. In the future, if the water control path appropriate to Jinan City can be explored actively, the water-saving kinetic energy of economic development can be increased constantly, and the linkage effect between economic development and water resources utilization can be given full play to, the two systems will be in the orbit with the benign interaction and healthy harmonious development.

In France, the regional airport’s demand for services is facing challenges due to the continuous expansion of the high-speed train, high-speed line, and highway networks. This study focuses on the viability of regional airports in France through technical efficiency using data envelopment, principle component analysis, Malmquist productivity index, and regression analysis using bootstrapping. To face the current competitive environment, the regional airports in France adopted strategies, such as the construction of low-cost carrier (LCC) dedicated terminals (LCCTs) with lower expenses to attract more LCCs, increasing non-aeronautical revenue, and hosting regional hubs of LCCs. This is the first study that analyzes all of the French regional airports. The findings indicate that the existence of LCCTs positively affects technical efficiency on the airport’s performance, and share of LCCs at a regional airport leads to neither the efficiency nor the profit level.

On the eve of the Brexit process, in the context of a rising Euroscepticism that fuels the modest confidence of European citizens in their national and European institutions, the article assesses the efficiency and effectiveness of the European Parliament within the framework of the ordinary legislative procedure (co-decision). After defining and formulating the main indicators, the paper analyses the micro- and macro-performance of the European Parliament within the decision-making process from a quantitative-qualitative and a qualitative-quantitative perspective, highlighting the relativizing factors and the responsiveness of the European decision-making process to the Europeans’ needs.

With the accelerating urbanization process, the population increasingly concentrates in urban areas. In view of the special situation in China and a series of problems in the process of rapid urbanization, there were no reasonable measures for optimizing the population pattern. This study explored the distribution pattern of the Chinese population and proposed an optimization plan for the population distribution using GIS analysis. The main findings were as follows. (1) From 2010 to 2015, the distribution of population density in China presented a pattern of high in the southeast and low in the northwest based on the county-level administrative regions. The population still showed a tendency to migrate to the southeast of the country based on the “Hu Huanyong Line”. (2) There was a great difference in the land use efficiency in terms of population and economic production in China. The economic concentration in China was higher than the population concentration. In the areas where population and economic production were aggregated, GDP per capita and land use efficiency were higher. (3) Based on the land use efficiency in terms of population and economic production, the optimized urbanization plan of “1+4+11” for China’s urbanization was put forward, namely, one national-level aggregated area of population and economic production, 4 regional-level aggregated areas of population and economic production, and 11 local regionally aggregated areas of population and economic production. This optimization plan for urbanization represents an attempt to explore the direction of China’s urbanization, and it can be used to optimize the spatial development pattern and provide scientific guidance for the new urbanization plan.

Rice is the most important food crop in Cambodia and its production is the most organized food production system in the country. The main objective of this study is to measure technical efficiency (TE) of Cambodian rice production and also trying to identify core influencing factors of rice TE at both national and household level, for explaining the possibilities of increasing productivity and profitability of rice, by using translog production function through Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) model. Four-years dataset (2012-2015) generated from the government documents was utilized for the national analysis, while at household-level, the primary three-years data (2013-2015) collected from 301 rice farmers in three selected districts of Battambang province by structured questionnaires was applied. The results indicate that level of rice output varied according to the different level of capital investment in agricultural machineries, total actual harvested area, and technically fertilizers application within provinces, while level of household rice output varied according to the differences in efficiency of production processes, techniques, total annual harvested land, and technically application of fertilizers and pesticides of farmers. The overall mean TE was estimated at 78.4% (national-level) and 34% (household-level), indicates that rice output has the potential of being increased further by 21.6% (national production) and 66% (household) at the same level of inputs and technology if farmers had been technically efficient. The TE also recorded -7% decreasing rate at the national-level and -14.3% at household-level due to highly affected of natural disasters and various environmental and social factors during the study periods.