Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag, Lucian Razvan Selaru, Adrian Ivan
et al.
Abstract Escalating environmental crises and persistent food insecurity expose the limits of the food sector’s linear “take-make-use-dispose” model. This study explores how Romanian consumers view and act on food waste and how circular economy principles for food waste reduction can be effectively applied at the household level, identifying practical, easy-to-implement actions. Romania wastes approximately 5 million tonnes of food annually, hindering progress toward SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and Target 12.3, while also worsening climate change, resource depletion, and social inequality. We adopt a qualitative approach that combines research and policy landscape mapping with semi-structured, one-to-one interviews, and analyze the data through the empathy-mapping lens (Think & Feel; See; Say & Do; Hear). To better understand behavioral drivers, we incorporated the COM-B model, providing a robust framework for identifying and addressing the psychological, social, and environmental enablers and barriers that influence consumer food waste behaviors. Findings show that Romanian consumers hold strong pro-resource and pro-social values, but convenience, cultural habits, and price sensitivity often override these ideals. Even so, an emerging sustainability consciousness creates opportunities for “low-hanging fruit” interventions, considered simple, affordable actions that participants are willing to try with proper support. The study questions the traditional linear economic model and shows that even small, easily implementable consumer actions can lead to significant improvements in food waste management. These insights offer a straightforward way to incorporate circular economy strategies, including food prevention, preservation, and valorization, into the food system.
Objective: This study aims to develop TMS-EEG (Transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with EEG) technology to detect task-locked neural network activation and dynamically quantify information transmission. Approach: 30 participants performed visually guided gap saccade tasks while TMS-EEG data were recorded, with the TMS pulses delivered to prefrontal cortex (PFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) at different task stages. The directed transfer function (DTF) method was applied to TMS-EEG data to indicate the information flow. By analyzing the channel combinations associated with the PFC and PPC, we calculated differences in information flow within the alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands to determine whether TMS-EEG could quantitatively characterize the direction of information flow between cortical areas. Main results: Analysis of eye tracker data revealed that all participants successfully performed the saccade task, with a correct rate exceeding 90 %. The mean saccade latency was 132.25 ± 22.59 ms after target appearance. Stimulation of the PFC and PPC revealed significant differences in information flow in the gamma bands at different time points. Specifically, during the preparatory period, the C3 electrode acts as a hub for incoming information from O1, later transitioning to send information towards F4 and O1 post-target. Then, P3 emerges as a hub, sending data towards P4, with connectivity between them intensifying post 100 ms from the target's appearance. Significance: This study utilized DTF values derived from TMS-EEG to characterize information flow between cortical areas during the gap saccade task. This approach provides a novel method for quantifying dynamic changes in connectivity and causality between cortical areas during task processing.
Despite the pressure of carbon emissions and clean energy, coal remains the economic backbone of many developing countries due to its abundant resources and widespread distribution. The stable supply of coal is also vital for the global economy and remains irreplaceable in the future global energy structure. China has been a major contributor to annual coal output, accounting for nearly 50% worldwide since 2014. However, despite implementing intelligent coal mining technology, China’s coal mining industry still employs over 1.5 million underground miners, posing significant safety risks associated with underground mining operations. Therefore, the introduction of coal mining robots in underground mines is an urgently needed scientific and technological solution for upgrading China’s and even the world’s coal energy industry. The working face needs a shearer, hydraulic support, a scraper conveyor, and other equipment for coordination. The deep integration of intelligent technology with factors such as “humans, machines, the environment, and management” in the workplace is the core content of intelligent coal mines. This paper puts forward an advanced framework for robot technology systems in coal mining, including single robots, robotized equipment, robot crowds, and unmanned systems. The framework clarifies the common key technologies of coal mining robot research and development and the cross-integration with new technologies such as 5G, the industrial internet, big data, artificial intelligence, and digital twins to improve the autonomous and intelligent application of coal mining robots. By establishing a scientific and complete standard system for coal mining robots, we aim to achieve the customized research and development and standardized production of various types of robot. A specific analysis is conducted on the research progress of common key technologies such as the explosion-proof design, mechanical system innovation, power drive, intelligent sensing, positioning and navigation, and underground communication of coal mining robots. The current research and application status of various types of coal mining robots in China are summarized. A new direction for future coal mining robot research and development is proposed. Robotic mining systems should be promoted to enhance the overall intelligence level and efficiency of mining equipment. To develop human–machine environment-integrated robots to improve the autonomy and collaboration level of coal mining robots, the digital twinning of the entire mine robot system should be accelerated; the normalized operation level of coal mine robots should be improved; research on coal mining robots, shield support robots, and transportation robots should be performed; intelligence should be achieved in fully mechanized mining faces; and equipment shield support for fully mechanized mining faces should be provided. The practical process of implementing coal mining robotization is summarized in this paper, and the technical and engineering feasibility of the coal mining machine population is verified.
Martin A. Hubbe, Björn Sjöstrand, Magnus Lestelius
et al.
Factors affecting the swelling of cellulosic fibers are considered in this review. Emphasis is placed on aqueous systems and papermaking fibers, but the review also considers cellulose solvent systems, nanocellulose research, and the behavior of cellulosic hydrogels. The topic of swelling of cellulosic fibers ranges from effects of humid air, continuing through water immersion, and extends to hydrogels and the dissolution of cellulose, as well as some of its derivatives. The degree of swelling of cellulose fibers can be understood as involving a balance between forces of expansion (especially osmotic pressure) vs. various restraining forces, some of which involve the detailed structure of layers within the fibril structure of the fibers. The review also considers hornification and its effects related to swelling. The expansive forces are highly dependent on ionizable groups, pH, and the ionic strength of solution. The restraining forces depend on the nature of lignin, cellulose, and their detailed structural arrangements.
Compared with natural wood, laminated veneer lumber has the characteristics of high strength, flexible specifications, excellent stability, and good economy. In order to study the bearing capacity of LVL trusses, the mechanical properties of LVL materials were tested. The static load test was carried out by using 3 pieces of LVL truss, and the load-deflection relationship, load-strain relationship, bearing capacity and failure mode of LVL trusses were studied. Based on the simplified joint analysis method, the metal plate connection and bolted truss were analyzed, and the bearing capacity calculation formula was developed. The results show that the upper chord instability is the main failure mode for large-span light LVL truss. A simplified formula for bearing capacity of LVL truss was proposed, and the predicted results were in good agreement with the experimental results. Finally, an application example of LVL truss engineering design and construction is briefly introduced. The research can provide technical support for the promotion and application of LVL truss of lightweight poplar wood.
Ayomide Bakare, Paolo Ciancarini, Mirko Farina
et al.
Several research works propose non-textual alternatives to textual documentation and similar forms of representing information in software development. This is because of the problems that stem from writing these documents, which range from incomprehensible requirements to ambiguous user stories. The various proposals of researchers often contain some trace of oral or visual communication. In this paper, we study the implications of eliminating textual communication and substituting unnecessary writing by extracting the values of West African oral storytellers. Traditional West African communities did not make use of writing for thousands of years and yet their legends, customs, beliefs, and knowledge were effectively transmitted across several generations. How did they manage to accomplish this? What can we learn from their storytellers? How can these lessons be applied to software products? These are all questions that this paper attempts to answer. Perhaps if we fully understand how they operated, then we can target our written communication to the activities where it is needed instead of spreading writing across plenty of tasks as it is currently. To achieve this, we performed an analysis of the two domains: West African oral storytelling and software development and found similarities, then selected some key elements from oral storytelling and explained how they can have relevance in software development. The theme directly encompasses diversity and inclusion by bringing into software engineering a perspective of a region where its literacy research is scarcely being explored. The study found that traditional oral storytelling can provide insights into effective communication and audience engagement, and identified four ways in which software development can be compared to oral storytelling. The study also found that certain elements of storytelling, such as audience relationship, story structure, parables and proverbs, and community relaxation and support, can be applied to writing tasks in software development.
Yan Zhang,1,* Xiaoyu Liu,2,3,* Jingpu Wang,3 Le Du,3 Yanyun Ma,4– 6 Wei Liu,7 Rui Ye,3 Yali Yang,1,* Hui Xu1 1Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Inertiabiotech Co., LTD, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 5State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 6Institute for Six-Sector Economy, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 7Department of Dermatology, The Medical Center of Air Force PLA, Beijing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hui Xu, Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, No. 639, Manufacturing Bureau Road, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Email XUH1786@sh9hospital.org.cn Rui Ye, Inertiabiotech Co., LTD, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Email rye@inertiabiotech.comPurpose: As the human body’s largest organ exposed to the external environment, the skin suffers from internal and external aging factors, leading to wrinkles, loss of elasticity, sagging, and rough appearance. However, little is known of the characteristics of skin aging of different body parts in Chinese women. Here, we study the signs of extrinsic skin aging in different body parts to identify the knowledge map of manifestations of aging in Chinese women.Patients and Methods: Wrinkle and texture phenotypes and collagen samples from the face, neck, hands, and arms of 326 Chinese women were collected. The correlations between phenotypes and ages and the differences in phenotypes by age were evaluated.Results: The wrinkle and texture phenotypes around the eyes and mouth and of the hands were strongly correlated with age. Ages 32 and 58 showed the largest number of differentially changed aging phenotypes. The number of aging phenotypes increased sharply between the ages of 24 and 30, suggesting that the skin was undergoing rapid aging. Eye aging was the most rapidly changing phenotype between 19 and 30 years old. Wrinkles at the corner of the eyes showed a significant difference in the older group, suggesting an early onset and long-term effects.Conclusion: This is the first study to be performed on the characteristics of skin aging among Chinese women that takes account of multiple areas of the body. It was found that 24 years old was the time point at which the skin begins to age in Chinese women. This provides important clues for aging-related research and personalized skin care.Keywords: aging, Chinese women, phenotypes, skin, wrinkles
Organisational internal risk factors, which include management, material, finance, and design risk factors, affect oil and gas construction projects' success in emerging nations, in which Malaysia is no exception. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of these internal risk factors and government support on oil and gas projects among sixty-one (61) employees of oil and gas firms using a questionnaire survey. The data collected were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques. The results revealed that all the exogenous variables (design risk, management risk, financial risk and material risk factors and government support) significantly impact project success. According to the findings, all exogenous variables (design risk, management risk, financial risk, material risk factors, and government support) have substantial effects on project success. The study developed an all-inclusive framework that can assist stakeholders in the industry in mitigating internal risk factors in ensuring the success of projects. Policy implications and future study paths are considered.
In the field of mechatronic systems, manipulators are often used for automated assembly of products, welding, painting parts and more. An important task is to optimize the travel time along a given trajectory of the manipulator. To solve this problem, it is necessary not only to accurately estimate the speed of the manipulator nodes, but also to provide a linear characteristic of the assessment of the position of the mechanism in a wide range of speeds. The matter of the article are methods for determining the orientation of the joint of the manipulator. The goal of the work is to develop a module for determining the orientation of the joint of the manipulator and study its operation in order to determine the suitability subject of the structure for practical use. The following tasks are solved in the article: to investigate the principles of determining the orientation of the joints of industrial robots; choose the design of the orientation determination module; develop an algorithm for determining the position of the joint at any time; perform experimental studies of the position determination module in order to confirm the suitability of the structure for practical use. The following methods used are: experimental research was conducted on a real object - a model of the manipulator joint, created using methods and tools of 3D prototyping; to determine the position of the joint of the manipulator used methods of processing signals received from sensors; processing of experimental results and calculation of values of errors of positioning of a joint of the manipulator is based on methods of the statistical analysis of random sizes. The following results were obtained: the principles of determining the orientation of the joints of industrial robots were studied; the design is developed and the module of definition of orientation of a joint of the manipulator is created; developed an algorithm for determining the position of the joint at any time; the suitability of the design for practical use has been experimentally confirmed. Conclusions: in this paper, two variants of the sensor design are proposed to determine the absolute angle of rotation of the manipulator joint: resistive and magnetic. The proposed design of the resistive sensor was non-technological and much larger than the design of the magnetic sensor. The data obtained in the process of conducting experimental studies of the proposed method of measuring the angle of rotation of the mechanical gearbox of the manipulator joint indicate a fairly accurate determination of the angle using a magnetic sensor. The calculated measurement error was less than 1.4 degrees. The results of the experiment also showed that in addition to the radial direction of movement of the gearbox of the manipulator joint there is a significant displacement along the working plane, and in some cases, such displacements are chaotic. This is due to some defects and imperfections of the surface of the manufactured parts of the joint model used in research.
Salt rock has been regarded as the optimal surrounding rock for underground gas storage (UGS), and it is occasionally subjected to cyclic tension because of the gas injection and production of salt cavern, which leads to the change in mechanical properties of salt rock. In this paper, a laboratory study is conducted to investigate the energy dissipation and damage evolution characteristics of salt rock under uniaxial cyclic tension monitored by acoustic emission (AE) machine. Compared to monotonic tension, both tensile strength and deformation capacity of salt rock are enhanced under cyclic tension. The fracture crack is approximately a single linear crack with large elliptical plastic deformation zone, which is consistent with the spatial distribution of AE events. In yield stage, the proportion of dissipative energy increases first but decreases subsequently. The relationship between AE energy-based damage variable and displacement is established. It is concluded that the damage variable is a piecewise power correlation with displacement while the growth rate of damage variable increases in the pre-peak stage but decreases in post-peak stage.
TATJANA DAVIDOV, IVANKA VRANIĆ, VELJKO SAMARDŽIĆ
et al.
The starting point in today's economy is that software today is embedded in all pores of
human life, private and work environment.
Developed software of companies makes the economy of a country stronger and the life of
the inhabitants of a country much more comfortable, assuming that it is modern and developed in
accordance with modern standards.
Software solutions are increasingly relying on process automation in the economy, with
numerous activities performed daily with the presence and use of modern technology where
automation processes cannot be imagined without the application of modern software solutions.
Application software and software development engineering today have an extremely
complex task, more than ever before. Quality software engineering makes a positive contribution to
the development of flexible, reusable software solutions relevant to a large number of users.
Nevertheless, software development is accompanied in parallel by numerous recurring
problems, which can be grouped into several large categories that will be described in this study.
Commercial geography. Economic geography, Economics as a science
The development of civil engineering technology is a major issue related to the national economy and people’s livelihood, especially in the modern era where new technologies are emerging in all walks of life. Combining with the current development status of civil engineering technology in the world today, the author combed the new technologies closely related to the development of civil engineering technology in recent years. These new technologies mainly include: assembly structure, intelligent manufacturing, 3D printing, and industrial digitization. The existing high-tech and civil engineering technology developments are combined. Based on the current domestic and foreign technological development environment, the author puts forward the development forecast of the next generation of civil engineering technology and the company’s countermeasures. These predictions and suggestions are of great significance for the national government to formulate policies or the guidance of modern enterprises to formulate development strategies.
This study explores freeway interchange design as an example of traffic architecture. It reconstructs the design history of one bifurcating interchange along the Ayalon Crosstown Expressway in Tel Aviv, a project that initiated the transfer of American and European freeway technology to Israel. The different geometric configurations developed for the interchange were generated by the unstable, evolving relation among the expressway, city, and national economy and by a fundamental ambiguity within traffic engineering rationality. The realized interchange reveals the disparity among the semiotic, hierarchical concept of route continuity, the optimizing process of cost–benefit analysis, and memory-based spatial orientation. This interchange advances the interpretation of highway technology as a cultural technique that organizes driving activity into a series of switching operations within an informational grid, one that is at odds with the humanist construction of concentric, directional spatiality. Keywords: Interchange design, Traffic architecture, Urban planning, Technological transfer, Space and mobility, The Ayalon crosstown expressway
Gianluca Grilli , Giorgio Curetti, Isabella De Meo
et al.
Background and Purpose: In the EU political agenda, the use of forest biomass for energy has grown rapidly and significantly, in order to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions and reduce the energy dependence on fossil fuels of European member countries. The target of the EU climate and energy package is to raise the share of renewable energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20% in 2020 (Directive 2009/28/EC). With regards to biomass energy, the supply of forest wood biomass is expected to rise by 45% (reference period: 2006-2020), in response to increasing demand for renewable sources. The increase of forest biomass supply could have both positive and negative effects on several forest ecosystem services (ESs) and local development. These effects should be assessed in a proper manner and taken into account when formulating management strategies. The aim of the paper is to assess the environmental, economic and social sustainability of forest biomass harvesting for energy, using the Figure of Merit (FoM) approach.
Materials and Methods: Sustainability was assessed through a set of four indicators: two focused on experts’ opinions regarding the effects of forest biomass harvesting and the other two focused on the cost-benefit analysis (potential energy obtained and costs for wood chips). The research was developed through four case studies located in the Alpine Region. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered face-to-face to 32 selected experts. The perceived effects of forest biomass harvesting for energy on ESs and local development were evaluated by experts using a 5-point Likert scale (from “quite negative effect” to “quite positive effect”).
Results: All experts agree that forest biomass harvesting has a positive effect on forest products provision and local economic development (employment of local workforce, local entrepreneurship and market diversification), while the effects on other ESs are controversial (e.g. carbon sequestration, habitat quality, natural hazards protection and recreational values).
Conclusions: Therefore, it can be asserted that the effects of forest biomass harvesting on sustainability vary according to the local context. The results of FoM can support decision makers in order to analyze the environmental, social and economic sustainability of forest biomass harvesting for energy.
Contemporary transformations of rural areas involve changes in land uses, economic perspectives, connectivity, livelihoods, but also in lifestyles, whereupon a traditional view of ‘the rural’ and, consequently, of ‘rural development’ no longer holds. Accordingly, EU’s 2007-2013 Rural Development policy (RDP) is one framework to incorporate aspects labelled as quality of life (QOL) alongside traditional rural tenets. With a new rendition of the RDP underway, this paper scopes the content and extent of the expired RDP regarding its incorporation of QOL, in order to better identify considerations for future policy making. Using novel methodology called topic modelling, a series of latent semantic structures within the RDP could be unravelled and re-interpreted via a dual categorization system based on RDP’s own view on QOL, and on definitions provided by independent research. Corroborated by other audits, the findings indicate a thematic overemphasis on agriculture, with the focus on QOL being largely insignificant. Such results point to a rationale different than the assumed one, at the same time reinforcing an outdated view of rurality in the face of the ostensibly fundamental turn towards viewing rural areas in a wider, more humanistic, perspective. This unexpected issue of underrepresentation is next addressed through three possible drivers: conceptual (lingering productionist view of the rural), ideological (capitalist prerogative preventing non-pecuniary values from entering policy) and material (institutional lock-ins incapable of accommodating significant deviations from an agricultural focus). The paper ends with a critical discussion and some reflections on the broader concept of rurality.
It is crucial to monitor the deformation of dams for saving lives and properties, economy and the environment. Many critical observables have to be studied on the dam and the near vicinity. Mosul dam have been monitored according to many engineering standpoints since its construction more than two decades ago. In the last few years there was a debate on the safety of the dam. In this paper, the author made his own analysis on a subset of archived surveying measurements and field observations. Problems in data processing and probable causes of large errors in results are discussed. It shows that errors in measurement and analysis can cause fears and misleading concepts about safety of the dam. Full conclusions of the safety of the dam can only be obtained from a wide range of critical engineering limitations among which is the deformation monitoring.
The study aims to present the structure and analyse the distribution of economic activities comprising the creative sector (covering 10 sections of PKD 2007 - the Polish Classification of Activities based on NACE rev. 2 - the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community) of the Polish economy in the context of the potential basis for the formation of creative clusters in Poland. The study concentrates on the numbers of creative firms based in all 3,076 Polish gminas (306 urban gminas, 1,576 rural gminas and 597 urban-rural gminas; in the latter, 597 urban areas and 597 rural areas are considered separately). As found, most of the firms are involved in architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis (M 71) and other professional, scientific and technical activities (M 74). It has also been established that some local incubators of the potential clusters of creative industries form eight distinct centres, the most prominent of which is the Warszawa centre. The identification of areas with higher concentrations of creative firms has demonstrated that in Poland, like in western countries, creative firms tend to locate in large cities (Warszawa, Kraków, Poznań, Wrocław and Tri-City) and in the regions around them.
to the degree to which it meets the customer’s needs andexpectations. Dissatisfaction with the quality of building projectshas been widely reported in recent times. There are indicationsthat there may be some relationship between the procurementmethod used and customer satisfaction with the delivered product.In particular, traditional competitive bid contracting may havean adverse impact on quality in some circumstances. To shedsome light on reported industry attitudes, a survey of constructionprofessionals in the Sydney metropolitan area was undertaken.The respondents demonstrate mixed views on the effectivenessof the competitive tender system on quality project outcomes. Tosome extent contractors’ attitudes may be determined by theirpreferred current mode of operation. However, some supportis expressed for the contention that quality of outcome can bereduced by an overly cost driven contractor selection process. Inparticular, when economic pressures cause bidders to reduce thetime allocated for the tender process, an inaccurate and unreliablebid may win. This makes it very diffi cult for the reliable contractorto remain profi table. A move to value-based rather than cost-basedprocurement may assist industry performance and customersatisfaction.
Stephen Pullen, Michael Arman, George Zillante
et al.
Sustainable housing has been subject to research, practice and policy making for some considerable time. More recently attention has been drawn to the separate problem of declining affordability in housing. This paper describes research aimed at developing an assessment framework for both affordability and sustainability as part of the effort to incorporate both of these features into new housing projects. The research has a particular focus on developments aimed at urban densification. Background literature on both affordability and sustainability is reviewed as well as emerging schemes aimed at dealing with both aspects of housing developments. Performance indicators are identified and these are incorporated in an interim assessment framework which is tested using a group of industry experts. The research has highlighted areas where further development is required to attain quantitative assessments of affordable and sustainable housing developments