bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic Impacts of Sustainability Practices in the Production and Use of Carrier Bags
Authors: Lekavičius Vidas , Bobinaitė Viktorija , Balsiūnaitė Rimantė , Kliaugaitė Daina , Rimkūnaitė Kristina , Vasauskaitė Jovita
Published: August 2023

Although the negative environmental impact of plastic carrier bags has long been known, their use in Europe continues undiminished. Lithuania stands out for its high use and production of plastic bags. Governments and sustainability-driven businesses are taking various measures to reduce the environmental impact. Such measures include strategies to replace conventional plastic bags with paper or bioplastic bags, to reduce plastic bags by encouraging consumers to reuse them, and similar strategies. In contrast to the environmental impact of plastic bags, the socioeconomic effects of strategies to reduce their use have been much less studied in the scientific literature. Therefore, this paper analyses the impact of sustainability practices in the producing and using of carrier bags on Lithuania’s gross domestic product (GDP), employment and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study uses the CleanProdLT computable general equilibrium model based on the latest available data for 2020. The model allows for analysis of economy-wide effects by considering cleaner production and more sustainable consumption scenarios at different levels of detail. The results of the analysis show that while the analysed substitution of plastic bags with bioplastic (BioPlastic scenario) or paper bags (PaperBags scenario) has positive socioeconomic impacts, the overall best results can be achieved by reducing their consumption (ConsReduction scenario). In detail, it is estimated that the GDP could increase by EUR 18 million under the PaperBags scenario, by EUR 47 million under the BioPlastic scenario, and by EUR 64 million under the ConsReduction scenario. At the same time, employment increases by 213 jobs, 891 jobs, and 449 jobs, respectively. While the PaperBags and the BioPlastic scenarios reveal increases in GHG emissions of 4.5 ktCO2eq. and 29 ktCO2eq., respectively, the ConsReduction scenario demonstrates a decrease in GHG emissions of 4 ktCO2eq.. These findings suggest that the recent policy decision to charge for plastic bags in supermarkets will have positive environmental and socioeconomic impacts in the future.
Necessity to Assess the Sustainability of Sensitive Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Review of Tourism Pressures and the Travel Cost Method
Authors: Skarakis Nikolaos , Skiniti Georgia , Tournaki Stavroula , Tsoutsos Theocharis
Published: August 2023

Sensitive ecosystems play a major role in the future of the environment, economy, and society, as they affect and mitigate natural hazards, provide food, energy, and medicinal resources, and job opportunities, as well as cultural and recreational services. Meanwhile, the rapidly growing nature-based tourism sector is applying unsustainable pressures on such ecosystems, prioritizing the assessment of their sustainability, i.e., environmental, economic, and social functionality. To ensure long-term development and conservation, benefits from the natural capital must be valued and included in its management plan. The travel cost method (TCM), although heavily exploited in research, exhibits application challenges and methodological weaknesses. This paper seeks to comprehensively present the most recent applications of TCM, focusing on aquatic ecosystems that serve as tourist destinations, whereupon research gaps are identified, ultimately providing insights for future directions in the field. Quantifying the economic worth of sensitive ecosystems is a prerequisite to address issues, such as overexploitation, pollution, and climate change, so these problems can be alleviated in the long-run. In parallel, the critical long-term double effect of fair entrance fees is recognized, which not only motivate visitation by securing accessibility but also guarantee adequate financial resources to protect and maintain the ecosystems’ integrity.
Multi-Objective Optimization of the Multimodal Routing Problem Using the Adaptive ε-Constraint Method and Modified TOPSIS with the D-CRITIC Method
Authors: Maneengam Apichit
Published: August 2023

This paper proposes a multi-criteria decision-making approach for the multimodal routing problem (MRP) of bulk transportation in Thailand to minimize the total cost, transportation time, and total carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) emissions simultaneously. The proposed approach has three phases: The first phase is generating all nondominated solutions using Kirlik and Sayin’s adaptive ε-constraint method. In the second phase, the Distance Correlation-based Criteria Importance Through Inter-criteria Correlation (D-CRITIC) method is used to determine the weight of each objective function and assign it to the modified technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (modified TOPSIS) model in next phase. The third phase consists of ranking Pareto solutions obtained from the first phase using the modified TOPSIS. This proposed approach is applied to a real-world problem to enable the selection of the best route for transporting goods from the anchorage area in the Gulf of Thailand to the destination factory throughout a multimodal transportation network in Thailand. The computational results indicate that the proposed approach is superior to the current approach utilizing the ε-constraint method (ECM) regarding the number of Pareto solutions obtained and the proportion of computational time to the number of Pareto solutions obtained. Finally, the proposed method can solve the MRP with three or more objective functions and provide a multimodal route selection approach that is suitable for decision makers to offer a multimodal route to customers in the negotiation process for outsourcing transportation.
The Sustainability of Intellectual Capital in Enhancing Organizational Innovation: A Case Study of Sulaimani Polytechnic University
Authors: Hama Nabard Othman , Cavusoglu Behiye
Published: August 2023

The concept of intellectual capital is increasingly recognized as one of the most important strategic assets of organizations. The significance of intellectual resources, which are now critical for every business unit, is underlined in this paper. Thus, this research aims to identify the effectiveness of intellectual capital and its components on organizational innovation at Sulaimani Polytechnic University in Sulaymaniyah Governorate from the point of view of the faculty members (academic and administrative staff). The study developed both theoretical and empirical sections. The descriptive approach was used to determine the effectiveness of intellectual capital, and the quantities of research methodologies were used to measure this effectiveness. The study aims to investigate the correlations and causal effects between intellectual capital and organizational innovation. Moreover, the study investigates the correlations and causal effects between human capital, structural capital, and relational capital on radical and incremental innovation in the organization. To achieve this, the 392 total samples were collected and analyzed by SPSS 22 software. The findings provide evidence that intellectual capital and its components have a positive and statistically significant effect on organizational innovation and its components.
Determinants of Motivation to Work in Terms of Industry 4.0—The Gen Z Perspective
Authors: Bińczycki Bernard , Łukasiński Wiesław , Dorocki Sławomir
Published: August 2023

The mentality of Generation Z differs markedly from the approach to social and economic issues presented by earlier generations. These young people have had access to the internet and other innovative technologies since birth. A tape recorder or a floppy disk is a museum exhibit for them. They are unfamiliar with the everyday problems that citizens of Central and Eastern Europe faced during the socialist era, such as the lack of necessities on the shelves. The aim of this article is to present the results of the authors’ survey on the identification of work motivation factors relevant to Generation Z. The survey involved 649 respondents, young Poles who are currently entering the labor market. It was also an interesting research task for the authors to compare the results of surveys among young Poles with the results of international surveys. The research provided insight into young people’s expectations, values, and preferences regarding work. The results of the survey can provide valuable guidance for employers in shaping sustainable human resource management strategies. In addition, studying the competences of Generation Z can identify the gap between the requirements of the labor market and the skills possessed by young workers. The study conducted by the authors is among the first of its kind in Poland after the pandemic, emphasizing the growing trend in remote work. Earlier research was undertaken in a different economic climate. The current investigation took place following the COVID-19 outbreak and amidst heightened military operations in Ukraine. It also takes into account the effects of recent technological progress related to the rapid development of Industry 4.0. Notably, the questionnaire used in this study is unique as the authors categorized motivational factors into three essential groups, highly relevant in today’s markedly altered labor market.
A Comparison of Multiple Macroalgae Cultivation Systems and End-Use Strategies of Saccharina latissima and Gracilaria tikvahiae Based on Techno-Economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Wu Jingjing , Rogers Shane W. , Schaummann Rebekah , Price Nichole N.
Published: August 2023

Macroalgae can be processed into various products with the potential to substitute land-based crops; their cultivation can bioextract nutrients from coastal waters. This study investigated the economic cost and environmental impacts of multiple seaweed cultivation platforms, cultivation strategies, and processing/end-use strategies through techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) with a focus on Saccharina latissima and Gracilaria tikvahiae. Cultivation platforms included single-layer longline, dual-layer longline, single-layer strip, and dual-layer strip systems. Processing/end-use products included seaweed to biofuel, dried sea vegetables, marketable commercial fertilizer, and animal feed. Economic and environmental costs decreased with dual-layer and strip cultivation systems. Cultivation costs were highest using the common single-layer longline system ($4.44 kg−1 dry weight (dw) S. latissima and $6.73 kg−1 dw G. tikvahiae when cultivated on rotation). The use of the dual-layer strip system reduced cultivation costs to $2.19 kg−1 dw for S. latissima and $3.43 kg−1 dw for G. tikvahiae. Seaweed drying was the major contributor to economic and environmental costs for macroalgae processing. Yet, all scenarios achieved environmental benefits for marine eutrophication. The best environmental performance was observed when biomass was processed to dry sea vegetables, assuming the offset of land-based vegetable production, or used as biofeedstock for anaerobic digestion for combined heat and power.
Road Condition Monitoring Using Vehicle Built-in Cameras and GPS Sensors: A Deep Learning Approach
Authors: Ruseruka Cuthbert , Mwakalonge Judith , Comert Gurcan , Siuhi Saidi , Perkins Judy
Published: August 2023

Road authorities worldwide can leverage the advances in vehicle technology by continuously monitoring their roads’ conditions to minimize road maintenance costs. The existing methods for carrying out road condition surveys involve manual observations using standard survey forms, performed by qualified personnel. These methods are expensive, time-consuming, infrequent, and can hardly provide real-time information. Some automated approaches also exist but are very expensive since they require special vehicles equipped with computing devices and sensors for data collection and processing. This research aims to leverage the advances in vehicle technology in providing a cheap and real-time approach to carry out road condition monitoring (RCM). This study developed a deep learning model using the You Only Look Once, Version 5 (YOLOv5) algorithm that was trained to capture and categorize flexible pavement distresses (FPD) and reached 95% precision, 93.4% recall, and 97.2% mean Average Precision. Using vehicle built-in cameras and GPS sensors, these distresses were detected, images were captured, and locations were recorded. This was validated on campus roads and parking lots using a car featured with a built-in camera and GPS. The vehicles’ built-in technologies provided a more cost-effective and efficient road condition monitoring approach that could also provide real-time road conditions.
Soil Erosion Measurement Techniques and Field Experiments
Authors: Ferro Vito , Nicosia Alessio
Published: August 2023

Soil erosion is a process in which soil particles are first detached from the soil surface and then transported by erosive agents such as rainfall, overland flow and channelized flows in rills, ephemeral gullies and gullies [...]
Supercritical Froude Number Flow through Ducts with Statistically Roughened Walls
Authors: Ortloff Charles R.
Published: August 2023

High-speed fluid flows over roughened surfaces occur in many engineering applications; one important application involves high velocity water flows in pipelines with roughened interior walls where the wall roughness affects head loss estimates necessary for engineering design purposes. The present analysis provides an analytical solution of the fluid physics underlying the induced static pressure profile resulting from high Froude number supercritical velocity through duct with random wall roughness. The analytic solution of the hyperbolic governing small perturbation velocity potential equation subject to high Froude number flows brings forward characteristic wave solutions that determine the static pressure profile in a duct with random height wall roughness. While current engineering practice utilizes semi-empirical engineering equations employing test data to determine the friction factor, velocity and static pressure profiles and head loss for different roughness types in different sized ducts as a function of Reynolds number (as summarized in a later section of the paper), the present analysis provides a new analytical method to determine the fluid physics involved in the static pressure change induced by wall random roughness in ducts subject to high Froude number supercritical flows.
Computing of Permeability Tensor and Seepage Flow Model of Intact Malan Loess by X-ray Computed Tomography
Authors: Lu Yangchun , Lu Yudong , Lu Ting , Wang Bo , Zeng Guanghao , Zhang Xu
Published: August 2023

Malan loess is an eolian sediment in arid and semi-arid areas. It is of great significance to study the pore structure of Malan loess for its evolution, strength, and mechanical properties. In order to quantitatively characterize the absolute permeability tensor of Malan loess and to simulate the seepage process of Malan loess, this study calculated the specific yield of intact Malan loess with a homemade seepage experimental device and recorded the water flow process on the surface of Malan loess during the seepage process. Modern computed tomography was used to scan the intact Malan loess samples from Jiuzhoutai, Lanzhou (western part of the Loess Plateau, China); the specific yield of the intact loess was used as the parameter value for the threshold segmentation of the scanned image for the 3D reconstruction of the connected pore space, the solver program in AVIZO software was used to solve the absolute permeability tensor of Malan loess using the volume averaging method combined with the CT scan to reconstruct the 3D pore space, and the simulation of the seepage process was carried out. The simulation results showed that Malan loess is a highly anisotropic loess; the absolute permeability in the vertical direction is 9.02 times and 3.86 times higher than the permeability in the horizontal direction. The pore spaces are well connected in the vertical direction (forming a near-vertical arrangement of pipes) and weakly connected in the horizontal direction. In the seepage simulation, it was found that the water flows first along the vertically oriented channels and then fills the horizontally oriented pores; the absolute permeability coefficient was calculated to be 0.3482 μm2. The indoor seepage experiment was consistent with the simulation experiment, which verifies the reliability of the calculated model.
Assessing the Relationship between Ecological Water Demand of Haloxlon ammodendron and Its Wind Erosion Prevention Effect
Authors: Yang Haimei , Liang Hongbang , Liu Xingshuang , Li Mingsi
Published: August 2023

Desert vegetation in the outer transition zone of an arid oasis serves as a protective barrier against wind and sand, safeguarding the oasis ecosystem. However, intensive agricultural water usage within the oasis has led to water depletion, posing a threat to the survival and growth of desert vegetation, as well as the associated increase in wind and sand phenomena. To ensure the sustainable distribution of water resources and maintain the stability of the oasis peripheral ecosystem, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the ecological water demand of desert vegetation and its effectiveness in preventing wind erosion. Through a combination of field sample tests, field pit tests, and data analysis, this research focused on Haloxlon ammodendron, the most prevalent species on the oasis periphery, to explore the intricate relationship between its ecological water demand and resistance to wind erosion. The results showed that medium-vegetation-coverage soils exhibited a higher soil moisture content (7.02%) compared to high-vegetation-coverage soils (1.57%) and low-vegetation-coverage soils (3.41%). As the soil water content decreased, the growth rate of H. ammodendron’s plant height, new branches, and crown width decelerated. The ecological water requirement of H. ammodendron during its growth period was 70.95 mm under medium-vegetation-coverage conditions, exhibiting a significant increase of 14.6% and 12.3% compared to high- and low-vegetation-coverage conditions, respectively. Meanwhile, H. ammodendron exhibits remarkable wind erosion prevention effects in moderate coverage conditions, resulting in a significant reduction in surface sand collection and sand transport by 53.15% and 51.29%, respectively, compared to low vegetation coverage; however, no significant difference was observed when compared to high vegetation coverage. The SEM model results revealed that soil water content had an indirect effect on sand transport (R2 = 0.90) and sand collection (R2 = 0.96) through three pathways of action, namely: volatile water content–crown growth rate–wind speed–sediment discharge; volatile water content–plant height growth rate–vegetation coverage–wind speed–sediment discharge; and volatile water content–plant height growth rate–vegetation coverage–sediment accumulation. This study provides valuable insights for the scientific formulation and implementation of strategies aimed at protecting desert vegetation.
Current Problems and Issues of Endocrine Surgery: Based on the Materials of the First Plenum of the Association of Endocrine Surgeons, Held in the Udmurt Republic
Authors:   Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Lichterman B.L. , Styazhkina S.N. , Chernyshova T.E. ,   Izhevsk State Medical Academy, Shakirova D.R.
Published: August 2023

Endocrine surgery is not yet in the register of medical specialties, although there is already a group of surgeons specializing in this treatment of thyroid diseases. In May of this year, Izhevsk hosted the first plenum of the Board of the Association of Endocrine Surgeons, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Izhevsk State Medical Academy. In his welcoming speech, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Faculty Therapy with courses in Endocrinology and Hematology, Rector of the Izhevsk State Medical Academy Alexey SHKLYAEV called the plenum a landmark event that will definitely be useful to the surgical service of the republic. Surgeons and scientists from all regions of Russia took part in the event
Patients’ views and experiences of delayed diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease: a qualitative study
Authors: Cross Eleanor , Prior James A , Farmer Adam D , Saunders Benjamin
Published: August 2023

Background

Diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be challenging. Patients have been found to experience significant diagnostic delay, which can lead to poorer clinical outcomes. The reasons for this delay are not fully understood, and exploring patients’ perspectives can offer important insights.

Aim

To explore the views and experiences of patients who self-report a delay in IBD diagnosis.

Design & setting

Qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews. Participants were recruited via social media and a national IBD charity.

Method

Interviews were conducted by telephone between December 2018 and February 2019. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and drawing on the constant comparison method.

Results

Sixteen interviews were carried out. Ten participants were female and six were male; participants were aged 20–65 years. Four main themes were identified: patient factors contributing to delay; primary care factors contributing to delay; systemic factors contributing to delay; and perceived consequences of delayed diagnosis. Participants reported initially not seeking help due to embarrassment or normalising their symptoms. Having consulted, participants reported further delay in receiving a diagnosis due to their perception that GPs had either mislabelled symptoms, expressed uncertainty, or not taken symptoms seriously. Systemic factors, including lack of access to test results and communication issues across primary and secondary care, were also cited as contributing to delayed diagnosis. Several participants felt that their delayed diagnosis led to poorer clinical outcomes.

Conclusion

These findings can support patients and GPs in their conversations about symptoms that may indicate IBD, and potentially contribute to reducing diagnostic delay, as well as informing future primary care interventions.
PENGARUH PENERAPAN ACTIVITY BASED COSTING (ABC) TERHADAP MANAJEMEN BIAYA PRODUKSI, PRODUKTIVITAS PERUSAHAAN, DAN EFISIENSI PERUSAHAAN
Authors: Tahang Mohamad , Hakim Melati Puspita
Published: August 2023

This study aims to analyze the influence of the implementation of activity-based costing (ABC) on the management of production costs, productivity and efficiency of the company. The research method used is qualitative with case studies in several manufacturing companies that have implemented the ABC system. Data collection is done through in-depth interviews with production managers, analysis of financial statements and direct observation of the production process. This study was conducted for 6 months, from January to June. The results show that the implementation of ABC has a significant impact on the company's production cost management. With ABC, companies can more accurately determine the cost of production for each activity involved, helping to make resource allocation decisions and control costs more accurately. Furthermore, the adoption of ABC is also associated with increasing the company's productivity. With a better understanding of production costs, companies can optimize production processes and improve overall operational efficiency. However, this study has some limitations, including limited case study and focus on qualitative data. The implication of this study is the importance of how companies view the implementation of ABC as a tool to improve cost management, productivity and operational efficiency in order to gain a competitive advantage. 

 

Keywords: Activity Based Costing, Production Cost Management, Company Productivity, Company Efficiency 
Chat GPT como Recurso para el Aprendizaje del Pensamiento Crítico en Estudiantes Universitarios
Authors: Atencio-González Rously Eddyah , Bonilla-Ron Diego Esteban , Miles-Flores Marco Vinicio , López-Zavala Saúl Álvaro
Published: August 2023

A nivel universitario, la educación digital, cada día gana más y más terreno. Por tanto, el empleo de la tecnología en la educación ya no es una opción, en estos momentos es un recurso de primer orden necesario para innovar. La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo describir el ChatGPT como recurso viable para el desarrollo del pensamiento crítico en estudiantes universitarios. Refiere, a una investigación descriptiva de tipo documental con diseño bibliográfico. Como conclusión, se precisa resaltar que todo elemento creado que pueda contribuir para el desarrollo integral del hombre será siempre un recurso válido, por tanto, el ChatGPT como herramienta tecnológica e innovadora cala perfectamente como un recurso innovador, para que le hombre mejore y potencie su modo de pensar de forma crítica y analítica, esto siempre y cuando sepa emplearlo de manera ética y moral en sociedad.
Analysis of the Effects of Investment Facilitation Levels on China's OFDI: Focusing on RCEP Member States
Authors:   Korea Trade Research Association, Gui Yong-Jie , Kang Jin-Gu , Jeong Yoon-Say
Published: August 2023

Purpose – purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of the investment facilitation levels of 11 RCEP countries (excluding Myanmar, Brunei, and Laos due to lack of data) on China’s outward foreign direct investments(OFDI) using balanced panel data from 2010 to 2019. Design/methodology – First, four investment facilitation measurement indicators (regulatory environment, infrastructure, financial market, ease of doing business) were selected,investment facilitation scores of the 11 countries were obtained using the principal component analysis, an investment gravity model was established with nine explanatory variables (investment facilitation level, market size, population, geographic distance, degree of opening, tax level, natural resources, whether the country is an APEC member or not, and whether a valid bilateral investment treaty with China has been concluded) were used to establish an investment gravity model, and regression analyses were conducted with OLS and system GMM. Findings – The results of the regression analyses showed that investment facilitation levels had the greatest effect on China's OFDI, all four first-level indicators had positive effects on China's OFDI, and among them, the institutional environment had the greatest effect. In addition, it was shown that explanatory variables such as market size, population, geographical distance, degree of openness, natural resources, and whether or not a valid bilateral investment treaty has been concluded would have positive effects on China's OFDI, while tax levels and APEC membership would impede China's OFDI to some extent. Originality/value – Since the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEPT) came into effect not long ago, there are not so many studies on the effects of investment facilitation levels of RCEP member states on China's OFDI, and the investment facilitation measurement index constructed in this paper is relatively systematic and scientific because it includes all the contents of investment facilitation related to the life cycle of company’s foreign direct investments.
Comparative study of tricuspid valve repair using ring vs. synthetic band in severe functional tricuspid valve regurgitation
Authors: Elnahas Ashraf , Shaheen Yousry , Afifi Dina , Emara Ahmed
Published: August 2023

Background: Functional tricuspid valve regurgitation secondary to left-sided valve disease remains a common problem. There are different surgical techniques for tricuspid valve repair; however, the superiority of one approach over the other has not been proven. Our objective was to compare the short-term results of ring versus synthetic band annuloplasty to repair functional severe tricuspid regurgitation in patients with left-sided valve lesions.

Methods: This retrospective study includes 60 patients who underwent left-sided valve replacement with concomitant tricuspid valve repair for severe tricuspid regurgitation. Patients were divided into group A (n= 30), patients with rigid rings, and group B (n= 30), patients with synthetic bands.

Results: The preoperative demographic and clinical data were non-significant between both groups. In the preoperative data, the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was significantly higher in the ring group (2.84 ± 0.53 vs. 2.3 ± 0.4, P< 0.001). Hospital stay was more prolonged in group B (10.05 ± 1.57 vs. 11.7 ± 2.76 days, P=0.006). There were no differences in other operative and postoperative data between groups. After a six-month follow-up, both groups had no significant difference regarding the clinical data or the degree of tricuspid valve regurgitation.

Conclusion: Tricuspid valve annuloplasty with a rigid ring or synthetic band for tricuspid regurgitation could have a good short-term outcome.
Early results of combined aortic arch debranching and thoracic endovascular re-pair
Authors: Osama Abdullah , Dawoud Omar
Published: August 2023

Background: The hybrid technique for managing aortic arch diseases has been introduced recently into the surgical armamentarium. We aimed to evaluate the early postoperative outcomes after aortic arch debranching and endovascular repair (TEVAR) of aortic arch aneurysms or dissection.

Methods: Between March 2015 and September 2020, 17 patients underwent elective aortic arch debranching concomitant with TEVAR. Thirteen patients had aortic arch aneurysms, and four had chronic dissection. Study outcomes were early postoperative complications such as stroke, paraplegia, renal insufficiency, and 30-day mortality.

Results: The mean age of our patients was 61.2± 7.6 years; 12 of them were males (70.6%). Five patients underwent total debranching (29.4%). All debranching procedures were followed with TEVAR. 30-day mortality, stroke, permanent paraplegia, and renal failure occurred in one patient (5.9%), while transient neurological deficit occurred in two patients (11.8%).

Conclusion: Hybrid management of aortic arch pathologies showed encouraging early results. The combination of surgical aortic arch debranching and TEVAR could be an option for managing aortic arch diseases. However, larger studies with longer follow up are recommended.
Stress dependent impedance spectroscopy of niobium based ceramics
Authors: Tanaka Hideki , Nozaki Takumi , Martin Alexander , Webber Kyle G. , Kakimoto Ken-ichi
Published: August 2023

In this study, stress-dependent impedance spectra were characterized as a function of uniaxial compressive stress up to –300 MPa for Zr-doped (Na0.5K0.5)(Nb1−x/125Zr
x/100)O3−δ
(x = 5, 10 mol%). This allowed for the evaluation of the stress-induced changes in the grain and grain boundary capacitance. The grain capacitance from equivalent circuit fitting exhibited decreasing behavior with increasing uniaxial compressive stress increased, which is attributed to hindered domain wall movement reducing the extrinsic contributions. Interestingly, NKNZ10 showed a more significant degradation in grain capacitance than NKNZ5. One possible explanation is the difference in oxygen vacancies, and by extension defect dipoles, when introducing Zr into the lattice. As such, this study reveals the amplifying effect of oxygen vacancies to the mechanical suppression of domain wall movement.
Assessing Grid Strength of 100% Inverter-Based Power Systems
Authors: Ma Fuyilong , Xin Huanhai , Wu Di , Liu Yun , Chen Xia
Published: August 2023

 The increasing integration of renewable resources via power electronic inverters is shifting a modern power system toward a 100% inverter-based power system (IBPS). To maintain the stable operation of a 100% IBPS, it is important to identify the small-signal stability issues resulting from the interaction between the power network and inverter-based apparatuses. Due to the complexity of the interaction in a large-scale power system with many inverter-based apparatuses, grid strength assessment is a useful tool for fast identifying the stability issues. However, existing methods are not applicable to the 100% IBPS composed of grid-following (GFL) and grid-forming (GFM) inverters. To fill this gap, the paper proposes a method for fast assessing grid strength in terms of small-signal stability in the 100% IBPS. First, we formulate a multi-inverter system modeling for the small-signal stability analysis of the 100% IBPS. According to the analysis results, a measure and its threshold are then defined to characterize the gird strength of such a system. Also, an analytical expression is derived to determine the threshold and differentiate the impacts of GFL and GFM inverters on the stability boundary. Based on the defined measure and its threshold, our method is proposed and then validated on the modified IEEE 39-bus system and a realistic power grid with high wind penetration. 
Developing Future Computational-thinking in Foundational CS Education: A Case Study from a Liberal Education University in India
Authors: Kalluri Balaji , Prasad Prajish , Sharma Prakrati , Chhipa Divyaansh
Published: August 2023

This manuscript is submitted to IEEE Transactions on Education's Special Issue on "Coding, Computational, Algorithmic, Design, Creative, and Critical Thinking in K-16 Education" on 3rd July 2023
How do topological quantum error-correcting codes fare under non-Markovian noise
Authors: Ahsan Muhammad
Published: August 2023

We simulate the performance of toplogical error-correcting codes when all the encoding qubits share same non-Markovian bath. We find that scalable and reliable quantum computing may still be possible if error-rates decline as $\sqrt{n}$ where $n$ is the codeword size.
New Electricity Distribution Paradigm in Distribution Systems for DC Devices Integration
Authors: Cheng Y.
Published: August 2023

A new electricity distribution scheme in distribution systems is proposed in this paper. The AC and DC power sources are controlled to inject AC and DC simultaneously into distribution lines. LC filters are designed in a new way to extract AC and DC from their superposition in the distribution line current for the AC and DC devices, respectively. Therefore, the DC power sources, e.g., solar panels, can directly inject DC without the DC/AC conversions. Moreover, the AC and DC loads can be supplied directly with AC and DC, respectively, without the AC/DC or DC/AC conversions. The equipment cost and the power loss associated with these conversions are thus reduced. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can regulate the AC and DC load voltage and drive the renewable energy resources-powered DC voltage sources to follow their maximum power point tracking profiles.
The geometry of chromatin
Authors: Kak Subhash
Published: August 2023

We investigate the large-scale geometry of the DNA-protein complex of chromatin using a generalized optimality principle, which requires that not only should all sub-parts of a natural process be optimal but also the unfolding of higher recursive levels. It was shown previously that an information-theoretic geometry of the genetic code data, together with the principle of maximum entropy, explains the variation in the codon groupings that map into different amino acids and explain its underlying self-similar structure. Here we take that analysis forward and investigate the fundamental geometry underling physical and biological space as it gets reflected in aggregates associated with genomic DNA. The analysis is consistent with the measured fractal dimension of chromatin.
Design and Development of a Secure and Efficient Authentication System for Mobile Devices
Authors: Adhikari Tapomoy
Published: August 2023

The proliferation of mobile technology has transformed the way I communicate, access information, and perform various activities. However, the increasing usage of mobile devices also introduces new challenges in terms of security and user authentication. Traditional password-based authentication mechanisms are often vulnerable to attacks such as brute-force, phishing, and dictionary attacks. Moreover, the limited input capabilities and small form factor of mobile devices impose additional constraints on authentication system design. 

To address these challenges, I propose a novel authentication system specifically designed for mobile devices. Our system leverages the advantages of multi-factor authentication and biometric techniques to provide a robust and secure authentication mechanism. In this paper, I discuss the background and motivations for our research, review the existing literature on authentication systems, present the methodology and implementation details of our system, evaluate its performance, and conclude with insights and future research directions.
Rapid Adaptive Matched Filter for Detecting Radar Targets with Unknown Velocity
Authors: Kononov Anatolii , Ka Min-Ho
Published: August 2023

This paper introduces a new Doppler domain localized (DDL) implementation of the adaptive matched filter (AMF) for radar target detection in severely heterogeneous clutter environments with limited training data. The proposed detector uses the concept of a region of possible target detection (RPTD), a small set of Doppler bins that captures most of the target signal power. This RPTD-based DDL-AMF detector outperforms an earlier suggested DDL implementation of the generalized likelihood ratio (GLR) test, which employs the region of detection improvement (RODI) concept. Unlike the RODI-based DDL-GLR detector, the proposed DDL-AMF detector requires no information on clutter spectrum parameters and no measurements to determine the number and locations of RODIs. Moreover, the RODI-based DDL-GLR detector’s performance falls far below the optimum when the target Doppler frequency is unknown. In contrast, the RPTD-based DDL-AMF detector ensures rapid adaptive detection with near-optimum performance under unknown target Doppler frequency and multimodal clutter spectra. 
A Nonlinear Electromagnetics Model and Time Dependent Solutions with a Possible Photon Particle Model
Authors: Hauser John
Published: August 2023

This paper continues to explore the solutions to a nonlinear electromagnetics model previously introduced. Previous papers have treated primarily the possible solutions for static time independent solutions. This work begins to explore the addition of time dependent solutions. These additional solutions are obtained by adding solutions arising from a vector potential function. This leads to the concept of “static” and “dynamic” solution sets. The concept of charge density is found to arise purely from the static solution set. The concept of a fundamental time parameter by which time can be normalized and related to Planck's constant. Finally vector potential solutions are suggested which can describe localized energy photon-like structures.
A Hybrid Transmitting Coil for Angular-Freedom Wireless Power Transfer
Authors: Le-Huu Hoang , Seo Chulhun
Published: August 2023

This letter presents a hybrid transmitting coil (HBRTx) for angular-freedom wireless power transfer. The rotating magnetic field is analyzed and obtained in different charging planes by three coil configurations to adapt the Rx rotations. Furthermore, the CLC (capacitor-inductor-capacitor) impedance matching networks (IMN) are implemented on the Tx and Rx side to match the coil impedance to the source and load impedance and improve the power transfer efficiency (PTE). Experimental results show that our proposed WPT system can supply power effectively to a distance of up to 51 mm with a maximum PTE of 80.35%. Moreover, the PTE maintains above 70% regardless of the Rx’s rotations around Ox, Oy and Oz axes, which shows the system’s flexibility and mobility.
Addressing Human Speech Natures in Single-Channel speaker Extraction Network
Authors: Yuan Zhaohui
Published: August 2023

The purpose of single-channel speaker extraction is to distill the pure speech of the target speaker from a multi-talker speech mixture. Typically, an auxiliary reference network is employed to obtain the voiceprint features of the speaker’s speech as the input stimulus for the main speech extraction network, improving the robustness of the speech extraction. However, current research has paid little attention to the time-series characteristics of speech signals, resulting in a mismatch between the receptive field and signal features.  Additionally, commonly used speaker extraction models do not consider the spectral distribution characteristics of speaker speech. In this paper, we address these issues by extending the ConvNeXt model in image processing to TD-ConvNeXt model and combining it with TCN block to form the main body of our speech extraction network. We also revamp the ConvNeXt model to a new Spk block for the auxiliary network, which learns speaker identity information features from reference speech as embedding vectors. By utilizing this approach, we have achieved better results in speaker identification without compromising the quality of speech extraction. We also use multi-task learning to jointly train the extraction network and auxiliary reference network. Extensive experiments have been conducted to verify the significant single-channel target speech extraction performance improvements of our proposed model.
An extended stability criterion for grids with Q(V)-controlled distributed energy resources
Authors: Schmitt Jonas , Ecklebe Stefan , Krahmer Sebastian , Röbenack Klaus , Schegner Peter
Published: August 2023

As the number of distributed energy resources in today’s energy distribution grids is growing, measures must be taken to keep the voltage magnitudes in the grid within the operational limits. One prevalent way of doing this is to use voltage dependent reactive power provisioning, so-called Q(V )-control, where a Q(V )-characteristic with a certain slope prescribes how much reactive power is used to stabilise the node voltage. However, due to their interconnection by the power grid, the combined Q(V )-controls of several plants may become unstable. The first part of this paper revisits an existing stability criterion from the literature, based on a discrete-time model of Q(V)-control but limited to radial topologies, in order to assess how steep the slopes can be chosen. In the second part, this criterion is extended to grids with arbitrary topologies by introducing a more general grid model which explicitly takes the current operating point of the grid into account. Furthermore, an optimisation-based procedure is presented to exploit this new criterion for the direct maximisation of the slopes of the Q(V)-characteristics while guaranteeing stability of the system. Finally, both criteria are compared by applying them on selected benchmark grids.
Educational, Vocational and Career Orientation Pathways for High School Students
Authors: Ricchiardi Paola , Lattanzi Teodora
Published: August 2023

This paper aims to illustrate the pathways of education to choose making built and implemented by the University of Turin as part of the actions foreseen by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan for Orientation (PNRR Orientamento) (Ministerial Decree No. 934/2022). The theoretical choices underlying the orientation model adopted (Crișan, 2020; Di Fabio & Venceslai, 2021; Savickas, 2015; Savickas & Porfeli, 2012) are made explicit, as well as the outcomes of the survey conducted in Piedmont, Italy in early 2023 on a sample of 2575 high school students. The survey identified emerging orientation needs, which allowed to construct targeted pathways for different student groups. Then, the five educational guidance programs developed are described, which differ from one another in the extent of teacher involvement, in the expression means used and in the fruition modality.
 
Percorsi di educazione alla scelta e consulenziale per la scuola secondaria di secondo grado.
Il presente contributo intende illustrare i percorsi di educazione alla scelta costruiti e attuati dall’Università di Torino nell’ambito delle azioni previste dal PNRR Orientamento (Decreto Ministeriale n. 934/2022). Si espliciteranno le scelte teoriche sottostanti al modello di orientamento adottato (Crișan, 2020; Di Fabio & Venceslai, 2021; Savickas, 2015; Savickas & Porfeli, 2012) e gli esiti dell’indagine condotta con un campione di 2575 studenti delle secondarie di secondo grado del Piemonte, a inizio 2023. L’indagine ha consentito di individuare i bisogni orientativi emergenti e quindi di costruire percorsi mirati per le diverse fasce di destinatari. Si descriveranno quindi i cinque percorsi di orientamento messi a punto, che si diversificano per l’entità del coinvolgimento degli insegnanti, per i linguaggi utilizzati e per l’intensità del percorso.
International Service-Learning for forest fire management and employability in higher education: a qualitative research
Authors: Galeotti Glenda , Clemente Chiara
Published: August 2023

The paper introduces exploratory research that examines the effects of participation in interdisciplinary and international service-learning in forest fire management. Service-learning was interpreted as an educational device capable of supporting employability pathways within higher education. This theoretical proposition informed qualitative research that collected students’ perceptions of their service-learning experience. The research findings confirm the positive relationship between service-learning participation and the development of key soft skills. Moreover, the findings indicate how service-learning participation fosters labor market knowledge and skills, and opportunities for identifying and exploring academic and professional opportunities and cultivating authentic relationships.
 
Service-Learning internazionali per la gestione degli incendi boschivi e l’employability nell’alta formazione: una ricerca qualitativa.
Il contributo presenta una ricerca esplorativa che esamina gli effetti di partecipazione a progetti di service-learning interdisciplinari e internazionali sulla prevenzione degli incendi. Il service-learning è qui interpretato come un dispositivo educativo capace di sostenere percorsi di employability all’interno di contesti europei di alta formazione. Questa prospettiva teoretica è il punto di avvio di questa ricerca qualitativa che ha raccolto le percezioni degli studenti sull’esperienza di service-learning a cui hanno partecipato. I risultati dello studio confermano il rapporto positivo tra la partecipazione al service-learning e lo sviluppo di soft skills. Viene inoltre rilevato come questa partecipazione possa favorire l’acquisizione di conoscenze e competenze sul mercato del lavoro, per identificare ed esplorare opportunità accademiche e professionali post-laurea e coltivare relazioni autentiche utili alla pianificazione continua del proprio percorso professionale e personale.