24762 research outputs found
Sort by
The application of information theory to interpret shore platform erosion rates
No full textAdvancements in information physics have recently introduced the application of information
theory to investigate physical systems. The behaviour of erosion at the granular scale is to date
still a complex system to unpack, and therefore geomorphology research requires novel approaches
to better inform the interpretation of temporal and spatial erosion patterns at different scales. This
paper applies information theory concepts to re-evaluate erosional data that were measured on
limestone surfaces of two shore platforms in Malta with a traversing micro-erosion meter (TMEM).
By representing erosion rates through their information content using a Box-Cox style transformation
of the raw data (application of an inverse normal distribution function to fractionally ranked data), it
is possible to identify points and measurement periods that contribute to a disproportionately large
share of unexpected erosion rates that could provide more insight into the causes of erosion rates.
Despite the variations in the information content from erosion rates at individual measurement points,
most points consistently contribute to a similar amount of information. These findings illuminate
the importance of considering the informational value of erosion data to further understand the
underlying physical processes and potentially improve predictive models.peer-reviewe
Vibration welding of PLA/PHBV blend composites with nanocrystalline cellulose
Get PDFThermoplastic composites have garnered significant attention in various industries due to their exceptional properties, such as recyclability and ease of molding. In particular, biocomposites, which combine biopolymers with natural fibers, represent a promising alternative to petroleum-based materials, offering biodegradability and reduced environmental impact. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the efficacy of joining PLA/PHBV-based biocomposites modified with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) using vibration welding, which restricts their potential applications. This study demonstrates that vibration welding enables efficient bonding of PLA/PHBV composites with NCC, resulting in strong, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly materials. The investigation revealed that the addition of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) at 5, 10, and 15 wt.% significantly enhanced the strength of welded joints, with the highest strength achieved at 15% NCC content. Microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and deformation studies with digital image correlation (DIC) indicated that a higher NCC content led to greater local deformation, reducing the risk of brittle fracture. Mechanical hysteresis tests confirmed the composites’ favorable resistance to variable loads, highlighting their stability and energy dissipation capabilities. Optimization of welding parameters, such as vibration amplitude, welding time, and pressure, is crucial for achieving optimal mechanical performance. These findings suggest that PLA/PHBV composites modified with NCC can be utilized as durable and eco-friendly materials in various industries, including automotive and packaging. This research presents new opportunities for the development of biodegradable high-strength materials that can serve as alternatives to traditional plastics.peer-reviewe
Comparative analysis of official revenues from agritourism in Italy and Poland
Get PDFPURPOSE: The main aim of this article is to compare the official revenues from agritourism
and their determinants for Italian and Polish farms. It answers the following questions: How
significant were agritourism revenues related to farm net income for farms in Italy and
Poland in 2004-2022? How much does the size of the farm (measured by economic size)
affect the revenues from agritourism? What is the relationship between Italian and Polish
agritourism revenues and other production, economic and financial categories, and do the
results for these two countries differ?DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research is based on data for Italian and Polish farms
from the FADN (RICA) database. We used all available data from the years 2004-2022. The
panel data models are estimated.FINDINGS: Revenues from agritourism are not high according to official data but depend on
the economic size of the farm. After conducting panel regression, it turns out that the
revenues from agritourism in Italy depend on the utilised agricultural areas and subsidies.
However, in Poland, they depend on the total output and inputs. The models are distorted
because agritourism farms do not show complete revenues from agritourism. It should be
assumed that most of these revenues are non-invoiced.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The official revenues from agritourism is not a significant source of
income for farms in Italy and in Poland. The practical implications provide actionable
insights for policymakers, farmers, and rural development organizations, emphasizing the
potential of agritourism to support economic sustainability in rural areas.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Our article makes several significant contributions to the literature on
agritourism, especially in the context of Poland and Italy. Our article provides a unique
comparative analysis between two countries with different approaches to agritourism
regulation. In doing so, it shows the impact of regulatory and cultural diversity on income
from this activity. This is a valuable contribution, as it allows us to understand how different
legal systems and state support can shape the scope and potential of agritourism as a source
of income. The article analyses the impact of factors such as the economic size of the farm,
subsidies, total farm product and agricultural area on agritourism income. We have
identified revenue underestimation, which shows the problem of under-registration of
revenues from agritourism, especially in Poland.The publication was financed by the Polish Minister of Science and
Higher Education as part of the Strategy of the Poznan University of Life Sciences for 2024-
2026 in the field of improving scientific research and development work in priority research
areas.peer-reviewe
Technology and English language teaching in a changing world : a practical guide for teachers and teacher educators [Book review]
No full textBy entitling their book Technology and English Language Teaching in a Changing World: A Practical Guide for Teachers and Teacher Educators, Ju Seong Lee, Di Zou and Michelle Mingyue Gu seem to indicate that they set themselves an ambitious goal when compiling this edited collection of chapters. The first aspect of this goal has to do with accelerated change as the backdrop to the relationship between technology and ELT. The rate of change in the past four years has increased steadily, with generative AI catapulting it even more so in the last two years. The launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022 and other large language models in the following months overtured the significant changes that a range of social domains would experience as a result of the technology’s widespread use. The implications for language education were immediately clear and despite the consternation of some institutions and professionals, the technology seems to have been embraced and is being harnessed for the purpose of transforming language teaching and learning.peer-reviewe
Market structure and management of technological monopolies
Get PDFPURPOSE: This article provides several criteria for setting a balanced approach between the
legitimate strategy of growth of technological incumbents, and the preservation of market
contestability. We take for granted the predominant role of big monopolists, wielding an
overwhelming advantage in terms of economies of scale and technological dominance. To
such extent, the microeconomic theory recognizes the existence of natural monopolies.
However, the antitrust doctrine assesses the actions of incumbents in order to avoid abusive
behavior, to preserve the market contestability, and to defend the rights of consumers. Using
several case analysis and up-to-date theoretical contributions, we apply the recent principles
of the theory of industrial organization in the interpretation of strategic moves of incumbents
and rivals whose interests is reinforcing their market position.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We adopt a comparative approach, alternating theoretical
principles and case analysis. Results overhaul some basic inspiring concepts that guide the
analysis of the behavior of incumbents amid markets strongly monopolized, and finally
discuss a few specific cases evaluating the criteria of the antitrust doctrine. In the traditional
antitrust stance, the main concern had been to preserve competitive prices and safeguard
against any harmful market concentration. However, in some two-sided markets typically
the prices tend to be unusually low, leading the antitrust doctrine to new paradigms guided
by updated tenets. We proceed to confront the principles provided by the theory, and we
interpret several cases of incumbent behavior, in order to assess the degree of market
concentration, and if the incumbent behavior jeopardized the market contestability.FINDINGS: Results overhaul some basic inspiring concepts that guide the analysis of the
behavior of incumbents amid markets strongly monopolized, and finally discuss a few
specific cases evaluating the criteria of the antitrust doctrine. In the traditional antitrust
stance, the main concern had been to preserve competitive prices and safeguard against any
harmful market concentration. However, in some two-sided markets typically the prices tend
to be unusually low, leading the antitrust doctrine to new paradigms guided by updated
tenets. As theorists point out, the best criteria for itnterpreting the behaviour of incumbents is
the rule of reason, gathering the most complete information and analizing the specific
segment, and the particular market conditions.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Based on a microeconomic bedrock we highlight the challenges
faced by the enforcers on charge of the antitrust policy. Based on our discussion, some
criteria can be drawn from the recent trends in the economic theory. The conclusions we
propose, can illuminate the enforcer´s approach in order to recognize true abusive behavior
by the incumbents, and distinguish legitimate strategies for increasing the corporative
efficiency of incumbents.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Our discussion becomes breaking and strongly demanded by the scientific
community and by enforcers of antitrust doctrine. The theory of industrial organization has
achieved relevant frameworks for interpreting the role of dominant technological companies.
The key contribution is to build a coherent framework balancing the fair economic growth
and the preservation of the market contestability. Our work is relevant and interesting to the
extent that, in the current market development, the quick technological advances give rise to
cutting-edge dominant companies operating as monopolists. We propose some criteria to
deal with the concentrated markets whose regulation requires the fair enforcement of
competition authorities.peer-reviewe
Consumers' acceptance of the principles of a circular economy
Get PDFPURPOSE: The aim of the article is to show the readiness of consumers for the exit of the
circular economy and to identify consumer motivations and concerns related to this topic.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study was based on group interviews with three age
segments to gain in-depth insights into consumer attitudes towards the circular economy.FINDINGS: The results suggest that individual consumer motivations and habits play a key
role in its implementation. The waste hierarchy (prevention, preparation for reuse,
recycling) indicates the importance of informed consumer choice, which can contribute to
extending the life of products and their responsible disposal.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Current excessive consumerism is leading to environmental
degradation, prompting the need to move towards a circular economy in which raw
materials, products and waste are effectively managed to minimise their impact on the
environment.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The article cites a literature review that describes the circular economy
as a response to the challenges of resource depletion and ecological degradation. The shift
from a linear to a circular model promotes the idea of producing resilient products that are
repairable, renewable and recyclable.Research funded by the National Science Centre grant ‘Miniatura 7’.
Article co-financed by the Minister of Science under the ‘Regional Excellence Initiative’.peer-reviewe
Linguistic LOD for interoperable morphological description
Get PDFInteroperability is frequently cited as one important rationale underlying the use of LLOD representations and is
generally regarded as highly desirable. However, the concept is generally taken for granted, and rarely analysed or
exemplified. In this paper we attempt to remedy these shortcomings by concentrating on morphology, distinguishing
three different kinds of interoperability which are relevant to that field. We providing practical implementations making
extensive use of the vocabulary offered by Ontololex Morph.peer-reviewe
Effect of the lactation phases on the amplitude of variation in blood serum steroid hormones and some hematochemical analytes in three dairy cow breeds
Get PDFLactation in dairy cows implies comprehensive endocrine and metabolic changes including
a systemic electrolytic reaction. Previous studies have rarely considered these specific demands
due to the influence of lactation periods. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of early,
middle, and late lactation phases on the dynamic changes in serum concentrations of progesterone
(P4), 17β-oestradiol (E2), cortisol, and some electrolytes (Ca++, Mg++, Na+
, K+
, Cl−, Pi) and biochemical
parameters (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase
(LDH), creatine kinase (CK), total bilirubin, urea, and iron (Fe++) in 10 Holstein, 10 Brown Swiss, and
10 Modicana multiparous healthy dairy cows (4.2 ± 1.7 years of age) sampled at 60-day intervals
throughout lactation. Lactation induced significant changes in the concentrations of P4, which peaked
at >120–180 days, decreased at >240–300 days, and increased again after 300 days. Cortisol showed
an opposite trend to P4, with concentrations progressively decreasing, except for the phase between
>240 and 300 days, and a steep drop at >300 days compared to previous phases. Na+
concentrations
showed the lowest values at 0–60 d and the highest ones at >180–240 days, whereas Mg++ showed
the highest values at >60–120 d and the lowest at >300 d. Significant correlations were found between
P4 with cortisol, Cl− and K+
, and cortisol with Ca++ and LDH. Significant differences in average
concentrations of AST, ALT, LDH, Ca++, Mg++, and Fe++ were observed among different dairy
cow breeds. Understanding the dynamic changes in hormone levels, electrolytes, and biochemical
parameters during different lactation phases, while considering breed differences in dairy cows, is
crucial for improving herd health management and milk production in commercial dairy farms.peer-reviewe
Studies in Social Wellbeing : volume 3 issue 2
No full textThe multiple challenges to social wellbeing experienced in many of the world’s contexts undoubtedly draw different responses from us depending on whether we are amid a war zone or cursorily viewing those war zones on our devices. The risks for the former group are death, destruction, injury, pain, loss, sadness, hunger and more. The significant risk for the latter group is complacency. A complacency which makes us callous and uncaring. On the contrary, I hope that you are called to compassion and not to complacency when you encounter such situations. [excerpt]peer-reviewe
Political economy dichotomy in primary health care : bridging the gap between reality and necessity
Get PDFRecent evidence synthesized in the WHO Global
Report on Primary Health Care (PHC)1 reiterates the
case for prioritizing PHC in health and health systems
with evidence clearly showing that long-term benefits
of reorienting health towards PHC outweigh the costs. Yet, political commitment for investing in PHC
wavers. Why?
One major overlooked reason is the persistent
political economy dichotomy between where the investment
is done and where it is actually needed. By
shedding light on these dichotomies, we hope to equip
policy-makers with the understanding needed to
address them and thus firmly establish health systems
on the foundations of PHC.peer-reviewe