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What future for EU Cohesion Policy? Reform ambitions and realities
Get PDFThis paper assesses how the Commission’s MFF proposals for the 2028-34 EU budget would fundamentally reshape Cohesion Policy by merging instruments into a single Fund delivered through national plans and performance-based payments. While intended to improve strategic focus, flexibility and simplification, many stakeholders and the European Parliament warn of risks to shared management, regional autonomy and territorial cohesion. These concerns are heightened by a cut to Cohesion Policy funding, changes to allocation method and reduced guarantees for Transition and More Developed Regions. IQ-Net authorities acknowledge the need to align more closely with EU priorities but fear that reduced resources, increased competition and lower planning certainty could undermine the Treaty objective of reducing territorial disparities. Greater flexibility is welcomed but seen as weakening stability and predictability, while simplification is doubted due to new obligations. Governance and performance reforms may even raise administrative, capacity and delivery risks. The analysis concludes by identifying reform improvements including transparent and predictable allocation mechanisms, safeguards for all categories of regions, effective multi-level governance arrangements, and audit and control systems aligned with a performance-based delivery approach
Research on output power modeling of all-electric marine diesel generator set based on data-driven
Get PDFMulti-energy integrated all-electric vessels, centred on generator sets and lithium-ion battery packs, represent a pivotal direction for the development of green intelligent vessels. Their intelligent operation and maintenance heavily rely on digital twin technology. As the core power source, shipboard diesel generator sets exhibit strong multi-physics coupling characteristics, making the construction of mechanism-based models challenging and difficult to simultaneously meet the accuracy and real-time requirements of digital twin systems. Considering that most operational conditions during vessel navigation are steady-state or quasi-steady-state, high-precision steady-state models provide a reliable foundation for conducting energy efficiency analysis, load distribution optimisation, and performance degradation assessment. To this end, this paper proposes a data-driven steady-state modelling method for diesel generators. This approach uses prime mover operational data as input and generator power as output, employing information entropy for feature selection and an elastic net regression algorithm for model construction. A dataset derived from actual vessel operational data was used for model training and validation. After normalisation, the model achieved a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.0110, a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.0162, and a Coefficient of Determination (R²) of 0.9974. This model reveals underlying correlation mechanisms among unit characteristics, providing a critical steady-state simulation module for the digital twin system of all-electric vessels. It also lays a robust foundation for subsequent energy efficiency optimisation and condition monitoring efforts
Overall results of the SMPAG work package on mission scenarios definition in response to the 2025 Planetary Defense Conference Hypothetical Asteroid Impact Threat Scenario
Get PDFThe members of the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG) performed an asteroid impact simulation exercise over a medium size asteroid with impact chances on 24 April 2041, in preparation for the 2025 Planetary Defense Conference. The exercise was articulated on two different simulation periods lasting, respectively, two months and a half and four months. In the first period, Epoch 1, the asteroid impact probability grew from 1.6% to 10% and was played in real time. A preliminary assessment of the required actions that would need to be implemented and a set of recommendations were provided at a plenary SMPAG session held on 10 October 2024. Epoch 2 was simulated after the fast flyby of a reconnaissance mission by the asteroid in April 2028 that allowed refining the asteroid size, and impact location. An assessment of the decisions that were required and the feasible mission options was performed in order to facilitate a recommendation by the SMPAG plenary. Based on a trade-off of several deflection mission strategies, mission options included kinetic impactors, ion-beam deflection and nuclear explosive devices
Query matters : how selection strategies influence active learning in drug discovery
No full textWe present SimDMTA, an in silico framework designed to simulate the Design–Make–Test–Analyze (DMTA) cycle used in preclinical drug discovery. Using docking scores as a proxy for biological assays, the simulations allow factors controlling the efficiency of the DMTA cycle to be explored in a manner that would not be feasible using traditional experiments due to time and cost constraints. In this workflow, a machine learning model predicts docking scores, selects compounds using various query strategies, docks selected molecules, and retrains iteratively. Starting from a broad chemical space, the model actively samples molecules derived from a 3,5-dimethyl-4-phenylisoxazole scaffold, an active warhead for the Bromodomain 4 (BRD4) BD1 binding site, to refine its predictions. Our results show that uncertainty-based sampling significantly outperforms greedy and hybrid approaches in both hit discovery and the ability of the model that predicts docking scores to generalize beyond its training set. Notably, by the final iteration, 37 of the top 50 ranked compounds were within the top 1% of the chemical space of all evaluated compounds. Strategies that include some random selection correct systematic biases more rapidly, but are less effective at predicting top-performing molecules. These findings underscore the value of incorporating molecular diversity and uncertainty into design strategies. While such strategies may deprioritize those molecules with the highest absolute predictions in early rounds, they markedly accelerate model refinement, ultimately leading to more effective hit identification in discovery driven by active learning
Accuracy tests of a dual-class hybrid FBG/PZT photonic current transducer featuring a novel passive autoranging circuit
Get PDFThis paper reports, for the first time, the characterization and measurement accuracy evaluation of a photonic current transducer (PCT) featuring a hybrid fiber Bragg grating/piezoelectric transducer (FBG/PZT) and an integrated passive autoranging (AR) circuit. The enhanced sensor is designed to meet both metering-class (0,2 S) and protection-class (5P15) requirements simultaneously—capabilities not yet demonstrated by any other device in the industry that also supports remote interrogation and multiplexing of multiple sensors. The autoranging technique employs MOSFET switches to dynamically adjust the burden resistance, preventing FBG/PZT voltage saturation during fault or thermal-current events while maintaining adequate sensitivity at lower currents. Experimental results show that integrating the PCT with the passive AR circuit significantly extends the device’s dynamic range, reduces current-measurement errors, and demonstrates potential compliance with both 0,2 S metering- and 5P15 protection-class requirements. The results also confirm that the sensor operates correctly across this extended range
Bridging the gap : a review of simulation approaches in multipurpose Shipyard integrating shipbuilding, repair, and recycling
Get PDFShipyards increasingly combine shipbuilding, repair, and recycling within shared facilities, yet most simulation research still treats these activities separately, limiting support for operational integration and lifecycle-oriented decision-making. Multipurpose shipyards in emerging maritime economies face challenges in coordinating shared docks, cranes, and labour under changing market conditions and sustainability pressures. This study reviews how simulation has been applied across shipbuilding, repair, and recycling, and assesses whether existing models support integrated multipurpose yard operations. A systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines analysed 215 peer-reviewed (2003–2024) from Web of Science and Scopus, coded by activity focus, simulation paradigm, integration scope, and research objectives. Results show 88 % of studies concentrate on shipbuilding, 7 % on repair, and 2 % on recycling, with only 3.7 % addressing multiple activities and none representing all three concurrently in a unified simulation architecture. Discrete Event Simulation dominates, while hybrid, Digital Twin, and lifecycle-oriented approaches remain limited, particularly for shared resource and sustainability applications. The review identifies six major gaps: activity integration, resource conflict resolution, prioritisation, trade-offs, lifecycle links, and decarbonisation. It contributes a comparative taxonomy of simulation paradigms and a five-layer framework that linking physical resources, processes, integration mechanisms, decision support, and learning/adaptation to guide future multipurpose simulation research
Lactic acid fermentation enhances the functional metabolome and antibiofilm potential of edible Scottish seaweeds
Get PDFFermented foods are increasingly in demand for their health-promoting properties and extended shelf life. Seaweeds, which are abundant in minerals, vitamins, and bioactive metabolites, represent an underexplored resource for functional food development. In this study, two edible Scottish brown seaweeds (Alaria esculenta and Laminaria digitata) were subjected to lactic acid fermentation. Microbiological and physicochemical analyses confirmed successful fermentation, which was marked by a pH reduction from 6.0 to 4.5, lactic acid accumulation along with the dominance of lactic acid bacteria, while the incidence of foodborne pathogens remained undetected. Metabolomic profiling by 1H-NMR and LC-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) revealed specific chemical changes, including the production of oxygenated unsaturated lipids and loliolide, compounds potentially linked to stress and defence responses. Functional analysis highlighted the enrichment of essential unsaturated fatty acid metabolism pathways, particularly in L. digitata. Biological assays demonstrated that fermented seaweed extracts inhibited the biofilm formation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, with enhanced effects observed for fermented L. digitata. Together, these findings demonstrate the feasibility of lactic acid fermentation to valorise edible seaweeds into safe, metabolite-enriched functional foods with potential health benefits
Multiexcitonic lasing in thin-shell colloidal quantum dot supraparticles
Get PDFSelf-assembled supraparticles (SPs) of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals act as solution-processable microlasers, where optical gain couples to whispering-gallery modes supported by the microspherical cavity. Here, multicolor lasing is demonstrated from SPs composed of standard-size (5.5–6.5 nm), graded thin-shell CdSxSe1-x/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) by exploiting their electronic transitions. While lasing from higher-order states typically requires engineered thick-shell QDs, we achieve this using conventional thin-shell QDs through composite SPs that integrate two QD populations: one with an absorption edge above the pump wavelength (625 nm) and another with an edge near (540 nm) or below (450 nm) the pump (532 nm). At low pump fluence, lasing occurs in the red region (2.00–2.04 eV) from 1S transitions. With increased fluence, lasing shifts to the yellow region (2.14–2.18 eV), arising from 1P transitions. This fluence-controlled red-to-yellow shift establishes composite SPs as a versatile platform for tunable, multicolor microlasers based on standard-sized QDs
Fault arc suppression method with elimination of line voltage drop influence for flexible distribution networks connected via power electronics
Get PDFSingle phase-to-ground (SPG) faults constitute the prevalent type of electrical failure in live distribution networks, posing critical threats including electrocution hazards, electrical fires, and widespread power supply disruptions. Power electronic converter can suppress the fault current and voltage, sustaining this suppression effect throughout the fault arc persistence period until arc extinction. However, not only does it consume additional resources, but the effect is also significantly affected by the line impedance voltage drop. This article analyzes the causes of line voltage drop and proposes an SPG fault arc suppression method for flexible distribution networks. The line voltage drop caused by the load currents of faulty feeder is eliminated by transferring the load currents via the employed flexible interconnection device during simultaneous fault arc suppression. The line voltage drop caused by the zero-sequence currents output from the device for fault arc suppression during simultaneous load current transfer is also eliminated, by only adopting the device arms connected to nonfaulty phase of the faulty feeder to output the zero-sequence currents. Extensive simulation study and experimental validation demonstrate that the fault current and voltage can be suppressed efficiently with a suppression rate of more than 98% in the case of different operating conditions
Letter to the Editor concerning “Comparison of the Effects of Stirring and Standing on Chemical Reactions” by Liu et al
No full textLiu et al. concluded that stirring has an insignificant effect on organic reaction yields. While their extensive dataset is valuable, we identify methodological concerns: (1) omission of established mixing literature, (2) experimental conditions unsuited to time-dependent mixing effects, and (3) statistical treatment potentially obscuring meaningful differences. Our reanalysis shows 3% mean yield improvement with stirring (99.7% confidence). We contextualize these findings within mixing science and highlight photochemical reactions as exceptional cases deserving further study
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