Search

The presence of defects at the interface between the perovskite film and the carrier transport layer poses significant challenges to the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Addressing this issue, we introduce a dual host-guest (DHG) complexation strategy to modulate both the bulk and interfacial properties of FAPbI3-rich PSCs. Through NMR spectroscopy, a synergistic effect of the dual treatment is observed. Additionally, electro-optical characterizations demonstrate that the DHG strategy not only passivates defects but also enhances carrier extraction and transport. Remarkably, employing the DHG strategy yields PSCs with power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 25.89% (certified at 25.53%). Furthermore, these DHG-modified PSCs exhibit enhanced operational stability, retaining over 96.6% of their initial PCE of 25.55% after 1050 hours of continuous operation under one-sun illumination, which was the highest initial value in the recently reported articles. This work establishes a promising pathway for stabilizing high-efficiency perovskite photovoltaics through supramolecular engineering, marking a significant advancement in the field. The defects at the perovskite/carrier transport layer interface pose significant challenges to the performance of perovskite solar cells. Here, the authors introduce a dual host-guest complexation strategy with Cs-crown-ether and ammonium salt, achieving a high PCE of 25.9% with superior stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined manual therapy business owners' perception of official recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on their clinics' economic performance, including clinic activity hours and business turnover. Materials and methods: In a longitudinal study design, data were collected in November 2021 (baseline), and after three months, six months, and 12 months. Participants were manual therapists who were business owners. A growth curve model was used to analyze differences in clinical activity trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between perceived disruptions in business and turnover. Qualitative text analysis was used to examine participants' responses to open-ended questions concerning economic measures taken to sustain their business during the pandemic. Results: This study of 443 manual therapy business owners found that clinics were initially active with minimal variation, but activity changed following COVID-19 recommendations. Business owners perceived that the disruptions had no significant impact on turnover during the initial stages of the official recommendations. Economic support and the previous decrease in turnover increased the likelihood of experiencing a decreased turnover at 12 months. Business owners implemented cost-cutting measures and diversified income sources to navigate COVID-19 challenges and sustain their businesses. Conclusion: The official recommendations in Sweden had an impact on manual therapists' businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic lingered. Some business owners were concerned at the early stages about lower turnover but showed financial resilience by cutting costs and finding new revenue sources to overcome COVID-19 challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total laboratory automation (TLA) is a valuable component of microbiology laboratories and a growing number of publications suggest the potential impact of automation in terms of analysis standardization, streaking quality, and the turnaround time (TAT). The aim of this project was to perform a detailed investigation of the impact of TLA on the workflow of commonly treated specimens such as urine. This is a retrospective observational study comparing two time periods (pre TLA versus post TLA) for urine specimen culture processing. A total of 35,864 urine specimens were plated during the pre-TLA period and 47,283 were plated during the post-TLA period. The median time from streaking to identification decreased from 22.3 h pre TLA to 21.4 h post TLA (p < 0.001), and the median time from streaking to final validation of the report decreased from 24.3 h pre TLA to 23 h post TLA (p < 0.001). Further analysis revealed that the observed differences in TAT were mainly driven by the contaminated and positive samples. Our findings demonstrate that TLA has the potential to decrease turnaround times of samples in a laboratory. Nevertheless, changes in laboratory workflow (such as extended opening hours for plate reading and antibiotic susceptibility testing or decreased incubation times) might further maximize the efficiency of TLA and optimize TATs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing interest in low-impact mobility technologies has elevated the significance of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in the automotive sector. Given the complexity of the resulting powertrain, the need for an effective energy management strategy (EMS) becomes essential to optimize efficiency and energy consumption in vehicles with diverse energy sources. Model-based control is the main approach to address the EMS in electrified vehicles. In particular, fuel cell power is commonly represented through a 1D look-up table using the current demand as input to simplify the implementation in a vehicle control unit. Uncertainties that may be implemented in maps due to simplifying hypotheses, dynamics, ageing, etc., can be propagated to powertrain control, motivating the adoption of adaptive look-up tables for FC modelling. In this study, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) is proposed to adapt the look-up table to actual FC behaviour by measuring its power and gradually correcting calibration errors, drift, and ageing. Subsequently, a standard equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS) is employed to control the FCEV. The fuel cell model is calibrated with experimental data from an FCEV. The results demonstrate that the adaptive strategy outperforms the base calibration. Following an extensive simulation campaign, an improvement of 1.1% in fuel consumption was observed. Remarkably, after just one hour of operation, there was a notable 85% reduction in fuel cell power estimation error, even when the EMS was initially fed a biased look-up table. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In crude palm oil (CPO) processing industries, bleaching is important to remove unwanted impurities. Most industries use various bleaching earth with 0.8-2% w/v concentration during the bleaching process. As bleaching earth is single-used for the bleaching process, materials with higher adsorption ability are preferable to reduce the use of bleaching earth. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of bentonite/nano SiO2 composite (BE-SiO2) as bleaching earth in the bleaching process of CPO. The prepared BE-SiO2 was used in the bleaching process with various BE-SiO2 concentrations (0.1-1.3% w/v), process duration (0-2.5 hours), and process temperature (70-150°C). From the results, the rise in BE-SiO2 concentration during the CPO bleaching process initially led to a decrease in the ß-carotene concentration, acid content, free fatty acids (FFA), and DOBI number up to 1% w/v of BE-SiO2. Subsequently, these parameters exhibited an increase with the addition of BE-SiO2. The bleaching process effectively reduced the β-carotene concentration, acid content, FFA, and DOBI number within the first 1.5 hours of operation. While a higher amount of β-carotene was adsorbed during the adsorption process at higher temperatures, the bleached palm oil (BPO) quality was compromised due to the heat. The results showed that the most effective condition of the bleaching process was performed with 1% w/v BE-SiO2 concentration for 1.5 hours at 90°C. From those conditions, the BPO had a β-carotene concentration of 312.311 ppm, water content of 0.112%, acid number of 0.0076, FFA of 4.864%, DOBI number of 1.311, and red/yellow of 1.5/15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the need for threshing, the current energy crisis, the power potential of solar energy, especially, many stand-alone solar installations in rural areas, and their use, a study was undertaken to develop and evaluate a solar-powered multi-crop thresher on soybean. The study was conducted in IARI- Pusa Campus, New Delhi, India aiming to assess the seasonal suitability of the solar operated thresher. The devolved prototype was evaluated on soybean crop and the operational and machine parameters were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM), with central composite design (CCD). Four independent parameters, each at three levels, were taken viz, feed rate, cylinder speed, concave clearance, and spike types to evaluate their effects on three response variables, namely, threshing efficiency, cleaning efficiency, and energy consumption. The response variables ranged from 96.3% to 99.9%, 86.68% to 93.05%, and 1.12 kWh q -1 to 1.74 kWh q -1, respectively, for threshing efficiency, cleaning efficiency, and energy consumption. The cylinder speed significantly affected all response variables. The optimization showed that the best operational and machine settings were 13.62 m s -1 cylinder peripheral speed, 4.3 kg min-1, feed rate, 20 mm concave clearance, and spike type 3 giving the desirability of 0.799 and the threshing of 116.64 kg hr-1 capacity. However, the season-based optimization with lower feed rates was found advantageous to increase the duration of up to 5 hours of thresher operation in thresher direct coupling mode. Hence it is recommended to adopt the lower feed rate in seasons with reduced insolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Bangladesh for spraying purposes there are two types of sprayers are used, one is hand-operated and the other is a fuel-operated sprayer. A worker can’t use the hand-operated sprayer nonstop for more than 5-6 hours and needs fuel for fuel fuel-operated sprayer which is costly, an environmental pollutant and in rural places availability of fuel is not easy. An investigation was made to fabricate a solar pesticide sprayer, evaluation the performance of the sprayer and comparing it with the hand-operated sprayer. The solar-operated pesticide sprayer consists of a 12-volt 20-watt capacity solar panel, a 12-volt DC battery, a DC motor, a pump and a 16-liter tank to hold the pesticide. The solar sprayer required 5 minutes 18 seconds to apply pesticide in 5 decimal fields. This time was almost half compared to the hand-operated sprayer. The solar sprayer worked at 4-5 bar but hand operated sprayer worked at 1.5-2 bar. The solar panel of the pesticide sprayer produced maximum voltage, current and power at 300 inclination angles and the lowest output at 600 inclination angles. The proposed sprayer’s total cost was US $ 2.13 per ha. On the other hand, the manually operated sprayer costs US $ 4.20 per ha. It was clearly shown that the solar-operated sprayer cost was half compared to the manual sprayer. In full solar intensity after 5 hours of operation, the solar pesticide sprayer can operate for 3-4 hours more which offers the spraying facility at night. This sprayer can be used at farms, gardens and other various locations also it can become more popular in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to present and develop a practical advertising model that minimizes transport advertisements, indiscriminate banners and flyers, and logo light installation problems with smart advertisements using projected beams. In order to develop an integrated smart advertisement that is convenient and inexpensive for companies operating at night, the scope of the research is determined as a practical advertisement that identifies the problems of existing bus and taxi smart advertisements and the needs of customers. The smart projected beam advertisement that the author claimed is a customized advertisement that solves the advertising problems of customers and local governments in Korea based on business hours, locational information, and big data. The projected beam outdoor advertising system developed by the author was designed to reduce environmental and resource waste, avoid unnecessary advertisement exposure for consumers, and obtain necessary information for businesses. Moreover, it was developed to reduce advertising costs for businesses. This is a very appropriate solution as an alternative to reduce the night time flyers and banners that local governments in Korea are struggling with. Consumers can avoid unnecessary advertisement exposure and obtain customized information, while advertisers who use the service can directly insert their sales information into advertisements in real-time using various media at a low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary needle and syringe programs (NSPs) have been integral for the prevention of blood-borne virus (BBV) transmission among people who inject drugs. Despite this, many people who inject drugs face barriers accessing these services, particularly after-hours when most services are closed. To our knowledge, the St Kilda NSP, in Melbourne, Victoria, is the only primary NSP providing 24/7 dedicated stand-alone face-to-face services for people who inject drugs in Australia. We conducted an evaluation of the St Kilda NSP to assess its role and effectiveness in meeting client needs. Methods: Mixed research methods were used to conduct the evaluation. We analysed four quantitative data sets including the Victorian Needle and Syringe Program Information System data; NSP 'snapshot' survey data; and St Kilda NSP records of after-hours contacts and naloxone training events. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 purposively selected NSP clients, which were focused on individual needs, expectations and experiences accessing the service. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed, and data were analysed thematically. A convergent research design was used to merge the five data sets. Results: St Kilda NSP had 39,898 service contacts in 2018; 72% of contacts occurred outside business hours. Similarly, of 1,185,000 sterile needles and syringes dispatched, 71% were distributed outside business hours. Participants described valuing the after-hours service because drug use patterns did not always align with standard NSP opening hours and after-hours access afforded anonymity when collecting injecting equipment. Narratives highlighted several additional benefits of the 24/7 service, including: access to safer sex equipment; material support; naloxone training; referrals to specialist services; face-to-face emotional and social support from a non-judging worker; and for women involved in sex work in particular, being able to seek refuge when feeling unsafe on the streets. Conclusions: Our study provides evidence of the social and health benefits (beyond that of preventing BBV transmission) that can be gained through the provision of 24/7 primary NSP services. Findings support the need for the establishment of after-hours primary NSPs in other areas of Australia where active street-based drug markets operate outside business hours and concentrated numbers of people who inject drugs live and spend time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights the importance of accurately modeling the operational constraints of Combined-Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGTs) within a unit-commitment framework. In practice, in Colombia, when given an initial dispatch by the Independent System Operator, CCGT plants are operated according to the results of heuristic simulation codes. Such heuristics often omit technical operating constraints, including hot, warm, or cold startup ramps; the minimum operation hours required for a gas turbine to start a steam turbine; the relationship between the dispatched number of steam and gas turbines; the load distribution among gas turbines; and supplementary fires. Most unit-commitment models in the literature represent standard technical constraints like startup, shutdown, up/down ramps, and in some cases, supplementary fires. However, they typically overlook other real-life CCGT operating constraints, which were considered in this work. These constraints are crucial in integrated energy systems to avoid equipment damage, which can potentially put CCGT plants out of service and ultimately lead to lower operating costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores Subaru's commitment to achieving zero waste in their manufacturing facilities. Denise Coogan, the Environmental Partnership Manager for Subaru of America, discusses her role in implementing sustainability programs and the challenges and successes she encountered. The article covers topics such as recycling, environmental regulations, and the importance of waste management. It also touches on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, water scarcity, consumer behavior, and the lack of environmental education in schools. The text emphasizes the role of women in sustainability and the need for corporate leadership in driving sustainable initiatives. Denise's experiences as a woman in a male-dominated environment are also discussed, along with her current work with national parks and the importance of data in measuring success. [Extracted from the article]

This study investigates a low-temperature three-circuit cooling system for a 55 kW industrial electric motor. The cooling system provides an increase of the power-to-dimension ratio by 63%, together with an improvement in motor performance. The three-circuit cooling system includes water cooling of the housing and stator and air-cooling of the motor's interior. The test results show that the motor efficiency was maintained in the range between 92.5 and 94.5%, with respect to the motor's power. With power increases up to 90 kW, a winding temperature of 67 °C was observed during three hours of operation. This advancement is particularly valuable for vehicles, ships, and aircraft applications, where maximizing power within limited space is crucial. An analysis of the experimental data showed that the cooling system operates at an average efficiency of 79.2%, indicating that roughly 20% of heat was accumulated in the rotor. This leads to a gradual temperature rise, particularly in the rotor, posing a risk of overheating and failure during motor overloads above 90 kW. Enhancing the cooling efficiency within the motor's interior can be achieved by incorporating extra heat exchangers, implementing evaporative heat transfer, and employing water-cooling circuits at lower temperatures. This, in turn, can boost the electric motor's power-to-dimension ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: The Bangladeshi government has set a plan to generate one-tenth of its electricity from solar and other renewable sources by 2030. Solar adoption surged in Bangladesh up until 2015, setting a global precedent for electrifying areas that were previously unconnected. The enhanced lighting offered by solar systems provides immediate benefits, including additional hours for household and business activities and extended study hours for school-going children. Purpose of the article: This study seeks to identify the determinants and welfare gains of solar adoption in rural areas by analysing three rounds of the Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey from 2011-12, 2015, and 2018-19. In addition to presenting new estimates of economic, environmental, and educational welfare gains, our research offers insights into how solar adoption relates to rural employment and the nutrition of children under five. Methods: We utilized both ordinary least squares and propensity score matching techniques to estimate the welfare effects of solar adoption. Only households that do not use electricity as their primary lighting source, such as those relying on solar or kerosene, are considered in our sample. Findings & value added: We have discovered that adopting solar is linked to higher income, increased expenditure, and growth in asset value. Additionally, there is a significant reduction in kerosene expenditure among adopters compared to non-adopters. Other observations reveal that households with solar setups tend to transition from sharecropping to trading and poultry farming. Children in these households also benefit from solar adoption in terms of education and nutrition. This study illustrates how solar energy can effectively address various welfare concerns in areas where the government cannot supply electricity. Given that recent global events have rendered underdeveloped countries more vulnerable to providing consistent electricity to their entire populations, this research suggests solar energy as a resilient electrification solution during crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of dynamic bus lane not only ensures the strategy of bus priority but also significantly improves the spatiotemporal utilization of road resources and reduces the conflicting demands of buses and social vehicles on road resources. Firstly, the heterogeneity of bus arrival time is analysed according to the process of aggregation and dissipation of vehicle queues at intersections. Considering the correlation between the operating states of social vehicles and buses, a dynamic control strategy for bus lane based on the insertable interval of social vehicles is established. Secondly, combining the setting conditions of the intermittent bus lane control area with the correlation scenario of signal control at intersections and then according to the HCM 2010 vehicle delay equation and the BPR function, the associated optimized control model with the minimum total travel time consumption of the road section as the objective function is constructed. The global optimal control of the intermittent bus lane is realized through the computational experiment. Finally, the setting conditions and benefits of three lane organization schemes (including intersect (i.e., no bus priority), parallel, and intermittent bus lanes) are compared and analysed through case study. The results indicate that the intermittent priority bus lanes have opening hours, which can not only ensure bus priority but also expand the right way for social vehicles and make full use of road space resources, thus improving the overall traffic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pedagogía Social is the property of Pedagogia Social and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

When a tribological system is operated for the first time, the first hours of operation are of the utmost importance as the surfaces of the contacting elements mate to each other, involving significant wear processes until the surfaces reach stable topological characteristics. This initial phase in a combustion engine is known as running-in and is of critical importance in the study of friction and wear phenomena. Despite this, there is little information in the literature dedicated to running-in and, therefore, data improving its understanding is greatly anticipated. In this work, a novel wear debris detection system measuring in real time was employed to investigate the running-in of an inline 4-cylinder gasoline engine; it consists primarily of an optical sensor with the capability of detecting very small particles from 4 μ m. For the tests, the engine was mounted on a test bench and operated under stationary working conditions. The results of the wear debris measurements showed interesting insights into the engine running-in process; although in general, the results followed the expected trend, they also showed an unexpected behavior: it was expected to obtain the highest amounts of wear debris at the beginning of the running-in, but instead the number of debris stagnated and only started to increase after about 20 h to then decrease again. The best operating conditions to run-in the engine were identified at the middle of the running-in period, without the presence of large wear debris that could lead to severe wear. Finally, it was found that the engine running-in was not finished until at least 75 h of operation, although commonly, a running-in time of 10 h is used in the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to address two major issues: (1) the spread of epidemics such as COVID-19 due to long waiting times caused by a large number of waiting for customers, and (2) excessive energy consumption resulting from the elevator patterns used by various customers. The first issue is addressed through the development of a mobile application, while the second issue is tackled by implementing two strategies: (1) determining optimal stopping strategies for elevators based on registered passengers and (2) assigning passengers to elevators in a way that minimizes the number of floors the elevators need to stop at. The mobile application serves as an input parameter for the optimization toolbox, which employs the exact method and multi-objective variable neighborhood strategy adaptive search (M-VaNSAS) to find the optimal plan for passenger assignment and elevator scheduling. The proposed method, which adopts an even-odd floor strategy, outperforms the currently practiced procedure and leads to a 42.44% reduction in waiting time and a 29.61% reduction in energy consumption. Computational results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroreduction of CO2 (CO2R) to formate enables the storage of renewable electricity in liquid chemical bonds in an efficient manner. However, hydrogen evolution competes with CO2R, decreasing Faradaic efficiency (FE) and energy efficiency (EE) for formate production, particularly under acidic and neutral conditions. The deterioration of the catalysts during CO2R further hinders long‐term and effective operation. To overcome these challenges, we fabricate nanostructured Sn/SnO2 through physical evaporation and wet‐chemical etching, improving the CO2‐to‐formate conversion with finely tuned *OCHO adsorption. The in‐situ formation of Sn/SnO2 surfaces during CO2R stabilizes the active sites for reliable formate production across a broad range of electrolyte pH from base to neutral. Our results show a 94 % CO2R‐to‐formate FE and a 58 % formate cathodic EE at 100 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH over 70 hours of continuous operation. Under neutral conditions (pH=7), the CO2‐to‐formate conversion remains stable for 100 h with a selectivity of >90 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study a paratransit application in which children are transported every day from their homes to their special schools or medical-social establishments. To optimize this transportation system, the establishments collaborate to propose a joint transportation plan. We propose a new algorithm to jointly build vehicle routes that visit several establishments and simultaneously set the establishments' opening hours. This algorithm combines a large neighborhood search, the resolution of a route-based model, and the progressive shrinkage of the planning window. It is applied to a real case from the area of Lyon in France, including 34 schools and 575 heterogeneous users served by a heterogeneous fleet of reconfigurable vehicles. On average, we show that in addition to the 10% of saving that can be expected by sharing vehicle routes between schools, 7% of additional savings can be achieved by school bell adjustment. This cost saving also decreases average user ride times and the number of vehicles required, creating longer routes that are more attractive for driver services. Funding: This work was supported by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund [Grant RA0012500] and by the French Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes through the NOMAd project. Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2022.1160. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to determine the unit costs of mechanized timber harvesting in pine stands where early thinning was being performed, and to determine the relationship between the cost level and the volume of harvested trees, the harvester model and field conditions. Analysis focused on timber harvesting with the use of small- and mid-sized harvesters. The tested harvesters were specialized forestry machines (Vimek, Sampo, Profi-Pro, Ponsse) and a construction machine (Fao-Far). Terrain accessibility variants were distinguished in relation to furrows between which trees had been planted in the past: flat terrain with the depth of unevenness up to 20 cm, up to 40 cm, and over 40 cm. The operating costs of the analyzed harvesters varied significantly, an hour of operation of the machine that was the cheapest to use (Fao-Far) cost nearly 2.5 times less (37.3 €) than the Profi-Pro harvester, which was the most expensive in operation (89.1 €). In stands without furrows, the lowest unit costs were noted for the Sampo harvester: 8.4 €·m-3. The other small harvesters, Vimek and Fao-Far, were slightly more expensive to use: 10.3 €·m-3 and 9.1 €·m-3, respectively. In areas where furrows were up to 20 cm deep, the cheapest solution was timber harvesting with the Fao-Far harvester (9.9 €·m-3). In areas where furrows were up to 40 cm deep, timber harvesting was the cheapest with the Sampo harvester (10.7 €·m-3), while harvesters Vimek and Fao-Far were characterized by a similar cost intensity, amounting to just over 12 €·m-3. In stands with furrows deeper than 40 cm, it was cheapest to use the Ponsse harvester (10.4 €·m-3). The cost of operation of the Profi-Pro harvester was higher by approx. 25% (14.0 €·m-3). With the current level of the financing of mechanized timber harvesting in Poland (about 11 €·m-3), small harvesters Vimek, Sampo and Fao-Far are cost-effective when single tree volume exceeds 0.05-0.06 m³. Medium harvesters, Profi-Pro and Ponsse, are cost-effective when unit volumes of harvested trees reach 0.08 and 0.11 m³ respectively. The cost-effectiveness of the tested harvesters increased when working shifts were extended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the mathematical model of technical condition-based maintenance of weapon systems. The model his developed based on a semi-Markov stochastic process. The diffusion-monotonic (DM) distribution law, which is specific for airfield technical condition-based maintenance of aircraft, is has been used as a failure model, and type I errors are considered. For standard operating conditions, graphs of the dependence of the coefficient of technical use and specific costs per hour of operation in good condition from the basic parameters are shown. The optimal maintenances interval ensuring maximum maintenance coefficient value has been proved. The principal results have been achieved by using multiple calculation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Clean Coal Technology is the property of Clean Coal Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To assess public opinion about community pharmacy services in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was conducted between April and August of 2021. A link was shared randomly among the Lebanese population using WhatsApp and Facebook. Public perceptions were explored within 3 different indicators: general services (B) dispensing (C), and storage (D). Chi-square, Student's test and ANOVA tests were used. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 491 responses, only 9.6% scored above the 75th percentile (19.3% for the general services, 2.4% for dispensing indicator and 12.6% for storage indicator). The main concerns focused on lack of medication and reduced opening hours; however, 67.1% of respondents preferred consulting the community pharmacist instead of visiting primary health care centers, doctor's private clinic and hospitals. Higher mean values of indicators B, C and in the overall indicator were significantly found in the presence of a pharmacist compared to the support pharmacy workforce. Conclusion: The overall public perception was inadequate. Significant difference in terms of quality of services was detected in the presence and absence of a community pharmacist during the crisis. It is recommended that the Order of Pharmacist of Lebanon (OPL) and the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) undergo further steps mainly to enforce the laws concerning dispensing and storage indicators, improve the services in terms of extending the opening hours, ensure the availability of medicines and increase public awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydroformylation of renewable oleochemicals in aqueous liquid-liquid multiphase systems was operated continuously using a jet-loop reactor concept, demonstrated in two case studies. The main challenge on this path was to find an optimal compromise between activity and catalyst retention. In Case 1, methyl oleate was converted in an isopropanol/water system with stationary yields of up to 35 % in more than 55 hours of continuous operation at low catalyst loss of only 0.1 %/h and very high selectivity. In Case 2, a reaction system consisting of butanol/water was used to convert methyl 10-undecenoate. Fine-tuning of the substrate loading and separation temperature was required. Under optimised reaction conditions, steady-state yields of >80 % were achieved in a campaign of >55 hours of continuous operation. As little as 16.7 mg of rhodium was leached per kilogram of product formed at excellent selectivities to the linear product. This is the first time a miniplant concept has been presented that enables the hydroformylation of these two renewables in continuous operation. [Display omitted] • Hydroformylation of renewable oleochemicals in aqueous systems in jet-loop reactor. • Challenges: Optimizing activity vs. catalyst retention in continuous operation. • Case 1: Methyl oleate in isopropanol/water system, 35 % yield over 55 hours. • Case 2: Methyl 10 undecenoate in butanol/water system, Fine-tuning required. • Achieved >80 % steady-state yield with Rh loss of only 16.7 mg Rh/kg product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of the study: This study aims to identify the effect of decision making on the relationship between the energy source and the establishment of the sales price in electricity auctions for the selection of auction projects. Methodology / approach: Statistical tests were performed on an auction base that concentrates the majority of energy auctions held in the Brazilian market. The relationships between the establishment of the sales price and energy sources and the moderating effect of power, hours of operation, and period of use on this main relationship were evaluated. Originality / Relevance: The formation of a portfolio of electric energy projects through the prior selection of energy auction projects, via a multi-criteria decision-making process, is a valid strategy for companies in the sector. Main results: It was identified that there is awareness of the sales price based on the energy source and relevant criteria for decision making, such as capacity and implementation period. Theoretical-methodological contributions: This study contributes to a process of analysis and preparation of the secondary database of electricity auctions made available by the Electric Energy Commercialization Chamber (CCEE). The theoretical contribution is made by enabling the use of multicriteria processes for decision making. Contributions to Society / management: Managers can use the methodology applied in this study to create a portfolio of projects with less risk for decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a computer modeling approach for SARS-CoV-2 transmission that can be preferable to a purely mathematical framework. It is illustrated its functionality in a specific case of indoor transmission. Based on literature, we assume that infection is due to aerosols with viral particles that persist and accumulate for hours in the air even after the persons who produced them left the space. We incorporate also restricted opening hours as a mitigation measure and one possible behavioral change in response to this measure. It is shown via several examples how this algorithmic modeling approach can be used to run various scenarios in order to predict the efficacy of the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Device life time is a significant consideration in the cost of ownership of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). The life time of QCLs beyond an initial burn-in period has been studied previously; however, little attention has been given to predicting premature device failure where the device fails within several hundred hours of operation. Here, we demonstrate how standard electrical and optical device measurements obtained during an accelerated burn-in process can be used in a simple support vector machine to predict premature failure with high confidence. For every QCL that fails, at least one of the measurements is classified as belonging to a device that will fail prematurely—as much as 200 h before the actual failure of the device. Furthermore, for devices that are operational at the end of the burn-in process, the algorithm correctly classifies all the measurements. This work will influence future device analysis and could lead to insights on the physical mechanisms of premature failure in QCLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK, as elsewhere, has seen an accelerating trend of bank branch closures and reduced opening hours since the early 2000s. The reasons given by the banks are well rehearsed, but the impact assessments they provide to justify such programs and signpost alternatives have been widely criticized as being inadequate. This is particularly so for vulnerable customers dependent on financial services who may face difficulties in accessing remaining branches. There is a need whilst analyzing spatial patterns of access to also include temporal availability in relation to transport opportunities. Drawing on a case study of potential multi-modal accessibility to banks in Wales, we demonstrate how open-source tools can be used to examine patterns of access whilst considering the business operating hours of branches in relation to public transport schedules. The inclusion of public and private travel modes provides insights into access that are often overlooked by a consideration of service-side measures alone. Furthermore, findings from the types of tools developed in this study are illustrative of the additional information that could be included in holistic impact assessments, allowing the consequences of decisions being taken to close or reduce the operating hours of bank branches to be more clearly communicated to customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes and discusses the potential and limits of using Facebook data to analyse spatial-temporal urban rhythms and city centrality through the availability of services and retail. During September 2020, we harvested Facebook Places data using Graph API for our pilot area consisting in the city of Brno. Specifically, we focused on the spatial distribution of 'Food & Beverage', 'Shopping & Retail' and 'Medical & Health' categories, and their associated opening hours. The paper provides a detailed description of data collection and post-processing among possible analysis methods and visualizations presented in the context of our case study. The study focuses on inter-urban structures and urban rhythms through the analysis of opening hours of retail and services. We also discuss the benefits and potential problems associated with the use of these data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of microgrids within a smart distribution grid can be raised in the future. Microgrid-based distribution network reconfiguration is analyzed in this research by taking demand response programs and power-sharing into account to optimize costs and reduce power losses. The suggested method determined the ideal distribution network configuration to fulfil the best scheduling goals. The ideal way of interconnecting switches between microgrids and the main grid was also identified. For each hour of operation, the ideal topology of microgrid-based distribution networks was determined using optimal power flow. The results were produced with and without the use of a demand response program and power-sharing in each microgrid. Different load profiles, such as residential, industrial, commercial, and academic, were taken into account and modified using appropriate demand response programs and power-sharing using the Artificial Bee Colony algorithm. Various scenarios were explored independently to suit the diverse aims considered by the distribution network operator for improved observation. The ABC optimization in this research attempted to reduce the system's total operation costs and power losses through efficient networked microgrid reconfiguration. The results of optimal microgrid topology revealed the effects of power-sharing and demand response (TOU) programs. The results obtained in the proposed idea shows that costs were reduced by 8.3% and power losses were reduced by 4%. The IEEE 33-bus test system was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital location traces are a relevant source of insights into how citizens experience their cities. Previous works using call detail records (CDRs) tend to focus on modeling the spatial and temporal patterns of human mobility, not paying much attention to the semantics of places, thus failing to model and enhance the understanding of the motivations behind people's mobility. In this paper, we applied a methodology for identifying individual users' routine locations and propose an approach for attaching semantic meaning to these locations. Specifically, we used circular sectors that correspond to cellular antennas' signal areas. In those areas, we found that all contained points of interest (POIs), extracted their most important attributes (opening hours, check-ins, category) and incorporated them into the classification. We conducted experiments with real-world data from Coimbra, Portugal, and the initial experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology to infer activities in the user's routine areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]