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Enzymes derived from microbial sources have gained increasing popularity in industrial applications over the past decades. Despite the high production cost, alkaline proteases have wide applications in industries such as tanneries, food production, and detergents. In recent years, there has been a shift towards utilizing natural carbon sources for cultivating microorganisms and extracting proteases in order to reduce production costs. This study aimed to investigate the biochemical and kinetic properties of protease enzymes obtained from Aspergillus niger cultivated in a paper waste medium and compare with the enzyme produced in a basal medium. Glucose is a more favorable carbon source compared to cellulose, so paper waste was pretreated with cellulose-degrading bacteria to convert cellulose into smaller carbohydrates. After the growth of A. niger in basal and combinational media, the enzymatic properties were compared between the extracted enzymes by using casein as substrate. The results demonstrated that A. niger could produce protease enzymes in the paper waste medium similar to the basal medium with more than 5-fold cost saving. The specific activity of the enzymes isolated from the basal and paper waste media was calculated to be 184.95 ± 10.56 U ml−1 and 169.88 ± 11.05 U ml−1, respectively. Carbon sources did not affect the optimum pH and temperature of the protease enzyme, which were found to be 8 and 37 °C, respectively. This study provides valuable insights into the production of alkaline protease from A. niger using a combinational medium (paper waste pretreated by cellulose-degrading bacteria), offering a cost-effective approach for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel application of sidehill screen to remove ash from paper sludge. • Study of screening parameters yielded high pilot scale performance. • Process simulation of plant scale valorization demonstrated technical feasibility. • Techno-economic analysis yielded financial feasibility for sludge valorization. Paper sludge biomass represents an underutilized feedstock rich in pulped and processed cellulose which is currently a waste stream with significant disposal cost to industry for landfilling services. Effective fractionation of the cellulose from paper sludge presents an opportunity to yield cellulose as feedstock for value-added processes. A novel approach to cellulose fractionation is the sidehill screening system, herein studied at the pilot-plant scale. Composition analysis determined ash removal and carbohydrate retention of both sidehill and high-performance benchtop screening systems. Sidehill screening resulted in greater carbohydrates retention relative to benchtop screening (90% vs 66%) and similar ash removal (95% vs 98%). Techno-economic analysis for production of sugar syrup yielded a minimum selling price of $331/metric ton of sugar syrup including disposal savings, significantly less than a commercial sugar syrup without fractionation. Sensitivity analysis showed that screening conditions played a significant role in economic feasibility for cellulosic yield and downstream processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanozymes, enzyme-mimetic nanomaterials that combine features of nanoscale material with the catalytic properties of enzymes, have undergone rapid development in recent years. While enzymes have remained integral to biosensor technologies for the past several decades, the emerging potential of nanozymes to overcome the low stability and high production costs of biological enzymes has turned them into promising biosensor candidates. Nanozymes have already been explored for a myriad of biosensing applications. However, only a small subset of these efforts has resulted in devices and platforms that are potentially suitable for on-site/point-of-care monitoring. To promote efforts in this area, the review first provides a concise overview of different paper-based technologies, their architecture and functionality, in a language conducive to the nanozyme research community. The review, then, critically discusses the progress made in the integration of nanozymes in biosensor platforms for on-site detection of food contaminants, environmental pollutants, and disease biomarkers. The challenges associated with the transition of solution-based nanozyme biosensors to relevant devices and technologies are highlighted, and strategies to overcome those challenges are proposed. We envision that this review could narrow the gap impeding the translation of nanozyme-based biosensor technologies from laboratories to real-world scenarios by encouraging consolidated cross-disciplinary and trans -sectoral efforts. • Nanozyme-based biosensors (NzBS) are of topical interest. • Translation of NzBS to end-users warrants device development. • Integration of NzBS with paper-based devices for POC testing is discussed. • The role of NzBS across the food, environment, and health sectors is reviewed. • Challenges and prospects of NzBS for real-world applications are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable eye‐tracking technology is an essential component in AR/VR devices. Conventional Pupil‐Corneal Reflection (PCR) eye‐tracking technology often presents challenges due to high costs and bulky designs, particularly for compact AR and smart glasses. To overcome these limitations, our next‐generation eyetracking technology relies on AI image analysis, significantly reducing the number of required IR LEDs and image sensors. This simplification enhances flexibility and lowers production costs while maintaining accuracy. Our breakthrough solution makes eye tracking more accessible for the masses in AR/VR devices in the new era of spatial computing and the metaverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast, flexible, and cost efficient production of 3D models from 2D material sheets is a key component in digital fabrication and prototyping. In order to achieve high quality approximations of freeform shapes, a common set of methods aim to produce bendable 2D cutouts that are then assembled. So far bent surfaces are achieved automatically by computing developable patches of the input surface, e.g. in the context of papercraft. For stiff materials such as medium‐density fibreboard (MDF) or plywood, the 2D cutouts require the application of additional cutting patterns ("kerfing") to make them bendable. Such kerf patterns are commonly constructed with considerable user input, e.g. in architectural design. We propose a fully automatic method that produces kerfed cutouts suitable for the assembly of freeform shapes from stiff material sheets. By exploring the degrees of freedom emerging from the choice of bending directions, the creation of box joints at the patch boundaries as well as the application of kerf cuts with adaptive density, our method is able to achieve a high quality approximation of the input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a facilitator of smart upgrading, digital twin (DT) is emerging as a driving force in prognostics and health management (PHM). Faults can lead to degradation or malfunction of industrial assets. Accordingly, DT-driven PHM studies are conducted to improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs of industrial assets. However, there is a lack of systematic research to analyze and summarize current DT-driven PHM applications and methodologies for industrial assets. Therefore, this paper first analyzes the application of DT in PHM from the application field, aspect, and hierarchy at application layer. The paper next deepens into the core and mechanism of DT in PHM at theory layer. Then enabling technologies and tools for DT modeling and DT system are investigated and summarized at implementation layer. Finally, observations and future research suggestions are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using optimal assembly relationships, companies can enhance product quality without significantly increasing production costs. However, predicting Assembly Geometric Errors presents a challenging real-world problem in the manufacturing domain. To address this challenge, this paper introduces a highly efficient Transformer-based neural network model known as Predicting Assembly Geometric Errors based on Transformer (PAGEformer). This model accurately captures long-range assembly relationships and predicts final assembly errors. The proposed model incorporates two unique features: firstly, an enhanced self-attention mechanism to more effectively handle long-range dependencies, and secondly, the generation of positional information regarding gaps and fillings to better capture assembly relationships. This paper collected actual assembly data for folding rudder blades for unmanned aerial vehicles and established a Mechanical Assembly Relationship Dataset (MARD) for a comparative study. To further illustrate PAGEformer performance, we conducted extensive testing on a large-scale dataset and performed ablation experiments. The experimental results demonstrated a 15.3% improvement in PAGEformer accuracy compared to ARIMA on the MARD. On the ETH, Weather, and ECL open datasets, PAGEformer accuracy increased by 15.17%, 17.17%, and 9.5%, respectively, compared to the mainstream neural network models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under servitization (one paradigm of non-ownership-transfer) business model such as sharing, a manufacturer is responsible not only for product design but also for maintenance. This paper deals with joint decision of product quality and maintenance under servitization. A model minimising total cost is formulated to obtain the optimal product quality, maintenance effort and maintenance times. We find that the total cost first decreases then increases with product quality, maintenance effort and maintenance times. Moderate quality and maintenance effort level are the best for the manufacturer, because too high or too low quality and effort cause too high total cost. However, preventive maintenance should be implemented as many times as possible until the failure cost is reduced to zero as long as each maintenance can save cost. Moreover, in the optimal joint decision, the product quality, maintenance effort and maintenance times are negatively correlated in pairs. In addition, we explore the impact of unit failure cost, product lifecycle, production cost, maintenance cost, and failure intensity on the manufacturer's optimal decisions. In extensions, we further take penalty cost, exponential failure distribution, discount rate, and customer usage into account. This paper provides insight for the manufacturer to jointly consider product design and maintenance under servitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper starts from an observation of a discrepancy between the ambitions for sustainable change in the agro-industry and the actual changes being implemented. We offer one possible explanation by investigating the organizational structures conditioning change in this industry. Design/methodology/approach: We apply a case study methodology, focusing on the Danish pig industry and its organizational conditions for change. Based on interviews and document analysis, and building on systems theory, we develop the concept of change structures, understood as decision premises that guide the change of further decision premises. Findings: The analysis suggests that the pig industry's change structures predominantly enable changes that cut costs and optimize the production, which may conflict with and possibly foreclose the changes needed to realize the industry's sustainable ambitions. This conflict and its implications are not acknowledged by the industry. Practical implications: The analysis indicates that the industry may be locked in its current form of organizational change. We suggest a way to overcome the lock-in by fostering organizational mechanisms that enable alternative interpretations to emerge internally. Without this, achieving the required sustainable change in the industry may hinge on stronger external regulation and support. Originality/value: Conceptually, the notion of change structures supplements actor-oriented analytical approaches that focus on change agents and sense-making. Empirically, we contribute with an analysis of the conditions of possibility for sustainable change in an important yet understudied industry in organization studies; namely, the conventional agro-industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Value stream mapping is one of the basic tools used in the processes improvement or design – in accordance with the Lean concept. This paper presents a model of designing production processes and introducing new products to the market based on the analysis of the value streams flow in the production process. Particular attention was paid to the importance of input data necessary to plan a properly functioning production process, which results in a high-value product (from the customer's point of view). In the paper also the list of all the most important tools supporting all stages of designing new production processes or improving existing processes has been presented. Also the advantages of big pictures analysis using was highlighted. In this case value stream mapping and big picture analysis were oriented on quality in the product development process and contribute to: creating value (based on customer requirements) while maintaining timely deliveries and constant costs (Value Stream Mapping), sustainable use of tangible and intangible resources (removing waste at the design stage). However, from the company point of view, and particular in the cost level, the product can gain value because a lower input is required for its production. After improvement, the process lead time has been shortened in an area where value was not added, but the consequence of implementing the change is an increase in the production volume while maintaining the process transition time – therefore, unit costs of production will change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacitated lot sizing is a frequently encountered production-planning problem in manufacturing companies. However, many real life factors are usually not taken into account during the model development phase for these problems. In this study, an integrated lot-sizing and scheduling problem of a paper bag production firm is considered. A mixed integer mathematical programming model is proposed for modeling and solving the problem. Setup cost/time between product and period changes are considered in the proposed model. It is aimed to minimize the total cost of production, holding inventory, backorder, procurement and setup for product type change and product period change. It is observed that productive utilization of manufacturing resources and the generation of more effective production plans are possible by the application of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the analysis of the profitability threshold of bell pepper cultivation in the solar system in conventional farming and organic farming with proposed for the crop year 2022/2023. Thus, by using a system of indicators (specific indicators, result indicators and profitability indicators, production costs, capitalization prices and the degree of profitability per product unit can be estimated. Economic profitability is evaluated in terms of the use of production framework technologies in the production process and the rational use of raw materials, human and financial resources with the aim of obtaining low-cost and high-quality products. Agribusiness actions will always be based on crop profitability. The findings of the undertaken study can favourably influence farmers, giving them the opportunity to adjust their existing farm resources and capacities to achieve higher yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer-aided design (CAD) models can now be directly converted into products and structures. One technique to realize such approach is through Additive Manufacturing (AM). AM is relatively new manufacturing technology in which products are manufactured by layering various materials like rubber, metal, ceramic, composites, and polymers. However, the use of this technology requires consideration of its associated cost to ensure its competitiveness. In this paper, a simplified mathematical cost model is suggested. The model considers the main components of costs. The model formula utilizes expenses related to the pre-processing, main processing, and the post-processing operations. To validate the model, it is tested to estimate the cost of medical implants manufacturing using AM technique. In many cases, medical implants require unique or dedicated design for each patient. Hence cost estimation will help to assess and estimate the required financial resources for such operations. A case study is provided in this paper to estimate the manufacturing cost of a finger's phalanges bone, with metal implant using AM technique. The developed model may be described as Activity Based Costing (ABC). The model is introduced to estimate the cost of parts produced using AM technique. Although the model is developed to suit custom implant manufacturing using AM technique, its use may also be adapted to suit the manufacturing of many other parts and products. The developed model is aiming to achieve several tasks namely assigning cost drivers to each activity, estimating the cost of individual actions, allocating overhead expenses, calculating the overall production cost, and establishing an acceptable selling price. It assists companies in computing the cost of custom implants for customers, enhancing the accuracy of production cost estimates, and ultimately boosting profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the selection of a permanent magnet synchronous machine design that could be implemented in a small wind turbine designed by the GUST student organization together with researchers working at the Technical University of Lodz. Based on measurements of the characteristics of available machines, eight initial designs of machines with different rotor designs were proposed. The size of the stator, the number of pairs of poles, and the dimensions of the magnets were used as initial parameters of the designed machines. The analysis was carried out about the K-index, the so-called index of benefits. The idea was to make the selected design as efficient as possible while keeping production costs and manufacturing time low. This paper describes how to select the best design of a permanent magnet synchronous generator intended to work with a small wind turbine. All generator parameters were selected keeping in mind the competition requirements, as the designed generator will be used in the author's wind turbine. Based on the determined characteristics of the generator variants and the value of the K-index, a generator with a latent magnet rotor was selected as the best solution. The aforementioned K-index is a proprietary concept developed for the selection of the most suitable generator design. This paper did not use optimization methods; the analysis was only supported by the K-index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New insights into intractable industrial challenges can be revealed by framing them in terms of natural science. One intractable industrial challenge is that creative production can be much more financially expensive and time consuming than standardized production. Creative products include a wide range of goods that have one or more original characteristics. The scaling up of creative production is hindered by high financial production costs and long production durations. In this paper, creative production is framed in terms of interactions between entropy and complexity during progressions from emergent pragmatics to action semantics. An analysis of interactions between entropy and complexity is provided that relates established practice in creative production to organizational survival in changing environments. The analysis in this paper is related to assembly theory, which is a recent theoretical development in natural science that addresses how open-ended generation of complex physical objects can emerge from selection in biology. Parallels between assembly practice in industrial production and assembly theory in natural science are explained through constructs that are common to both, such as assembly index. Overall, analyses reported in the paper reveal that interactions between entropy and complexity underlie intractable challenges in creative production, from the production of individual products to the survival of companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na3(VOPO4)2F (NVOPF) is an ideal cathode for high-energy-density sodium ion batteries (SIBs), due to its impressive output voltage and stable structure. However, the high production costs and complex operation processes associated with conventional synthetic methods impede its commercial applications. Herein, a simple but efficient method for large-scale low-cost synthesis of NVOPF at low temperatures is proposed. The optimal sample obtained at a suitable pH delivers a high discharge capacity of 119.6 mA h g−1 at 0.2C and remarkable cycling performance with a decay rate of merely 0.0043% per cycle over 1400 cycles at 1C. Coin-type full cells composed of NVOPF and commercial hard carbon achieve a distinguished energy density of 426.2 W h kg−1 calculated based on the cathode material. Most importantly, 2.1 A h soft-pack batteries with 100 mm in length and 60 mm in width were assembled based on the as-synthesized kilogram-scale NVOPF, which can stably cycle at 1C for 400 cycles with a capacity retention of 93.2% and an average coulombic efficiency of 99.96%. Moreover, the soft-pack battery exhibits fascinating performance in a wide temperature range, including superior rate capability at −20 °C (86.4% at 5C compared to 1C) as well as stable cycling performance at 50 °C (72.5% capacity retention after 400 cycles at 1C). This paper proposes a low-temperature co-precipitation method for synthesizing NVOPF, which significantly reduces the cost of production and contributes a solution for the industrial-scale production of NVOPF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the operating benefits of the distribution network (DN) and reduce the energy consumption costs of small-micro industrial parks (SMIPs), a two-layer optimal electricity trading method for DN with SMIPs is proposed. First, based on the Stackelberg game, a multi-objective two-layer optimal trading model for DN and SMIP is established. In the upper layer, the DN agent is regarded as the leader, and a trading model is established with the goal of maximizing the profits of agents. In the lower layer, an energy optimization model is proposed for the SMIP operators, which are regarded as the followers, with the goal of minimizing the operating costs. According to the buying and selling electricity prices at the upper and lower layers, a dynamic pricing strategy is formulated. The Karush-Kuhn-Tucker condition (KKT) is introduced to transform the two-layer model into a single-layer model, and based on linear transformations, the model is further converted into a mixed-integer linear programming model. The transformations aim to address the non-linear issues arising from multivariable coupling between the upper and lower-layer trading models. The simulation results show that the trading strategy proposed in this paper can effectively increase the profit of DNs while reducing the operating costs of SMIPs and can provide a reference for decision-making in the electricity market (EM) with the participation of SMIP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast advance and evolution of technology in Internet of Things (IoT) is a double-edged sword, striking with new performant solutions and backfiring with a lot of unanswered questions. Due to cheap manufacturing costs and large-scale production, sensors, actuators and even microcontrollers are not designed with security on the first place. Also, the IoT market is a new one and that means that it is still unregulated and there isn’t a well-defined set of standards to control and manage better these problems. The IoT ascent has impacted many industries, but probably the most changes were made to the Supply Chain Management (SCM) industry. The forementioned question of cheap devices that need to be manufactured with a minimum of costs, very fast and ready to be deployed, is digging a big security hole in this kind of ecosystems. This paper aims to discuss the challenges involved in hardening de security in embedded devices, protecting the data and the communication channels between an IoT node and an IoT gateway and finally, assuring the persistence of data and its security after is stored. All these matters are addressed with privacy and security in design. Because SCM is a multiparty ecosystem that involves many different actors each with its tasks and data handling components, it is important to assure the fact that they will not interfere, tamper, or profit in a bad manner of each other. One solution for this problem is decentralization that comes with strings attached. Finally, and on short, this paper will try to describe a security model based on decentralization in a SCM flow, addressing its threats and how they can be overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Operational efficiency is crucial in the container terminal industry to reduce costs, increase throughput, enhance customer satisfaction, optimize the supply chain, improve safety, minimize environmental impact, and ensure adaptability and resilience in a dynamic and competitive market. The article aims to estimate operational efficiency for CTOs by the Slacks-Based Measures (SBM) model when considering CO2 emissions and work accidents as undesirable outputs. In doing so, this paper adopted the cluster analysis to select homogeneous CTOs acting as Decision-making Units (DMUs). CTOs in the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port (the CMTV case) were then empirically studied to verify the validity of the suggested model. The results could have real-world applications for CTOs looking for managerial actions to boost operational efficiency and maintain high-quality growth. Additionally, the research model may provide an analytical reference for relevant port management applications. In particular, this study offers CTOs a scientific framework for evaluating the operational efficiency of CTOs located in a port. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stope design is an important part of mine planning, and it aims to balance ore recovery, ore dilution, and production costs without compromising the safety aspects. This paper summarizes the main results from the research, which aims to introduce new techniques to describe the ore body and surrounding rock mass at the tunnel face prior to stope excavation. The research comprises a literature review and a survey among mining professionals to assess current stope design practices. The study identifies geotechnical data, software improvements, and integration of design into mine planning as the most critical areas for improvement. The empirical part of the study proposes new techniques for fast data acquisition. The laser-induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) technique is developed for measurements at the tunnel face and from core boxes to provide mineralogical and geometallurgical data. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) studies are conducted to improve discontinuity characterization, and rapid photogrammetric methods are proposed for efficient tunnel geometry characterization. The techniques discussed in this paper already have many industrial applications. This study reveals their potential to be adopted and further developed to serve ore and rock mass characterization for stope design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of aggregates is also made depending on the direct operating costs. If two aggregates, according to the cost of the works, require the same production costs, the one that satisfies the requirements of the machine system is chosen. When performing works with different agricultural aggregates, the optimal option is always chosen, which is evaluated according to the minimum value of the number of aggregates that take part in the execution of the work or according to the minimum value of time, respectively according to fuel consumption. Agricultural aggregates, while moving on the ground, consume a large amount of energy, which is why the problem arises of determining, on a scientific basis, some constructive and operating parameters at which the energy consumption is minimal. The present work presents an analysis of the consumption and costs of mechanised works and materials used in maize in the territory of Gurasada commune, Hunedoara County, Romania, in the year 2022-2023, in order to optimize the cultural technology. The mechanization technology for corn crop in the studied area was realized on a soil with high fertility. The agricultural machinery used for the applied technology is the one that the farm has. The main mechanization works for corn cultivation were: land fertilization, land preparation, ploughing, sowing, weeding, mechanical harrowing, as well as harvesting. After studying the corn crop over a longer period taking into account the pedo-climatic conditions as well as the productions obtained, we can conclude the following: can be obtained good yields if a series of recommendations given in the conclusions will be respected. In order to obtain a profit in the corn culture, it is recommended to use drought-resistant hybrids with high production potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the leading cable production plants in many countries of the world manufacture single- and multi-module designs of fiber-optic cables (FOC) with different protective covers and the number of fibers. This creates a wide range of possible FOC models for different consumer (buyer) requirements. However, the lack of openness of prices for FOC for the consumer, in particular for the project organization, and the desire of the manufacturer to save on production creates a need for the development and research of a method for evaluating the effectiveness of FOC of a multi-module design. In the work, it is proposed to do this by analyzing a number of optical cable models according to parameters-criteria – the compactness coefficient and the economic efficiency coefficient of the FOC by diameter. Objective. To develop a method of evaluation the efficiency of fiber-optic cables models with multi-modular design based on mass-dimensional indicators, which will allow to quickly choose an appropriate model of the FOC with the given initial data. Method. A method of evaluating the efficiency of the FOC modular design has been developed and proposed. It is based on the comparison of cable models and the selection of the most appropriate of them at given initial data. The paper proposed and introduced parameters-criteria for this – the compactness coefficient υ and the efficiency coefficient according to the diameter of the cable E0 – which show the connection of the design characteristics of the FOC to a certain parameter of its structure. At the same time, the most effective model (design) of the FOC compared to the basic models in terms of technical conditions, both from the point of view of the manufacturer and the customer, consists in lower material costs for its production while simultaneously ensuring the specified requirements for the cable (first of all, number of fibers and mechanical strength). This will allow, at the stage of cable design, to make an appropriate choice of its model with given initial parameters and to develop such a design of the FOC, which will allow to minimize the dimensions (and therefore the material capacity and cost) of the model without losing its quantitative and qualitative characteristics. Results. The paper presents the results of the development and research of the method of evaluating the efficiency of the FOC with multi-module structure based on mass and dimensional indicators. For example, using the developed method, it is shown that it is possible to choose a FOC model with a diameter smaller by 10.9% and save 15.5% of the cable cost for each kilometer of the fiber optic communication line while ensuring the initial requirements for the cable. Conclusions. The scientific novelty of the work results is that, method of evaluation the efficiency of a modular FOC design has been first developed, which allows at the cable design stage to compare the model with the cable design according to the technical conditions (TC) and the appropriate choice of this model with the given initial parameters. The practical significance lies in the possibility of using this method to make an accelerated selection of the cable model at the stage of its design, while simultaneously providing the necessary capacity of the FOC with optical fibers and minimizing the cost of its materials and dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane is an essential crop globally due to its many dietary and commercial uses. In spite of the increased demand for sugarcane as an intermediate input for the production of animal feeds, bioethanol and food stuff, its significance on the livelihood of farmers in Kenya is mixed. There are sections of farmers uprooting this cash crop in favour of maize, a staple food, as a means to enhance their food security status. On the other hand, some policy pronouncement encourages the diversification of this cash crop by intercropping it with other staple food crops. The study was anchored on the agricultural production theory. Based on the application of correlation research design, this paper adopted the Structural Equation Modeling to analyze primary data collected from rural households in three Nyanza region counties of Homabay, Kisumu and Migori to establish the relationship between sugarcane and maize production from their corresponding cost of inputs (labor, land and capital). From the findings, as the cost of sugarcane production increases, the cost of maize production also increases significantly, though inelastic. This implies that mechanization of farm activities can act to reduce production costs. Enhancing sugarcane productivity will contribute significantly towards reducing production cost. Therefore, the government must closely monitor the spikes in cost of sugarcane production since this is bound to result in the cost of maize production also spiking exacerbating the problem of food insecurity. This paper therefore empirically contributes to understanding of the intertlinking complexity between the production structure of a cash crop (sugarcane) and food crop (maize), given their importance in food security in a developing economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As brown mushrooms are both delicious and beneficial to health, the global production and consumption of brown mushrooms have increased significantly in recent years. Currently, to ensure the quality of brown mushrooms, selective manual picking is required, and the delicate surface of the mushrooms must not be damaged during the picking process. The labor cost of picking accounts for 50–80% of the total labor cost in the entire production process, and the high-humidity, low-temperature plant environment poses a risk of rheumatism for the laborers. In this paper, we propose a novel underactuated gripper based on a lead screw and linear bearings, capable of operating with flexible force control while simultaneously measuring the diameter of the mushrooms. The gripper features three degrees of freedom: lifting, grasping, and rotation, and enabling it to approach, grasp, and detach the mushroom. A thin-film force sensor is installed on the inner side of the fingers to achieve accurate grip force measurement. The use of a PID algorithm ensures precise grip force control, thereby protecting the brown mushrooms from damage. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed gripper has a static grasping force error of 0.195 N and an average detachment force overshoot of 1.31 N during the entire picking process. The in situ measurement of the mushroom diameter achieves 97.3% accuracy, with a success rate of 98.3%. These results indicate that the gripper achieves a high success rate in harvesting, a low damage rate, and accurate diameter measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pineapple harvesting is a key step in pineapple field production. At present, pineapple fruits are usually picked manually. With decreasing labor resources and increasing production costs, machines have been used instead of manual picking approaches in the modern pineapple industry. This paper briefly describes the basic situation of pineapple planting worldwide. Based on the degree of automation of mechanized pineapple harvesting equipment, the main structural forms, core technologies, and operation modes of semi-automatic, automatic, and intelligent pineapple harvesting equipment are summarized. The research status and existing problems of key pineapple fruit picking robots, such as fruit recognition, maturity classification, positioning, and separation of pineapple fruits, are analyzed. Considering the problems of pineapple harvesting equipment, such as difficulty entering the ground, low harvesting efficiency, low picking success rate, and fruit damage, innovative future research directions for mechanized pineapple harvesting technology are proposed, such as combining agricultural machinery and agronomical principles, integrating mechanized, automated, and intelligent technology, and developing modular designs and generalized approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As lithium-ion batteries increasingly become a cornerstone of the automotive sector, the importance of efficient and cost-effective battery production has become paramount. Even though electric vehicle battery cells are produced in three different geometries—cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch—no specific model exists to compare the manufacturing costs of producing cells with different geometries but similar performances. In this paper, we present a process-based cost model with a cell design functionality which enables design and manufacturing cost prediction of user-defined battery cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report a graphene-based plasmonic photodetector optimized using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and compatible with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The proposed photodetector structure is designed to minimize fabrication challenges and reduce production costs compared to more complex alternatives. Graphene has been used for its unique properties in the detection region, titanium nitride (TiN) as a CMOS-compatible metal, and both to aid in plasmonic excitation. Photodetectors have key parameters influenced by multiple independent variables. However, practical constraints prevent thorough adjustment of all variables to achieve optimal parameter values, often resulting in analysis based on several simplified models. Here we optimize these variables by presenting a new approach in the field of photodetectors using the capabilities of the PSO algorithm. As a result, for the proposed device at the wavelength of 1550 nm, the voltage responsivity is 210.6215 V/W, the current responsivity is 3.7213 A/W, the ultra-compressed length is less than 3 μ m , and the specific detectivity is 2.566× 10 7 Jones were obtained. Furthermore, the device in question works under the photothermoelectric effect (PTE) at zero bias and has zero dark current, which ultimately resulted in a very low noise equivalent power (NEP) of 4.5361 pW / Hz . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial sector's water consumption is projected to increase by 400% by 2050, placing significant stress on freshwater reserves. To address this challenge, innovative solutions for water management are crucial. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework for Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) in industrial settings, offering a methodology to assess the potential for RWH implementation across EU industrial sites. The framework integrates internal and publicly available datasets, including EU climate change monthly average rainfall data from the Copernicus Climate Data Store, to create current and prospective scenarios for RWH. The methodology evaluates critical parameters co-created with industrial stakeholders, such as catchment area, water quality, and industrial water requirements. This approach allows for site-specific assessments, enabling industries to reduce freshwater consumption and support sustainability goals within the Horizon 2050 framework. Our findings indicate that implementing RWH systems can significantly contribute to a sustainable and circular economy by reducing annual freshwater consumption, promoting resource reuse, and lowering industrial water costs. This framework provides industries with a tool to assess RWH feasibility, supporting their efforts to prepare for increased water demands and contribute to environmental conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the long-hole stage open stoping with subsequent backfill mining of underground metal mines, the selection or optimization of stope dimension parameters is significant for safe and economic mining operations. To analyze the optimal stope sizes, the Mathews empirical graph method and FLAC3D numerical method can be used, but the analyzed safety results of the two methods are generally independent from each other. More importantly, economic indicators including production capacity and mining costs should be considered simultaneously to optimize the stope dimension which was mostly ignored in previous reports. In this paper, a new CRITIC-GRA model was proposed for the first time to build up a multi-factor quantitative optimization for stope dimension, which allows for a comprehensive analysis with preset influential safety and economic indicators. The indicators considered include the safety indicators such as stability probability for the side walls and roof of the open stope via the updated Mathews graph method, maximum displacement, plastic zones volume and maximum principal stress via FLAC3D simulations, as well as economic indicators such as mining costs and stope production capacity in mine operations. The model was then illustrated in an underground iron mine. With the given rockmass quality in the mine, the overall stability of the open stope can be improved instead of reduced to enlarge the single stage stope height (60 m) to a double stage height (120 m) by reducing the stope width from 20 m to 15 m, thereby significantly increasing the mineable ore amount and improving the stope safety. An integrated evaluation of open stope stability, mining capacity and costs objectively determined that scheme No. 10, with a slope length of 50 m, a width of 15 m and a height of 120 m, was the optimum out of the 20 preset schemes. The new CRITIC-GRA model offers a dependable reference tool for determining the optimal stope dimensions in similar underground mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern display panel manufacturing industry, the Mura problem that occurs during initial shipment has a significant impact on improving image quality. The purpose of this paper is to effectively solve these Mura defects while reducing additional production costs. We propose an innovative method of storing and compressing the De‐Mura compensation data of the display panel in external memory. Two‐dimensional compensation data compression based on machine learning using surface fitting and vector quantization is presented as an effective response to the Mura problem. This approach, which achieves up to 8:1 compression ratio while minimizing image quality degradation through vector quantization, is expected to provide economic benefits to manufacturers. The paper also introduces a new surface prediction method that replaces the existing DC‐shift and uses residual vector quantization, which can reduce the implementation complexity of vector quantization. Through experimental results, this study demonstrates that the compensated data compression technique yields excellent results in post‐compression restoration performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rent as a category has been analyzed within economics for over 250 years. Though much has changed since the days of David Ricardo, and Johann von Thűnen, most contemporary theorists consider themselves to be aligned with these early thinkers. More significantly, there is a pervasive belief that the power relationships explicated in the late 1700s and early 1800s hold for urban rent today. This has had two consequences. First, as urban economists continue to justify their work within a much older tradition, the move from production cost theories towards marginalist approaches has occurred largely without comment. Second, the existing urban power structures, with their particular causes and evolutionary histories, have been under-evaluated. The result is landlords seen as either exclusively functional, or as landed aristocrats, neither view producing instrumentally useful analysis for the urban market today. The first portion of this paper outlines the evolution of urban rent approaches, calling attention to the theoretic shifts which have occurred in the meaning of the market. This establishes the need for the latter half of the work, which outlines the basis for an institutionally grounded approach to urban rent. Such a theory is necessary if there is any hope of illuminating the distributional impacts of rental housing allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The additive manufacturing (AM) field is rapidly expanding, attracting significant scientific attention. This family of processes will be widely used in the evolution of Industry 4.0, particularly in the production of customized components. However, as the complexity and variability of additive manufacturing processes increase, there is an increasing need for advanced techniques to ensure quality control, optimize performance, and reduce production costs. Multiple tests are required to optimize processing variables for specific equipment and processes, to achieve optimum processing conditions. The application of digital twins (DTs) has significantly enhanced the field of additive manufacturing. A digital twin, abbreviated as DT, refers to a computer-generated model that accurately depicts a real-world object, system, or process. A DT comprises the complete additive manufacturing process, from the initial conception phase to the final manufacturing phase. It enables the manufacturing process to be continuously monitored, studied, and optimized in real time. DT has emerged as an important tool in the additive manufacturing industry. They allow manufacturers to enhance the process, improve product quality, decrease costs, and accelerate innovation. However, the development of DT in AM is an iterative and continuous process. It requires collaboration between domain experts, data scientists, engineers, and manufacturing teams to guarantee an accurate representation of the process by the digital twin. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current state of DT for additive manufacturing, examining their applications, benefits, challenges, and future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oleogels, characterized by their semisolid matrix formed from liquid oil structured by gelators, are emerging as a pivotal innovation in food formulation, primarily due to their capacity to enhance the nutritional profile of products by incorporating healthier fats. This review explored the integration of oleogels into diverse food matrices, examining their impact on texture, mouthfeel, and overall sensory characteristics. Through an extensive analysis of current research, this paper illustrates the versatility of oleogels created with a variety of structuring agents across different food applications. It also addresses the challenges inherent in the use of oleogels, including the preservation of their stability and consistency through varying storage and processing conditions, navigating the regulatory landscape concerning oleogelator safety and acceptability, and confronting higher production costs. Overall, this comprehensive review highlights the potential of oleogels as a promising tool for achieving desirable textural and sensory attributes in food products while also identifying areas for future research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxus, as a globally prevalent evergreen tree, contains a wealth of bioactive components that play a crucial role in the pharmaceutical field. Taxus extracts, defined as a collection of one or more bioactive compounds extracted from the genus Taxus spp., have become a significant focus of modern cancer treatment research. This review article aims to delve into the scientific background of Taxus extracts and their considerable value in pharmaceutical research. It meticulously sifts through and compares various advanced extraction techniques such as supercritical extraction, ultrasound extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, solid-phase extraction, high-pressure pulsed electric field extraction, and enzymatic extraction, assessing each technology's advantages and limitations across dimensions such as extraction efficiency, extraction purity, economic cost, operational time, and environmental impact, with comprehensive analysis results presented in table form. In the area of drug formulation design, this paper systematically discusses the development strategies for solid, liquid, and semi-solid dosage forms based on the unique physicochemical properties of Taxus extracts, their intended medical uses, and specific release characteristics, delving deeply into the selection of excipients and the critical technical issues in the drug preparation process. Moreover, the article looks forward to the potential directions of Taxus extracts in future research and medical applications, emphasizing the urgency and importance of continuously optimizing extraction methods and formulation design to enhance treatment efficacy, reduce production costs, and decrease environmental burdens. It provides a comprehensive set of preparation techniques and formulation optimization schemes for researchers in cancer treatment and other medical fields, promoting the application and development of Taxus extracts in pharmaceutical sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a decentralized system, blockchain has been widely used in numerous areas and has become a hot topic in both industry and academia. The increasing demand for blockchain causes heavy storage consumption which seriously affects the performance of blockchain, especially in the context of massive volumes of data. To solve these problems, many related systems like sharding and sidechain have been proposed to improve the efficiency and scalability of blockchain. However, in practical deployment scenarios, these systems still have problems, such as low read–write performance, and reorganization and synchronization of ledger data after storage expansion, which cause the storage system's expansion to become difficult and time-consuming in large-scale blockchain systems. Facing these problems, in this paper we propose ChainMaker Storage System (CMSS). CMSS is a blockchain storage system with high read-and-write performance and horizontal scaling support. It has been used as the storage system of the most popular permissioned blockchain ChainMaker. There are three contributions of our proposed CMSS: (i) a new block storage workflow to achieve high read–write performance; (ii) the Meta File System (MFS) to support the horizontal expansion of blockchain storage; and (iii) hot–cold separation to reduce the resource usage and economic costs. To evaluate the performance of CMSS, we compare CMSS with Hyperledger Fabric (HLF), the most popular permissioned blockchain platform. We select five well-known cloud service providers to calculate the storage cost in a real production environment. The results show that CMSS has better performance in read and write than HLF and advantages in storage capacity and price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sheet metal forming belongs to that category of metal forming operations wherein flat metal sheets are plastically deformed to achieve the necessary product. Forming can be performed under compressive, tensile, bending and shearing conditions. There exists a wide array of forming operations utilizing different techniques, but with introduction of computers there has been a surge in the flexibility of manufacturing processes. With a growing need of complex designs in industry at low cost, the spotlight is now on incremental sheet forming (ISF). The ability to form non-symmetrical parts without the requirement of costly dies gives ISF an edge over other sheet forming processes. Process flexibility and higher formability are other aspects which makes ISF an attractive venture for manufacturing. In the last decades, sizeable amount of work has been done in this field to make it commercially viable; especially in automobile, aerospace and defence sectors. The present paper recapitulates the variety of research carried out in the concerned area in chronological fashion and discusses the areas where more attention is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the influencing factors of public data value of construction projects is conducive to the public data services of government departments. Aiming at the construction pollution supervision process under the platform governance model, the influencing factors of the public data value of construction projects were analyzed. The interpretation structure model of the influencing factors was constructed to reveal the effects of data quality, platform scalability, data production cost, and policy support. The research results show that appropriate fiscal subsidies and policy inclination play a fundamental role; the quality of uploaded data is noteworthy for subsequent data processing and data opening; data production cost and platform scalability directly affect data value, the development of the platform will attract more participants, and reasonable cost control and improving data production efficiency are indispensable. This paper provides theoretical support for the exploration of data value and the path of platform governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers considers the problems relating to the use of separation processes in membrane apparatuses for the production of cold in mix refrigerating machines as an alternative to absorption refrigerating machines, which will ensure a more stable process for obtaining a refrigerant from the mixture, reduce material costs for the production of a refrigerating installation, and increase the energy efficiency of the refrigerating installation operating on mixture components. An analysis of the use of traditional absorption and membrane refrigerating machines was carried out from the point of view of energy efficiency and the number of working elements. The primary method for calculating the process of separation of an absorbent–refrigerant mixture based on reverse osmosis processes is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The citrus industry is of great importance in Mexico, with an estimated production value of USD 2.4 billion and the potential to generate up to 28 million employees per year. Approximately 69,000 Mexican families depend on this sector. However, it is under serious threat from the disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB). The rapid spread of this disease has caused significant economic losses, impacted the livelihoods of citrus growers, and led to substantial job losses. Currently, HLB is not under control in Mexico, and as the management strategies applied have proven to be ineffective, yields have not been recovered to pre-HLB levels, and production costs have significantly increased. Therefore, it remains the most destructive citrus disease. This review paper describes the current situation of the disease, its economic and social impact, and the measures adopted for its management in Mexico. Future perspectives highlight advances in research based on new biotechnological tools as an eco-friendly management alternative. Practical suggestions to address HLB are also mentioned in our analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops an outsourcing collaboration model from a firm's perspective operating in a developing economy. The model considers that producers of the final goods residing in a developed country, and operators of manufacturing plants in a developing country collaborate with each other. The final goods producer supplies headquarter services for the production of intermediate goods in the developing country. The operators of manufacturing plants also supply their services in the domestic economy. This arrangement leads to foreign outsourcing collaborations (FOC) between firms of developed country and developing country. The operators of manufacturing plant maximize revenue subject to the cost constraint. The first order conditions suggests that an increase in wages of skilled labor, price of domestic inputs, and cost of production deter FOC. On the other hand, an increase in demand for and price of foreign headquarter services increases the FOC. Empirical analysis based on data collected from 217 clothing (textile and apparel) firms in the city of Faisalabad (Pakistan) reveals that an increase in wage to labor-productivity ratio reduces FOC. An improvement in skilled of the labor and foreign headquarter services give rise to FOC, whereas an increase in economies-of-scope enhances FOC. Additionally, an inverted U-shaped relationship is found between the cost of production and FOC, which shows that at the initial stage, the firm's cost of production increases with an increase in the level of FOC, but soon after the tipping point, the firm's cost starts decreasing with a further increase in FOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilization of agricultural and food wastes for biohydrogen generation is a hot research topic. In this paper, biohydrogen generation potentials from wheat, maize, barley, rice and potato production, consumption, associated losses, and household food waste generation in Turkey is estimated till 2030 using novel semi-empirical holistic models based on different scenarios. It was estimated that up to 90 thousand tonnes of biohydrogen could be produced from household food wastes in Turkey in 2030. This amount of biohydrogen would be worth 1.5 billon US$ and generate nearly 0.8 billion US$ of net return. In addition, this study clearly shows that there is a great potential for economic gain from agricultural and food waste based biohydrogen generation in Turkey. In conclusion, the methodology developed in this study could be used by researchers around the world to estimate local and national level biohydrogen generation potentials from agricultural and food wastes. [Display omitted] • This paper examines biohydrogen potentials from agricultural and food wastes. • Holistic per capita models for estimating annual biohydrogen production potentials. • Annual production and sale costs are estimated. • Annual net returns from biohydrogen generation are calculated. • The results highlight recommendations for future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of UHPC with fibers is becoming an increasingly common topic in the world. This material is used for its superior mechanical and physical properties and long service life. However, the production cost is high, hence UHPC is used for special applications or for smaller prefabricated parts. This paper focuses on UHPC application for the construction of the Štvanice Footbridge, Prague, the Czech Republic. A monolithic part of the structure was made of UHPC from fresh transport concrete, which was produced by Skanska Transbeton. The special feature is that about 126m3 of fresh concrete was industrially prepared. This concrete achieved the properties of SCC and the final 28 day compressive strength was 120MPa with tensile strength of 18.6MPa. Due to high hydration heat release rate, an internal water cooling system was designed and sucessfully appled using water from Vltava River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gripping, holding, and moving objects are among the main functional purposes of robots. Ever since automation first took hold in society, optimizing these functions has been of high priority, and a multitude of approaches has been taken to enable cheaper, more reliable, and more versatile gripping. Attempts are ongoing to reduce grippers' weight, energy consumption, and production and maintenance costs while simultaneously improving their reliability, the range of eligible objects, working loads, and environmental independence. While the upper bounds of precision and flexibility have been pushed to an impressive level, the corresponding solutions are often dependent on support systems (e.g., sophisticated sensors and complex actuation machinery), advanced control paradigms (e.g., artificial intelligence and machine learning), and typically require more maintenance owed to their complexity, also increasing their cost. These factors make them unsuited for more modest applications, where moderate to semi-high performance is desired, but simplicity is required. In this paper, we attempt to highlight the potential of the tarsal chain principle on the example of a prototype biomimetic gripping device called the TriTrap gripper, inspired by the eponymous tarsal chain of insects. Insects possess a rigid exoskeleton that receives mobility due to several joints and internally attaching muscles. The tarsus (foot) itself does not contain any major intrinsic muscles but is moved by an extrinsically pulled tendon. Just like its biological counterpart, the TriTrap gripping device utilizes strongly underactuated digits that perform their function using morphological encoding and passive conformation, resulting in a gripper that is versatile, robust, and low cost. Its gripping performance was tested on a variety of everyday objects, each of which represented different size, weight, and shape categories. The TriTrap gripper was able to securely hold most of the tested objects in place while they were lifted, rotated, and transported without further optimization. These results show that the insect tarsus selected approach is viable and warrants further development, particularly in the direction of interface optimization. As such, the main goal of the TriTrap gripper, which was to showcase the tarsal chain principle as a viable approach to gripping in general, was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research on inventory control has been wide ranging, yet the environmental implications of an $ ({s,S}) $ (s , S) inventory policy remain uninvestigated. This paper seeks to bridge the gap by characterising a firm's voluntary environmental policy in the setup of an $ ({s,S}) $ (s , S) inventory control policy. We suggest a mixed model structure wherein, due to the presence of fixed production costs, the inventory is determined continuously by sales and impulsively with ordering decisions obeying an optimal stopping process, while the uncertain sales process is controlled by continuous-time environmental goodwill-related decisions. We show that a firm should successively use voluntary environmental efforts to stimulate its sales when there is inventory and to increase backlogging to improve its production efficiency. Given the recurrent pattern of this policy, we conclude that voluntary environmental efforts under an $ ({s,S}) $ (s , S) inventory control is not compatible with using these efforts as a means to generate ephemeral reputation insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we address a Stochastic-Demand Assembly Job Shop Scheduling Problem (SD-AJSSP) in the presence of the commonality of sub-assemblies across products. We propose a new production methodology, named Assemble-to-Order with Commonality of Sub-Assemblies (ATO-CS) to not only solve the SD-AJSSP, but also, achieve a successful implementation of a mass customisation system by collectively aiming to (1) keep the production costs low by leveraging upon commonality of sub-assemblies in products' BOM and producing sub-assemblies on a mass scale during one of the two stages of production, (2) minimise the loss due to excess inventory build-up in anticipation of stochastic demand of products by postponing the production of certain apex sub-assemblies in products' BOM until the actual demand is realised, and (3) reduce the time of the products' delivery to customers. The ATO-CS method determines optimum production levels as well as schedules assembly operations/jobs over the machines at each stage of production, where the second stage is an assembly job shop and is shown to outperform commonly-used production methodologies. We also develop an algorithm for its implementation and show its efficacy over the use of the state-of-the-art commercial solver CPLEX® in obtaining a lower solution cost and smaller optimality gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a supply chain composed of multiple members, supply chain coordination plays a crucial role in achieving overall optimization and efficiency. Various supply contract forms have been studied in the existing literature to facilitate supply chain coordination. However, most existing literature has established coordination models assuming constant production costs. In reality, per-unit production costs often decrease as production quantity increases, which is called the learning effect. This paper underscores the significance of considering this learning effect in decision-making processes for coordinated supply contracts. We propose a supply contract scheme for channel coordination that incorporates the learning effect within a supply chain comprising a single manufacturer and a single retailer. In this framework, the manufacturer acts as a Stackelberg leader, initiating the process by designing and presenting the contract. The supply contract scheme is designed to ensure that the retailer's order quantity aligns with the global solution. We also demonstrate how the contract parameters are determined when the relative bargaining powers of the supply chain members are given exogenously in the market. Our findings reveal that contracts with a learning curve can generate additional profits for both the manufacturer and the retailer compared to the existing coordinated contracts with static production costs. This study provides valuable insights into the impact of the learning effect on supply chain efficiency and offers practical implications for supply chain practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of gender diversity on financial reporting quality (accrual and real earnings management). We use a sample of 78 Egyptian listed companies over the period 2009–2021. The quality of financial reporting is measured using different models of earnings management (accrual and real earnings management). Accrual earnings management (AEM) is detected through four different models developed by modified Jones model, the Kasznik model, Kothari model, Raman and Shahrur model, while real earnings management (REM) is measured using six different model which are abnormal cash flows from operations (ABCFO), abnormal production costs (ABPROD), abnormal discretionary expenditures (ABDISEXP) and three aggregate proxies (RM1, RM2, RM3). Using the system generalized method of moments, companies with more gender diversity are more effective in reducing accrual earnings manipulation (AEM). The exception is the modified Jones model. Moreover, we find that gender diversity is positively and significantly correlated with financial reporting quality based on proxies of real earnings-based activity, except for RM2. The study found a non-significant and negative relationship between board diversity and RM2 as a proxy for REM. Overall, the empirical results based on accrual and real earnings management models (AEM and REM) support the notion that enterprises with more gender diversity on the board are more effective in controlling earnings manipulation practices. The predictions of corporate governance theories are confirmed. Policy makers should continue to promote and support gender diversity in leadership positions within organizations. This can be achieved through initiatives such as diversity quotas, mentoring programs, and leadership development opportunities for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power is a key for decarbonizing economies. Yet, wind turbines can produce negative environmental externalities. These include bird collisions and disamenities for residents. Setback distances for onshore wind turbines to settlements and bird nests are a common policy instrument to address these externalities. In this paper, we evaluate the cost-effectiveness of setback distances. We use a spatially-explicit model to investigate the social costs of different options for setbacks to settlements and red kite nests. In terms of social costs, we consider production costs and external costs associated with residents' disamenities and red kite impacts given an exogenously set wind energy production target. The model is applied using data for the German State of Saxony. Three key results are: (1) More restrictive setbacks may increase social costs. (2) Uniform red kite setbacks reduce social costs rather than uniform settlement setbacks. (3) Differentiated settlement setbacks for different settlement types lead to substantially lower social costs than uniform setbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]