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• A new utility model of RCOCCL market incremental income distribution in China under equity preference was established. • Mathematical and numerical simulation techniques were applied in research on the level of fairness preference. • Policy suggestions for improving the distribution strategy of RCOCCL incremental benefits in China. This study explains how fairness preferences affect the allocation of income based on the practices of rural collectively-owned commercial construction land (RCOCCL) entering the market in contemporary China. The theoretical model for RCOCCL's market income allocation is extended based on Fehr and Schmidt (1999), and a fairness preference model is developed for analysis. The study makes the following conclusions. First, the stakeholders are bounded rational people with fair preferences, making them eager to narrow the income gap between themselves and others. Second, the income to local governments should be increased. Third, the more willing farmers accept the allocation scheme, the higher the benefits. Overall, this study provides new perspectives on the fair allocation of income and references for subsequent research on rural land income allocation in other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Lung Allocation Score groups sarcoidosis patients by mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP). • Those with mPAP ≤30 mm Hg are grouped with obstructive lung disease (group A). • Those with mPAP >30 mm Hg are grouped with fibrotic lung disease (group D). • Sarcoidosis group D has significantly decreased lung transplant waitlist survival than group A. • Despite the Lung Allocation Score accounting for pulmonary hypertension and associated factors, these are still significant predictors of waitlist mortality among sarcoidosis patients. The Lung Allocation Score (LAS) system was designed to equalize and minimize waitlist mortality among candidiates for lung transplantation. The LAS stratifies sarcoidosis patients by mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) into group A (mPAP ≤30 mm Hg) and group D (mPAP >30 mm Hg). In this study, we aimed to analyze the effect of diagnostic grouping and patient characteristics on waitlist mortality among sarcoidosis patients. This was a retrospective review of sarcoidosis lung transplantation candidates since LAS implementation in May 2005 through May 2019 in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database. We compared baseline characteristics, LAS variables, and waitlist outcomes between sarcoidosis groups A and D. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariable regression to determine associations with waitlist mortality. Results. We identified 1027 sarcoidosis candidates since LAS implementation. Of these, 385 had mPAP ≤30 mm Hg and 642 had mPAP >30 mm Hg. Waitlist mortality was 18% in sarcoidosis group D and 14% in sarcoidosis group A. Kaplan-Meier curve showed lower waitlist survival probability for sarcoidosis group D than group A (log-rank P =.0049). Functional status, oxygen requirement, and sarcoidosis group D were associated with increased waitlist mortality. Cardiac output ≥4 L/min was associated with decreased waitlist mortality. Sarcoidosis group D had lower waitlist survival than group A. Decreased survival appears driven by mPAP; sarcoidosis group D, functional status, oxygen requirement, and cardiac output had significant associations with waitlist mortality. These findings suggest that the current LAS grouping does not adequately reflect the risk for waitlist mortality among sarcoidosis group D patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How far are people willing to go to reduce inequality and enact what they perceive as a fair distribution of income? We address this question in South Africa, one of the most unequal countries in the world, where questions of fairness and redistribution are part of everyday considerations. We carry out an experiment where a third-party stakeholder is paired with two "workers" and makes a series of redistributive decisions over their earnings. These redistributive decisions carry varying personal costs to the stakeholder, and the inequality in worker payout is also varied. Additionally, we randomly vary the source of inequality: luck or merit. We show that stakeholders' willingness to redistribute increases with initial pay inequality and decreases with personal cost to redistribute. The source of inequality also makes a difference, with higher redistribution in the luck treatment. The source matters less at higher levels of inequality, suggesting a degree of aversion to extreme disparities, even when payouts are seen as rightfully earned. On the other hand, the effect of stakeholders' personal cost does not interact with the source of inequality, indicating a robust self-interest motivation. The interplay of these effects can result in significantly different levels of post-redistribution inequality. We suggest that substantial redistribution might be acceptable to most as a tool for reducing high inequality - such as that observed in South Africa - especially when income allocation is deemed unfair. However, self-interest may be a significant limiting factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aims to obtain an optimal design of a multi-product solar grade silicon refinery under a systematic approach, considering different equity schemes and always seeking to maximize the profit of the facility. The proposed refinery is intensified to satisfy the demands with the use of minimum resources. Our motivation is to include a fairness approach in the design and optimization process which will help to diversify production at a lower cost and with a larger profit. Evaluation under equity approaches of intensified schemes is needed to identify how convenient it is to retain conventional schemes compared to intensified ones. Products of interest to be evaluated include solar grade silicon, tetraethoxysilane at various purities (98.5%, 99.0% and 99.5% mol), silane, dichlorosilane, and monochlorosilane. The optimal profit allocation among these products is analyzed by evaluating different equity schemes (Social Welfare, Rawlsian Welfare and Nash approaches). Results show different income allocations under the equity schemes. These allocations are compared to the optimal design without equity schemes. Results show that the Nash scheme can provide fair trade-offs between the products (such as TEOS, SiH 4 , SiH 2 Cl 2 and SiH 3 Cl) demanded by the market and the refinery's profit. • Fairness schemes in a multi-product solar grade silicon refinery were implemented. • Different fairness schemes for the intensified refinery were evaluated. • The intensification degree does not always improve the profit of the plant. • Depending on the fairness scheme, any product can meet the market demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of accounting for product carbon footprints, data quality is a key requirement. To mitigate the impacts of uncertainty, dynamism, and coupling in carbon data during product carbon footprint accounting, a method based on multi-level dynamic allocation of carbon data between organizations and products is proposed. First, considering the complex distribution and merging relationships between organizational carbon emissions and product carbon footprints, an AAC (Accounting Allocation Correlation) model between the two is constructed. Then, through EIS (Enterprise Information System), carbon data is obtained, and a multi-level dynamic allocation method for carbon data, as well as a Monte Carlo-based method for merging carbon data, is proposed for the dynamic accounting of product carbon footprints. Finally, using high-voltage switchgear as a case study, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are validated. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though the differential impacts of earned and unearned income have long been of interest to economists and policymakers, the study of this question is often conflated by other differences between the income streams. We conduct a field experiment in Malawi in which we examine the differential short-term effect of earned and unearned income on the allocation of expenditures and labor supply, holding all other factors constant. All participants receive an equal size cash payment and make the same time investment; half are required to work, and half are not. Our main finding is that the work requirement results in a reallocation of labor supply away from household work in the very short term. Conversely, there is no evidence that the allocation of expenditures across categories is affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• LCA allocation by stages masks the information on the stakeholders' responsibility. • GHG allocation to stakeholders ensures accountability. • Cooperative Game Theory is integrated into LCA to engage stakeholders in recycling. • Users bear half their initial baseline burden in the improved allocation accounting. • Nucleolus assigned most GHG benefits to producers; Shapley Value to manufacturers. Life Cycle Assessment is the primary approach to quantify the environmental impacts of plastics. However, it encounters challenges in allocating the impacts of respective stages to stakeholders, especially for systems involving multi-cycles and end-of-life stages. This study proposes a framework integrating Cooperative Game Theory to assess and allocate the greenhouse gas footprint among stakeholders. The applied concepts are the Shapley Value, Nucleolus and Core. The applicability is demonstrated by a case study of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with four recycling and landfill scenarios. The Shapley Value, which highlights fair allocation, suggests ∼ 792–1164 kg of unburdening CO 2 eq/t PET (∼ 47 % net recycling credits) assigned to material producers, 844.5–1216.5 kgCO 2 eq/t PET to product manufacturers, and the remaining ∼ 2–3 % to users. The Nucleolus stresses satisfactory results in 1531.5–2275.5 kgCO 2 eq/t PET to material producers, constituting ∼ 90 % of the total credits. The allocation does not change the total footprints; however, it is essential for the stakeholders' cooperation in environmental initiatives. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The “Comprehensive Allocation Process” (CAP) is a reproducible decision-making structure for the allocation of new collections funds, for the reallocation of funds within stagnant budgets, and for budget cuts in the face of reduced funding levels. This system was designed to overcome common shortcomings of current methods. Its philosophical foundations include the values of accountability, transparency, and efficiency. It features a conceptual framework, quantitative data, qualitative evidence, and data analysis and allocation techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Higher daily light integral advanced plant growth and ripening by promoting photosynthesis. • The increase in Rubisco content under higher daily light integral was the primary factor accelerating photosynthetic capacity. • Increased proportion of leaf nitrogen partition to the carboxy system under higher daily light integral contributed to higher photosynthetic capacity. • 24 h continuous lighting advanced plant growth and ripening possibly ascribed to longer duration of photosynthesis, but had no promotion on photosynthetic capacity. In controlled environment agriculture, optimization of lighting regimes, i.e. daily light integral (DLI, photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) x photoperiod duration), plays vital roles to maximize harvestable yield and reduce lighting costs. Regulating PPFD or photoperiod have been widely used for energy-efficient cultivation, while the mechanisms of multiple DLI contributing to photosynthesis capacity are poorly understood. Hence, the treatment of 16/8 h light/dark compared with 24 h continuous lighting (CL), at 200 and 300 μmol m −2 s −1 PPFD, with the DLI from 11.52 to 25.92 mol m −2 d −1, were conducted in flowering Chinese cabbage respectively. The results showed that higher DLI significantly promoted relative growth rate and dry matter accumulation, irrespective of the combination of PPFD and photoperiod, consequently facilitated faster harvest compared to the lower DLI of 11.52 mol m −2 d −1 treatment. Under higher DLI, the increase in Rubisco content was the primary factor accelerating photosynthetic capacity, followed by the increases in g m. Additionally, the enhancement of Rubisco was ascribed to the increased allocation of nitrogen to the carboxy system. Furthermore, the increase of g m under higher DLI was largely resulted from the increase in S m / S and S c / S caused by increased accumulation of soluble sugar and starch. Unexpectedly, at the same DLI of 17.28 mol m −2 d −1, extending photoperiod from 16 to 24 h d −1 had no influence on photosynthetic capacity, although 24 h 200 μmol m −2 s −1 treatment reduced the abaxial stomatal density and light-saturated stomatal conductance, and increased the thickness of cell walls and the contents of chlorophyll and Rubisco, compared with 16 h 300 μmol m −2 s −1 treatment. To summarize, plant growth and ripening were promoted as the DLI increased. And optimized nitrogen allocation accounted for the promotion of photosynthetic capacity. Increasing photoperiod at the same DLI had no promotion on photosynthetic capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A carbon emission accounting model considering energy-carbon coupling is constructed. • A framework for energy trading based on the Nash-Harsanyi bargaining game is built. • A profit allocation scheme considering the comprehensive contribution is proposed. • The proposed method generates economic gain of $ 1376.44 and 12.60 t carbon savings. Peer-to-peer energy trading among multi-energy microgrids is a promising pathway to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, combat climate change, and promote sustainable development. This study proposes a multi-energy trading strategy for multi-energy microgrids that considers carbon tax policies to boost the low-carbon management of multi-energy microgrid clusters. First, a carbon emission accounting model with energy-carbon coupling is constructed to clarify the carbon emission transfer generated by energy transactions among multiple agents and to achieve accurate accounting of carbon emissions from each multi-energy microgrid. Second, the Nash-Harsanyi bargaining game theory is used to establish an energy trading alliance for multi-energy microgrid clusters. A profit allocation mechanism is designed to reflect the marginal contribution of each player to the economic and environmental effectiveness of the alliance. Finally, different carbon emission accounting methods and profit allocation mechanisms are compared. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the carbon emissions accounting model and the proposed energy trading strategy. The low-carbon scheduling framework among the multi-energy microgrids generated an economic gain of $ 1376.44 and 12.60 t carbon savings. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allocating environmental impacts within life cycle assessment (LCA) is a recognised methodological problem. Different allocation methods have been developed to fulfil the various goals of LCA studies. At present, there is neither a consensus regarding the method to be used nor a one-fits-all method for dealing with recycling in LCA. The paper discusses some of the main allocation procedures practised in the pulp and paper industry, namely those covered by ISO/TS 14067:2018, GHG Protocol/PAS 2050, and the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF). All in all, the allocation method described in the ISO/TS 14067:2018 standard was considered the most appropriate to account for open-loop recycling of paper products. However, the method neither considers the number of subsequent uses of recycled fibres, nor the recycled fibre age. Yet, both of them are considered especially important in the open-loop recycling of paper products. In order to account for these aspects, the present study proposes an advanced, step-wise approach to handle allocation in LCAs accounting for the open-loop recycling of paper products. The advanced approach is based on the fibre mass flow model used to calculate the mean fibre age and the mean number of uses of paper products within the European context. The approach was validated with the data from the pulp and paper industry, particularly examining the newsprint paper grade with different contents of recycled fibre and fibre age. The paper, however, introduces all the parameters required to perform allocation based on the proposed method for other paper grades. The categpory of global warming potential was considered in the study as an illustrative example. yet the method could be applied to other impact assessment categories. The results calculated using the proposed allocation approach were compared to those obtained with the allocation methods described in the GHG Protocol/PAS 2050 and the PEF. The proposed allocation method can be used to guide further development of available standards and the product category rules, which will contribute to increased harmonisation and consistency of LCA studies in the pulp and paper sector, as well as to the enhanced practical implementation of LCA in industry. • A science based method for open loop recycling in life cycle assessment. • European fiber flow model used for calculation of fiber age and mean number of uses. • For product environmental footprint calculations of paper and board products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have extensively examined the role of high-speed railways in economic growth from the view of economic geography but have largely overlooked their contribution as technological progress to wages and private savings. This study aims to fill this gap by analysing the association between high-speed rail, wages and private deposits in 284 Chinese prefectural-level cities from 2003 to 2018. Utilizing a difference-in-difference method and conducting robustness tests, we examine three potential mechanism channels in this association. Our findings reveal that the introduction of high-speed rail new stations has significantly boosted wage levels through employment effects and financial development effects. However, the opening of the new stations has led to a decrease in private savings. This can be attributed to the marginal absorption of increased wages by higher consumption levels facilitated by high-speed rail development. Additionally, high-speed rail development stimulates private capital investments growth in financial markets. In essence, the technological progress represented by high-speed rail alters residents' traditional investment behavior. Our finding suggests strong heterogeneity across regions and significant siphon effects across cities. This paper offers insights into the balanced development of wages and private deposits in China, highlighting the implications of high-speed rail for economic dynamics in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study an optimal consumption and asset allocation problem accounting for the fact that individuals' utility differs across various health states. Our study is based on the assumption that an individual's health status evolves through a semi-Markov process, where the transition probabilities are contingent on both the present state and the duration spent in that state. The optimal form of stock investment and of consumption is determined analytically. The optimal consumption level is significantly shaped by the integration of health-related factors and can be represented as the inverse of the marginal utility function with respect to time and state price density. Additionally, we introduce a Lagrangian multiplier that can be derived by solving a fixed point problem. While our optimal solutions are applicable to a wide range of utility functions, we provide numerical illustrations specifically using the power utility function in a model encompassing three distinct health states. Transition probabilities are estimated from real data collected by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC), using a high-order polynomial Perks formula. We find that the investor's consumption is higher when health is good, but lower when care is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferry transportation plays an essential role in transportation services between a mainland and its offshore islands, as well as among those islands. However, low volume routes frequently operate at a loss because they are socially necessary but not profitable. Thus, a government may provide financial support to such ferry routes. Since budgetary resources for offshore ferry routes are limited, this paper offers a performance-based method constructed through data envelopment analysis to help governments allocate subsidies to individual offshore ferry routes. The proposed method considers the concepts of cross-efficiency and structural efficiency, simultaneously. The allocation results for a current ferry subsidy allocation policy and the proposed method are compared. The results may provide valuable suggestions for allocation policies for subsidies to ferry firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the order allocation of logistics service supply chain (LSSC) that consists of one logistics service integrator (LSI) and two competing functional logistics service providers (FLSPs) who participate the allocation successively. FLSPs have different fairness concerns. It is found that the optimal utility of LSI increase with the latter FLSP’s peer-induced fairness concern, and decrease with the incumbent FLSP’s distributional fairness concern. Because LSI expects FLSPs with more of peer-induced fairness concern and less of distributional fairness concern, an incentive contract is proposed which could improve LSI’s utility when the parameters meet certain conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates risk preference measures by contrasting subjective or self-assessed risk with objective risk, as implicated by bank customers’ actual portfolio allocation. Using a detailed data set of 7,234 bank customers, we find that subjective risk measures can explain and predict objective risk, but that the relationship is relatively weak. Subjective measures that uses survey questions about the customers’ trade-off between risk and return is a better measure than the hypothetical lottery for explaining objective risk. Both measures are relatively weak at predicting objective risk, but perform better than using a naïve model. We also find that multiple-item variables are somewhat better than single-item variables for explaining objective risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce the single allocation p -hub median location and routing problem with simultaneous pick-up and delivery based on observations from real life hub networks. The aim of our problem is to minimize the cost of transferring the flow between hubs and routing the flow in the network. We propose several mixed integer programming formulations and two heuristic approaches based on multi start simulated annealing and ant colony system to solve these problems. Extensive results demonstrate that using our methods good solutions can be found despite the computationally challenging nature of the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce two symmetrized versions of the popular divide-and-choose mechanism for the allocation of a collectively owned indivisible good between two agents when monetary compensation is available. Our proposals retain the simplicity of divide-and-choose and correct its ex-post asymmetry. When there is complete information, i.e., agents know each other well, both mechanisms implement in subgame perfect equilibria a unique allocation that would be obtained by a balanced market. The results hold for general continuous preferences that may not be quasi-linear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selecting a set that contains the best simulated systems is an important area of research. When the number of alternative systems is large, then it becomes impossible to simulate all alternatives, so one needs to relax the problem in order to find a good enough simulated system rather than simulating each alternative. One way for solving this problem is to use two-stage sequential procedure. In the first stage the ordinal optimization is used to select a subset that overlaps with the actual best systems with high probability. Then in the second stage an optimization procedure can be applied on the smaller set to select the best alternatives in it. In this paper, we consider the optimal computing budget allocation ( OCBA ) in the second stage that distribute available computational budget on the alternative systems in order to get a correct selection with high probability. We also discuss the effect of the simulation parameters on the performance of the procedure by implementing the procedure on three different examples. The numerical results indeed indicate that the choice of these parameters affect its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing workload and complexity of tasks submitted by cloud consumers, how to complete these tasks effectively and rapidly with limited cloud resources is becoming more challenging. However, most of existing mechanisms focus on auction-based allocation of cloud resources rather than on the approaches to performing tasks by the allocated cloud resources. In order to solve this problem, this paper first divides the complicated task into multiple sub-tasks, and then presents the problem of sub-tasks scheduling in a formalized manner. Next, a practical task scheduling scheme that includes task scheduling mechanism, winner coalition formation mechanism and payment sharing mechanism is proposed. In addition, this paper gives some useful theorems which can suggest that the proposed scheme possesses task execution efficiency and computational traceability with the time complexity of | N ∥ T | 2 l o g | T | + | N | 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystems play a very important role in the sustainable development of remanufacturing. Research has often focused on the sustainability of remanufacturing systems from the aspect of general technological activities, for which there is a lack of an in-depth consideration of ecological services. This may lead to an imbalanced development of ecosystems. This paper proposes a full lifecycle-based sustainability evaluation model for remanufacturing ecosystem services (ESs) from the novel perspective of technology-ecology synergy. Firstly, by analyzing the coupling effect of technical activities and ecological services, a technology-ecology synergy in a lifecycle assessment (TES-LCA) computing model is established to quantify the sustainability of remanufacturing ESs. Secondly, the supply and allocation of ESs considering multiple users are proposed and addressed. Thirdly, regional differences in ESs are investigated. The sustainability of ESs is then analyzed and calculated on a multi-spatial scale. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed model is verified by performing a case analysis of the remanufacturing of a spindle of a machine tool that is to be adopted in two regions. The case study results showed that the air quality control service in both two regions is unsustainable; however, the water supply service is sustainable. The proposed model can provide data support for governmental policy makers and businesses to formulate relevant policies to maintain a balanced development of ecosystems. [Display omitted] • Assess the remanufacturing sustainability from the technology-ecology synergy view. • The multi-user allocation accounting strategy of ecosystem services is established. • The regional difference in ecological services is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BME combined with PMF are proposed for spatial quantitatively source apportionment. • 1/5 of soils show different pollution degrees and Cd, Cu, As are the main pollutants. • Cd and As are the main elements causing ecological and health risks, respectively. • Industry like electroplating is the main source for As in northwest and northeast. • Agricultural activities are the main source for Cd in northwestern and north-central. Soil pollution by toxic metals has become an important environmental problem over the last several decades. Because of environmental factor variation, specific spatial patterns of pollution and sources exist. However, commonly used methods rarely take natural spatial heterogeneity into account. Positive matrix factorization and Bayesian maximum entropy models combined with specific environmental factors were proposed for quantitative source apportionment to account for spatial heterogeneity. The proposed method was implemented in a region located in southeastern China using dense samples (3627 total samples containing Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ni data). The results showed that more than one-fifth of soils in the northwest, north-central and southeast of the study region exhibited different degrees of integrated pollution. Cd, Cu and As were the main pollutants, with proportions that exceeded the national standards of 26%, 10% and 7%, respectively. In addition, Cd was the primary element responsible for ecological risk, and As was the greatest hazard to human health. Five main pollution sources were extracted: 72.11% of the toxic metal pollution could be ascribed to anthropogenic sources, and natural sources explained the remaining 27.89%. Traffic emissions (24.31%) consistent with the major road distribution were the main source of Pb and Zn, and atmospheric deposition during the coal combustion (18.04%) distributed across the study area, except for the southeastern mountain areas, was the main source of Hg. Agricultural activities (16.81%) distributed mainly in the north-central regions contributed the most to Cd and Cu, and industrial activities (12.95%) clustered in the northwestern areas contributed the most to As. In addition, natural sources were closely linked to Ni and Cr in the southeastern mountain areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classification is the most used supervized machine learning method. As each of the many existing classification algorithms can perform poorly on some data, different attempts have arisen to improve the original algorithms by combining them. Some of the best know results are produced by ensemble methods, like bagging or boosting. We developed a new ensemble method called allocation. Allocation method uses the allocator, an algorithm that separates the data instances based on anomaly detection and allocates them to one of the micro classifiers, built with the existing classification algorithms on a subset of training data. The outputs of micro classifiers are then fused together into one final classification. Our goal was to improve the results of original classifiers with this new allocation method and to compare the classification results with existing ensemble methods. The allocation method was tested on 30 benchmark datasets and was used with six well known basic classification algorithms (J48, NaiveBayes, IBk, SMO, OneR and NBTree). The obtained results were compared to those of the basic classifiers as well as other ensemble methods (bagging, MultiBoost and AdaBoost). Results show that our allocation method is superior to basic classifiers and also to tested ensembles in classification accuracy and f -score. The conducted statistical analysis, when all of the used classification algorithms are considered, confirmed that our allocation method performs significantly better both in classification accuracy and f -score. Although the differences are not significant for each of the used basic classifier alone, the allocation method achieved the biggest improvements on all six basic classification algorithms. In this manner, allocation method proved to be a competitive ensemble method for classification that can be used with various classification algorithms and can possibly outperform other ensembles on different types of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to propose multi-attribute double auctions for perishable supply chain trading (PSCT). We first construct a multi-unit/single-unit multi-attribute double auction (MS-MDA) for PSCT where suppliers can submit bids on a single unit of one item (i.e., single output restriction ). We then relax the single output restriction and propose a multi-unit multi-attribute double auction (M-MDA) for PSCT in which each supplier offers multiple units of one item. Both the MS-MDA and M-MDA mechanisms are incentive compatible, individually rational, budget balanced and computationally efficient. The computational study shows that all proposed mechanisms are of high allocation efficiency and practically implementable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove that in the stable allocations problem for a fixed vertex v there can be done a partition of the edges incident with v such that in any stable allocation there is at most one edge incident with v from each class. This is an improvement of the coloring theorem for stable b -matchings given in Fleiner (2003). We also extend our result to stable flows and allocations with choice functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce Dynamic Entropy Pooling, a quantitative technique to perform dynamic portfolio construction with discretionary, non-synchronous views. With Dynamic Entropy Pooling, the portfolio manager can embed in the allocation process subjective views with life spans ranging from minutes to years, calendar views, autocorrelation stress-testing, and the traditional views on expectations, correlations and volatilities. After introducing the theoretical framework for Dynamic Entropy Pooling, we show how to solve the respective portfolio construction problem by means of dynamic programming with time-dependent coefficients. To understand the optimal exposures ensuing from Dynamic Entropy Pooling we analyze a variety of relevant sub-cases and we present some case-studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has often asserted that its programs encourage aid by signaling policy credibility, commonly referred to as aid catalysis. Our study investigates this claim for sector-specific aid and for bilateral and multilateral donors using data on 136 recipient countries for the 1986–2009 period. We employ a two-part quantitative model to match the donor decision-making process, consisting of a first-stage recipient selection equation and a second-stage allocation equation on selected recipients. We find strong support that IMF programs catalyze aid on aggregate, but the evidence varies across different types of aid. Aid catalysis is stronger and more robust in sectors linked to the IMF’s core competency areas, namely debt-related relief and general budget support, but weaker and less robust for infrastructure, production, multisector, and humanitarian aid, and non-existent for health and education. Across donors, IMF programs are associated with increases in aid by countries with larger voting shares in the IMF, such as the United States and Japan, but less so by countries with few votes or for multilateral agencies. This finding is consistent with research in international political economy arguing that the IMF’s powerful stakeholders drive the organization’s decisions and policies. Taken together, our findings emphasize the IMF’s multi-dimensional impact on the global development agenda—an erstwhile overlooked factor in studies of aid allocation—while refuting the purported positive effects of IMF programs on aid for social policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) is developing towards miniaturization, lightweight and intelligence. Path tracking and energy-saving control strategies are of great significance. In this study, a hierarchical control strategy is proposed to realize the path tracking control of six-wheel independent drive UGV (6WID UGV) based on differential steering, where actuator fault and energy-saving are considered. Firstly, a model free adaptive sliding mode control (MFASMC) method is utilized in the upper controller to estimate the required yaw moment. Then, in the lower controller, the seeker optimization algorithm (SOA) is utilized to achieve the torque distribution, realize the required yaw moment and longitudinal force, and reduce the energy consumption in the process of path tracking. The fault-tolerant control is considered in the torque distribution strategy to ensure the stability of 6WID UGV in case of motor execution fault. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed scheme is verified by simulation under various operating conditions. The results show that the proposed method has better control performance, and the characteristics of energy-saving are optimized while ensuring the vehicle stability. • Path tracking of 6WID UGV in differential steering mode is studied. • A model free adaptive sliding mode control method is proposed to track the desired heading. • Energy optimization and the fault-tolerant control are taken account in the allocation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an interval fuzzy chance-constrained land-use allocation (IFCC-LUA) model is developed for sustainable urban land-use planning management and land use policy analysis under uncertainty. This method is based on an integration of interval parameter programming (IPP), fuzzy flexible linear programming (FFLP) and chance-constrained programming (CCP) techniques. Complexities in land-use planning management system can be systematically reflected, thus applicability of the modeling process can be highly enhanced. The developed method is applied to planning land-use allocation practice in Nanjing city, China. The objective of the IFCC-LUA is maximizing net benefit from LUA system and the main constraints include investment constraints, land suitability constraints, water/power consumption constraints and wastewater/solid waste capacity constraints. Modeling results indicate that desired system benefit will be between [1.34, 1.74] × 10 12 yuan under the minimum violating probabilities; the optimized areas of commercial land, industrial land, agricultural land, transportation land, residential land, water land, green land, landfill land and unused land will be [290, 393] hm 2 , [176, 238] hm 2 , [3245, 4390] hm 2 , [126, 170] hm 2 , [49, 66] hm 2 , [1241, 1679] hm 2 , [102, 138] hm 2 , [7, 10] hm 2 and [178, 241] hm 2 . They can be used for generating decision alternatives and thus help decision makers identify desired land use policies under various system-reliability constraints of economic development requirement and environmental capacity of pollutant. Tradeoffs between system benefits and constraint violation risks can also be tackled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between interdisciplinarity in knowledge integration (interdisciplinarity) for research and the extent to which the research serves as a unique knowledge input for technology development. To understand the role of the funding allocation therein, we additionally examine how research funding allocation shapes this relationship. To this end, we develop a simple bibliometric method to measure the uniqueness of research impact on technology development by using paper-patent citation network information. Our analysis of the metadata of over 0.7 million journal papers published in 2010 shows that the interdisciplinarity of research is positively associated with uniqueness in its contribution to technology development only when the research has funding support. We also find that interdisciplinarity in knowledge integration is positively associated with the non-unique impact of research on technology development regardless of funding support. Our findings suggest that interdisciplinary research may serve as a unique knowledge source for technology development, while the funding allocation process functions as an institutional instrument for selectively supporting interdisciplinary research that could have a unique technology impact. We discuss implications for science policymakers, research evaluators, and technology firms. • This study examines the technology impact of interdisciplinary research (IDR). • The greater the interdisciplinarity, the greater the unique technology impact of the research. • The relationship is particular for IDR with funding supports. • IDR may serve as a unique knowledge source for technology development. • Funding agencies may selectively support IDR that could have a unique technology impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Health states can be valued by those who currently experience a health state (experienced health states [EHS]) or by the general public, who value a set of given health states (GHS) described to them. There has been debate over which method is more appropriate when making resource allocation decisions. Objective: This article informs this debate by assessing whether differences between these methods have an effect on the mean EQ-5D-3L tariff scores of different patient groups. Methods: The European tariff based on GHS valuations was compared with a German EHS tariff. Comparison was made in the context of EQ-5D-3L health states describing a number of diagnosed chronic diseases (stroke, diabetes, myocardial infarction, and cancer) taken from the Cooperative Health Research in the Augsburg Region population surveys. Comparison was made of both the difference in weighting of the dimensions of the EQ-5D-3L and differences in mean tariff scores for patient groups. Results: Weighting of the dimensions of the EQ-5D-3L were found to be systematically different. The EHS tariff gave significantly lower mean scores for most, but not all, patient groups despite tariff scores being lower for 213 of 243 EQ-5D-3L health states using the GHS tariff. Differences were found to vary between groups, with the largest change in difference being 5.45 in the multiple stoke group. Conclusions: The two tariffs have systematic differences that in certain patient groups could drive the results of an economic evaluation. Therefore, the choice as to which is used may be critical when making resource allocation decisions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Simulation can be a very powerful tool to help decision making in many applications but exploring multiple courses of actions can be time consuming. Numerous ranking and selection (R&S) procedures have been developed to enhance the simulation efficiency of finding the best design. To further improve efficiency, one approach is to incorporate information from across the domain into a regression equation. However, the use of a regression metamodel also inherits some typical assumptions from most regression approaches, such as the assumption of an underlying quadratic function and the simulation noise is homogeneous across the domain of interest. To extend the limitation while retaining the efficiency benefit, we propose to partition the domain of interest such that in each partition the mean of the underlying function is approximately quadratic. Our new method provides approximately optimal rules for between and within partitions that determine the number of samples allocated to each design location. The goal is to maximize the probability of correctly selecting the best design. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our new approach can dramatically enhance efficiency over existing efficient R&S methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is in fact more than just being an instrument for measuring the relative efficiencies of a group of decision making units (DMU). DEA models are also means of expressing appreciative democratic voices of DMUs. This paper proposes a methodology for allocating premium points to a group of professors using three models sequentially: (1) a DEA model for appreciative academic self-evaluation, (2) a DEA model for appreciative academic cross-evaluation, and (3) a Non-DEA model for academic rating of professors for the purpose of premium allocations. The premium results, called DEA results, are then compared with the premium points “nurtured” by the Dean, called N bonus points. After comparing DEA results and N bonus points, the Dean reassessed his initial bonus points and provided new ones – called DEA-N decisions. The experience indicates that judgmental decisions (Dean's evaluations) can be enhanced by making use of formal models (DEA and Non-DEA models). Moreover, the appreciative and democratic voices of professors are virtually embedded in the DEA models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] We test the impact of unequal education opportunities on redistribution. [•] The experiment controls for selection effects, incentives and efficiency concerns. [•] Redistributive preferences resemble those of purely randomized allocations. [•] People with unequal access to education disagree more about distributive fairness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Controlling for country-level governance, we investigate how firms'' corporate governance influences financing constraints. Using firm-level corporate governance rankings across 14 emerging markets, we find that better corporate governance lowers the dependence of emerging market firms on internally generated cash flows, and reduces financing constraints that would otherwise distort efficient allocation of investment and destroy firm value. Additionally and more importantly, firm-level corporate governance matters more significantly in countries with weaker country-level governance. This suggests substitutability between firm-specific and country-level governance in determining a firm''s investment sensitivity to internal cash flows. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The control algorithm hierarchy of motion control for over-actuated mechanical systems with a redundant set of effectors and actuators commonly includes three levels. First, a high-level motion control algorithm commands a vector of virtual control efforts (i.e. forces and moments) in order to meet the overall motion control objectives. Second, a control allocation algorithm coordinates the different effectors such that they together produce the desired virtual control efforts, if possible. Third, low-level control algorithms may be used to control each individual effector via its actuators. Control allocation offers the advantage of a modular design where the high-level motion control algorithm can be designed without detailed knowledge about the effectors and actuators. Important issues such as input saturation and rate constraints, actuator and effector fault tolerance, and meeting secondary objectives such as power efficiency and tear-and-wear minimization are handled within the control allocation algorithm. The objective of the present paper is to survey control allocation algorithms, motivated by the rapidly growing range of applications that have expanded from the aerospace and maritime industries, where control allocation has its roots, to automotive, mechatronics, and other industries. The survey classifies the different algorithms according to two main classes based on the use of linear or nonlinear models, respectively. The presence of physical constraints (e.g input saturation and rate constraints), operational constraints and secondary objectives makes optimization-based design a powerful approach. The simplest formulations allow explicit solutions to be computed using numerical linear algebra in combination with some logic and engineering solutions, while the more challenging formulations with nonlinear models or complex constraints and objectives call for iterative numerical optimization procedures. Experiences using the different methods in aerospace, maritime, automotive and other application areas are discussed. The paper ends with some perspectives on new applications and theoretical challenges. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In view of the characteristics of the multi-product-and-small-batch production, the problems in the aspects of production planning, dynamic production scheduling, manufacturing resource constraints, production execution management, etc. after discussing in a manufacturing enterprise, and based on a deeply analysis of production planning, production scheduling and multi-resource(such as materials, fixture, equipment, personnel, and so on) allocation the production management process, this paper puts forward production-management-operation model, data model and multi-resource scheduling mechanism, and adopting J2EE multilayer architecture and component development technology to provide functions of production-task management, production planning, dynamic production scheduling, manufacturing resource balance & allocation and adjustment tracking, and so on. This system has integrated parts of the function of ERP & MES and the interface for PCS vertically, and at the same time provides the interface for CAPP & PDM horizontally, which has realized hierarchical management and collaboration in the production process, and has a very good expansibility in the actual production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A two-layer game interaction framework is constructed. • The upper layer is a Stackelberg game, and the lower layer is a cooperative game. • A two-layer decision optimization model is constructed. • The Stackelberg game is based on maximum net income as the objective function. • The income allocation model is constructed in the lower layer. Due to the reform and liberalization of the multi-energy market and the increasing complexity of the internal main body coupling of the park integrated energy system, the effective use of the external multi-energy market and the flexible participation of internal multiple subjects to compensate for the shortage of supply in the park integrated energy system has practical research significance. Therefore, in this paper, a two-layer game model was constructed to optimize the park integrated energy system internally and externally. Firstly, an upper-level Stackelberg game model of the superior energy network and park system was constructed to carry out external optimization of the park integrated energy system. Second, a cooperative game model was constructed for the park users, the gas supply system, and the park integrated energy system to undertake internal optimization of the park integrated energy system. In addition, a multi-agent cooperative game benefit distribution model was constructed based on the Shapley value method, the Banzhaf value method, the solidarity value method, and the improved risk factor. Finally, multiple scenarios were established and the solution was optimized using a two-stage solution algorithm. The results show that cooperation between users, the gas supply system, and the park integrated energy system of the lower-level park can improve the internal supply and demand matching of the park integrated energy system, and enhance its competitiveness in the upper Stackelberg game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing the allocation of science and technology resources is the key link to promote the efficient development of marine industry. This paper incorporates science and technology, economy and ecology into the accounting system for the allocation of marine science and technology resources, constructs the EBM model that considers the undesired output, and uses the GML index to reveal the spatiotemporal dynamic evolution of the allocation efficiency of green science and technology resources in China's marine industry. The results indicate that: (1) Under the constraints of resources and environment, the allocation of science and technology resources in China's marine industry is at the non-frontier level. (2) The allocation efficiency of green marine science and technology resources shows an "M-shaped" dynamic trend, and this trend of change is closely related to the marine science and technology policy. The improvement of the allocation efficiency of green marine science and technology resources mainly comes from technological progress rather than the improvement of technical efficiency. (3) There are obvious differences in the allocation efficiency of green marine science and technology resources among coastal regions. Among them, Liaoning, Shanghai, Guangdong and Guangxi are in the high efficiency range (>1), Tianjin, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian are in the medium efficiency range (0.9–1), while Hainan and Hebei are in the low efficiency range (<0.9). Finally, this paper puts forward the corresponding policy recommendations for sustainable development of science and technology in China's marine industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We use the concept of total travel time of the upcoming trip. • Travel time is generally negatively correlated with EV driver utility. • Our approach builds on an optimization model that maximizes total utility of EV drivers. • It generates travel-time savings and avoids unnecessary external charging stops. • Finally, overall EV driver utility may increase. Growing electric vehicle (EV) dissemination will increase charging infrastructure installation at home. Similar daily routines are associated with high peak loads due to simultaneous EV charging. However, predominantly residential power transmission is not designed for such high loads, yielding charging bottlenecks and restricting future charging at home. Addressing such bottleneck situations and including the EV driver perspective, we introduce a power allocation mechanism that considers the total travel time of the upcoming trip, consisting of actual driving time and time required for charging externally (including the detour to public charging facilities). Assuming that travel time generally negatively correlates with EV driver utility, our optimization model maximizes the resulting utility of EV drivers. Avoiding unnecessary external charging stops due to an insufficient state of charge at the time of departure, our approach generates travel time savings that increase overall EV driver utility. We illustrate our approach using exemplary cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood cascade systems composed of products with long service lives can contribute to carbon storage, resource efficiency and circular economy. The environmental assessment of such multi-output systems is however challenging due to (i) multiple products and recycling steps, and (ii) the distribution of emissions, particularly of biogenic CO 2 , over long time spans. In Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the former is usually dealt through end-of-life (EoL) allocation methods, while the latter is assessed via biogenic carbon accounting (BCA) methods. This article aims to assess how different BCA and EoL allocation methods may influence the LCA results of wood cascade systems, particularly their biogenic carbon footprint (BCF), both at supply chain and product levels. Six BCA methods and five EoL allocation methods were analysed, combined and applied to a wood cascade system delivering multiple products: (1) flooring, (4) particleboard (PB) and (5) electricity (reference flow: 1 m3 wood). At supply chain level (prior to the application of EoL allocation methods), distinct BCFs were obtained ranging from −211 to +52 kgCO 2 eq/m3 of wood (as input). At product level, when applying the different EoL allocation methods, the variability further increased. For instance, the BCF of PB ranged from −5.61 to +0.04 kgCO 2 eq/kgPB; while the BCF of electricity ranged from −0.50 to +0.39 kgCO 2 eq/kWh (considering results within the 25–75 percentiles). Other factors influencing the results were the assumptions regarding the timing of forest growth, the stage in the cascade chain, the recycling content and the EoL scenario. A proper understanding of the influence of the BCA and EoL allocation methods and their assumptions on the BCF of wood cascading products is key, especially for countries/regions promoting a circular economy. • Biogenic carbon accounting and EoL allocation methods compared in wood cascade LCA. • Results are presented at supply chain and product level, with numerous scenarios. • Methods largely influence results ranging from climate benefits to climate burdens. • Understanding the method's influence on LCA results is key to support policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AAS dehesas ´ environmental asset is 84 % of total opening capital. • AAS farmer dehesas ´ share the 61 % of total environmental asset. • AAS dehesas ´ ecosystem services are 45 % of final product consumption. • rSNA' ecosystem services are 41 % of AAS'. This research develops the novel concept of an economic ecosystem service sustainability index from the perspective of total income theory, and presents its empirical application at the spatial unit scale of the agroforestry farm. This paper compares the results accrued from applying the refined standard System of National Accounts (rSNA) and the authors' Agroforestry Accounting System (AAS). The AAS extends the rSNA to capture economic activities without manufactured production costs and substitutes the production cost valuations for exchange values revealed/stated by consumer willingness to pay for consumption of final products without market prices, the aim being to provide more comprehensive figures for total and environmental incomes of the agroforestry farms. Both accounting frameworks are applied to a case study of sixteen large, non-industrial, privately-owned holm oak dehesas (agroforestry farms) in Andalusia-Spain. This dehesa application provides estimates for the economic ecosystem service, total income factorial allocation, total capital and economic ecosystem service sustainability index for the aggregate and individual economic activities of the dehesa , distributed between accounts for the farmer and government institutional sector economic activities. The AAS explicit measurements of the hidden rSNA ecosystem services and environmental incomes of the dehesa allow us to further our scientific understanding of the current and future contributions of environmental income from nature to the total income of society as well as to provide information to the policy makers so that action can be taken to mitigate the depletion and degradation of environmental assets. This dehesa application reveals that environmental income measured by the AAS accounts for 67 % of total income in 2010. The dehesa AAS and rSNA ecosystem services share 34 % and 26 % of total product consumptions, respectively. Coupled with the AAS economic ecosystem service sustainability index of 0.5 and the rSNA economic ecosystem service sustainability index of 0.2, these figures indicate total product over-consumption in 2010. The dehesa case study shows that the AAS ecosystem services and environmental incomes are 2.5 and 8.4 times higher than those of the rSNA, respectively. Once the theoretic robustness of non-market product consumption simulated transaction value is accepted, as in the AAS methodology, the expected official economic ecosystem accounting framework will mainly depend on its ongoing standardization by the United Nations Statistical Division and implementation by individual governments. Thus, the challenge of standardizing and implementing such a framework is more closely linked to governmental policy measures than to the current scientific weakness of non-market product consumption valuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine tool feed drives are often subject to variable-frequency disturbance (cutting) forces due to varying spindle speeds or cutting tools. A proxy-based control allocation method has been proposed for energy optimal control of over-actuated systems (i.e., systems with more actuators than the number of outputs to be controlled). It has been applied to an over-actuated hybrid feed drive, consisting of a linear motor drive coupled to a screw drive, and its effectiveness has been demonstrated under fixed-frequency disturbance forces. This paper discusses the fundamental limit of the fixed-frequency approach and extends the proxy-based control allocation method to account for variable-frequency disturbance forces via a linear parameter-varying formulation. The controller gains are optimized using linear matrix inequality and scheduled as a function of disturbance frequency. Significant improvements in energy efficiency are demonstrated in simulations and experiments using the proposed gain-scheduling approach compared to the existing fixed-frequency approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacteria can cause ecological, economic and human health problems, climate change trends giving them advantage over other phytoplanktonic groups. Management strategies exist to deal with the nuisance, but many are not effective due to the likelihood of cell lysis and toxin release. This study explores the suitability of the use of the invasive and widespread bivalve Corbicula fluminea for cyanobacterial control. The capacity of clams to filter and ingest cyanobacteria was evaluated using a set of bloom-forming strains comprising different morphological features potentially affecting edibility and palatability. Results generally showed limited filtration of the majority of cyanobacteria, compared with green microalgae used as the reference for optimal filtration (ca. 60 μg Chl a removed in 120 min), except for Pseudanabaena (ca. 90 μg Chl a removed) and Anabaena (ca. 120 μg Chl a removed). The specific attention given to the binomial filtration-ingestion exposed that filtration often directly relates to the deposit of cyanobacteria as pseudofaeces rather than reflects assimilation through effective ingestion. Allocation to pseudofaeces accounted for more than 50% of the Chl a removed from water for all cyanobacteria tested. Adding to effective filtration by the clam, the related accumulation of cyanobacterial biomass in pseudofaeces has the potential for further exploitation since it can be functionally paralleled with the use of synthetic flocculants for cyanobacterial (villain) removal in settings where a natural treatment alternative using an (bad) invasive bivalve could be suitable yet controlled to avoid side ecosystem effects. • The Asian clam Corbicula fluminea can assist the management of cyanobacterial blooms. • C. fluminea can efficiently remove different morphotypes of cyanobacteria from water. • Concentration into pseudofaeces is the most common strategy rather than ingestion. • Pseudofaeces deposit, thus clams resemble natural flocculants facilitating management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite advances in recent years in the surgical technique, immunosuppression and management of complications, infection continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in heart transplantation. Taking into account the allocation of resources by health systems, habits and socio-economic status of patients in Latin America, it is assumed that there is a higher risk of infection in these countries, but the actual effect of the infection on post-transplant survival, and if adapted prophylaxis schemes for opportunistic microorganisms correspond to the reality of the patients. The objective of this study was to determine the survival in the first year of the patients sometimes heart transplant, evaluate the clinical and microbiological characteristics of the infections according to 3 periods of post-transplant follow-up, and compare the mortality associated with the infection versus rejection in a heart transplant center in Colombia. Observational, analytical, retrospective study in a center of IV level in Medellín, Colombia. They included 133 cardiac transplanted patients between 2012 and 2016, the average age was 47.7 years (SD +/- 12 years), 86% were men and 64.7% the cause of the transplant was idiopathic heart disease. The average ischemia time was 218 min (SD 58.22 min). During the first year, 60 infections were considered (45.11%, 60/133), during the first month 21.05%, 29.9% of the month 2-6 and 14.73% in the month 7-12. The majority of infections were 45% viral, 33% bacterial and 6.3% fungal. During the first year after transplant, 18 patients died (13%), due to 9% infection and rejection (4.51%). In a transplant center in Colombia that does not perform universal prophylaxis for CMV, viruses are the first cause of post-transplant infection. The rate of invasive fungal infection is very low. Infections are the leading cause of post-transplant death, doubling the risk associated with rejection, they must establish effective measures for their control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a bit-allocation scheme for powerline orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) that minimizes total transmit energy subject to total-bit and delay constraints. Multiple delay requirements stem from different sets of data that a transmitter must time-multiplex and transmit to a receiver. The proposed bit allocation takes into account the channel power-to-noise density ratio of subchannels as well as statistic of narrowband interference and impulsive noise that is pervasive in powerline communication (PLC) channels. The proposed scheme is optimal with 1 or 2 sets of data, and is suboptimal with more than 2 sets of data. However, numerical examples show that the proposed scheme performs close to the optimum. Also, it is less computationally complex than the optimal scheme especially when minimizing total energy over large number of data sets. We also compare the proposed scheme with some existing schemes and find that our scheme requires less total transmit energy when the number of delay constraints is large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Harvest index is inconsistent across literature to describe genetic gain in reproductive allocation at maturity. • Allometric analysis was used to characterize genetic gain in reproductive allocation in R5 in seven soybean varieties. • Allometric analysis at the end of the seed set revealed an increase in relative allocation into pods. • Allocation to seed must have increased, but HI did not capture this necessary change in allocation. Seed yield is commonly expressed as the product of shoot biomass and harvest index (HI) at physiological maturity. However, HI is a size-dependent ratio unsuitable to describe shifts in reproductive partitioning in historical soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] studies where selection has enhanced shoot biomass. The aim of this work was to analyze allocation of biomass to reproductive organs in the onset of seed filling (R5) using allometric analysis in a set of historical soybean varieties. Seven varieties released between 1980 and 2013 were evaluated in field trials in Rossville (Kansas, United States) under two N fertilizer rates (0 and 670 kg N ha−1) in 2016 and 2017. Seed yield increased at a rate of 0.74 % yr−1 (p < 0.001); while the shoot biomass increased at a rate of 0.41 % yr−1 (p < 0.001), suggesting an increase in allocation to reproduction. However, the rate of increase in HI at maturity was not different from zero highlighting the inadequacy of this trait. Allometric exponents (slopes of the log-log relationships) relating pod and shoot biomass, pod and leaf, and pod and stem plant fractions increased linearly with the year of release (p < 0.05). Allometric analyses thus revealed genetic gains in reproductive allocation not detected by HI at maturity. The latter outcome highlights the contribution of improved reproductive partitioning to soybean yield gains, and the need for allometric analyses to account for size-dependence in allocation of shoot biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the effect of better accounting for feed-food competition in life cycle assessment (LCA) to derive mitigation strategies that contribute to efficiently feeding the growing world population. Economic allocation, commonly used in LCA, falls short in accounting for feed-food competition as it does not consider interlinkages in the food system. The authors hypothesise that an alternative "food-based" allocation better accounts for food-feed competition by assigning no environmental impact to feed products unfit for human consumption. To evaluate the impact of accounting for feed-food competition on LCA results, economic and food-based allocation were compared in an LCA of a novel egg production system that feeds only products unsuitable or undesired for human consumption. Using economic allocation, the global warming potential (GWP) of 1.30 kg CO 2 -eq, energy use (EU) of 10.49 MJ, land use (LU) of 2.90 m2, and land use ratio (LUR) of 1.56 per kg egg of the case study farm were all lower than that of free range or organic eggs. Avoiding feed-food competition on this farm reduced the environmental impact per kg egg by 56–65% for GWP, 46–54% for EU, 35–48% for LU and 88% for LUR, compared to free-range laying hens fed a conventional diet. Accounting for feed-food competition with food-based allocation further reduced impacts per kg egg by 44% for GWP to 0.57 kg CO 2 -eq, 38% for EU to 4.05 MJ, 90% for LU to 2.59 m2, and 83% for LUR to 1.29. This improved LCA better captures the complexity of the food system. • Feeding human inedible feed can halve the environmental impact per kg egg. • LCA underrates benefits of human inedible feed by overlooking feed-food competition. • Accounting for feed-food competition in LCA reduced impacts up to 90%. • With food-based allocation, LCA promotes resource efficient mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the urban economy and transportation, the taxi market has presented a series of problems regarding unreasonable resource allocation, demand–supply imbalance, and driver income imbalance. Since the distribution of high-quality customers (hereafter HQC) affects drivers' incomes and resource allocation in the taxi market, it is of great significance to study the HQC distribution to address these imbalance problems and understand the imbalance of the taxi market. In this paper, we calculate the profit margin of each order and construct a high-quality customer evaluation model from taxi GPS trajectory data. In analyzing the spatial–temporal distribution of HQC, our results indicate that HQC present a regional aggregation phenomenon in the spatial dimension, and HQC are mainly distributed in the main urban areas. The distribution of HQC is imbalanced in various administrative districts and functional zones. The daily change of orders in each administrative district is the same, but the temporal distribution of HQC is imbalanced. The temporal distribution of HQC in each functional zone is imbalanced, showing different daily change trend. According to these results, we suggest that the pricing of taxis and online ride-hailing services be coordinated based on the spatial–temporal distribution characteristics of HQC and that resources be rationally allocated to promote the sustainable and healthy development of urban transportation. • The HQC present a regional aggregation in the spatial dimension (mainly in main urban area). • The spatial distribution of HQC is imbalanced in various administrative districts and functional zones. • The temporal distribution of HQC is imbalanced in each administrative district. • The temporal distribution of HQC in each functional zone is imbalanced, showing different daily change trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]