Search Results (340)

Under high-speed frontal impact, occupants in zero-gravity seats restrained by a three-point seatbelt are at risk of head injury, lumbar spine injury, and submarining. To reduce occupant injury, this study systematically investigated the protective effects of active seatback repositioning strategies on occupants under 56 km/h frontal impact. First, the THUMS (Total Human Model for Safety)-based finite element assembly consisting of a regular seat model and a 3-point seat belt system was verified by comparing thoracic acceleration, head acceleration, lap belt force, and shoulder belt force with PMHS test data. On this basis, a zero-gravity seat model with an active seatback repositioning function was established. Using this model, the effects of seatback repositioning timing and seatback rotational speed on occupant kinematic responses and injury protection performance were investigated. The results showed that with the introduction of active seatback repositioning before the crash, occupant head and lumbar spine injuries, as well as submarining tendency, can be significantly reduced. Particularly, with respect to the repositioning time analysis, the seatback repositioning with 100 ms precrash setting provided the best protective performance and compared with the fixed-seatback condition, the occupant head injuries of HIC₁₅, BrIC, CSDM(0.25), injury probability of lumbar spine and pelvic forward excursion was reduced by 66.4%, 65%, 99.8%, 34.1%, and 48%, respectively. Furthermore, the influence of seatback repositioning speed on occupant injury protection was examined. The results indicated that an excessively high seatback rotational speed increased head and neck injury, thoracolumbar flexion, as well as risk of rib injury. Full article

This article examines the performance of negative-sequence overcurrent protection during short circuits in the presence of current asymmetry caused by single-phase loads, such as those encountered in AC railway traction systems. The impact of unbalanced loads on the generation of negative-sequence currents is analyzed using field test data and a mathematical model. Various operating modes of an electric power network under unbalanced loading conditions are simulated in MATLAB Simulink R2015a. It is shown that under significant load asymmetry, negative-sequence currents can reach magnitudes comparable to those of short-circuit currents, thereby increasing the risk of false protection operation. To address this issue, a modified negative-sequence overcurrent protection scheme is proposed that ensures both sensitivity and selectivity. The modification is based on analyzing the ratio of negative-sequence to positive-sequence current phasors and monitoring the rate of change of the negative-sequence current. A faulted phase selector is also incorporated into the protection scheme. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the modified protection in reliably identifying unsymmetrical short circuits under varying unbalanced load conditions, including remote faults with high fault resistance. Full article

The increasingly rapid process of de-dollarization in the context of growing geopolitical fragmentation has significantly altered the monetary dynamics of the global economy, thereby posing important questions about economic resilience and sustainable development in the emerging world. This research investigates de-dollarization-related macro-financial conditions and their association with economic resilience in the BRICS+ countries during the time span of 2000–2024, considering macroeconomic, financial, and environmental aspects. In the empirical analysis, economic resilience is operationalized through annual GDP growth, which is used as an indicator of the macroeconomic performance dimension of resilience. Due to the absence of a consistent direct de-dollarization index for all BRICS+ economies over 2000–2024, de-dollarization is captured through exchange-rate dynamics and related external monetary-financial indicators, including the official exchange rate, current account balance, total reserves, and trade openness. By employing annual panel data and the Cross-Sectionally Augmented Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) method to address cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity, the study identifies the structural changes linked to major global shocks and currency shifts. The results show that de-dollarization-related macro-financial conditions have differential long-run associations with resilience, depending on the macroeconomic stability and financial development of the countries. The findings indicate that exchange-rate dynamics and external financial conditions play an important role in shaping the macroeconomic resilience of BRICS+ economies. Environmental outcomes are found to be important determinants of long-run resilience, suggesting that sustainability-driven structural changes improve resilience during the process of global monetary shifts. The results indicate that resilience during global realignment goes beyond financial diversification and is linked to the sustainability frameworks. Full article

This study employed a different type of wavelet approach to investigate the dynamic interdependence among exchange rate volatility, stock indices, and energy commodity markets. Using daily data covering the period from 2005 to October 2025 on energy commodities, stock index, and foreign exchange rates of selected BRICS economies. We include both crude oil and Brent oil, along with natural gas, aiming to capture not only the time–frequency interconnectedness among these assets but also to gain deeper insights into cross-commodity correlations across various energy sectors, thereby clarifying whether economic shocks in these markets are localized or globalized. Assessing data volatility, it can be observed that exchange rates and stock indexes tend to be less volatile than oil markets. The coherence zone indicates that foreign currency significantly influences the interdependence between the Bovespa and Brent oil prices. While rising oil prices can generate inflationary pressures, for an oil-exporting nation like Brazil, the favorable impacts on exports and the trade balance often led to an appreciation of the Brazilian Real (BRL) against the US dollar. Full article

In the pursuit of sustainable development, it is crucial to examine whether technological innovation (TI) creates equitable economic distribution or widens income inequality (II). The study aims to investigate TI’s impact on II in BRICS-T and BRICS PLUS-T countries within the context of the technological Kuznets curve (TKC). Along with TI, financial development is a driving force for economic development, and the research explores FD’s influence on II. To analyze these relationships while accounting for globalization (G), the method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) is used. The study’s findings validate the U-shaped TKC, suggesting that TI, in the initial stage, reduces II. However, beyond a certain threshold, TI² significantly widens II in both country groups. We found that the impact of TI on II was more pronounced in BRICS-T countries than in BRICS-PLUS-T countries, and the inclusion of newly added countries did not significantly affect the U-shaped relationship. Additionally, by enhancing financial inclusion, FD had a substantial and negative effect on II. In contrast, G, which concentrates wealth, was associated with higher II in both groups. This study offers a significant contribution by introducing the TKC in the context of BRICS-T and BRICS PLUS-T countries. Furthermore, the research contributes to the literature by evaluating the influence of FD and G within the context of TKC and applying novel MMQR. The study highlights a pathway to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 7, and 10) and provides a policy framework for strategically allocating funds to technological advancements to reduce II. Full article

This study investigates the asymmetric and heterogeneous effects of renewable energy, non-renewable energy, capital stock, labour, and trade openness on CO₂ emissions in BRICS countries over the period 1991–2022. The study applies a panel nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (PNARDL) model to capture short- and long-run asymmetries, complemented by a panel quantile nonlinear ARDL (QNARDL) to assess distributional heterogeneity. Robustness is ensured using Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Robust Least Squares (RLS) estimators. The study is grounded in the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and Just Energy Transition Theory. The results reveal a stable long-run cointegrating relationship among the variables, with a significant error correction mechanism confirming convergence toward equilibrium. Renewable energy consumption consistently reduces CO₂ emissions in both the short and long run, while non-renewable energy significantly increases emissions, exhibiting strong asymmetric effects. Capital stock shows mixed dynamics, increasing emissions in the short run but reducing them in the long run when directed toward productive and efficient investments. Labour is found to reduce emissions in the long run, highlighting the role of human capital in supporting cleaner production. Trade openness generally increases emissions, reflecting energy-intensive trade structures. Quantile results confirm heterogeneity, with stronger renewable energy effects at higher emission levels and greater environmental gains from reducing fossil fuel dependence than from increasing it. The FMOLS and RLS estimations confirm robustness, reinforcing the negative relationship between renewable energy and emissions and the positive impact of non-renewable energy. The study recommends accelerated renewable energy deployment, fossil fuel phase-down strategies, and targeted green capital investment. It further emphasizes grid modernization and energy storage systems to enhance renewable integration, alongside labour reskilling and green trade policies. These coordinated strategies are essential for achieving sustainable decarbonization in BRICS economies. Full article

Achieving balanced development across economic, social, environmental, and agricultural domains remains a critical challenge for emerging economies. This study conducts a comparative assessment of sustainable development in the agro-industrial complex of China, Russia, and India over the period 2000–2023 within an extended SDG-based framework. The methodological approach combines a multi-dimensional indicator system (37 indicators) with the Entropy Weight Method to identify indicators with high temporal information contribution and the Equal Weighting Method to evaluate long-term performance, ensuring both sensitivity to structural changes and cross-country comparability. The results reveal differentiated development trajectories: China demonstrates steady and balanced growth across all dimensions; India shows consistent improvement driven by progress in social and infrastructure-related indicators; Russia exhibits a more volatile pattern with relatively strong social outcomes but persistent weaknesses in agricultural performance. The entropy-based analysis indicates that the indicators contributing most strongly to temporal differentiation vary significantly across countries, with infrastructure and energy transition prevailing in China, natural resource dynamics in Russia, and social and digital factors in India. These findings suggest that long-term development trajectories in the agro-industrial sector are associated with different configurations of resource interdependence, institutional capacity, and resource-use efficiency. Full article

The BRICS nations face significant challenges related to energy poverty, with millions lacking access to modern energy services. The energy transition, a shift to renewable energy sources, is a key strategy to address energy poverty and mitigate climate change. However, the impact of energy transition on energy poverty in BRICS nations is not well understood, and the existing literature suggests mixed effects. This study investigates the impact of energy transition on energy poverty in BRICS nations, exploring the relationships between energy transition, urbanization, economic growth, unemployment, and energy poverty. The study uses panel data from 2000 to 2023 for BRICS nations, employing panel least squares, panel dynamic ordinary least squares, panel fully modified least squares, and bootstrap quantile regression models to analyze the relationships between energy transition, urbanization, economic growth, unemployment, and energy access. The findings indicate that energy transition has a significant negative relationship with energy access, increasing energy poverty in BRICS nations. Urbanization and economic growth also increase energy poverty, while unemployment has a mixed impact. The results suggest that energy transition policies may be exacerbating energy poverty, highlighting the need for equitable energy policies. The study recommends that policymakers prioritize energy access and affordability, invest in energy infrastructure, and align economic growth policies with energy policies to reduce energy poverty. Energy transition policies should be designed to benefit the poor and marginalized, rather than exacerbating energy poverty. Additionally, policymakers should address governance and institutional frameworks to support energy transition and energy poverty reduction. Full article

Introduction: Pedestrians lying on the road—collapsed through medical emergency, intoxication, or displacement following a prior collision—represent a disproportionately lethal and underaddressed category in road traffic safety. Forensic database analyses derived from Japan’s national police records document a fatality rate of 33.0% for collisions involving pedestrians lying on the road, more than double the rate for upright pedestrian collisions. Standard Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) yield a True Positive Rate (TPR) of only 21.4% for detecting pedestrians lying on the road under night conditions—a classification gap of 73.3 percentage points. Methods: In simulation trials, we evaluated the Advanced Falling Object Detection System (AFODS—where “falling object” denotes the low-profile human form at road level, distinguishing the prone pedestrian from the upright postures addressed by conventional ADAS) on a composite dataset of 3200 annotated fall events and 12,000 negative samples (training/validation), with 320 independent controlled simulation trials used for performance evaluation, spanning real-world, forensic-reconstruction, and Total Human Body Model for Safety (THUMS)-validated synthetic scenarios. No physical prototype has been evaluated; all performance data are derived from simulation, and 37.5% of positive samples are synthetically generated. These simulation conditions represent a first feasibility demonstration pending real-world hardware validation. This paper introduces three original contributions absent from prior work: a three-stage quantitative injury-risk model, a formal ISO 26262 Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HARA), and a medicolegal SHAP interpretability framework. The injury-risk model translated detection latency via impact velocity to Head Injury Criterion (HIC) and estimated fatal injury probability (AIS ≥ 5); these model outputs should be interpreted as exploratory estimates pending ATD validation. Reporting follows principles consistent with the TRIPOD statement. Results: Under clear daytime conditions, AFODS demonstrated a TPR of 98.2% (95% CI: 97.4–98.8%) in simulation, decreasing to 95.6% under night dry-road conditions and 89.4% under night rain. The system achieved an AUC of 0.981 and a mean end-to-end latency of 46.5 ms, representing a 76.8 percentage-point improvement in simulation over the monocular RGB baseline (p < 0.001). The injury-risk model projects a reduction in estimated fatal head injury probability from 66.2% (Monte Carlo mean) (no detection, 50 km/h full-speed impact) to 0.7% under AFODS worst-case night/rain conditions, and to ≈0% under clear daytime simulation conditions. Conclusions: A 73.3 percentage-point classification gap places pedestrians lying on the road outside the effective detection envelope of current ADAS, compounded by the systematic exclusion of non-upright postures from regulatory test protocols and benchmark datasets. AFODS supports proof-of-concept feasibility under simulation conditions. Three translational steps are required: prototype validation on real-world hardware using instrumented Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs); prone-posture biomechanical injury modelling using HIC and BrIC criteria; and regulatory extension of pedestrian AEB test standards to non-upright scenarios. Full article

This study evaluates the implications of Egypt’s accession to the BRICS+ bloc by integrating a Poisson Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood gravity model with a comprehensive PESTEL analysis. Using panel data on Egypt’s bilateral trade with BRICS+ from 2005 to 2024, our econometric results reveal that partner-country economic size and cultural proximity are the primary drivers of trade, whereas geographical distance exerts a negligible effect. Furthermore, trade policy variables—specifically tariffs, exchange rate fluctuations, and existing preferential trade agreements—significantly shape trade flows, while logistics performance and general trade openness demonstrate limited short-term impact. Beyond trade mechanics, the PESTEL analysis indicates that while BRICS+ membership enhances Egypt’s strategic autonomy and broadens its political influence, tangible economic gains remain heavily constrained by persistent structural trade imbalances and a lack of export diversification. Although the bloc offers valuable opportunities for human capital development and green infrastructure financing, technological cooperation is hindered by capacity disparities, and the soft-law nature of the alliance limits the enforceability of economic agreements. Ultimately, this study concludes that to maximize the benefits of BRICS+, Egypt must implement sustained structural reforms aimed at upgrading industrial competitiveness, diversifying its export base, strengthening domestic technological capabilities, and embedding itself more deeply within global value chains. Full article

Despite the growing literature on entrepreneurial ecosystems and Industry 4.0, few studies systematically link ecosystemic dynamics to structural transformation in the Global South; even fewer compare BRICS Plus economies with G7 benchmarks using a unified econometric framework. This study addresses that gap. Its objective is to assess how the configuration of such ecosystems shapes the trajectory of sustainable industrialization, comparing the BRICS Plus group with the G7 economies over 2002–2021, a period determined by the most recent harmonized data available across all panel countries from the World Bank, UNIDO and OECD. Methodologically the study employs a balanced panel applying panel unit root and cointegration tests, Vector Error Correction Models, Generalized Method of Moments estimation and Granger causality analysis applied to manufacturing value added (MVA), GDP excluding manufacturing (GDPNOTMVA), industrial employment and productivity indices. The results indicate a long-run interaction between manufacturing and non-manufacturing output in BRICS Plus economies that is consistent with—though not a direct measurement of—entrepreneurial ecosystem dynamics, whereas G7 economies show no cointegration and only a weak unidirectional Granger causality from non-manufacturing to manufacturing (significant at the 10% level), consistent with post-industrial ecosystemic autonomy driven by AI and knowledge-intensive services. The contribution of this work is threefold: (i) theoretically, it operationalizes entrepreneurial ecosystems as macro-structural outcomes within a unified econometric framework; (ii) empirically, it identifies a systematic divergence between BRICS Plus and G7 ecosystemic regimes; and (iii) for policy, it shows that industrial upgrading in emerging economies depends on the coherent integration of industrial policy, digital infrastructure, and entrepreneurship, rather than on manufacturing scale alone. Full article

Global warming and climate change have considerably enhanced worldwide environmental concerns since the 1970s. Therefore, researchers have extensively researched the nexus between renewable energy utilization and CO₂ emissions in the literature. However, the influence of afforestation and energy productivity along with renewable and nuclear electricity generation on CO₂ emissions has not been explored sufficiently in the associated literature regarding the multiple effects of these actors on the decarbonization process. Thus, this article analyzes the short- and long-term effects of afforestation, energy productivity, renewable and nuclear electricity production on CO₂ emissions in the BRICS states over the 1993–2021 term via robust bootstrap cointegration and causality tests. The findings confirm a cointegration interplay among CO₂ emissions, afforestation, energy productivity, renewable and nuclear electricity generation. Further, the cointegration coefficients demonstrate a negative influence of afforestation, energy productivity, renewable electricity generation on CO₂ emissions in most of the BRICS states in the long term, but a negative effect of nuclear electricity production only in China and the Russian Federation. The findings of causality examination also uncover that afforestation, energy productivity, and generation of renewable and nuclear electricity are effective tools in reducing CO₂ emissions, but their long-term effects are found to be relatively higher than short-term effects. These findings indicate that promotion of afforestation, along with energy productivity and electricity from renewables and nuclear sources is highly useful for curbing CO₂ emissions in the short and long term. Full article

The efficient use of associated petroleum gas (APG) is one of the key challenges facing the oil and gas sector because it is directly related to reducing hydrocarbon losses, lowering emissions, and improving the sustainability of energy systems. The aim of the study is to develop a multi-criteria risk assessment system for APG utilization projects in three BRICS countries, using Russia, China, and India as examples. Methodologically, the study combines expert risk ranking based on the Fishburn method, spatial aggregation across 16 oil and gas clusters, and hierarchical graph modeling, which makes it possible to trace the transition from local technological constraints to the level of architectural strategies. As a result, a unified risk matrix was constructed, including risks of leaks, fluctuations in gas composition, raw material quality requirements, infrastructure constraints, and the energy intensity of processes. The resulting assessments showed that the risk profiles of clusters differ significantly both between countries and within them. For Russian clusters, leaks and infrastructure constraints proved to be more significant; for some Chinese clusters, gas composition and quality were more critical; whereas Indian clusters are characterized by a mixed profile of constraints. It was concluded that projects involving the use of APG require a cluster-oriented approach, and that universal technological solutions that do not account for the territorial structure of risks have limited applicability. Full article

This study examines the impact of energy risk on environmental quality in BRICS economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) from 2000 to 2024, including economic growth, renewable energy, institutional quality, urbanization and energy usage. Specifically, this study uses Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) under the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis to estimate long-run relationships in countries, assessing robustness through Driscoll–Kraay Standard Errors to address heteroskedasticity, serial correlation, and cross-sectional dependence. The empirical findings provide strong support for the EKC hypothesis, as evidenced by the positive and significant coefficient of economic growth and the negative and significant coefficient of its squared term. Energy consumption and urbanization are found to significantly increase environmental degradation, indicating their substantial contribution to emissions. In contrast, renewable energy consumption significantly reduces emissions, highlighting its role in improving environmental sustainability. Importantly, energy risk does not exhibit a statistically significant impact on environmental quality, suggesting that energy security vulnerabilities have not directly translated into measurable environmental effects in the long run across BRICS countries. Institutional quality shows a positive and significant relationship with emissions, implying that governance improvements alone have not yet effectively supported environmental sustainability and decarbonization efforts. Overall, the findings underscore the need for integrated policy frameworks that promote renewable energy adoption, manage urban expansion, and enhance the effectiveness of institutional mechanisms to achieve sustainable environmental outcomes in BRICS economies. Full article