Search Results (2,788)

With the enactment of the 2013 government mandate, Indian corporations meeting specific criteria no longer have the discretion to forgo CSR expenditures. Previous studies have reported negative capital market reactions to this regulatory intervention. In contrast, our study offers a long-term perspective on the impact of the CSR law on firms’ investment efficiency. Using a difference-in-differences framework, this study examines publicly listed Indian firms from 2011 to 2018, capturing a clean pre- and post-mandate window that isolates the structural impact of the CSR law while excluding confounding and shocks such as the COVID-19 crisis. Thus, the paper focuses on identifying the long-term institutional and structural effects of CSR rather than short-term cyclical fluctuations. We find that the CSR law leads to an increase in the investment efficiency of affected firms, driven primarily by reductions in agency conflicts and information asymmetry. This effect is more pronounced among firms with a strong presence of active monitoring groups, such as Hindu-owned promoters and institutional investors. Improved efficiency is also profound among firms located in areas with a lower Human Development Index (HDI) and Gender Diversity Index (GDI). Our findings demonstrate the positive impact of mandatory CSR law on capitalism and present insights for policymakers for regulators as ESG and CSR mandates are increasingly debated and adopted. Full article

Tightness of homogeneous embankment dams is often ensured by means of upstream water barriers, such as bituminous concrete facings, concrete slabs, shotcrete membranes, metallic sheets, geomembranes, and cement blankets. The stability analysis of these dams, especially in areas with high seismicity, must include the hydraulic and mechanical effects resulting from an extensive, sudden cracking of the impervious facing. To this purpose, in this paper, simple, original analytical solutions are proposed to estimate the position of the exit point on the downstream slope of the dam, the maximum height of the saturation front at the downstream face, and the time required for the saturation front to reach the downstream face. These variables generally depend on several factors, such as the geometry of the dam, homogeneity or heterogeneity, the permeability coefficient of the dam body materials, and resistance laws to describe the seepage flow. The high number of these factors requires the development of advanced 2D/3D FEM analyses, often computationally heavy and complex to implement. Although approximate, the proposed solutions may however allow us to define the role of the various factors and their interaction, to quickly deduce the main, preliminary design indications. Full article

Background/Objectives: Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) constitute a highly complex clinical environment characterized by patient fragility and frequent ethically sensitive decisions. To date, systematic studies investigating how Italian NICUs address these challenges and what forms of ethics support are effectively available are lacking. The aim of this study is therefore to assess how ethical issues are managed in Italian NICUs, with particular attention to the availability, use, and perceived usefulness of clinical ethics support in everyday practice. Methods: A 25-item questionnaire was developed by adapting an existing tool for investigating clinical ethics activities to the neonatal context. Following expert review by the GIBCE (Gruppo Interdisciplinare di Bioetica Clinica e Consulenza Etica in ambito sanitario), the final instrument covered four areas (general data, experience with ethical dilemmas, tools and procedures, opinions and training needs). A manual web search identified all Italian NICUs and their clinical directors, who were asked to disseminate the survey among staff. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Data collection was conducted via Google Forms and analyzed through qualitative thematic analysis. Results: A total of 217 questionnaires were collected. The most frequent ethical dilemmas concern quality of life with anticipated multiple or severe disabilities (72.4%) and decisions to withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatments (64.5%). Major challenges include fear of medico-legal repercussions (57.6%) and communication divergences between physicians and nurses (49,8%). More than half of respondents (52.1%) reported no formal training in clinical ethics, and 68.7% had never developed a Shared Care Plan (Shared Document for healthcare ethics planning) as defined by the Italian Law 219/2017. Conclusions: Findings highlight marked fragmentation in ethical practices across Italian NICUs. On this basis, establishing structured and accessible CEC services could help promote consistency, reinforce shared ethical standards, and support transparent and equitable decision-making in critical neonatal care. Full article

Background: Integrating palliative care (PC) into primary health care (PHC) is essential for achieving Universal Health Coverage and reducing avoidable suffering. Despite global progress in PC development, the extent to which PC is effectively embedded within PHC systems remains unclear, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Colombia illustrates this gap, with an advanced legal framework but persistent territorial inequities. This study explored how national experts conceptualize PC integration into PHC to inform the development of context-sensitive indicators. Methods: A directed thematic analysis was conducted using qualitative comments from a modified Delphi process (pre-Delphi, Round 1, Round 2). Coding was guided by the WHO model for PC development and the WHO–UNICEF Operational Framework for PHC, combining deductive and inductive approaches to identify recurrent themes. Results: A total of 230 qualitative comments from experts in PC, PHC, and public health were analyzed. Experts described integration as the alignment of policy, education, service delivery, and community participation within PHC structures. They emphasized that laws and training programs alone are insufficient; integration depends on implementation capacity, equitable access, and locally responsive systems. Rural areas were identified as facing the greatest barriers, including limited trained staff, restricted medicine availability, and weak referral pathways. Conclusions: Experts understood PC integration into PHC as a dynamic and ethical process linking system design with human experience. Strengthening equity, workforce preparation, and community engagement is essential to translate policy into practice and to develop meaningful indicators for health system improvement. Full article

The “Double High—Double Extra High” stage of offshore oilfields, where large pumps lift liquids, leads to a rapid rise in water concentration, which triggers a decrease in rock strength and exacerbates the risk of sand production; this leads to a blockage of the reservoir, thus restricting the release of production capacity. In this paper, for the typical weak cementation strength of unconsolidated sandstone of a Class I reservoir in the P oilfield, numerical simulation and indoor experimental methods are utilized to explore the plugging mechanism and law of the water-contenting conditions, with micro-sand and mud conditions, on the screen. Considering the combined effects of reservoir particulate transport plugging and near-well sand control media plugging, the additional pressure drop and skin factor calculation model is constructed, and a dynamic capacity prediction model for sand control wells is formed. By matching the physical properties of the target reservoir and optimizing the sand control method, the production capacity prediction model and the sand control optimization design method for the high water-content period of the unconsolidated sandstone reservoir are finally obtained. The results show that the median sand size of well A1 in the P oilfield Class I reservoir is 220 μm, the sand transportation diameter is about 15–20 m, the serious plugging area near the well is distributed in 2–2.5 m, and the predicted loss of production capacity is about 18%. The use of a foam metal screen can significantly reduce the plugging pressure and increase the flow of crude oil, which is 2.2 and 1.2 times higher than that of the precision mesh and pre-filled screen, respectively. These research results can provide technical support and theoretical guidance for the sustained, efficient, and stable production of sand reservoirs in the Bohai Oilfield. Full article

In recent years, infrared detection technology for embankment leakages has become a popular research topic. The seepage and heat transfer characteristics of embankments under seepage failure conditions form the theoretical basis of infrared detection technology for leakage hazards. Nevertheless, a majority of prior research has relied on predetermined seepage pathways, which fail to accurately simulate the actual scenarios encountered in engineering practice. Accordingly, taking a typical soil embankment in the Dongting Lake area as the research object, a seepage damage test of the embankment body and surface soil of the embankment foundation was conducted. The mechanical and seepage damage of the embankment soil was established. FLAC3D6.0 software was used to develop a coupled numerical model of the unsaturated seepage, temperature, and stress of the embankment based on the damage model. The distribution laws of the seepage and temperature fields in the embankment body and foundation were calculated and analyzed. The results of this study show that there is a strong correlation between seepage, temperature, and structure during local seepage failure and even the overall structural failure of the embankment. Moreover, the evolution of the downstream embankment toe and surface temperature shows a phased change. By capturing this feature, it is possible to quickly screen the seepage location of an embankment to thereby provide a basis for determining the infrared detection indicators of the embankment. Full article

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) represents a major challenge in neurological development research and is receiving increasing attention from the pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences. Despite this constant growth, there is no document that provides a comprehensive overview integrating publication trends, key contributors, and thematic developments, allowing efforts to be focused on specific areas. Objective: To conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of pharmacological research related to ASD published between 2001 and 2025. Methods: The database obtained contains 1170 articles indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) database in the JCR Pharmacy and Pharmacology category. Bibliometric indicators such as publication growth, h-index, authorship, institutional and national productivity, and keyword co-occurrence were analyzed using VOSviewer and the laws of Price, Bradford, Zipf, and Lotka. Results: A total of 1170 documents were analyzed, showing an exponential increase in pharmacological research related to ASD over the last two decades. The United States, China, and Italy emerged as the most productive countries, while King Saud University, Harvard Medical School, and The Ohio State University were among the leading institutions. The most frequently cited keywords, such as “autism spectrum disorder,” “valproic acid,” “oxidative stress,” and “flavonoids,” revealed a translational approach linking neurobiological mechanisms, redox imbalance, and therapeutic interventions. Contemporary research emphasizes immuno–synaptic interactions, microbiota, and biomarker-guided approaches. Conclusions: This study highlights the global expansion and diversification of pharmacological research in ASD. The results underscore a shift toward integrated biological frameworks and precision-oriented strategies, reinforcing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to advance translational outcomes in ASD therapy. Full article

The Balaton region is Hungary’s most important recreational area, known for Central Europe’s largest freshwater lake and its traditional vineyard and horticultural landscapes. Since 1990, vineyard and orchard abandonment and intensified shoreline urbanization have increasingly threatened both landscape character and ecological balance. This study analyses land-use changes in the Balaton hinterland and evaluates the effectiveness of regional land-use regulation between 1990 and 2018, with a focus on the 2000 Balaton Law (BKÜRT), which sought to preserve traditional land uses by permitting construction only where at least 80% of vineyard parcels remained cultivated. Spatial–temporal analysis was based on CORINE Land Cover (CLC) data from 1990 to 2018, supplemented by change layers from the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service. The CORINE Land Cover classification is a three-level hierarchical system (5 Level-1 groups, 15 Level-2 classes, and 44 Level-3 classes) developed by the EEA to provide standardized, satellite-based land cover information across Europe. Land cover was aggregated into major categories (using Level-1 and Level-2 classes) relevant to the Hungarian landscape. To address CLC limitations related to representing vineyards as relatively homogeneous units despite substantial differences in the density and scale of built structures, detailed case studies were conducted in three C1 vineyard zones—Alsóörs, Paloznak, and Szentantalfa—using historical aerial photographs, Google Earth imagery, and the Hungarian Ecosystem Map (NÖSZTÉP). Despite the restrictive regulatory framework, the CLC database showed that the share of vineyards in the vineyard regulation zone (C-1, C-2) decreased between 1990 and 2018 from 45.4% to 35.8% (the share of gardens and fruit plantations had changed from 9.7% to 15.5%). In the whole Balaton region, there was an approximately 18% decline in vineyard areas. Considering the M-2 horticultural zone, the garden coverage increased from 18.9% in 1990 (17.7% in 2000) to 30.5% (share of vineyards changed from 54.3% (54.6% in 2000) to 38.8%). At the regional level, gardens and fruit plantations had a smaller decrease (3.2%). Although overall trends were more favorable than at the national level, regulatory measures proved insufficient to prevent the conversion of vineyards and orchards in sensitive areas, particularly on slopes overlooking the lake, in proximity to tourist hubs, and in areas exposed to strong development pressure. By 2018, the C1 zone had expanded spatially but became less targeted, as the proportion of vineyards within it decreased. Boundary refinements failed to substantially improve regulatory precision or effectiveness. The case studies reveal a gradient of regulatory strictness reflecting differing landscape protection priorities and stages of vineyard transformation, with Alsóörs responding to long-standing, partly irreversible changes while attempting to slow further landscape alteration. To counter ongoing negative trends, more targeted and enforceable regulations are required, including a clearer separation of cultivated and recreational land uses, a maximum building size of 80 m² for recreational properties, and a reassessment of vineyard zone boundaries to better reflect active cultivation and protect sensitive landscapes. Full article

We investigate the progressive debonding of FRP reinforcements using an analytical framework based on fracture mechanics and a bilinear softening cohesive law. This study focuses on the energetic analysis of the “apparent hardening” phase observed in the force–slip ($F-\Delta$) curve. It is shown that this non-linear response is a structural phenomenon caused by stress redistribution as the softening zone develops. Full analytical expressions for all energy components (stored and dissipated) are derived, and the energy balance is established. The analysis links the amount of elastic energy stored during the hardening phase to the definitions of toughness (area under the curve) and ductility (post-peak behavior), explaining the transition from ductile to brittle failure. Full article

We review aspects of entanglement entropy in the quantum mechanics of $N\times N$ matrices, i.e., matrix quantum mechanics (MQM), at large N. In doing so, we review standard models of MQM and their relation to string theory, D-brane physics, and emergent non-commutative geometries. We overview, in generality, definitions of subsystems and entanglement entropies in theories with gauge redundancy and discuss the additional structure required for definining subsystems in MQMs possessing a $U\left(N\right)$ gauge redundancy. In connecting these subsystems to non-commutative geometry, we review several works on ‘target space entanglement,’ and entanglement in non-commutative field theories, highlighting the conditions in which target space entanglement entropy displays an ‘area law’ at large N. We summarize several example calculations of entanglement entropy in non-commutative geometries and MQMs. We review recent work in connecting the area law entanglement of MQM to the Ryu–Takayanagi formula, highlighting the conditions in which $U\left(N\right)$ invariance implies a minimal area formula for the entanglement entropy at large N. Finally, we make comments on open questions and research directions. Full article

Equipped with one degree of freedom in one-dimensional translation of the base, a mobile dual-arm robot (MDAR) is proposed in this paper, and the two arms and the base move simultaneously. As a result, the motion of the base has a significant influence on the motion of both end-effectors at the same time, and the relative positions of the two end-effectors change all the time. Therefore, this paper focuses on the main issues related to the presented MDAR in two key areas: the relative dynamics and relative force/position hybrid control. First, based on the D-H parametric method, the relative kinematics of the proposed MDAR is established, and the relative Jacobian matrix of the robot is derived. Secondly, the dynamic model of the proposed MDAR is constructed using the Lagrangian method. Furthermore, a closed-loop control strategy for relative force/position hybrid control of the MDAR based on the relative dynamics is proposed to enable the two end-effectors of the MDAR to track the planned trajectory accurately. Finally, a simulation is carried out on a dual-arm cutting robot (DACR) for a coal mine to prove the effectiveness of the proposed relative dynamics and the proposed relative force/position hybrid control law in terms of the absolute error (AE) and root mean square error (RMSE). The results show that the proposed relative dynamic model and relative force/position hybrid control can significantly reduce error of the DACR, effectively improve the adaptability and operation accuracy of the system to complex environment, and verify the feasibility and superiority of the method in practical application. Full article

During mining, rock failure and water infiltration induce variations in deformation, energy release, electrical conductivity, and water content. Their response laws underpin water-preserving mining optimization, environmental impact mitigation, and mining area sustainability, while facilitating the prediction of stratum instability and water migration. In this study, uniaxial compression experiments were conducted on sandstone with different water saturations, during which the responses of strain, acoustic emission energy, and electrical resistivity were monitored. The temporal characteristics of the rock’s multi-parameter responses were analyzed, and the influence of water content on precursor information of rock failure was revealed. Multi-parameter response equations for rocks under loading, incorporating the effect of water saturation, were established. A segmented variable-weight-integrated damage constitutive model for water-bearing rocks was developed based on the multi-parameter responses. The findings showed that the temporal characteristics of multi-parameter coupling responses can reflect the damage evolution and pore water migration during the instability and failure process of water-bearing rocks. As water saturation increased from 0% to 100%, the rock exhibited the following variations: peak stress decreased by 38.49%, strain at peak stress increased by 8.79%, elastic modulus decreased by 41.58%, cumulative acoustic emission energy drops by 93.23%, and initial electrical resistivity plummets by 98.02%. Compared with the theoretical stress–strain curves based on strain damage variables, cumulative acoustic emission energy damage variables, and electrical resistivity damage variables, the theoretical stress–strain curve based on the integrated damage variable shows better agreement with the measured curve, with the coefficient of determination exceeding 0.98. The research findings offer valuable insights into rock mass instability and groundwater migration, supporting water-preserving mining and sustainable mining area development. Full article

Surface subsidence caused by high-intensity coal mining in the western mining area will have a negative impact on the environment. Mining subsidence has the characteristics of large scope, long duration, and strong destructiveness. In order to deeply understand the law of surface movement and deformation under the high-intensity mining of coal mines in western China, taking the Caojiatan 122,106 working face as an example, this study was conducted to obtain the surface movement characteristics and law by the method of surface rock movement measurement. The results showed that the surface subsidence in this study is mainly divided into three stages: start-up stage, active stage, and recession stage, with the active stage characterized by abrupt and intensive settlement. The maximum measured subsidence reached 4.173 m along the strike and 3.350 m along the dip. Numerical simulations further demonstrated strong vertical connectivity within the overburden, with surface subsidence area covering approximately 2/3 of the direct roof area. The predicted maximum subsidence values from simulation were 4.21 m (strike) and 3.36 m (dip), closely aligning with field data. A probability integral model was calibrated using observed data, yielding key parameters: subsidence coefficient = 0.537, main influence angle tangent = 4.435, horizontal movement coefficient = 0.20, inflection point offset = 76.90 m, and propagation angle = 86.2°. This study provides a validated methodology for predicting surface deformation in western mining areas and offers practical insights for subsidence mitigation and land restoration. Full article

The emergence of self-driving vehicles raises not only technological challenges, but also profound moral and legal challenges, especially when the decisions made by these vehicles can affect human lives. The aim of this study is to examine the moral and legal dimensions of algorithmic decision-making and their codifiability, approaching the issue from the perspective of the classic trolley dilemma and the principle of double effect. Using a normative-analytical method, it explores the moral models behind decision-making algorithms, the possibilities and limitations of legal regulation, and the technological and ethical dilemmas of artificial intelligence development. One of the main theses of the study is that in the case of self-driving cars, the programming of moral decisions is not merely a theoretical problem, but also a question requiring legal and social legitimacy. The analysis concludes that, given the nature of this borderline area between law and ethics, it is not always possible to avoid such dilemmas, and therefore it is necessary to develop a public, collective, principle-based normative framework that establishes the social acceptability of algorithmic decision-making. Full article

As a cutting-edge technology in the field of cement-based materials, early carbonation curing enables industrial carbon sequestration and functional modification, and the optimization of process parameters is the key to advancing the development of this technology. This paper reviews the mechanism of action and influencing factors of early carbonation curing (including moisture content, carbon dioxide concentration, pre-hydration degree, etc.), its effects on the mechanical properties and durability of materials, as well as the resulting changes in microstructure. Meanwhile, this review also covers content such as the hydration–carbonation coupling mechanism, mentions the relevant conditions of carbonation products and microstructure, analyzes the performance enhancement of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ), and provides relevant support for the low-carbon development of cement-based materials by combining the application practice of prefabricated components and the comparison of technical routes. Although early carbonation can significantly improve material properties and optimize microstructure, current research still has shortcomings: the exploration of mineral carbonation–hydration activity, microstructure evolution law, and product combination mechanism is relatively insufficient, and the understanding of carbonation–hydration coupling kinetics is still not in-depth enough, all of which are areas requiring further research in the future. Full article