Search Results (77)

This study examines the role of supervisory frameworks in shaping the risk management behavior of Greece’s four systemic banks during the period of 2015–2024. It explores how regulatory reforms under Capital Requirements Regulation II, Basel III, and European Central Bank oversight influenced capital adequacy, asset quality, and liquidity metrics. Employing a quantitative methodology, this study analyzes secondary data from Pillar III disclosures, annual financial reports, and supervisory statements. Key risk indicators (capital adequacy ratio, non-performing exposure ratio, liquidity coverage ratio, and risk-weighted assets) are evaluated in conjunction with regulatory interventions, such as International Financial Reporting Standards 9 transitional relief, the Hercules Asset Protection Scheme, and European Central Bank liquidity measures. The findings reveal that enhanced supervision contributed to improved resilience and regulatory compliance. International Financial Reporting Standards 9 transitional arrangements were pivotal in maintaining capital thresholds during stress periods. Supervisory flexibility and extraordinary European Central Bank support measures helped banks absorb shocks and improve risk governance. Differences across banks highlight the impact of institutional strategy on regulatory performance. This study offers a rare longitudinal assessment of supervisory influence on bank risk behavior in a high-volatility Eurozone context. Covering an entire decade (2015–2024), it uniquely links institutional strategies with evolving regulatory frameworks, including crisis-specific interventions such as International Financial Reporting Standards 9 relief and asset protection schemes. The results provide insights for policymakers and regulators on how targeted supervisory interventions and transitional mechanisms can enhance banking sector resilience during protracted crises. Full article

This article analyzes the residual stresses generated during the curing process of thermoset composites. Specifically, a numerical procedure is developed and implemented in Ansys 18.0 to evaluate, at the micromechanical level, the residual stresses in a carbon epoxy composite that undergoes the process of curing. The viscoelastic behavior of the epoxy material is modeled using a formulation recently published by the same authors. It accounts for the concurrent effect of curing and structural relaxation on epoxy’s relaxation times, assuming thermo-rheological and thermo-chemical simplicities. The model validated for the neat epoxy matrix is now tested against the composite application. Various representative volume element (RVE) arrangements and fiber fractions are examined. The proposed procedure can predict the evolution of mechanical properties (apparent stiffness and creep compliance) and the residual stresses that develop in each composite constituent during the cure. It demonstrates that the residual stresses in the matrix are a consistent fraction of an epoxy’s nominal strength and significantly influence the transverse mechanical properties of the composite. Full article

Under the context of increasing demand for transparency, efficiency, and trust in food systems, digital traceability is emerging as a key strategy for improving value creation across agri-food supply chains. This study investigates how different governance structures influence the design and effectiveness of digital traceability systems. We develop an analytical framework linking four guiding questions (why, where, how, and who) to traceability performance and apply it to five Italian supply chains (wine, olive oil, cheese, pasta, and dairy) through 28 semi-structured interviews with companies, cooperatives, and technology providers. The results show that governance models shape traceability adoption and function. In captive systems (e.g., wine), traceability ensures compliance but limits flexibility, while in modular or relational systems (e.g., pasta and cheese), it fosters product differentiation and decentralized coordination. Across cases, digital traceability improved certification processes, enhanced consumer communication (e.g., via QR codes), and supported premium positioning. However, upstream–downstream integration remains weak, especially in agricultural stages, due to technical fragmentation and limited interoperability. The diverse experience data from company interviews reveal that only 30% of firms had fully integrated systems, and fixed costs remained largely unaffected, though variable cost reductions and quality improvements were reported in the olive oil and cheese sectors. The study concludes that digital traceability is not only a technical solution but a governance innovation whose success depends on the alignment between technology, actor roles, and institutional arrangements. Future research should explore consumer-side impacts and the role of public policy in fostering inclusive and effective traceability adoption. Full article

This study investigates the structural integrity and dynamic behavior of symmetry-optimized battery pack systems for new energy vehicles through advanced finite element analysis. It examines symmetry-optimized battery pack systems with mechanically stable and thermally adaptive potentials. Leveraging geometric symmetry principles, a high-fidelity three-dimensional (3D) model was constructed in SolidWorks 2023 and subjected to symmetry-constrained static analysis on ANSYS Workbench 2021 R1 platform. The structural performance was systematically evaluated under three critical asymmetric loading scenarios: emergency left/right turns and braking conditions, with particular attention to symmetric stress distribution patterns. The numerical results confirmed the initial design’s compliance with mechanical requirements while revealing symmetric deformation characteristics in dominant mode shapes. Building upon symmetry-enhanced topology configuration, a novel lightweight strategy was implemented by substituting Q235 steel with ZL104 aluminum alloy. While mechanical symmetry has been widely studied, thermal gradients in battery packs can induce asymmetric expansions. For example, uneven cooling may cause localized warping in aluminum alloy shells. This multiphysics effect must be integrated into symmetry constraints to ensure true stability. Symmetric material distribution optimization reduced the mass by 19% while maintaining structural stability, as validated through comparative static and modal analyses. Notably, the symmetric eigenfrequency arrangement in optimized modules effectively avoids common vehicle excitation bands (8–12 Hz/25–35 Hz), demonstrating significant resonance risk reduction through frequency redistribution. This research establishes a symmetry-driven design paradigm that systematically coordinates structural efficiency with dynamic reliability, providing critical insights for developing next-generation battery systems with balanced performance characteristics. Full article

Tactile sensation across the whole hand, including the fingers and palm, is essential for manipulation and, therefore, is expected to be similarly useful for enabling dexterous robot manipulation. Tactile sensation would ideally be distributed (over large surface areas), have a high precision, and provide measurements in multiple axes, allowing for effective manipulation and interaction with objects of varying shapes, textures, friction, and compliance. Given the complex geometries and articulation of state-of-the-art robotic grippers and hands, they would benefit greatly from their surface being instrumented with a thin, curved, and/or flexible tactile sensor technology. However, the majority of current sensor technologies measure tactile information across a planar sensing surface or instrument-curved skin using relatively bulky camera-based approaches; proportionally in the literature, thin and flexible tactile sensor arrays are an under-explored topic. This paper, presents a thin, flexible, non-camera-based optical tactile sensor design as an investigation into the feasibility of adapting our novel LiVec sensing principle to curved and flexible surfaces. To implement the flexible sensor, flexible PCB technology is utilized in combination with other soft components. This proof-of-concept design eliminates rigid circuit boards, creating a sensor capable of providing localized 3D force and 3D displacement measurements across an array of sensing units in a small-thickness, non-camera-based optical tactile sensor skin covering a curved surface. The sensor consists of 16 sensing units arranged in a uniform 4 × 4 grid with an overall size of 30 mm × 30 mm × 7.2 mm in length, width, and depth, respectively. The sensor successfully estimated local XYZ forces and displacements in a curved configuration across all sixteen sensing units, the average force bias values ($\overline{\mu }$) were −1.04 mN, −0.32 mN, and −1.31 mN, and the average precision ($\overline{SD}$) was 54.49 mN, 55.16 mN and 97.15 mN, for the X, Y, Z axes, respectively, the average displacement bias values ($\overline{\mu }$) were 1.58 μm, 0.29 μm, and −1.99 μm, and the average precision values ($\overline{SD}$) were 221.61 μm, 247.74 μm, and 44.93 μm for the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively. This work provides crucial insights into the design and calibration of future curved LiVec sensors for robotic fingers and palms, making it highly suitable for enhancing dexterous robotic manipulation in complex, real-world environments. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to enhance the understanding of factors influencing changes in binge drinking (BD) behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on its impact on the health of individuals aged 12 to 25 years. Methods: A systematic review was conducted, encompassing studies published between January 2020 and September 2024. Articles were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, following PRISMA guidelines and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) review protocols. Inclusion criteria targeted studies focusing on BD during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents or school-aged individuals without specific medical conditions. Exclusions included studies limited to a single gender, ethnicity, or profession, as well as doctoral theses and editorials. JBI tools were used to assess the quality of the selected studies. Results: From 33 studies (19 cross-sectional and 14 longitudinal), trends in BD during the pandemic varied: 2 studies reported an increase, while 21 indicated a decrease. Key factors linked to increased BD included pandemic stressors (e.g., isolation, social disconnection and non-compliance with restrictions), psychosocial issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, boredom, and low resilience), prior substance use, and sociodemographic variables (e.g., low education, economic extremes, living arrangements, and limited family support). Female gender and academic disengagement were also risk factors. Conversely, factors like stay-at-home orders, fear of contagion, family support, studying health sciences, and resilient coping strategies contributed to reduced BD. Other variables, such as pandemic stress and self-efficacy, had inconsistent effects. Conclusions: Factors contributing to increased BD included pandemic-related stress, mental health conditions, and unhealthy habits, while protective factors included stay-at-home orders, social support, and resilient coping. The study highlights the need for effective prevention and intervention strategies, emphasizing a holistic approach in healthcare, early detection, and tailored interventions, particularly for vulnerable groups such as adolescents. Full article

The deployment of cluster mailboxes (CMs) in the U.S. has raised safety concerns for passengers in potential vehicular crashes involving CMs. This study investigated the crashworthiness of two types of CMs through nonlinear finite element simulations. Two configurations of CM arrangements were considered: a single- and a dual-unit setup. These CM designs were tested on flat-road conditions with and without a curb. A 2010 Toyota Yaris and a 2006 Ford F250, both in compliance with the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH), were employed in the analysis. The simulations incorporated airbag models, seatbelt restraint systems, and a Hybrid III 50th percentile adult male dummy. The investigations focused on evaluating the safety of vehicle occupants in 32 impact scenarios and under MASH Test Level 1 conditions (with an impact speed of 50 km/h). The simulation results provided insights into occupant risk and determined the primary failure mode of the CMs. No components of the mailboxes were found intruding into the vehicle’s occupant compartment. For all considered cases, the safety factors remained within allowable limits, indicating only a marginal risk of potential injury to occupants posed by the considered CMs. Full article

This paper addresses the design, development, control, and experimental evaluation of a soft robot arm whose actuation is inspired by the muscular structure of the octopus arm, one of the most agile biological manipulators. The robot arm is made of soft silicone and thus possesses enhanced compliance, which is beneficial in a variety of applications where the arm may come into contact with delicate features of its environment. The arm is composed of three elongated segments arranged in series, each one of which contains several pneumatically actuated chambers embedded in its silicone body, which may induce various types of deformations of the segment. By combining the segment deformations, and by imitating the antagonistic muscle group functionality of the octopus, the robot arm can bend in various directions, increase or decrease its length, as well as twist around its central axis. This is one of the few octopus-inspired soft robotic arms where twisting is replicated in its motion characteristics, thus greatly expanding the arm’s potential applications. We present the design process and the development steps of the soft arm, where the molding of two-part silicone of low hardness in 3d-printed molds is employed. In addition, we present the control methodology and the experimental evaluation of both a standalone segment and the entire three-segment arm. This experimental evaluation involves model-free closed-loop control schemes, exploiting visual feedback from a pair of external cameras in order to reconstruct in real time the shape of the soft arm and the pose of its tip. Full article

Water scarcity is a global challenge faced by millions of people, and it has a negative impact on the ecosystem, public health, and financial stability. Water demand and supply management becomes critical, especially in areas with limited access to clean, safe water. Wastewater and water treatment infrastructure is essential for maintaining environmental integrity and protecting human health. However, water treatment plants in South Africa face various complex obstacles brought on by institutional setups, practical limitations, and environmental concerns, including water quality. This study investigated the institutional arrangements, operational challenges, and environmental concerns that water and wastewater treatment plants face in the Vhembe District Municipality, South Africa. A qualitative study was conducted in Limpopo province, where employees from 12 water and wastewater treatment plants were interviewed, and the data were analyzed thematically. The data were arranged into five major themes using thematic analysis: understanding water and wastewater treatment systems, educational and demographic profile, water quality assessment, operational performance and regulatory compliance, and water volume in waterworks plants. Staff attitudes, institutional and operational challenges, and the current condition of treatment plants were all comprehensively portrayed using Ostrom’s IAD Framework. It was found that workers generally understand water treatment processes, but inconsistencies and a lack of transparency in monitoring water quality were noted, with many parameters from SANS 241 not being tested consistently. A significant educational gap among workers was also observed. Insufficient capacity, load-shedding, limited resources, and inadequate infrastructure prevented treatment plants from meeting daily water needs, worsened by institutional and socio-economic factors. Similar challenges were noted in countries like China, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Brazil, and Libya. To enhance water management efficiency and compliance, the study recommends more training, standardized procedures, proactive maintenance, and stakeholder involvement. Full article

This article delves into the evolution of Brazil’s REDD+ architecture. We explore how, despite initial challenges like the lack of a global consensus and the complexities of multi-level negotiations, Brazil has transformed REDD+ into a “boundary object”—a concept that bridges diverse institutions. Consequently, a rich tapestry of institutional arrangements has emerged for Brazilian REDD+ projects. The study, drawing on interviews, literature reviews, and action research, sheds light on a critical aspect: the reliance on auditing firms for project reports. This dependence, the research finds, can introduce inconsistencies, making it difficult to accurately assess project compliance with established standards. By tracing REDD+ from its international negotiation roots to its current operationalization in Brazil, this article aims to illuminate key insights into the mechanism itself. Full article

Effluents from the textile industry are an active problem in the sector and one of the world’s main environmental problems. The conventional treatments applied are not always efficient in terms of compliance with legislation, and, in many cases, the efficiency of treatment is guaranteed by the enormous energy expenditure involved, camouflaging the momentary problem and not effectively treating it. In this work, batch reactors with immobilized biomass of Aspergillus niger AN400 were arranged in series for the treatment of real textile wastewater containing approximately 20 mg/L of indigo carmine. Sucrose was added as a co-substrate in concentrations of 1 g/L and 0.5 g/L, in the first and second reactors, respectively, over 19 cycles of 48 h. The highest decolorization rate in the system was (93 ± 4) %, with the largest amount removed in the first reactor (90 ± 6) %, occurring mainly by biological means. The production of aromatic by-products from the initial degradation of the dye molecule was reflected in the lower removal efficiency of dissolved organic matter: 52% in the first reactor, and 25% in the second reactor. The number of colonies of fungi was higher than that of bacteria, 2.24:1 and 2.44:1 in the first and second reactors, respectively. The treated effluent in the system showed less toxicity than the raw effluent, and this demonstrates the potential of this technology in the treatment of textile effluents containing indigo carmine. Full article

Loss of an upper limb exerts a negative influence on an individual’s ability to perform their activities of daily living (ADLs), reducing quality of life and self-esteem. A prosthesis capable of performing basic ADLs functions has the capability of restoring independence and autonomy to amputees. However, current technologies present in robotic prostheses are based on rigid actuators with several drawbacks, such as high weight and low compliance. Recent advances in robotics have allowed for the development of flexible actuators and artificial muscles to overcome the limitations of rigid actuators. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) consist of a thin elastomer membrane arranged between two compliant electrodes capable of changing dimensions when stimulated with an electrical potential difference. In this work, we present the design and testing of a finger prosthesis driven by two DEAs arranged as agonist–antagonist pairs as artificial muscles. The soft actuators are designed as fiber-constrained dielectric elastomers (FCDE), enabling displacement in just one direction as natural muscles. The finger prosthesis was designed and modeled to show bend movement using just one pair of DEAs and was made of PLA in an FDM 3D printer to be lightweight. The experimental results show great agreement with the proposed model and indicate that the proposed finger prosthesis is promising in overcoming the limitations of the current rigid based actuators. Full article

Salt rock, renowned for its remarkable energy storage capabilities, exists in deep underground environments characterized by high temperature and pressure. It possesses advantageous properties such as high deformability, low permeability, and self-healing from damage. When establishing a cluster of salt cavern gas storage facilities, the careful selection of ore column widths between these reservoirs is crucial for minimizing the risk of structural failure, optimizing salt rock resource utilization, and enhancing the construction and operation of gas storage reservoirs. In current practices, square triangular arrangements are commonly used in designing well layouts for reservoir groups to balance stability and economic considerations. This study, conducted in the context of the Jintan salt cavern gas storage project in Jiangsu Province, employed FLAC^3D to create a finite element model for proposed gas storage configurations. A comprehensive analysis of the long-term operational safety of salt cavern gas storage with triangular well layouts was carried out. Various indices were examined, covering aspects such as cavern wall displacement, characteristics of the plastic zone, volume shrinkage, safety coefficients, seepage range, pore pressure fluctuations, and seepage volume. The study also considered the mechanical behavior of hexagonal columns within the surrounding rock during extended storage operations, leading to the optimization of allowable widths for these columns. The results indicate that, at operating pressures ranging from 6.5 to 17 MPa, the permissible column width should exceed 1.67 times the maximum cavern diameter to ensure compliance with criteria for long-term stability and containment within a square triangular layout. These findings provide valuable insights into determining the optimal allowable widths of salt cavern columns for positive triangular layouts. Full article

Domperidone is a commonly prescribed galactagogue used off-label for lactation insufficiency. Prescriber unfamiliarity or safety concerns can lead to therapeutic delay and potential early breastfeeding discontinuation. To facilitate access, the study site pharmacy department developed a structured administration and supply arrangement (SASA) for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants to screen and initiate domperidone using a checklist. The study aimed to validate a domperidone screening tool via an analysis of its use and compliance. Records were extracted from the RedCAP^® database for the first 50 women with a documented domperidone supply and reviewed against medical records. A staff survey was distributed assessing compliance and attitudes towards the SASA. Records of supply from the RedCAP^® database revealed 34% (17/50) of patients were referred to a physician, revealing a discrepancy between RedCAP^® reporting and checklists as no referrals were documented. Overall staff satisfaction with the SASA was rated 4.6/5. In total, 77.7% (7/9) felt confident counselling and supplying domperidone with the SASA in place, and 88.9% (8/9) felt confident using the checklist to identify the appropriateness of therapy and referral to a physician. Only 55.6% (5/9) indicated the checklist was used with each screening. The SASA education package is being updated to clarify the requirements for checklist completion and standardise frameworks to document follow-up. Full article

The evaluation of the technical condition of historic buildings that have operated for several hundred years is a complicated issue. Even buildings that are in very poor condition must be checked and assessed in terms of their further repair, strengthening, or compliance with conditions that allow the facility to be safely operated. Most 18th-century buildings have not survived to this day retaining their original arrangements and structural elements. Renovations and repair work in the past were often carried out using materials of uncertain quality, with repair work of different qualities and without detailed analysis or methodology, based only on the experience of the former builders. In historic structures, the character of the work of individual structural elements has often changed due to significant material degradation, the poor quality of repair work, or the loss of adequate support. When load transfers change, internal forces are redistributed, and, as a result, the static scheme changes. This article presents an overview of identified defects affecting the change in static schemes in historical building structures built in the 18th century, using the example of a historic building with a large number of aforementioned defects. The process of assessing the technical condition of the facility is presented, in which non-destructive testing (NDT) methods were used. Detailed computational analyses were carried out for the wooden roof truss structure, which had partially lost its support. Full article