Search Results (300)

The expansion of remote work has transformed labour market conditions across the developed world, yet access to home-based work remains unequally distributed along occupational, sectoral, regional, and organisational lines. Post-pandemic evidence on the persistence of these inequalities is particularly scarce in Central and Eastern European economies, where historically low remote work prevalence, manufacturing-intensive industrial structures, and pronounced regional disparities create a distinctive structural context. Drawing on primary survey data collected from 390 employees in Slovakia in 2025, this study pursues two interrelated empirical goals: to identify the factors predicting a mismatch between the structural feasibility of working from home and its actual availability to employees, and to examine the determinants of experienced work discomfort. Binary logistic regression, multiple linear regression, and a battery of group difference tests were employed across the two analytical strands. The results reveal a pronounced capital–periphery gradient in remote work access, with employees outside the capital city facing dramatically higher odds of mismatch, and identify organisational support as the most practically actionable determinant of work discomfort. Notably, experiencing a mismatch between remote work feasibility and access was not associated with higher discomfort, a finding that challenges assumptions common in the Western European literature and points to the moderating role of contextual expectations in post-communist labour markets. The findings offer directly applicable evidence for employers seeking to reduce work-related strain through targeted support measures, and for policymakers designing regulatory frameworks to promote equitable access to flexible work arrangements across regions and sectors. Full article

Existing machine tool thermal error mitigation relying on passive structural optimization and conventional feedforward PID decoupling poorly addresses strong multi-temperature-field coupling, large time delays, and nonlinear thermal characteristics in large precision horizontal machining centers. These methods lack predictive optimization, fail to suppress the long-term temperature drift of key structural components, and cannot realize active thermal intervention, leaving a clear research gap. This paper develops a three-layer closed-loop active thermal control framework with temperature sensing, numerical decoupling, and executive regulation. S-shaped hollow aluminum temperature control plates are optimally arranged on the bed, column, and beam, and a multi-temperature zone coupling transfer function model is established. A hybrid control strategy integrating feedforward decoupling, MPC prediction, and PID steady-state compensation is proposed; MPC is introduced to handle multivariable coupling, time lag, and actuator constraints beyond the capability of traditional PID. Comparative experiments show that the MPC-based scheme reduces key point temperature variation rates by 31.47%, 14.56%, 16.06% and 44.86%. This study focuses on temperature stabilization (rather than the direct measurement of the spindle drift or geometric deformation). The proposed method provides an effective active temperature balance solution for large precision machine tools. Full article

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is widely framed as a foundational technology for the next generation of chronic-disease care. Specific applications—pacemaker follow-up, hypertension cohorts, structured heart-failure programmes, post-surgical biosensor protocols, and virtual wards—now generate measurable clinical and economic value. Yet a decade of evaluations and implementation studies suggests that the surrounding ecosystem has matured unevenly: working applications coexist with persistent cross-cutting fragility. In this Perspective we argue that four structural gaps continue to constrain RPM’s promise at scale: (i) economic models that do not credibly compensate the asynchronous clinical work that RPM generates; (ii) ambiguous frameworks for professional liability and accountability for continuous data streams, intensified by artificial-intelligence (AI)-mediated decision support; (iii) privacy, equity, and benefit-sharing arrangements that do not yet make patients unambiguous net beneficiaries—a gap visible across very different health systems internationally; and (iv) engagement and adherence dynamics that determine whether programmes deliver value at all, but are still treated as secondary outcomes. The COVID-19 emergency briefly suspended much of the friction in this ecosystem and produced a useful natural experiment: what scaled rapidly under emergency conditions, and what subsequently atrophied, illuminates which gaps are technical, which are economic, and which are institutional. We close with a six-point research and policy agenda intended to move RPM from localised successes to a trustworthy, generalisable standard of care. Full article

Social coordination refers to conjoint responses of two or more organisms that produce consequences for each and can be maintained by coordination-dependent reinforcement. Previous experimental investigations of coordination typically arranged immediate reinforcement following a coordinated response, leaving the effects of delayed reinforcement on coordination largely unexplored. The present investigation examined the effects of delayed reinforcement on coordinated responding across two experiments using pairs of pigeons. Experiment 1 evaluated the effects of progressively increasing delays of reinforcement on coordinated responding and assessed whether coordination-reinforcer dependency influenced the persistence of coordination. Coordination ratios and coordination rates generally were lower during delayed relative to immediate reinforcement. In addition, break points, which were used as a measure of persistence, were consistently higher during coordination-dependent than coordination-independent delayed reinforcement. Experiment 2 compared coordinated responding maintained under signaled and unsignaled progressively increasing delays of coordination-dependent reinforcement. Coordination generally persisted at higher levels during signaled than unsignaled delays, and coordination ratios and coordination rates maintained under signaled delays more closely resembled performance maintained under immediate reinforcement. These findings suggest that delayed reinforcement weakens coordinated responding and that delay-correlated stimuli may attenuate some of the disruptive effects of delay on coordinated behavior. Full article

Post-rotation jacking is a critical construction stage for load-path reconstruction and alignment adjustment in rotation-constructed bridges, particularly for ultra-wide double-deck composite girder systems. Taking a two-span continuous steel truss–concrete composite girder bridge with spans of 2 × 85 m as the engineering background, this study investigates the mechanical behavior during post-rotation jacking through theoretical derivation, finite element simulation, and on-site monitoring. Based on the force method of structural mechanics, a linear relationship between vertical synchronous jacking force and displacement is derived, and an analytical formulation for bearing reaction redistribution under laterally asynchronous jacking is established by considering the coupling effects of vertical bending, torsion, and transverse multi-bearing support. A full-bridge spatial finite element model was developed in MIDAS Civil NX 2024 V1.1 to analyze the redistribution of bearing reactions and the stress response of the concrete crossbeam under different jacking conditions. The results show that, for the investigated bridge, the jacking force–displacement response remains highly linear during synchronous jacking. The B-axis middle bearing is more sensitive to jacking displacement than the two side bearings, with its fitted stiffness being approximately 2.19 times the average stiffness of the side bearings. Eccentric jacking causes reaction concentration at the jacked point and reaction reduction at adjacent supports, and the magnitude of reaction variation increases approximately linearly with jacking displacement. When the transverse non-uniform jacking magnitude reaches 20 mm, a tensile stress of 0.3 MPa appears at the bottom flange of the concrete crossbeam; therefore, a project-specific stroke-difference limit of 20 mm is recommended for this bridge, while the actual construction achieved a stroke control accuracy of ±0.5 mm and a transverse elevation difference within 1 mm. Field monitoring results validate the proposed analytical and numerical methods. The Pearson correlation coefficients of the measured jacking forces with the finite element and theoretical results are 0.9987 and 0.9988, respectively, and the corresponding mean relative errors are 3.84% and 4.23%. For stress responses, the measured and calculated values show a strong correlation, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.9980 and a mean relative error of 12.77%; the critical mid-span monitoring point shows a relative error of only 0.65%. The final bridge alignment deviation is controlled within ±3 cm. The overall mean verification coefficient is 0.968, with a 95% empirical agreement range of [0.888, 1.048], indicating that the proposed mechanical analysis framework and combined force–displacement control strategy can provide a useful reference for refined construction control of similar ultra-wide double-deck composite girder bridges with comparable span arrangement and transverse bearing layout. Full article

This study examines the relationship between corporate concentration and labour market conditions in Hungary’s food industry over the period 1993–2022. Using industry-level panel data for the four most highly concentrated subsectors, cereals, food processing, oils and fats, and sugar and confectionery, corporate concentration is measured using the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI), and a two-way fixed-effects panel regression model is employed to assess its association with wage structures, working-time arrangements, and employment composition. The results reveal a statistically significant negative relationship between corporate concentration and both gross monthly earnings and base hourly wages. A 1000-point increase in the HHI is associated with an approximately 10 percent decline in base wages. Higher concentration is also positively associated with greater reliance on part-time employment and increased overtime intensity, alongside a significant reduction in paid leave provision. Importantly, when variables capturing working-time arrangements and employment structure are incorporated into the earnings model, the direct effect of concentration becomes statistically insignificant. This pattern likely reflects the fact that these variables are directly embedded in the determination of gross monthly earnings, suggesting that the effect of concentration operates indirectly through adjustments in working time and employment composition rather than through a purely independent channel. This finding suggests that the impact of concentration on wages operates partly through structural adjustments in compensation systems and increased labour flexibility. Overall, the evidence indicates that corporate concentration in Hungary’s food manufacturing sector does not necessarily reduce nominal earnings but instead reshapes their composition. The role of base wages weakens, while regular bonuses emerge as the primary mechanism of income adjustment, increasing managerial discretion and income volatility. These findings contribute to the literature on labour market monopsony in transition economies and underscore the importance of integrating labour market considerations into competition policy frameworks. Full article

Aerodynamic drag is a key factor influencing performance in high-speed winter sports, and even small reductions in drag may contribute to meaningful improvements in race time. This study investigated the effects of seam position and seam-folding direction on the aerodynamic characteristics of skiwear fabrics using wind tunnel experiments with two simplified models: a cylinder model and a wing-shaped model. In the cylinder model, the seam position directly facing the airflow was defined as 0° and shifted in 30° increments, whereas in the wing-shaped model, the seam was moved rearward from the foremost point in 5 cm increments. The inward-folded portion of the seam was arranged either toward the airflow or opposite to it. Wind tunnel tests were conducted at wind speeds ranging from 40 to 120 km/h, and drag coefficients were calculated from measured drag forces. The results show that aerodynamic drag varied with seam position in both models. In the cylinder model, the lowest drag coefficient was observed at 30° from the front, whereas in the wing-shaped model, the lowest drag was obtained at the foremost seam position (0 cm). At 100 km/h, shifting the seam position from 0 cm to 5 cm increased the drag coefficient by approximately 54.5% in seam type A and 50.0% in seam type B. These findings suggest that seam position may be a potentially relevant aerodynamic design variable in skiwear research, whereas seam-folding direction appeared to be of secondary importance under the present test conditions. However, the present conclusions are restricted to simplified experimental geometries and should not be directly generalized to specific body regions or full-garment systems. Full article

To accurately evaluate the electric and magnetic field distribution characteristics around transmission lines under different tower structures and operating conditions, this study systematically investigates the spatial electric and magnetic fields of transmission line towers based on Grid Information Model (GIM) file parsing and finite element simulation. First, key information, including tower geometric configuration, conductor suspension point locations, and voltage level, is extracted by parsing the GIM file. A unified transformation method from geographic coordinates to three-dimensional Cartesian coordinates is established, and a three-dimensional electric and magnetic field calculation model is constructed in the ANSYS Maxwell platform, incorporating a catenary conductor model and an equivalent representation of bundled conductors. Furthermore, the accuracy of the proposed calculation method is validated based on field measurement data. Second, under single-circuit operating conditions, the spatial electric and magnetic field distributions of the Goblet-shaped suspension tower and the Drum-type transmission tower are analyzed under different phase sequence arrangements and different conductor-to-ground heights, and the shielding effect of the tower structure on the local electric field is investigated. On this basis, an electric field fitting method based on a proportional polynomial model is proposed, enabling the prediction of electric field distribution under tower-present conditions using simulation results obtained without tower structures. Subsequently, the influence of different phase sequence combinations on the spatial electric field distribution is systematically examined. The fitting method is further extended to double-circuit transmission lines, and its accuracy and effectiveness in rapid electric field assessment are verified. Finally, from an engineering practice perspective, the effects of the presence of jumper conductors and variations in conductor turning angles on the spatial electric field distribution of double-circuit towers are analyzed, and an optimized estimation approach for electric fields under different turning angle conditions is proposed. The results demonstrate that tower structural configuration and conductor arrangement significantly affect the electric field distribution, and the proposed fitting method effectively reduces modeling complexity while maintaining computational accuracy. The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis and technical reference for electric and magnetic environment assessment and engineering design of transmission lines. Full article

This study examines how digital governance (DG) contributes to public value (PV) in a large, service-intensive public organization and tests whether digitally enabled human resource management practices (DHRM) transmit this effect. Using a cross-sectional survey of employees in Egypt Post (n = 278), items were measured on a five-point Likert scale and analyzed with reliability diagnostics, validity assessments (CFA, CR, AVE, HTMT), and regression-based mediation with 5000 bootstrap resamples. All scales showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: DG = 0.903, DHRM = 0.948, PV = 0.923) and convergent validity (AVE greater than 0.50). Discriminant validity was confirmed via HTMT (less than 0.85). The study finds that DG was positively associated with PV (beta = 0.773, p less than 0.001) and with DHRM (beta = 0.818, p less than 0.001). DHRM was also positively associated with PV when controlling for DG (beta = 0.332, p less than 0.001). Bootstrapping confirmed a significant indirect effect of DG on PV through DHRM (a times b = 0.281; 95% CI [0.156, 0.424]), indicating partial mediation. This study advances public value scholarship by specifying DHRM as a micro-foundation linking governance capacity to value outcomes, demonstrating the partial mediation mechanism in an under-researched Middle Eastern public-sector context, and providing empirical evidence that digital transformation yields higher public value when governance arrangements are translated into workforce routines and capabilities via digital HRM. Implications: The findings suggest that public managers should treat HR digitalization as a core implementation mechanism alongside governance reforms. Full article

The cloud spatial uniformity in the test section is crucial for icing wind tunnels in aircraft icing research and airworthiness certification. To achieve uniform supercooled large droplet (SLD) icing conditions, both the spatial variation in droplet size distribution and the concentration should be considered. In this study, the spatial distribution of droplets under three SLD conditions is explored in the Aviation Industry Corporation of China Aerodynamics Research Institute (AVICARI)’s FL-61 icing wind tunnel. Measurements are conducted at 12 test points in vertical and horizontal directions using the holographic airborne cloud particle imager (HACPI) in conjunction with a two-axis traversing system. The droplet images obtained at specific test points below the test section centerline show deformation phenomena for droplets larger than 400 $\mathsf{\mu }$m. Additionally, the aspect ratio of deformed droplets increases with droplet size. The spatial evolution of the median volume diameter (MVD) and liquid water content (LWC) is examined. For two spray arrangements where the activated nozzles are positioned close, the test point where the LWC peak in the vertical direction occurs is higher than that of the MVD peak. Further analysis focuses on the size distribution of droplets in the vertical direction. The results show that the settling effect of the droplets larger than 50 $\mathsf{\mu }$m is evident under a flow velocity of 78 m/s. Meanwhile, the position where large droplets tend to appear lowers as the droplet size increases. Finally, the spatial uniformity of droplet size distributions at the same radial distance is discussed. Full article

This study numerically investigates the NO removal performance of a staged catalyst substrate employed in an industrial marine after-treatment system. The computational domain is based on the lab-scale experimental device used for measuring pressure drop, serving as a digital twin to accurately reproduce the staged catalyst configuration prior to its application in full-scale industrial reactors. Experiments were conducted to estimate the parameters for a porous model, employed for efficient computation of flow and reactive mass transfer inside the catalyst substrate without needing a complex computational mesh of the monolith structure. A reaction mechanism from the literature was modified and verified for marine SCR reactors. The three-dimensional numerical simulations in this study indicate that the NO removal in the staged catalyst substrate varies depending on the catalyst configuration, primarily due to differences in the upstream flow uniformity. This study demonstrates that relocating a single catalyst substrate to the downstream position improved conversion by 6.5 percentage points, while a two-stage catalyst configuration yielded a 15.5 percentage-point increase under identical exhaust conditions. In addition, the residence time exhibited significant variations depending on the catalyst arrangement and inlet velocity, highlighting it as a critical parameter governing NO reduction performance. The findings in the present study can serve as a reference for future analyses conducted under practical conditions in industrial-scale marine SCR systems. Full article

The paper examines the energy transition using Poland as a case study. The model was estimated based on annual data for Poland for the period of 1990–2024 (n = 35). The estimation was carried out using the OLS method with HAC correction, and the statistical significance of parameters was assessed using statistical tests. Based on econometric analysis, the impact was examined throughout the entire research period, with additional analysis of the structural break dummy for 2015. It was verified whether this impact had changed since 2015 compared to the earlier period. The data were used to calculate indicators, arranged in three groups: (1) capacity availability indicators (for the availability of the overall power system and for the renewable energy sources (RES)); (2) indicator of emission intensity (the indicator was defined as the ratio of total greenhouse gases emission to real GDP); (3) indicator of the economy’s energy intensity (the indicator was defined as primary energy consumption per unit of GDP). Annual summaries of these indicators constituted the input data for econometric modelling. The aim of the empirical analysis was to deepen the identification of mechanisms shaping greenhouse gas emission intensity by incorporating into the model indicators of generation capacity availability and measures of the economy’s energy intensity. The data collection based on constructed greenhouse gas emission intensity and energy intensity indicators of the economy enables the analysis of the increase in emission intensity regardless of the scale of the economy, in the system of power availability for the entire energy system, as well as for renewable energy sources. This approach makes it possible to move away from the analysis of absolute volumes toward a structural perspective that better reflects the real production capabilities of the power system as well as the efficiency of energy use in the economy. The results indicate that economic energy intensity is the dominant determinant of greenhouse gas emission intensity in Poland during the research period. The econometric analysis estimates show a positive and statistically significant relationship between energy intensity and emissions intensity, whereas generation capacity availability indicators—both for the total power system and for renewable energy sources—do not exhibit statistically significant effects. However, it was found that this impact was not constant throughout the entire period (β is 0.455 for pre-2015 and 0.325 for post-2015). Sensitivity analysis based on point elasticities reveals that a 1% increase in energy intensity of GDP leads to an increase in greenhouse gas emission intensity (by approximately 1.18% pre-2015 and 0.85% post-2015), whereas analogous changes in total capacity availability and RES availability are associated with substantially smaller effects (0.10% and 0.20%, respectively). These findings suggest that improvements in economy-wide energy efficiency played a more decisive role in reducing emissions intensity than short-term variations in generation capacity availability. Full article

Ungulate browsing is a major driver of forest regeneration dynamics and habitat structure in managed temperate forests, influencing species composition, regeneration success, and long-term stand development. Traditional assessments of browsing impacts often rely on field-based indicators such as regeneration density or visual cover, but these metrics provide limited insight into three-dimensional habitat structure. Mobile handheld LiDAR offers highly detailed measurements of forest structure, enabling objective and reproducible quantification of structural complexity that complements and extends conventional field-based methods. In this study, we applied handheld LiDAR as an innovative indicator for habitat structure within the ungulate browsing zone (<2 m height) to evaluate structural development across sites differing in management context. Paired fenced and unfenced plots (12 × 12 m) were surveyed within the WiWaldI project framework in 2019 and 2023 and compared across three hunting regimes representing different degrees of ungulate population management. Structural complexity was quantified by deriving box-counting dimensions from LiDAR point clouds, providing a measure of spatial arrangement and density relevant to ungulate–vegetation interactions. To support interpretation and ecological context, we complemented LiDAR indicators with streamlined field assessments. Based on this framework, we assessed whether forest structural complexity and visual cover differ among regions and over time, and whether ungulate browsing induces detectable structural differences between fenced whether structural differences between fenced and unfenced plots are detectable. We further examined the relative importance of tree species composition, plant architecture, and hunting regime as drivers of three-dimensional habitat structure. A simplified octant method characterized the spatial distribution of woody regeneration, while a silhouette-based approach quantified visual cover from the perspective of a standard ungulate profile. These auxiliary measures contextualize visual and spatial aspects of structure that LiDAR metrics capture with minimal observer bias. LiDAR studies have previously demonstrated potential for linking high-resolution structural data to ungulate habitat use, and our approach extends this by focusing on structural complexity as a habitat indicator. Results show a consistent increase in LiDAR-derived structural complexity between 2019 and 2023 across all regions. This increase occurred across management contexts and was not consistently explained by fencing or hunting regime effects, suggesting that site conditions, forest composition, and successional processes were dominant drivers during the observation period. Hunting regime showed no statistically significant and no consistent effect on structural complexity across regions or years. Visual cover metrics varied strongly among regions and species and declined over time. These findings suggest that three-dimensional habitat structure information has the potential to enhance the evaluation of ungulate impacts and may support evidence-based forest and wildlife management, particularly when interpreted in the context of site conditions and successional dynamics. Beyond ungulate impact assessment, the presented handheld LiDAR approach provides a scalable remote sensing framework for precision forestry by capturing three-dimensional structural attributes that are directly linked to forest stability, resilience, growth dynamics, and stand-level species mixing, thereby supporting evidence-based forest management recommendations. Full article

With the core advantages of high energy efficiency, high power density, and reliable operation, high-voltage permanent magnet motors have become the mainstream development direction of modern motor technology. However, the risk of demagnetization caused by excessive temperature increases in permanent magnets has become a key bottleneck restricting motor performance and operational reliability, which makes research on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of motor cooling systems of great engineering value. Taking the 710 kW high-voltage permanent magnet motors as the research object, this study established a global flow field mathematical model covering the internal and external air duct cooling systems of the motor based on the theories of computational fluid dynamics and numerical heat transfer, and systematically analyzed the flow characteristics and distribution laws of cooling air. The thermal–fluid coupling numerical method was employed to simulate the temperature field of the motor, and the overall temperature distribution of the motor, temperature gradient of key components, and maximum temperature value were accurately obtained. To verify the validity of the established model, a test platform for the cooling system performance was designed and built. Measuring points for wind speed, air temperature, and component temperature were arranged at key positions, such as the stator radial ventilation ducts, and experimental tests were conducted under the rated operating conditions. The results show that the flow field distribution of the internal and external air ducts of the motor is reasonable and that the cooling air flows uniformly, with the external and internal circulating air volumes reaching 1.2 m³/s and 0.6 m³/s, respectively, which meets the heat dissipation requirements. The maximum temperature of 95 °C occurs in the stator winding area, and the maximum temperature of the permanent magnets is controlled within the safe range of 65 °C. The simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental data, with an average relative error of only 4%, which fell within the engineering allowable range, thus verifying the accuracy and reliability of the established global model and thermal–fluid coupling calculation method. This study reveals the thermal–fluid coupling transfer mechanism of high-voltage permanent magnet motors and provides a theoretical basis and engineering reference for the optimal design, precise temperature rise control, and reliability improvement of motor cooling systems. Full article

In this paper, a novel dual-band broadband antenna based on structure reuse is proposed. The proposed antenna integrates a slot antenna with a microstrip antenna to achieve dual-band performance. The slot antenna innovatively serves as both a radiating element and a feeding structure for the microstrip antenna, realizing structure reuse and significantly reducing structural complexity. To enhance the dual-band bandwidth, four symmetrically arranged parasitic strips are introduced, effectively extending the low-frequency bandwidth. Additionally, the high-frequency bandwidth is further improved by the introduction of a U-shaped slot. To analyze its working principle, the characteristics of the current and electric field distributions at each resonant point are given. The measured results indicate that in the low-frequency band, the proposed antenna achieves a relative bandwidth of 22.1% and a peak gain of 6.5 dBi. In the high-frequency band, it realizes a relative bandwidth of 13.6% and a peak gain of 4.6 dBi. Full article