Search Results (116)

According to the Formula 1 commitment to produce net zero carbon emissions by 2030, the present paper examines the environmental impact of Formula 1 logistics by means of a case study carried out from the point of view of an Italian company, with reference to the European Grand Prix. Logistics accounts for approximately 49% of the sport’s total emissions and accordingly, to reduce its carbon footprint, addressing the logistics activity is vital. Two scenarios are compared in detail: AS-IS, involving only road transport of assets, and TO-BE, in which a combined rail–road approach (i.e., intermodal freight) is implemented. While the AS-IS scenario is more cost-effective, it has a significant environmental impact in terms of CO₂ emissions; in contrast, though more complex and costly, TO-BE offers major advantages for environmental sustainability, including reduced emissions (approximately half compared to AS-IS) and improved efficiency through intermodal transport units. This study stresses that a combined transport system, facilitated by the European rail infrastructure, is a more sustainable option for Formula 1 logistics. However, achieving full carbon neutrality still represents a challenge that will require further innovations and collaboration among the stakeholders of this world. Full article

Stylistic neutrality is the basis for the stylistic evaluation of maps. Furthermore, the stylistic neutrality of a map as a cartographic text may be related to objectivity. However, what constitutes stylistic neutrality is not clearly stated in the field of cartography. The problem is complicated by the fact that the stylistically neutral image is a hypothetical image. The aim of this research is to investigate stylistic neutrality by exploring the peculiarities of cartographic language functioning in different fields of social activity. The research combines descriptive analysis, stylistic analysis, cartographic and interpretative methods. Firstly, the research reveals the concept of cartographic stylistic neutrality, in line with the cartographic linguistic paradigm. Secondly, an analysis of the characteristics of cartographic language in different fields of social activity from the point of view of stylistic neutrality is carried out. Thirdly, an example is developed to illustrate stylistic cartographic neutrality. Stylistic neutrality is characterised by the stylistic features of cartographic language: clarity, accuracy, conciseness, calmness, abstractness, temperance, neutrality and moderateness. The style of cartographic production for inventory and research activities is closest to stylistic neutrality, while the style of reflective activity is the most expressive and acts as a source of concreteness for stylistic neutrality. Full article

Achieving a climate neutral economy by 2050 in Europe in line with the European Green Deal places specific responsibility on the transportation sector, which contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For the transportation domain to reduce its GHG emissions, there is need to advance urban mobility solutions in local communities via the use of data in all modes of transportation. Accordingly, to intelligently improve mobility solutions, huge amounts of data are needed from citizens in local communities to improve mobility services. However, the access, usage, and ownership of data in the transportation sector continue to be hindered due to issues including privacy, security, and trust concerns, among others. However, to improve smarter mobility solutions, there is a need for clarification of digital sovereignty, which today hinders data flow among different actors in the transportation sector. Therefore, research is needed to provide an approach that enables digital sovereignty while providing innovative mobility services and applications to citizens. Accordingly, this article carried out a systematic review to explore how to maintain digital sovereignty to improve urban mobility services in local communities. Based on grounded theory and a literature review, this study explores the factors that influence digital sovereignty from local communities’ point of view. More importantly, a policy framework is proposed to improve sovereign data usage control for citizens. Additionally, recommendations for achieving digital sovereignty are presented to foster data ecosystem business opportunities for mobility service providers and to increase data autonomy, trust, and transparency for citizens. Full article

Growing requirements in the field of environmental protection and waste management result in the need to search for new and effective methods of recycling various types of waste. From the perspective of technical and natural sciences, the disposal of hazardous waste, which can lead to environmental degradation, is of utmost importance. A particularly hazardous waste is asbestos, used until recently in many branches of the economy and industry. Despite the ban on the production and use of asbestos introduced in many countries, products containing it are still present in the environment and pose a real threat. This paper presents the results of research related to the process of asbestos neutralization, especially the chrysotile variety, by the thermal decomposition method. Changes in the mineralogical characteristics of asbestos waste were studied using the following methods: TG-DTA-EGA, XRD, SEM-EDS and XRF. The characteristics of the chrysotile asbestos sample were determined before and after thermal treatment at selected temperatures. The second part of the study focuses on the kinetic aspect of this process, where the chrysotile thermal decomposition process was measured by two techniques: ex situ and in situ. This study showed that the chrysotile structure collapsed at approximately 600–800 °C through dehydroxylation, and then the fibrous chrysotile asbestos was transformed into new mineral phases, such as forsterite and enstatite. The formation of forsterite was observed at temperatures below 1000 °C, while enstatite was created above this temperature. From the kinetic point of view, the chrysotile thermal decomposition process could be described by the Avrami–Erofeev model, and the calculated activation energy values were ~180 kJ mol⁻¹ and ~220 kJ mol⁻¹ for ex situ and in situ processes, respectively. The obtained results indicate that the thermal method can be successfully used to detoxify hazardous chrysotile asbestos fibers. Full article

The precise spatially explicit data on land cover and land use changes is one of the essential variables for enhancing the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, which is relevant for meeting the goal of the European economy and society to become climate-neutral by 2050. The accuracy of the machine learning models trained on remote-sensed data suffers from a lack of reliable training datasets and they are often site-specific. Therefore, in this study, we proposed a method that integrates the bi-temporal analysis of the combination of spectral indices that detects the potential changes, which then serve as reference data for the Random Forest classifier. In addition, we examined the transferability of the pre-trained model over time, which is an important aspect from the operational point of view and may significantly reduce the time required for the preparation of reliable and accurate training data. Two types of vegetation losses were identified: woody coverage converted to non-woody vegetation, and vegetated areas converted to sealed surfaces or bare soil. The vegetation losses were detected annually over the period 2018–2021 with an overall accuracy (OA) above 0.97 and a Kappa coefficient of 0.95 for all time intervals in the study regions in Poland and Norway. Additionally, the pre-trained model’s temporal transferability revealed an improvement of the OA by 5 percentage points and the macroF1-Score value by 12 percentage points compared to the original model. Full article

Background: Handgrip strength (HGS) is strongly recommended for use in clinical settings because it is a convenient assessment of muscle strength and a robust prognostic indicator of health. However, it may lack use in clinical settings, and may not be well understood by healthcare providers and patients. We sought to determine the healthcare provider and patient perceptions of HGS in an internal medicine resident clinic. Methods: Healthcare providers were presented with didactic sessions for HGS and engaged in routine follow-up meetings. HGS was measured on eligible older adult patients during an approximately 9-month phased study period. Both healthcare providers and patients were asked to complete a questionnaire with 10-point Likert scale response items regarding their experiences with HGS. Results were presented as descriptive. Results: Overall, patients had a positive perception of HGS, as they understood HGS instructions (score: 9.8 ± 0.7), their results (score: 9.5 ± 1.3), and found value in HGS for their health (score: 8.4 ± 2.3). However, healthcare providers were generally neutral about HGS, such that at study end HGS was viewed as moderately valuable for their practice (score: 6.0 ± 2.1) and patients (score: 6.0 ± 2.1). Conclusions: Overall, patients had a positive perception of HGS, but healthcare providers were neutral. Our findings should be used to guide HGS for possible implementation and quality management in appropriate healthcare settings. Full article

The correct and safe operation of electricity grids is a fundamental consideration in guaranteeing the supply of electricity with the correct parameters to consumers. One of the key aspects is how neutral point earthing works. In grids with the neutral point grounded by a Petersen coil, it is very important to properly tune its inductance in relation to the natural capacitance of the power grid. This is important both for the proper operation of earth fault protection and from the point of view of power quality, especially voltage asymmetry. Asymmetry of phase voltages in MV networks has a very negative impact on the operation of the railway network supplied by 12-pulse rectifiers. In this paper, the authors present the influence of the detuning factor of the earth fault compensation and the length and cross-section of the line on the value of voltage asymmetry factors. As the analyses carried out have shown, significant (up to 90%) values of the zero-sequence asymmetry factor can occur at low detuning, which can contribute not only to a decrease in the quality of the transmitted electricity but also to the unnecessary activation of protections. The values of the negative-sequence voltage asymmetry factor are much smaller (do not exceed 0.5% in the analysed cases) and do not depend on the network detuning factor. As the distance from the substation increases, an increase in the values of both types of asymmetry factors is also observed, with the relationship already negligibly small at considerable distances (above 20 km). Full article

In this article, I argue that Newman’s emphasis on a gestaltic model of reasoning and the role played by the imagination in informal reasoning is a fruitful starting point for an exploration of convergence between the Grammar of Assent and Wittgenstein’s On Certainty. I claim that Wittgenstein, like Newman, challenges both the claim that justification must be neutral and the prejudice according to which any form of persuasion that is not demonstrative is irrational or arational. Arguments are mainly focused on the picture of Newman’s epistemology provided lately by Duncan Pritchard. I argue that Pritchard misrepresents Newman’s conception of the illative sense so as to ascribe to him the thesis that religious belief is evidentially grounded in a broad sense of evidence. This creates a false dichotomy between the arational view of religious principles and the account of religious certainties as epistemically grounded. I suggest that Newman’s reference to both living persuasion and the role played by the will in religious conviction is part of his attempt to expose this false dichotomy. Full article

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels are ubiquitous proteins involved in a wide range of physiological functions. Some of them are expressed in nociceptors and play a major role in the transduction of painful stimuli of mechanical, thermal, or chemical origin. They have been described in both human and rodent systems. Among them, TRPV1 is a polymodal channel permeable to cations, with a highly conserved sequence throughout species and a homotetrameric structure. It is sensitive to temperature above 43 °C and to pH below 6 and involved in various functions such as thermoregulation, metabolism, and inflammatory pain. Several TRPV1 mutations have been associated with human channelopathies related to pain sensitivity or thermoregulation. TRPV1 is expressed in a large part of the peripheral and central nervous system, most notably in sensory C and Aδ fibers innervating the skin and internal organs. In this review, we discuss how the transduction of nociceptive messages is activated or impaired by natural compounds and peptides targeting TRPV1. From a pharmacological point of view, capsaicin—the spicy ingredient of chilli pepper—was the first agonist described to activate TRPV1, followed by numerous other natural molecules such as neurotoxins present in plants, microorganisms, and venomous animals. Paralleling their adaptive protective benefit and allowing venomous species to cause acute pain to repel or neutralize opponents, these toxins are very useful for characterizing sensory functions. They also provide crucial tools for understanding TRPV1 functions from a structural and pharmacological point of view as this channel has emerged as a potential therapeutic target in pain management. Therefore, the pharmacological characterization of TRPV1 using natural toxins is of key importance in the field of pain physiology and thermal regulation. Full article

Cultivation is advocated as a solution for the sustainable exploitation of medicinal plants. Understanding environmental factors influencing plant species distribution will eliminate the indiscriminate introduction of medicinal plants to inappropriate cultivation regions. This study investigated environmental conditions for the distribution of Artemisia afra and mapped out potential areas for its cultivation in South Africa. Soil samples were collected for analysis in the Free State Province in South Africa. To identify suitable environmental conditions for the natural distribution of A. afra, the South African National Botanical Institute database and physically collected Global Positioning System points were used in a maximum entropy model. Monthly long-term average interpolated weather surfaces were used to estimate the effect of climate change on future climate suitability for A. afra distribution. Sixty-one percent of soil samples from different A. afra populations were clay loam soils with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. The carbon source utilization, Shannon Weaver Index, and species richness were positively correlated with one group of fourteen soil samples, and species evenness was positively correlated with the second group, consisting of four samples. Climate change will only affect the distribution of A. afra in the very long term. The current study provides critical information for identifying suitable cultivation areas for A. afra while supporting conservation efforts from an ecological point of view. Full article

Post-industrial sites are a part of many cities. The impacts of industrial activities are not only evident in the area where the activity took place, but also affect the buildings within these areas. Buildings that served the industry in the past were built mainly by mass construction methods. From today’s point of view, these buildings are unsatisfactory in terms of typology, operation, and energy. In particular, energy rehabilitation is a way to restore industrial buildings and bring them to a full-fledged state. This issue is documented in a case study of a city affected by underground mining activity and on a selected skeleton construction. Given that industrial buildings have heavy or mass structures where some elements like beams and columns are damaged, it is crucial to consider not only energy solutions, but also the structural and architectural aspects of these buildings. In terms of thermal engineering and energy, including the renovation of structures, a software-supported evaluation of three material variants for the envelope walls of the skeleton construction from the 1970s was conducted. This study evaluates the thermal performance of conventional, proposed, and traditional wall designs by analysing their U-values, thermal resistance, and structural advantages. The results reveal that the conventional wall, featuring a 150 mm EPS 70 NEO insulation layer, achieves the lowest U-value, outperforming the proposed wall by a factor of 1.2 in thermal resistance. Both designs significantly reduce U-values compared to traditional walls, by factors of 6.55 and 5.40, respectively. Despite a 23% reduction in thickness relative to the conventional wall (and 44% compared to traditional walls), the proposed wall demonstrates robust thermal performance. Further benefits include reduced structural dead load, with the conventional and proposed walls being 3.70 times lighter per square meter than traditional walls. This reduction can decrease foundation, column, and beam dimensions, optimizing building design. Thermal bridging analysis highlights superior corner insulation in conventional walls due to higher surface temperatures, while the proposed wall maintains effective insulation with surface temperatures close to indoor conditions. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of advanced materials in achieving efficient thermal performance while balancing architectural and structural demands. The results achieved from the experimental work show that industrial buildings can be effectively energy-renovated in a way that complies with legislative documents, successfully extends the physical life of the frame structures, and contributes to carbon neutrality. Full article

The neutral-point potential balance issues in three-level converters have obtained great attention. The popular view thinks that the neutral-point voltage deviation can be suppressed by regulating the injected zero-sequence component, whether via carrier modulation or space vector modulation techniques. However, this paper presents a novel finding: the efficacy of different frame controllers on the self-balancing of neutral-point potential in three-level converters differs when a comprehensive analysis of zero-sequence dynamics, including neutral-point current and PWM modulation, is conducted. That is, the proportional-resonant (PR) controller in the abc frame effectively introduces a zero-axis PR control of the zero-sequence component, which subsequently degrades the stability of neutral-point potential self-balancing. In contrast, the PI control in the dq frame does not incorporate any additional control of the zero-sequence component, thereby enhancing the self-balancing capability of the neutral-point potential. To substantiate this novel finding, a series of simulations and experimental validations were performed. Full article

Age-related decline in episodic memory is often linked to structural and functional changes in the brain. Here, we investigated how these alterations might affect functional connectivity during memory retrieval following exposure to emotional stimuli. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), participants viewed images with varying emotional valences (positive, negative, and neutral) followed by unrelated non-arousing videos and were then asked to retrieve an episodic detail from the previously shown video. We conducted Multivariate Pattern Analysis (MVPA) to identify regions with divergent responses between age groups, which then served as seeds in Seed-Based Connectivity (SBC) analyses. The results revealed an age-related decline in behavioural performance following exposure to negative stimuli but preserved performance following positive stimuli. Young adults exhibited increased functional connectivity following negative valence. Conversely, old adults displayed increased connectivity more scarcely, and only following positive valence. These findings point to an adaptive response of the impact of emotions on task performance that depends on neural adaptations related to ageing. This suggests that age-related changes in functional connectivity might underlie how emotions influence memory, highlighting the need to tailor memory support strategies in older adulthood. Full article

Contamination or pollution of our environment has become a real global concern, especially in parallel with the increasing evolution of urbanization and industrialization, which in turn have released a plethora of different pollutants that end up being deposited in soils. It is crucial to investigate solutions that can minimize the extent of damage, and that are cost-effective, feasible and environmentally friendly, to treat a wide variety of contaminants in soils, as well as to detoxify various compounds. Bioremediation is a safe technique that has demonstrated satisfactory results and is easy to apply and maintain. This technique explores the degradation pathways of various biological agents (microorganisms, plants, algae, etc.) to neutralize contaminants. It is based on biodegradation through a complete mineralization of organic pollutants into inorganic innocuous compounds, such as carbon dioxide and water. This review aims to determine the feasibility of bioremediation as a cleanup technology for soils contaminated with pesticides, agrochemicals, chlorinated compounds, heavy metals, organic halogens, greenhouse gases, petroleum hydrocarbons, and many others, either in situ or ex situ. Different bioremediation approaches are described and compared, showing their advantages and drawbacks from a critical point of view. Moreover, both the economic and technical barriers of bioremediation are addressed, along with the outlook for the role of microorganisms in the process, the aim to identify future directions, and the application feasibility of this process. Full article

Wulfila (c. 311–c. 383) translated the Bible into Gothic, creating the first literary text in a Germanic language. His biography is contested; his parentage, place of birth, episcopal consecration, and theological position are all disputed. The fourth century saw heated debates about the Trinity, and the Goths were often termed ‘Arians’, despite the fact that the teachings of the African presbyter Arius (c. 256–336) were not directly transmitted to them. This article notes a rebirth of interest in Wulfila, his mission, and the Gothic Bible, employing the notion that ‘Homoian’ (a more neutral term than ‘Arian’) theology was a possible bridge between Catholic monotheism and Gothic polytheism as the starting point for a re-examination of Wulfila’s evangelism as both an imperially mandated strategy and the creation of a route into civilization and modernity for the Goths. Christianity was modern and fashionable in the fourth century; Germanic tribes wishing to abandon their status as pagani (rustics) or heathens (heath-dwellers, not civilized city dwellers), viewed conversion as a move ‘up’. The Gothic Bible played a role in developing Gothic literacy, but was also a magical object, the first of its kind, a book/roadmap for a people undergoing a great cultural transformation. Full article