Search Results (13)

This study investigated the status of anchors for small fishing vessels that correspond with the risk factors of submarine cables, which are essential elements for offshore wind farms. As for target vessels, small coastal fishing vessels of less than ten tons were divided into four categories by tonnage, and 71 locations were compared from a total of 59 fishing vessels. In the results, the shank showed a difference of approximately 18.2% from 119.3 to 145.8 cm on average, while the stock exhibited a difference of approximately 18.9% from 130.3 to 160.6 cm. The size of the anchor, however, was not proportional to the increase in the tonnage of the fishing vessel, and the anchors were produced in their own forms, based on the experience of the crew in many cases. In the statistical processing results, significant differences occurred in all areas except for the fluke. The stock and shank, which affect the dragging anchor, showed significant differences at a level of p < 0.05 while the bill, bill to bill, and bill to shank exhibited differences at a level of p < 0.01. This indicates that standardized criteria are required for the anchors of small coastal fishing vessels of less than ten tons, and that design standards for materials and reinforcements also need to be prepared as thin rebars or wooden columns are used, in addition to steel pipes, as the materials of the stock in many cases. Full article

Based on the principles of biomimicry, evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have been widely applied across diverse domains to tackle practical challenges. However, the inherent limitations of these algorithms call for further refinement to strike a delicate balance between global exploration and local exploitation. Thus, this paper introduces a novel multi-strategy enhanced hybrid algorithm called MHWACO, which integrates a Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO). Initially, MHWACO employs Gaussian perturbation optimization for individual initialization. Subsequently, individuals selectively undertake either localized exploration based on the refined WOA or global prospecting anchored in the Golden Sine Algorithm (Golden-SA), determined by transition probabilities. Inspired by the collaborative behavior of ant colonies, a Flight Ant (FA) strategy is proposed to guide unoptimized individuals toward potential global optimal solutions. Finally, the Gaussian scatter search (GSS) strategy is activated during low population activity, striking a balance between global exploration and local exploitation capabilities. Moreover, the efficacy of Support Vector Regression (SVR) and random forest (RF) as regression models heavily depends on parameter selection. In response, we have devised the MHWACO-SVM and MHWACO-RF models to refine the selection of parameters, applying them to various real-world problems such as stock prediction, housing estimation, disease forecasting, fire prediction, and air quality monitoring. Experimental comparisons against 9 newly proposed intelligent optimization algorithms and 9 enhanced algorithms across 34 benchmark test functions and the CEC2022 benchmark suite, highlight the notable superiority and efficacy of MSWOA in addressing global optimization problems. Finally, the proposed MHWACO-SVM and MHWACO-RF models outperform other regression models across key metrics such as the Mean Bias Error (MBE), Coefficient of Determination ($R^2$), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Explained Variance Score (EVS), and Median Absolute Error (MEAE). Full article

Based on morphological and molecular data, Brotulella n. gen. is proposed to accommodate the dactylogyrid monogeneans Brotulella laurafernandae n. sp. (type species) and Brotulella luisahelenae n. sp. on the gill filaments of the Pacific bearded brotula Brotula clarkae Hubbs, 1944 (Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae) from Puerto Pizarro in the Tumbes region (northern Peru). Species of the new genus are distinguished from all other dactylogyrids by the combination of the following features: (1) anchors with a stocking-shaped sheath associated with the distal end of superficial and deep roots, (2) tandem gonads, (3) a vas deferens looping left intestinal caecum, (4) a distally twisted male copulatory organ (MCO) with a delicate membranous accessory piece articulated to the shaft of the MCO, (5) a U-shaped ovary, (6) an almost sigmoid seminal vesicle, and (7) two prostatic reservoirs with thick muscular walls. A 28S ribosomal DNA-based phylogenetic analysis (Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) of sequences of two new species of Brotulella n. gen. from the Southeastern Pacific Ocean, along with sequences from closely related genera of the marine Dactylogyridae, supports the establishment of the new genus for the dactylogyrid parasites on the gills of the Pacific bearded brotula. Full article

Intelligent transformation plays a crucial role in advancing sustainable development in manufacturing while also enhancing the information environment. This study examines the role of intelligent transformation in China’s manufacturing sector, spanning theoretical and empirical dimensions and being anchored in the context of capital market information efficiency. The theoretical framework highlights how intelligent transformation mitigates information asymmetry, aligning a firm’s valuation with its intrinsic value, thereby elevating the information efficiency of capital markets. Leveraging annual reports from China’s A-share manufacturing firms, this study employs textual analysis to construct indicators assessing the extent of intelligent transformation across these entities. The empirical findings of this study harmonize with the theoretical constructs. Notably, intelligent transformation emerges as a pivotal driver in enhancing information efficiency in capital markets, substantiated by a negative correlation between intelligent transformation and stock price synchronicity within the manufacturing domain. This correlation withstands a battery of robustness tests and endogeneity treatment. The mechanism driving this transformative impact lies in intelligent transformation’s ability to enhance productivity and magnify market attention, thereby positively influencing capital market information efficiency. The insights not only provide empirical support but also offer practical guidance for improving real-world company operations and developing high-quality capital markets. Full article

In order to reach a Zero-Energy-consuming building stock, it is necessary to insulate and add renewable energy sources on top of existing building envelopes. Off-site prefabricated modules have been used for covering building facades, but manual on-site installation procedures are still more competitive than prefabricated ones. Renovation with prefabricated modules requires high precision in order to obtain airtight and waterproof conditions. For that, an accurate installation of the anchors on top of the facade is crucial. With current techniques, this is a time-consuming operation. One of the attempts to solve the above-mentioned issue was to place the part of the anchor on top of a building facade with high tolerances and to use an interface to correct the deviations. In previous research, this concept, named Matching Kit, was validated, but improvements needed to be made to make it more competitive. In this paper, thanks to novel algorithms and the use of Point Clouds, an improved version is presented. The results show a reduction in working time and an increase in precision. With this research, the interface is closer to being used in the construction industry. Full article

The proposal in the present research study is the result of a more than two-year process developed in a pallet manufacturing company for anchor enterprises in Southern Sonora, Mexico dedicated to beer production and export to the United States of America. Considering the high pallet demand for this supplier, a strategic plan was created in 2021, establishing an important project for developing technological solutions to improve decision making supported by graphical user interface and focused on sustainability. This study shows the application of system dynamics in all the wood and pallet manufacturing processes with a strategic sourcing supply chain. The method used for its development had the following stages: (1) developing the mapping process; (2) creating the causal loop diagram; (3) developing a flow and stock model with the representing mathematical equations; (4) simulating and validating current scenarios; (5) evaluating normal, optimistic, and pessimistic scenarios with multicriteria decision making using Technique to Order Preferences by Similarity and the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and Faire Un Choix Adéquat (FUCA); (6) building the graphical interface. The most relevant results for the company were having quantitative information regarding the pallet demand required by the main client for wood availability, which was the main restriction in the supply chain. The solution was based on four validation tests that allowed decision makers to support the production proposals considering the assistance of the dynamic models. The main conclusion demonstrated that using well-defined operation rules and policies—considering the installed capacity and pallet demand through the model solution—allows anticipating decisions on pallet quantity and reducing the risk of out-of-time deliveries. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether trading experience reduces exposure to heuristic-driven biases, namely availability bias, anchoring and adjustments bias, representativeness bias, and confirmation biases of individual investors operating in the Indian stock market, through the moderating role of the Big Five personality traits. To achieve these research objectives, primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire. The sample consisted of 408 individual investors trading on the Indian stock market, who were selected on a convenient basis. Confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha were used to measure the validity and reliability of the data. Further analysis was conducted using Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression. The results of this study prove that increased trading experience does not always reduce the susceptibility to heuristic biases. Increased trading experience reduces the susceptibility to availability, and anchoring and adjustment heuristics of individual investors operating on the Indian stock market. The present study has some relevant implications for investors, portfolio managers, financial advisors, and other interested persons in the stock market. Full article

In the last two decades, research on behavioural biases has grown dramatically, fuelled by rising academic interest and zeal for publication. The present study explores the mediating role of risk perception on the relationship between heuristic biases and individual equity investors’ decision-making. The study uses Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS–SEM) to examine the survey data from 432 individual equity investors trading at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in India. Risk perception is found to play a partial mediating role in the relationship amid overconfidence bias and investment decision-making, availability bias and investment decision-making, gamblers’ fallacy bias and investment decision-making and anchoring bias and investment decision-making, whereas it is found to play the full mediating role in the relationship between representativeness bias and investment decision-making. The result of the present study provides valuable insights into the different behavioural biases of capital market participants and other stakeholders such as equity investors, financial advisors, and policymakers. The present study solely relied on the heuristic biases of individual equity investors. However, in the real world, many other factors may impact the investment decision of individual equity investors. This has been considered a limitation of the study. The present study solely relied on the heuristic biases of individual equity investors. However, in the real world, many other factors may impact the investment decision of individual equity investors. This has been considered a limitation of the study. Full article

Inventory is the basis of business activities; inventory management helps industries keep their inventories stocked with reasonable quantities, which ensures consumers demand while minimizing storage costs. The traditional manual inventory management has low efficiency and a high labor cost. In this paper, we used improved YOLOv3 to detect the cups stored on the warehouse shelves and counted their numbers to realize automated inventory management. The warehouse images are collected by the camera and transmitted to the industrial computer, which runs the YOLOv3 network. There are three feature maps in YOLOv3, the two smaller feature maps and the structure behind them are removed, and the k-means algorithm is used to optimize the default anchor size. Moreover, the detection range is limited to a specified area. Experiments show that, by eliminating those two feature maps, the network parameter is reduced from 235 MB to 212 MB, and detection FPS is improved from 48.15 to 54.88 while mAP is improved from 95.65% to 96.65% on our test dataset. The new anchors obtained by the k-means algorithm further improve the mAP to 96.82%. With those improvements, the average error rate of detection is reduced to 1.61%. Restricted detection areas eliminate irrelevant items to ensure the high accuracy of the detection result. The accurately counted number of cups and its change provide significant data for inventory management. Full article

The present paper focuses on the architectural and constructional features required to ensure that building envelope renovation are safe, functional, and adaptable to the building stock, with particular focus on “plug and play” modular facade construction systems. It presents the design of one such system and how it addresses these issues. The outcome of early-stage functional test with a full-scale mock-up system, as well as its applicability to a real construction project is presented. It is found crucial to obtain high quality information about the status of the existing façade with the use of modern technologies such as topographic surveys or 3D scans and point cloud. Detailed design processes are required to ensure the compatibility of manufacture and installation tolerances, along with anchor systems that deliver flexibility for adjustment, and construction processes adapting standard installation methods to the architectural particularities of each case that may hinder its use or require some modification in each situation. This prefabricated plug and play modular system has been tested by reproducing the holistic methodology and new technologies in the market by means of real demonstrators. When compared to more conventional construction methods, this system achieves savings in a real case of 50% (time), 30% (materials) and 25% (waste), thus achieving significant economic savings. Full article

The combined seismic and energy retrofit of existing aged buildings represents a topic of importance for the building stock. The current study investigates the out-of-plane performance of a specific type of thermo-insulation scheme with panels attached on the external facades of multistory buildings. The investigation was carried out through flexure tests of prototype masonry specimens. From the comparison of their flexural performance, with or without thermo-insulating attachments, the influence of thermal insulation on the out-of-plane behavior of clay brick masonry is demonstrated. It was found that when the thermo-insulating attachment is in tension from such out-of-plane flexure of the masonry facade it performs in a satisfactory way and gives an increased flexural capacity for the assembly. The thermal insulating panels, although partially debonded from the masonry substrate at a limit-state, do not collapse, even when the masonry panel develops large flexural cracks. This is due to the presence of the used plastic anchors. When the thermo-insulating panel is subjected to compression during such an out-of-plane flexure the resulting increase in the out-of-plane load bearing capacity is relatively small. Based on these observations it can be concluded that such thermo-insulating panels may also lead to a less vulnerable seismic performance than that of the same masonry panel without this type of thermo-insulating attachment. This was also confirmed when the in-plane behavior was considered from a separate investigation already published. The employed numerical modeling was successful in simulating the most important aspects of the out-of-plane response of the tested masonry wallets with or without thermo-insulating attachments. The good agreement with observed performance as well as the general nature of this numerical simulation confirms its validity for further use. Full article

Current inventory-taking methods (counting stocks and checking correct placements) in large vertical warehouses are mostly manual, resulting in (i) large personnel costs, (ii) human errors and (iii) incidents due to working at large heights. To remedy this, the use of autonomous indoor drones has been proposed. However, these drones require accurate localization solutions that are easy to (temporarily) install at low costs in large warehouses. To this end, we designed a Ultra-Wideband (UWB) solution that uses infrastructure anchor nodes that do not require any wired backbone and can be battery powered. The resulting system has a theoretical update rate of up to 2892 Hz (assuming no hardware dependent delays). Moreover, the anchor nodes have an average current consumption of only 27 mA (compared to 130 mA of traditional UWB infrastructure nodes). Finally, the system has been experimentally validated and is available as open-source software. Full article

There can be little doubt that sustainability has become one of the most important issues in business in recent years. In spite of sustainability’s importance, there is agreement amongst leaders and practitioners that sustainability is not as embedded as desired. This study reports a framework on inhibitors that limit sustainability embeddedness in organizations. The framework can assist management to address the non-achievement antecedents of embeddedness specifically and holistically. This study obtained empirical data from employees on all management levels in a stock exchange-listed company. Through in-depth analysis in a case organization, valuable insights about embeddedness were inductively identified, interpreted and presented using descriptive labels, namely: “Professing What Is Right”; “Green Distraction”; the belief of “Not My Job”; “Firefighter”; the “Past Performance Anchor”; “Strategy Discourse” and “Harmony”—a mediator to sustainability embeddedness. All these were also found to be altered by the transformation of culture and the communication of the strategy message by sustainable leadership—the moderator. The findings were also corroborated by related and supporting literature as part of our contribution and pursuit for better understanding of this phenomenon. Full article