Industry Activities Research Articles

PENGUKURAN pH, DISSOLVED OXYGEN (DO), DAN TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLID (TDS) PADA SUNGAI WILAYAH INDUSTRI COR LOGAM KABUPATEN HULU SUNGAI SELATAN

Water is essential for human life, used daily for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, and various other purposes. The presence of industrial waste can significantly impact the water quality of rivers located in industrial areas. In North Daha District, South Kalimantan, there is a metal casting industry that discharges its waste into a nearby river. Therefore, measuring the water quality of the river is necessary to determine the level of pollution caused by industrial waste. The objective of this study is to obtain parameters from water quality tests, such as pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and total dissolved solid (TDS), to assess the river's condition before and after metal casting processed. Additionally, the study aims to compare the test results against water quality standards for public consumption. The research method involves direct measurement of river water using a multiparameter water quality testing instrument. The test results before metal casting processed are pH 6,33 – 6,47; DO 1,03 – 2,18 ppm; and TDS 45 – 65 ppm. The test result after casting processed are pH 6,57 – 6,85; DO 6,66 – 13,19 ppm; and TDS 43 – 48 ppm. Comparing from PP RI Number 82 (2001) that the metal casting industry activities have water criterion within the range allowable values. That indicate the industry do not contaminate the river in the industrial area. The river pollution is primarily caused by tidal phenomena, particularly during low tide conditions.

Developing structures to support researchers studying health-harming industries.

It is well-documented that health-harming industries and the groups they fund use a range of tactics that seek to interfere with academic research. With the development of scholarship relating to the Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH), an increasing number of public health researchers are working to examine the activities of health-harming industries and the impacts they have on health and equity. However, there has been limited research investigating the experiences of these researchers and the range of strategies that could be used to support them. This qualitative interpretivist study involved 10 online focus groups with 28 public health researchers (ranging from PhD students to emeritus professors) in Australia and the UK. The researchers worked on issues related to the alcohol, gambling, tobacco or ultra-processed food industries. Participants outlined a range of personal and professional risks relating to their research, including social media attacks, complaints to university personnel and funders, attempts to discredit their research, legal threats and freedom of information requests. Some described the impacts this had on their overall well-being, and even on their family life. They commented that current university systems and structures to support them were variable and could differ between individuals within institutions. This often left researchers feeling isolated and unsupported. Universities should recognize the risks to researchers working on issues relating to health-harming industries. They should proactively develop strategies and resources to inform and support researchers to conduct research that is important for public health and equity.

TRPML1 agonist ML-SA5 mitigates uranium-induced nephrotoxicity via promoting lysosomal exocytosis

Uranium (U) released from U mining and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing in the nuclear industry, nuclear accidents and military activities as a primary environmental pollutant (e.g., drinking water pollution) is a threat to human health. Kidney is one of the main target organs for U accumulation, leading to nephrotoxicity mainly associated with the injuries in proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs). Transient receptor potential mucolipin 1 (TRPML1) is a novel therapeutic target for nephrotoxicity caused by acute or chronic U poisoning. We herein investigate the therapeutic efficacy of ML-SA5, a small molecule agonist of TRPML1, in U-induced nephrotoxicity in acute U intoxicated mice. We demonstrate that delayed treatment with ML-SA5 enhances U clearance from the kidneys via urine excretion by activating lysosomal exocytosis, and thereby attenuates U-induced kidney dysfunction and cell death/apoptosis of renal PTECs in acute U intoxicated mice. In addition, ML-SA5 promotes the nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB (TFEB) in renal PTECs in acute U intoxicated mice. Mechanistically, ML-SA5 triggers the TRPML1-mediated lysosomal calcium release and consequently induces TFEB activation in U-loaded renal PTECs-derived HK-2 cells. Moreover, knockdown of TRPML1 or TFEB abolishes the effects of ML-SA5 on the removal of intracellular U and reduction of the cellular injury/death in U-loaded HK-2 cells. Our findings indicate that pharmacological activation of TRPML1 is a promising therapeutic approach for the delayed treatment of U-induced nephrotoxicity via the activation of the positive feedback loop of TRPML1 and TFEB and consequent the induction of lysosomal exocytosis.

Ball Launching Robot and Object Retriever with V- Belt Method and Robotic Arm Method

This research develops a ball launcher and object picker robot controlled remotely /wirelessly using a microcontroller. The robot is designed to enhance mechanical work efficiency and control in the Indonesian robot contest, with the ability to automatically throw balls and collect objects in a designated area. The robot's drive system utilizes DC motors for mobility, with ball launching and pneumatic systems used for the object collection mechanism. This study emphasizes designing a more efficient system that offers good responsiveness, aiming to provide optimal robot control. The test results showed that the robot could perform ball launching with adequate accuracy and collect objects with suitable speed and precision. With the application of this technology, the robot is expected to be useful in various fields, including industry, sports games, education, agriculture, and other entertainment activities. This robot research opens opportunities for further development in more advanced and practical remote control robotic systems.

Blockchain-driven digital transformation in the housing industry

PurposeThe real estate industry is often highlighted as a significant beneficiary of blockchain-driven digital transformation (DT). This paper unravels blockchain’s role in driving rapid DT in the Finnish housing sector and its removal after market entry.Design/methodology/approachThis four-year longitudinal study used 35 semi-structured interviews.FindingsBlockchain was crucial in the early industry-wide DT, fostering innovation through shared value creation, delivery and capture while supporting collaboration and enhancing processes. The findings largely support blockchain’s theoretical benefits in reducing intermediaries, automating processes, minimizing errors, enhancing transparency and addressing data silos in real estate transactions. However, limitations – like the need for specialised expertise, scalability issues and centralisation tendencies emerged – ultimately outweighed the benefits, leading to blockchain abandonment. Regulatory commitment, contrary to expectations about regulatory barriers, regulatory commitment substantially boosted industry activities. While blockchain can spark transformation, maintaining momentum amid evolving market and regulatory developments may require more than blockchain alone can offer.Practical implicationsBlockchain can drive early-stage DT even in traditional industries like real estate, addressing issues like intermediary reliance, manual processes, inefficiencies and errors. However, it does not guarantee long-term decentralisation as initially promised and depends on off-chain governance.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical study on blockchain in real estate examining the drivers of a full-scale DT. It is also amongst the first to explore blockchain’s evolving role in successful industry-wide transformation based on a rare four-year study, extending insights into blockchain’s initial impact and subsequent limitations beyond the firm level.

Spatial heterogeneity analysis between street network configurations and various service activities: evidence from the Wuhan metropolitan area

China’s economic growth is increasingly being driven by the contemporary service industry in the context of a new economy. This study aims to examine the spatial heterogeneous relationship between various service industry activities and street network design configurations by integrating multisource big data and geospatial analysis to provide insightful implications for human-centered design for compact cities by taking the case study of an inland megacity in central China, Wuhan. Street configurations under the walking/driving modes including closeness, betweenness, severance and efficiency, are characterized from the perspective of spatial design network analysis and angular distance to effectively reflect network shapes and subjective perceptions when navigating through the streets. The point-like, point-axis and ring patterns of various service activities are identified using the kernel density estimation (KDE). Then two sets of densities are analyzed to investigate whether various service activities are spatially associated with specific street metrics and whether spatial stratified heterogeneity exists. The results show that severance and efficiency are two promising indicators to represent the human-scale street design besides the conventional street centrality indices. The spatial mismatch is mainly observed between street metrics and the tourism sector whereas spatial clusters are detected in other types of service activities. Diverse service activities have distinct location preferences for street designs under different transport modes. The walking mode values global closeness and betweenness, while the driving mode values severance and efficiency.

EXPLORING THE NEXUS BETWEEN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN ROMANIA’S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

The recent geopolitical upheavals have significantly impacted manufacturing, with volatile energy prices disrupting firms' cost structures and competitiveness. In this context, assessing the readiness of Romania's manufacturing sector structure to face these geopolitical challenges is crucial. The present paper explores the nexus between energy efficiency and structural changes in Romania’s manufacturing industry over the past two and a half decades, analyzing the dynamics of energy consumption and efficiency. The analysis shows that structural changes were crucial in decreasing energy consumption, as the manufacturing activities with the lowest energy efficiencies underwent the most significant output reductions. Moreover, the evolution of investment intensities in the manufacturing industry activities reflects both the sectors that have undergone successful restructuring and those that have proven attractive to investors. In terms of structural breaks, the results of the Bai-Perron (2003) test conducted on the output of the manufacturing activities revealed that the activities identified as the most energy-efficient, such as the Manufacture of furniture; other manufacturing, and the Manufacture of machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified (n.e.c.) also exhibit a considerable number of structural breaks.

Efficient directional biosynthesis of isoquercitrin from quercetin by Bacillus subtilis CD-2 and its anti-inflammatory activity

Isoquercetin, as the sole product, was directionally biosynthesized from quercetin in a non-aqueous system using Bacillus subtilis CD-2 (1 g/L quercetin), and its structure was identified by LC-MS and NMR analysis. CCK8 assays showed no cytotoxicity and good cell proliferation. The anti-inflammatory experiments demonstrated strong inhibition of NO release, transcriptional downregulation of classical effective cellular factors tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and transcriptional upregulation of interleukin-10 in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Its stronger anti-inflammatory activity than quercetin provided a reference for modifying the structure of quercetin to obtain more compounds with better pharmacological activities for medical industry.

How do industry and other actors undermine tobacco control policies post-adoption? A scoping review

Abstract Background Over recent decades, many countries have strengthened their tobacco control policies. To be effective, full implementation is needed. Tobacco industry interference is widely recognised as a key barrier to tobacco control progress and evidence-based models like the policy dystopia model (PDM) list industry strategies, focusing on those avoiding and undermining policy adoption. While prior research highlighted industry activities post-adoption, these have not been captured systematically. This review aimed to map the efforts of industry, front groups and other actors to undermine the implementation of policies, including marketing, packaging, smokefree and flavour measures. Methods We searched six literature databases, relevant bibliographies and grey literature, and consulted experts. We included articles describing one or more attempts to undermine adopted policies, including marketing, packaging, smokefree and flavour. The PDM served as starting point for coding; additional strategies were identified inductively. Strategies were charted against aims and policies. Results Several aims and strategies were identified which were similar across policies. Following policy adoption efforts to 1) overturn and 2) weaken measures, and 3) delay implementation continued. Legal strategies were utilised and there were attempts to influence stakeholders. In addition, tobacco industry and other actors sought to 4) undermine policy effectiveness by creating confusion, circumventing policies, and noncompliance, and 5) use implementation as an opportunity to enhance industry reputation. Conclusions Interference from tobacco industry and other actors threatens effective tobacco control policy implementation. The public health community must continue to monitor, expose and counter industry conduct after policy adoption. More research is needed to enhance our understanding of how industry interferes in policy implementation, and how this can be pre-empted and countered. Key messages • The interference from tobacco industry and other actors following policy adoption threatens effective tobacco control, and needs to be monitored, exposed and countered by the public health community. • Policymakers and civil servants need to be wary of efforts to undermine tobacco control policies and act to ensure effective policy implementation.

Tobacco industry corporate social responsibility activities and other interference after ratification of a strong tobacco law in Ethiopia

BackgroundSince strict new tobacco control laws were introduced in 2019 and 2020, the National Tobacco Enterprise (NTE), the main manufacturer and distributor of cigarettes in Ethiopia, strategically engaged in corporate...

Red-Teaming for Generative AI: Silver Bullet or Security Theater?

In response to rising concerns surrounding the safety, security, and trustworthiness of Generative AI (GenAI) models, practitioners and regulators alike have pointed to AI red-teaming as a key component of their strategies for identifying and mitigating these risks. However, despite AI red-teaming’s central role in policy discussions and corporate messaging, significant questions remain about what precisely it means, what role it can play in regulation, and how it relates to conventional red-teaming practices as originally conceived in the field of cybersecurity. In this work, we identify recent cases of red-teaming activities in the AI industry and conduct an extensive survey of relevant research literature to characterize the scope, structure, and criteria for AI red-teaming practices. Our analysis reveals that prior methods and practices of AI red-teaming diverge along several axes, including the purpose of the activity (which is often vague), the artifact under evaluation, the setting in which the activity is conducted (e.g., actors, resources, and methods), and the resulting decisions it informs (e.g., reporting, disclosure, and mitigation). In light of our findings, we argue that while red-teaming may be a valuable big-tent idea for characterizing GenAI harm mitigations, and that industry may effectively apply red-teaming and other strategies behind closed doors to safeguard AI, gestures towards red-teaming (based on public definitions) as a panacea for every possible risk verge on security theater. To move toward a more robust toolbox of evaluations for generative AI, we synthesize our recommendations into a question bank meant to guide and scaffold future AI red-teaming practices.

The Benefits and Applications of Lactobacillus plantarum in Food and Health: A Narrative Review.

Lactobacillus plantarum is a type of gram-positive lactic acid bacteria. This bacterium is considered a safe probiotic and, many applications and benefits including prolonging food shelf-life, enhancing antioxidant activity, improving food flavor characteristics and antimicrobial activities in the food industry, and application as a potential starter for dairy products have been attributed to it. Various studies have also emphasized its health-giving properties. As a result, the features and wide application of this bacterium, as well as the safety of L. plantarum and its strains, have made it a popular probiotic in the food and medical industries. Thus, in the present study keywords including L. plantarum and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum along with application, benefits, food, health, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-depression were searched in databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Sience direct and Google Scholar with no time restriction. Then, important features, benefits, and uses of L. plantarum were categorized and discussed. The ability of L. plantarum on the food such as prolonging food shelf-life, enhancing antioxidant activity, improving food flavor characteristics and antimicrobial activities in the food industry, and as a potential starter for dairy products is effective. In addition, several studies have emphasized of L. plantarum health-giving properties.

Effect of Pandemic Covid-19 to the Operation Management Activities in Industry

COVID-19 pandemic has affected the activities related to operations management in the manufacturing industry under the scope of production interruption of raw materials and spare parts, labour, logistics, finance as well as supply and demand fluctuation. Manufacturing industry has faced limitation in the import of raw materials and spare parts which cause delay in manufacturing projects and activities. Due to the pandemic, standard operating procedures are implemented to ensure the labour can work in a safer environment without having the risk of getting infected. Logistics are also adapted with a new practice to ensure contactless delivery of products and items are disinfected before delivering. The pandemic has caused companies to face many financial issues where they are forced to shut down or take loans to sustain their business. Moreover, the supply and customer demand for the products fluctuate as the lifestyle of people changes to adapt themselves to the pandemic. The effects have showed the importance of implementing countermeasures to prepare the manufacturing industry for the post-pandemic world.

A sustainable semiconductor supply chain under regulation

Modern life would not exist without semiconductors as all electronic components used in computers, telecommunications, health care, transportation, and energy systems are equipped with chips. To examine both backward and forward activities in semiconductor industry, this paper formulates the industry as a closed-loop supply chain. It articulates how old semiconductors are processed and recycled to manufacture new silicon and chips, and examines the impact of a commonly applied subsidy scheme on the performance of semiconductor firms which operate in upstream and downstream layers of the industry. Specifically, the proposed semiconductor supply chain involves (i) a return function sensitive to monetary incentives; (ii) a subsidy legislation rewarding end-users for recycling; (iii) upstream industry where silicon is produced using virgin and scrap materials; (iv) downstream industry in which semiconductor manufacturers (such as TSMC, Samsung, Intel) buy silicon and other materials, hire workers, and then produce and sell chips. We characterize Stackelberg equilibrium silicon and semiconductor prices and outputs and calibrate model parameters using actual data to quantify the effects of subsidy and collection channels on silicon and semiconductor firms’ performance. We find that the subsidy scheme neither distorts firms’ strategies nor causes any inefficiency for the semiconductor industry. It stimulates circular economy activities and provides economic and environmental benefits.

Evolution of Pandemic Discourse: Portrayal of Diseases, Public Healthcare and Culture Anxiety in Pandemic-Themed Film

The pandemic-themed film reveals how quickly a virus spreads and kills hundreds or perhaps millions of people. It also highlights the horrible conditions surrounding the outbreak, especially the collapse of the country's healthcare system. The film also depicts the newly discovered infectious sickness as the interconnectedness of animals, the environment, and humans. The pandemic cinema in the past contains attributes such as illegal immigrants, public healthcare, and zoonoses in its narrative conventions. In the present films, the contemporary global issue have encroached on an ignorance on environmental issues among the government, the industry players, and the public on health and the high possibility of viruses spreading due to the activities of industry. This paper aims to assess the evolution of the portrayal of diseases and public healthcare that reflects cultural anxieties in pandemic cinema and what messages that these films convey. After screening seventy films with pandemic themed released within hundred years, only six films were analysed using Altman’s syntax approach. The findings found that, given the current state of the virus, this kind of film encourages viewers to understand pandemics as the result of pathogens attacking social interactions, interpersonal relationships, and other aspects of society.

New image, same tactics: global tobacco and vaping industry strategies to promote youth vaping.

E-cigarette use (or vaping) is widespread in young people and is a rapidly growing public health problem. While the tobacco and vaping industry has promoted vaping as a smoking cessation aid for adults, the industry has strategically targeted young people through marketing and appealing designs to orientate a new generation of consumers to use their products. These strategies are not new and replicate what we have previously seen employed by the tobacco industry in past decades to maintain and grow their tobacco profits. We review the evidence on tobacco and vaping industry interference, highlighting the calculated and strategic use of interference tactics as a discourse to curb tobacco control efforts. We demonstrate how these tried and tested strategies are now being purposefully re-used in the context of vaping. As Australia is currently undergoing significant policy reforms for the access and retail of vaping products, we also provide a case study of the industry response played out in this contemporary landscape. Government and public health advocates are in a key position to be one step ahead in proactively tackling the vaping crisis. We recommend that continued monitoring of industry activities and strategies, achieving political transparency and tightening loopholes in current regulations are all needed to identify and eliminate the tobacco and vaping industry's influence on policymaking. Given their previous track record, we emphasize the need to counter industry interference tactics with urgency to prevent a new generation of nicotine dependence and to support and protect future action in tobacco control.

Logistic transportation role for sustainable ecotourism industry

Abstract Transportation plays a pivotal role in the industrial landscape, and the ecotourism sector, particularly sustainable ecotourism, is no exception. Sustainable ecotourism places emphasis on the responsible management of natural resources, aiming to foster comprehension, appreciation, and the conservation of both the environment and cultural heritage. The purpose of this research is to examine how the emergence of logistics transportation studies is driven by the transportation needs of island communities and tourists to increase sustainable ecotourism industry activities. Logistics transportation services that support ecotourism is a relatively new study of existing logistics resources in Indonesia. This study chooses sea transportation routes for the Karimunjawa Islands and Jepara. The logistics services for tourism transportation provided by the government and third parties pay little attention to sea transportation routes that pass-through conservation areas, namely the Panjang Island Conservation Area and Karimun Jawa National Park. Indeed, there has been a sea route provided, but several obstacles arose when passing through the conservation area. The establishment of novel transportation routes emerges as a viable solution for bolstering the sustainable ecotourism sector and addressing the transportation requisites of the local community. Additionally, these new transportation routes can yield positive outcomes for the safeguarding of conservation areas.

К вопросу об определении места градостроительного права в системе права России

A relevant and controversial aspect in the modern theory of law in the development of the modern doctrine of the legal system is the question of the intersectoral division of the Russian legal system, the criteria for its construction, as well as the isolation and systematization of legal norms that are complex in nature. The purpose of the article is to establish intersectoral connections, criteria for systematization and the place in the system of Russian law of urban planning norms as a legal community that combines elements of private law and public law influence in the mechanism of legal regulation. A systematic approach and such logical research methods as analysis and synthesis made it possible to determine the place of urban planning norms in the system of Russian law as an independent branch of law with a special mixed type of legal regulation. Scope of application of the results: the main results and conclusions of the study can be used as the basis for the formation of new approaches to building a legal system and criteria for differentiating legal norms. In addition, the recognition of urban planning law as an independent branch of law will significantly facilitate the processes of law enforcement and law-making activities in the urban planning industry. Conclusions: the totality of the subject, method, principles, goals and functions of urban planning norms, forming a special mechanism of legal regulation, indicates the qualitative originality of the regulated sphere of social relations and the isolation of urban planning law as part of the Russian legal system as a branch of law. At the same time, the complex nature of urban planning law by type of legal regulation is due to the interpenetration of private law and public law interests.

Research on High-Quality Development Strategies for the Homestay Industry from the Perspective of Value Chain

This study uses value chain analysis to examine the basic and supporting activities in the homestay industry, explore the challenges present in the value chain activities, and offer recommendations. The study points out that homestay businesses should focus on core competencies and implement a series of measures to achieve value creation and cost control. Additionally, optimizing the policy environment and applying sustainable development are crucial for the transformation and upgrading of the homestay industry. The results provide practical guidance for the industry to achieve sustainable development in an increasingly competitive market.

Spatially explicit analysis of production and consumption responsibility for the PM2.5-related health burden towards beautiful China

Promoting good health and ensuring responsible production and consumption are essential components of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by of the United Nations, as well as the goals of beautiful China. While the health impacts of air pollution have garnered significant attention, there remains a paucity of studies comparing the disparities in responsibility arising from production versus consumption. This paper integrates the Weather Research and Forecasting - Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (WRF-CAMx) model, the multiregional input‒output (MRIO) model, and the global exposure mortality model (GEMM) to assess the extent of PM2.5-related premature deaths caused by production and consumption activities in 30 Chinese provinces. The findings reveal a spatial mismatch in health burdens between production and consumption. Considering pollutant emissions and their transfer only through the supply chain leads to the finding that the net outflow of emissions from producers is mainly located in most of the northern provinces of China. However, when atmospheric transport and health impacts are included, the producing provinces are mainly located in central China, while the consuming provinces are located in the southeastern coastal and remote western and northern regions. Additionally, the long-range impact of consumption provinces with respect to the health burden is more than twice as large as that of production provinces, and its potential impact on the health burden cannot be ignored. From a sectoral perspective, production emissions from the non-electricity industry and services sectors contribute to 60% of the health burden, while their consumption emissions contribute to over 80% of the health burden. Furthermore, consumption activities in the non-electricity industry and services sectors significantly influence production emissions in the transport, agriculture, and electricity sectors. The geographical separation of consumption and production regions facilitated by trade is a critical yet often overlooked aspect in current regional air quality planning in China. A more comprehensive analysis of life-cycle emissions driven by final consumption could yield greater reductions compared to direct production reductions.