Future Regulations Research Articles

Land-derived wastewater facilitates antibiotic resistance contamination in marine sediment of semi-closed bay: A case study in Jiaozhou Bay, China

The emergence of antibiotic resistance is a severe threat to public health. There are few studies on the effects of sewage discharge on antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) contamination in Jiaozhou Bay sediment. Herein, a total of 281 ARG subtypes, 10 mobile genetic elements (MGEs), 10 antibiotics and bacterial communities in marine sediments from Jiaozhou Bay were characterized. Similar bacterial community structures and ARG profiles were identified between the various sampling sites inside the bay, which were both dominated by multidrug and (fluoro)quinolone resistance genes and harbored lower relative abundances of ARGs than those in the sampling sites near the bay exit. Compared with antibiotics and MGEs, bacterial community composition was a more important driver of ARG diversity and geographic distribution. The abundance of pathogens carrying genetic information increased dramatically in southern Jiaozhou Bay is affected by sewage discharge, which indicating that wastewater discharge facilitated ARG contamination of marine sediments. This study highlights the risk of disseminating antibiotic resistance-influencing factors from treated wastewater discharge into marine environment there is an urgent need to optimize or improve wastewater treatment processes to enhance the removal of antibiotics and ARGs. This study has necessary implications for filling the gap in information on antibiotic resistance in Jiaozhou Bay and developing future pollution regulation and control measures.

Left-censored data and where to find them: Current implications in mycotoxin-related risk assessment, legislative and economic impacts

BackgroundOne of the most challenging steps in chemical risk assessment is the dietary exposure due to the high percentage of left-censored data (LCD). Mycotoxins are the group of chemical contaminants known to show the highest percentage of LCD among chemical contaminants. These data are extremely important especially if they are used for the development of new legislations with permitted maximum limits. Scope and approachIn this study, we address the importance of analytical techniques and current methods of dealing with LCD, with the goal of highlighting the effect of LCD on risk assessment, which could have a potential impact on future regulations of mycotoxins in foods and the economic implications of such regulations. Key findings and conclusionsThirteen European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Scientific Opinions and Reports on the risk of mycotoxins to humans were evaluated. The most used analytical method was based on Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). Most of the occurrence data for mycotoxins in EFSA risk assessments over the last decade were condensed between 80 and 100% LCD. The typical statistical methods to handle LCD, the substitution method and cut-off values approach, frequently lead to the overestimation of the human risk which can ultimately lead to stricter law regulations with economic implication on the agricultural trades. Understanding the obstacles that analysts face and the type of data that risk assessors require will help to close the uncertainties and gaps that currently exist in exposure and risk assessment. Establishing limits of detections (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) while having a clear data purpose can help reduce uncertainties in risk assessment and provide more meaningful exposure evaluations.

Follow the Data! A Strategy for Tracing Infrastructural Power

Recalling the well-known strategy of “following the money” when investigating the underlying power structures and business models of legacy media, this article argues that studies of digital political economies can benefit instead from following the data. Combining perspectives from critical data studies and infrastructure research, we first discuss how direct money flows can be difficult to trace in digital ecosystems, creating a need for alternative analytical approaches for studying and scrutinising contemporary power configurations in digital societies. As a theoretical backdrop, we elaborate on the concept of infrastructural power and apply it in a walkthrough of critical data infrastructures. To illustrate the efficacy of this strategy, we provide perspectives and examples from the political economies of internet infrastructures in Northern Europe and discuss how control over data is translated into economic profit and societal power. In doing so, we argue that increased attention to data infrastructures is needed to advance both critical data and infrastructure studies, improve digital market monitoring, and ground future regulation and policy.

Experimental study of emission characteristics and performance of SCR coated on DPF with different catalyst washcoat loadings

To improve the NOx conversion efficiency (CE) and inlet temperature of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) under low-temperature conditions, SCR coated on diesel particulate filter, so called SDPF, is one of the important technologies to meet the future Euro Ⅶ ultra-low emission regulations for diesel engines. In this study, the effects of different Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst washcoat loadings (60, 90, and 120 g/L) on the SDPF performance were investigated. The results showed that as the catalyst washcoat loading increased, the inlet temperature and pressure drop of the SDPF rose, the high-NOx-conversion-efficiency area expanded toward the low-speed and low-load directions of the engine, and the NOx CE first increased and then decreased. The number of active sites of the catalyst and the SDPF pressure drop together determine the NOx CE. When the catalyst washcoat loading was increased, the nucleation-mode (NM) particle factor decreased significantly, while the accumulation-mode (AM) particle factor decreased slightly. The filtration efficiency of the three types of particles was NM > total > AM from high to low. The higher the washcoat loading, the higher the particle filtration efficiency and the larger the geometric mean diameter. The reduction of NM particles was the result of a combination of the chemical reaction and the physical collection mechanism.

State of the art in financial statement fraud detection: A systematic review

Over the past few decades, fraud has been increasingly prevalent, with large businesses like Satyam, Enron, and WorldCom making headlines for their deceptive financial reporting practices. In this research, we conducted a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of the literature concerning fraud detection in financial statements. Following a bibliometric analysis, we identified the leading researchers, publications, sources, countries, and collaboration patterns in financial statement fraud detection. Our systematic review covered the following topics: the data analytics tools used, databases used to identify fraudulent firms, the design of control group samples (non-fraudulent firms), the critical dimension reduction tools used, techniques adopted to address data rarity (imbalanced data), explanatory variables used in the model, theoretical framework supporting the fraud indicators, optimization techniques used, the use of evaluation metrics, and significant findings. The systematic review followed the approach provided by Tranfield et al. (2003), and the bibliometric analysis was conducted using the VOSviewer. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), 2020 reporting criteria were followed for reporting the systematic review's findings. We provide a brief overview of the existing literature, drawing both conclusions and recommendations for directions in which additional study is warranted. Our results provide valuable information that can be used by future academics, auditors, enforcement agencies, and regulators as they work to create the most effective fraud detection algorithms possible.

Innovative Emissions Measurement and Perspective on Future Tailpipe Regulation

The Euro 7 exhaust emissions regulation will be important both from the perspective of how it further improves air quality, but also of certain greenhouse gas emissions and the economics of the internal combustion engine. This paper sets out the ongoing importance of ozone to urban air quality, and how tailpipe volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions contribute to that as well as having direct human health effects through inhalation. The paper then sets out a novel method for the measurement of speciated VOCs and nitrous oxide (N2O) at the tailpipe in real-world conditions, and presents initial results across a range of modern light-duty vehicles. Based on the results, it may be the case that VOCs should be a higher priority for future regulation than N2O, although more research is required to achieve a consensus on typical real-world N2O emissions.

Intelligent Cockpit for Intelligent Vehicle in Metaverse: A Case Study of Empathetic Auditory Regulation of Human Emotion

Advances in technologies, such as intelligent connected vehicles and the metaverse are driving the rapid development of automotive intelligent cockpits. From the perspective of the cyber–physical–social system (CPSS), this study proposed the intelligent cockpit composition framework which includes three layers of perception, cognition and decision, and interaction. Meanwhile, we also describe the relationship between the intelligent cockpit framework and the outside environment. The framework can dynamically perceive and understand humans, and provide feedback on the understanding results, which is beneficial to provide a safe, efficient, and enjoyable experience for humans in the intelligent cockpit. In the cognition and decision layers of the proposed framework, we design a case study of active empathetic auditory regulation of driver anger, focusing on improving road traffic safety. We conducted an in-depth interview experiment and designed two auditory regulation materials of active empathy speech and text-to-speech (TTS) speech. Next, 30 participants were recruited, and they completed a total of 240 anger-regulated driving experiments in the straight and obstacle avoidance scenarios. Finally, we quantitatively analyzed and compared the participants’ subjective feelings, physiological changes, driving behaviors, and driving risks, as well as validated the driver anger regulation quality of AES and TTS. The proposed research methods results are beneficial to the design of future intelligent cockpit emotion regulation systems, toward a better intelligent cockpit.

Levels of Radon in Soils of Dodoma City, Central Tanzania

Purpose: Humans receive radiation doses exceeding fifty percent (50%) of the total dose from natural sources as a result of inhaling radon and thoron gases and their daughters. Radon occurs naturally in soils and can diffuse into indoor environments leading to adverse health effects for inhabitants. In this study, measurement of levels of radon gas in soils was performed with the purpose of categorizing areas and highlighting the likelihood of high levels of radon in indoor environments.
 Design/Methodology/ Approach: The study targeted the environs of Dodoma where the rapid expansion of human settlements is ongoing or anticipated. For easy access and convenience, the study was conducted in areas located along main roads leading to the nearby towns/cities. Sampling was done by inserting the drilling rod to a depth of approximately one meter (1 m) below ground level with the aid of a heavy hammer. The alpha pump was used to suck the soil gas from the ground through a metallic tube (the capillary probe) and pressed it into the ionization chamber of the measuring instrument (AlphaGUARD). Radon concentration was read directly from the instrument’s display.
 Findings: It was found that radon concentrations in soil vary from 18.8 to 233.5 kBq.m-3. Based on the radon risk criterion, surveyed areas range from normal to high radon risk categories.
 Research Limitation/Implication: The study only covered a limited area in Dodoma City, and therefore the results may not be representative of the entire city or even the surrounding regions.
 Practical Implications: This study is useful in categorizing building areas based on radon risk criterion with the purpose of reducing possibilities of radon-related health risks; mainly lung cancer to the population.
 Social Implications: Radon is a proven cause of lung cancer in humans. Therefore, knowledge of radon levels in the study area will help in setting the mitigation measures necessary for public health protection.
 Originality / Value/ Novelty: The study demonstrates an approach for estimating radon levels in soils which is beneficial to current and future researchers, environmentalists and regulators, among others.

THE ROLE OF OMNIBUS LAW IMPLEMENTATION ON THE WOMEN WORKERS PROTECTION: AN DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF LABOR LAW IN INDONESIA

Regulatory problems and disharmony of laws and regulations in labor law in Indonesia have forced the government to reform regulations through the omnibus law which aims to reduce the unemployment rate in Indonesia. The concept of a rule of law (rechtsstaat) adopted by the state Indonesia includes the protection of human rights as well as legal certainty and based on the law. Economic development is very important for increasing the level of social welfare. The existence of the Omnibus Law actually has a negative impact on the Indonesian workforce, especially for women workers. Women workers as a vulnerable group of people are the object of study in this study. The purpose of this research is to find out the complexity, implications, and conception of the omnibus law for the protection of female workers in Indonesia. The research method used is descriptive-analytical, namely by providing an overview of actual problems based on concrete facts. The conclusions from this study are directed at the government to better protect workers belonging to vulnerable groups of society, especially women in the future regulation of the omnibus law. Working women are the most affected group of workers. The results and findings of this study find a bright spot, namely where the omnibus law specifically only benefits investors or corporations and forgets about fulfilling workers' rights, one of which is reducing minimum wages and termination of employment without demands.

The value of forecasts for PV power plants operating in the past, present and future Scandinavian energy markets

When participating in the Scandinavian wholesale energy markets with intermittent PV power, imbalances between market-committed and actual energy generation need to be economically accounted for in the imbalance settlement. The market-committed energy is based on forecasts issued at specific timestamps defined by the market. The economic value of such forecasts can be quantified for the past, present and future energy market regulations by comparing the achieved income using perfect forecasts to the income with imperfect forecasts. Differences between these regulations include changing from 60 min to 15 min market intervals, and from a dual-price to a single-price imbalance settlement structure.PV power production data were modelled from meteorological measurements carried out at 11 locations in each of the Nord Pool bidding areas. Forecasts generated from a smart persistence model and a more sophisticated numerical weather prediction (NWP) model were compared for these locations, and the value of these forecasts was estimated from historical market data for each of the 11 bidding areas. The results show that the estimated income, and income losses, are dependent on the electricity mix of the bidding areas. In addition, the transition from the dual-price to the single-price imbalance settlement structure reduces the value of providing accurate forecasts. Moreover, the added incentive to provide accurate forecasts when settling the markets and imbalances on 15 min instead of 60 min intervals is negligible with the single-price imbalance settlement. Finally, the results show that intraday trading is generally beneficial for PV power plants in Scandinavia.

Public Perceptions of Flavored Waterpipe Smoking on Twitter.

Waterpipe tobacco smoking has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among youth. We aimed to understand longitudinal trends in the prevalence and user perception of waterpipes and their flavors on Twitter. We extracted waterpipe-related tweets from March 2021 to May 2022 using the Twitter Streaming API and classified them into promotional tweets and non-promotional tweets. We examined the longitudinal trends regarding the waterpipe flavors mentioned on Twitter and conducted sentiment analysis on each waterpipe flavor-related non-promotional tweet. Among over 1.3 million waterpipe-related tweets, 1,158,884 tweets were classified as non-promotional and 235,132 were classified as promotional. The most frequently mentioned waterpipe flavor groups were fruit (34%), sweets (17%), and beverages (15%) among all flavor-containing non-promotional tweets (17,746 tweets). The least mentioned flavor groups were tobacco (unflavored, 4%) and spices (2%). Sentiment analysis showed that among non-promotional waterpipe-related tweets, 39% were neutral, 36% were positive, and 23% were negative. The most preferred waterpipe flavors were fruit, mixed, and alcohol flavors. The least preferred flavor groups were tobacco and spice flavors. Our study provided valuable information on the prevalence of waterpipe flavors that can be used to support the future regulation of flavored waterpipe tobacco products given the nature of the current regulations on other flavored tobacco products.

Influence of the radial-lip concept design to achieve ultra-low soot emission reductions: An optical analysis

Nowadays, internal combustion engines must reduce pollutant emissions to achieve the upcoming strict regulations in the transport sector. In this context, new hardware designs have shown great potential to reduce pollutant emissions and comply with current and future regulations. This paper focuses on innovative bowl designs with radial lip protrusions, which are radially distributed inside the bowl. The potential of using these protrusions in order to reduce soot formation and improve soot oxidation has been demonstrated by different studies. For this reason, the present work addresses the impact of using two different radial-lip based geometries on soot formation and combustion behaviour in an optical single-cylinder compression ignition engine. High-speed OH* chemiluminescence imaging and 2-Colour pyrometry were applied simultaneously, in combination with a thermodynamic analysis of the in-cylinder pressure signal. The results show that more pronounced radial-lip geometry drive the flames closer to the bowl centre, where more oxygen is available to oxidize the soot, resulting in in-cylinder soot formation reduction. In addition, it has been observed that the improvement achieved by the more pronounced radial-lip geometry is more noticeable under high EGR conditions. This opens a path to reduce the soot-NOX trade-off in compression ignition engines.

Disposal From In Situ Bitumen Recovery Induced the ML 5.6 Peace River Earthquake

AbstractEarthquakes induced by human activities can impede the development of underground resources. Significant induced events (M5) have caused both economic and human losses. The recent ML 5.6 (MW 5.1) event near Peace River, Alberta occurs in a region of in situ bitumen recovery. We find that 3.4 cm of ground deformation was caused by reverse fault slip (∼29 cm), possibly related to Peace River Arch faulting. Events are located within the shallow basement, nearby to significant wastewater injection into Paleozoic strata. We find a statistical relationship between earthquakes and injection operations. These events were likely related to the in situ bitumen development: dominantly from wastewater disposal induced pore pressure increases, with smaller poroelastic contributions from bitumen recovery. The assessment of this earthquake as induced will likely have implications for future energy development, management, and regulation—including carbon capture and blue hydrogen.

Analyzing Pre-Contracts Agreement in Professional Footballer Contracts in Saudi Arabia: Can Players Change Their Minds?

FIFA's (The Fédération Internationale de Football Association) regulation and Saudi professional player's regulation allow footballers and their agents to start negotiating new deals with third parties in the last six months of the contracts. Some players and agents may use this period to initiate bidding wars between rival clubs by entering pre-contracts with an alleged possibility of terminating them at no cost. There is growing evidence of such practices in Saudi Arabia after revoking the salary cap rule in professional football contracts. This article analyses this issue through the lens of the existing legal treatment of pre-contracts by FIFA, CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport), and applicable national laws (Swiss and English). Based on the findings, a series of propositions are made to introduce into the future regulations governing Saudi football leagues. The goal of such propositions is to avoid misapplication of pre-contracts, maintain contractual stability, encourage negotiations in good faith, and promote competitiveness without reducing contractual flexibility for players in the wake of salary cap cancellation.

Inactivation Kinetics and Replication Cycle Inhibition of Coxsackievirus B5 by Free Chlorine.

The kinetics of coxsackievirus serotype B5 (CVB5) inactivation with free chlorine is characterized over a range of pH and temperature relevant to drinking water treatment with the primary goal of selecting experimental conditions used for assessing inactivation mechanisms. The inactivation kinetics identified in our study is similar to or slower than experimental data reported in the literature and thus provides a conservative representation of the kinetics of CVB5 inactivation for free chlorine that could be useful in developing future regulations for waterborne viral pathogens including adequate disinfection treatment for CVB5. Untreated and free chlorine-treated viruses, and host cells synchronized-infected with these viruses, are analyzed by a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method with the goal of quantitatively investigating the effect of free chlorine exposure on viral genome integrity, attachment to host cell, and viral genome replication. The inactivation kinetics observed results from a combination of hindering virus attachment to the host cell, inhibition of one or more subsequent steps of the replication cycle, and possibly genome damage.

Surface ozone pollution in China: Trends, exposure risks, and drivers.

Within the context of the yearly improvement of particulate matter (PM) pollution in Chinese cities, Surface ozone (O3) concentrations are increasing instead of decreasing and are becoming the second most important air pollutant after PM. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of O3 can have adverse effects on human health. In-depth investigation of the spatiotemporal patterns, exposure risks, and drivers of O3 is relevant for assessing the future health burden of O3 pollution and implementing air pollution control policies in China. Based on high-resolution O3 concentration reanalysis data, we investigated the spatial and temporal patterns, population exposure risks, and dominant drivers of O3 pollution in China from 2013 to 2018 utilizing trend analysis methods, spatial clustering models, exposure-response functions, and multi-scale geographically weighted regression models (MGWR). The results show that the annual average O3 concentration in China increased significantly at a rate of 1.84 μg/m3/year from 2013 to 2018 (160 μg/m3) in China increased from 1.2% in 2013 to 28.9% in 2018, and over 20,000 people suffered premature death from respiratory diseases attributed to O3 exposure each year. Thus, the sustained increase in O3 concentrations in China is an important factor contributing to the increasing threat to human health. Furthermore, the results of spatial regression models indicate that population, the share of secondary industry in GDP, NOx emissions, temperature, average wind speed, and relative humidity are important determinants of O3 concentration variation and significant spatial differences are observed. The spatial differences of drivers result in the spatial heterogeneity of O3 concentration and exposure risks in China. Therefore, the O3 control policies adapted to various regions should be formulated in the future O3 regulation process in China.

Impact of Cylinder Deactivation Strategies on Three-way Catalyst Performance in High Efficiency Low Emissions Engines

Reduction of CO2 emissions is a prevalent subject in the transportation sector. Cylinder deactivation (CDA) provides a method to reduce CO2 emissions at part load. However, there is little consideration of how these strategies affect catalyst performance.Effects of two CDA strategies on catalyst performance were studied. The first strategy of open-loop lambda control CDA improved catalyst CO conversion to 100 % and prevented NH3 formation over the catalyst. There was a NOX penalty if the duration exceeded 5 seconds. The closed-loop CDA strategy increased catalyst temperature by 300°C for durations of 60 seconds.Open-loop CDA can prevent NH3 formation and improve CO conversion. Closed-loop CDA strategy has potential to increase catalyst temperature and be effective at reducing light-off during cold starts without additional hardware. This gives the strategy an advantage over more complex heating options. Both strategies provide opportunities to help meet current and future emission regulations.

Good Animal Welfare in Norwegian Farmers’ context. Can both industrial and natural conventions be achieved in the social license to farm?

This article presents research carried out in Norway, among the population of livestock farmers. It analyses farmers' understanding of animal welfare, and how their different concerns about animal welfare varies across farmers' considerations about the role of the agricultural sector in Norwegian society and animal welfare regulations, material conditions at the farm level, farmers' opinion about animal rights activist groups, and in several individual characteristics. The empirical material was derived from a postal survey conducted in 2020 (n = 745); the analyses were conducted by structural equation modeling (SEM) which has its advantage in identifying latent attitudes. Informed by convention theory, the study shows that two conventions of animal welfare were most prominent among Norwegian livestock farmers. One emphasizing animals' basic health and feelings and a second animals'natural needs. These two conventions point to a potential split within the livestock farming population. Support for the convention basic health and feelings coincides with efficiency and effectiveness in Norwegian food production and farmers' contribution to feeding the Norwegian population. Support of the convention natural needs coincides with support for enhancing biodiversity and attractive landscapes as important additional values in Norwegian agriculture. The support for the convention of animals' needs to behave naturally was found to be lower than the basic health and feelings and this might slow down or hinder implementation of practices and future regulations aimed at enhancing the natural needs of farm animals, accommodation to public expectations of good animal welfare, and is potentially challenging the farmers' social license to farm animals.

Reconstruction of The Principle of Legal Certainty Fair Auction For Joint Assets After Divorce Decision

Introduction: This article is about analyzing the implementation of joint property auctions after a divorce decision that has not yet received fair legal certainty. The number of cases after the divorce decision results in the distribution of joint assets between the parties submitted to the Court after not getting peace in the distribution of joint assets, the Court can take over the matter by way of auction.Purposes of the Research: To analyze the principle of legal certainty in auctions in the implementation of auctions after divorce decisions in laws and regulations. Explain the legal problems in applying the legal principle of joint property auctions after the divorce decision. Finding reconstruction as the basis for setting up a bill on joint property auction laws after divorce decisions in the future.Methods of the Research: Based on hermeneutic paradigmatic which is based on philosophy and the scientific nature of law. This hermeneutic paradigm is carried out through a methodological strategy approach to learn from people, namely studying law by exploring and researching the meanings of law from the perspective of users or seekers of justice in the Religious Courts.Results of the Research: In the reconstruction of the principle of legal certainty in an equitable auction of joint assets after the divorce decision in future laws and regulations in legal considerations regarding joint assets that must be auctioned, through an auction procedure in accordance with applicable regulations.

Microclimate analysis of high-density urban residential open enclosures: A case of Thane, India

Urban heat island produces a significant impact by modifying the microclimate in urban areas. To ensure good quality of life with a safe and healthy built environment, the floor space index (FSI) can be an effective tool. It helps to control the urban densities and shape the morphology of the built environment. Taking the case of typical residential development in a densely populated Indian city, an attempt has been made to explore the relationship between FSI and the microclimate of such open spaces that perform like an open enclosure (OE). Adopting the simulation pathway in ENVI-met, a mathematical relationship is established between an important tool used by urban planners and the variables of the microclimate in a typical urban enclosure. The observations indicate that FSI has a strong negative correlation with air temperature and mean radiant temperature. Evaluation of physiological equivalent temperature reveals a similar relationship with FSI, demonstrating a temporal transposition of the trend for a particular FSI range of 2.5-3.5 in the late evening and early morning hours due to high humidity levels and reduced wind speeds. The study will help the planners to prognosticate the microclimatic variables while working out the data-based, logical and well-evaluated future development control regulations.