Information Gap Research Articles

Decay experiments and microbial community analysis of water lily leaf biofilms: Sediment effects on leaf preservation potential.

Understanding the intricate dynamics of sediment-mediated microbial interactions and their impact on plant tissue preservation is crucial for unraveling the complexities of leaf decay and preservation processes. To elucidate the earliest stages of leaf preservation, a series of decay experiments was carried out for three months on Nymphaea water lily leaves in aquariums with pond water and one of three distinctly different, sterilized, fine-grained substrates-commercially purchased kaolinite clay or fine sand, or natural pond mud. One aquarium contained only pond water as a control. We use 16S and ITS rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to identify and characterize the complex composition of the bacterial and fungal communities on leaves. Our results reveal that the pond mud substrate produces a unique community composition in the biofilms compared to other substrates. The mud substrate significantly influences microbial communities, as shown by the correlation between high concentrations of minerals in the water and bacterial abundance. Furthermore, more biofilm formers are observed on the leaves exposed to mud after two months, contrasting with declines on other substrates. The mud substrate also enhanced leaf tissue preservation compared to the other sediment types, providing insight into the role of sediment and biofilms in fossilization processes. Notably, leaves on kaolinite clay have the fewest biofilm formers by the end of the experiment. We also identify key biofilm-forming microbes associated with each substrate. The organic-rich mud substrate emerges as a hotspot for biofilm formers, showing that it promotes biofilm formation on leaves and may increase the preservation potential of leaves better than other substrates. The mud's chemical composition, rich in minerals such as silica, iron, aluminum, and phosphate, may slow or suspend decay and facilitate biomineralization, thus paving the way toward leaf preservation. Our study bridges the information gap between biofilms observed on modern leaves and the mineral encrustation on fossil leaves by analyzing the microbial response in biofilms to substrate types in which fossil leaves are commonly found.

Emerging Aeromonas spp. infections in Europe: characterization of human clinical isolates from German patients

Bacteria of the genus Aeromonas are widely distributed in water bodies around the world. Some Aeromonas species have been identified as human pathogens causing intestinal and a variety of extraintestinal infections. In Germany, information on diseases caused by Aeromonas is rare, because Aeromonas infections are not notifiable in Germany. To address this information gap and gain better insights, a successful collaboration with human medical diagnostic laboratories within Germany was established and several Aeromonas isolates from diseased patients were sent to the Aeromonas laboratory of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. 52 clinical Aeromonas isolates, of which anonymized patients’ data were available, were selected for further characterization by MALDI-TOF MS, biochemical testing, and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Nearly half of the isolates were from patients older than 60 years, whereas only four isolates were from patients aged up to 10 years. 30 isolates originated from stools of patients with diarrhea/(gastro-)enteritis and 22 strains were from patients with diverse extraintestinal infections, such as wound infection, septicemia, bursitis, abscesses, cholangitis, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia. Taxonomical identification revealed following predominant species: A. veronii biovar sobria (18 isolates), A. caviae (17 isolates), and A. hydrophila (nine isolates). Two A. salmonicida isolates and one isolate each of A. dhakensis, A. bestiarum, and A. encheleia were also identified. Three closely related intestinal isolates could not be assigned to a recognized Aeromonas species. The clustering of strains based on virulence factor profile resulted in a grouping that closely resembles the clustering of the phylogenetic tree suggesting that the profiles are specific for each species. Our study on clinical Aeromonas isolates characterizes for the first time human pathogenic strains isolated in Germany. These bacteria are important microorganisms within the One Health context because of their ubiquitous presence in the environment and as a cause of opportunistic infections in humans and animals. Infections caused by Aeromonas bacteria show a seasonality with increased infection rates in warmer periods. In view of climate change, Aeromonas bacteria are regarded as emerging pathogens and research is required to determine the reservoirs in One Health sources from which human infections may arise.

ChatGPT as a patient education tool in colorectal cancer-An in-depth assessment of efficacy, quality and readability.

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots such as Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer-4 (ChatGPT-4) have made significant strides in generating human-like responses. Trained on an extensive corpus of medical literature, ChatGPT-4 has the potential to augment patient education materials. These chatbots may be beneficial to populations considering a diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the accuracy and quality of patient education materials are crucial for informed decision-making. Given workforce demands impacting holistic care, AI chatbots can bridge gaps in CRC information, reaching wider demographics and crossing language barriers. However, rigorous evaluation is essential to ensure accuracy, quality and readability. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy, quality and readability of answers generated by ChatGPT-4 on CRC, utilizing patient-style question prompts. To evaluate ChatGPT-4, eight CRC-related questions were derived using peer-reviewed literature and Google Trends. Eight colorectal surgeons evaluated AI responses for accuracy, safety, appropriateness, actionability and effectiveness. Quality was assessed using validated tools: the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT-AI), modified DISCERN (DISCERN-AI) and Global Quality Score (GQS). A number of readability assessments were measured including Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) and the Gunning Fog Index (GFI). The responses were generally accurate (median 4.00), safe (4.25), appropriate (4.00), actionable (4.00) and effective (4.00). Quality assessments rated PEMAT-AI as 'very good' (71.43), DISCERN-AI as 'fair' (12.00) and GQS as 'high' (4.00). Readability scores indicated difficulty (FRE 47.00, GFI 12.40), suggesting a higher educational level was required. This study concludes that ChatGPT-4 is capable of providing safe but nonspecific medical information, suggesting its potential as a patient education aid. However, enhancements in readability through contextual prompting and fine-tuning techniques are required before considering implementation into clinical practice.

Language similarity and IPO underpricing

In this study, we investigate whether language similarity between auditors and chairpersons mitigates IPO underpricing. We focus on China, a country with a high incidence of IPO underpricing. We define language similarity as the auditor and the chairperson sharing the same dialect. To measure this, we manually collect the identification (ID) numbers of auditors and chairpersons and construct a proxy for language similarity based on the birthplaces identified by their ID numbers. Our findings indicate that auditor-chairperson language similarity helps alleviate IPO underpricing. We also find that IPO companies are more likely to select auditors who share the same language with their chairpersons. Our results remain robust even after controlling for additional control variables and employing matching methods, 2SLS instrumental variables, and alternative measurements. The mechanism through which language similarity reduces IPO underpricing is by compensating for informational gaps in low-readability and high-similarity prospectuses through incremental information production. Furthermore, the effects of language similarity are more pronounced when IPO companies are audited by Big 10 audit firms, followed by greater analyst coverage, and are listed under the registration-based IPO regime. Our research confirms the significant role of language similarity in emerging capital markets.

The genus Alurnus Fabricius, 1775 (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Alurnini) in Colombia with four new species records and an updated checklist in the country

In Colombia, the taxonomy of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) shows information gaps in the composition, biology, richness, distribution, among others, although most of them are of agricultural importance. The genus Alurnus is distributed in the Neotropical Region and it is the most specious genus of the tribe Alurnini (Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae). Species of this genus have been reported in association with palms of the family Arecaceae. Previous studies of Alurnus recorded 12 species for Colombia. In this study, 64 specimens were analyzed from 14 Colombian entomological collections, confirming previous records of seven species and reporting four new records for Colombia. This study provides the names of associations and host plants for some species, and the geographic distribution for each one.

Airborne soil-derived dust hazards in aviation

Abstract Airborne mineral dust poses a safety challenge for aviation. Several fatal accidents have happened in dust-laden air due to reduced visibility, strong gusty winds, and wind shear. Dust-induced icing also contributed at least to two fatal accidents. Furthermore, atmospheric dust has long- and short-term effects on aircraft operating condition due to corrosion and abrasion on the aircraft surfaces, and molten ingress deterioration of engine hot section components. The combined impact can increase operating and maintenance costs, and increase the overall cost of ownership. While the scientific community has started preparing and providing products based on atmospheric dust modeling and observation, there are still important data and information gaps in the fundamental science. These include (i) insufficient data which could be used to better understand the effects of dust on aircraft as well as on ground systems and operations (e.g., four-dimensional information of dust mineralogy, cost-benefit analysis of the impact of dust on aviation along flight routes), (ii) the identification of airborne dust monitoring and modeling products and services that could enable the flow of relevant information in commercial aviation and in decision-making workflows, and (iii) the underdeveloped, unclear, or absent role of dust hazards in regulations and operational procedures as well as in the training, skillset, and knowledge base of pilots. This review is aimed at both academic and aviation stakeholders, and presents the current state-of-the-art knowledge at the intersection of dust hazards, aviation safety, and impacts on flight operations and aircraft maintenance.

Multi-channel masked autoencoder and comprehensive evaluations for reconstructing 12-lead ECG from arbitrary single-lead ECG

Electrocardiogram (ECG) has emerged as a widely accepted diagnostic instrument for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The standard clinical 12-lead ECG configuration causes considerable inconvenience and discomfort, while wearable devices offers a more practical alternative. To reduce information gap between 12-lead ECG and single-lead ECG, this study proposes a multi-channel masked autoencoder (MCMA) for reconstructing 12-Lead ECG from arbitrary single-lead ECG, and a comprehensive evaluation benchmark, ECGGenEval, encompass the signal-level, feature-level, and diagnostic-level evaluations. MCMA can achieve the state-of-the-art performance. In the signal-level evaluation, the mean square errors of 0.0175 and 0.0654, Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.7772 and 0.7287. In the feature-level evaluation, the average standard deviation of the mean heart rate across the generated 12-lead ECG is 1.0481, the coefficient of variation is 1.58%, and the range is 3.2874. In the diagnostic-level evaluation, the average F1-score with two generated 12-lead ECG from different single-lead ECG are 0.8233 and 0.8410.

Exploring the Idea of Task in the Context of the Young Language Learner Classroom

Originating in adult education, the approach of task‐based language teaching (TBLT) has been promoted in young language learner (YLL) education. However, its application often encounters challenges due to varying interpretations of what constitutes a “task.” Previous research has repeatedly highlighted gaps in teachers' understanding of tasks, often reducing them to mere exercises rather than opportunities for genuine communication. A potential issue could be that some of the criteria of a task as defined in the literature that focuses on adult second/foreign language (L2) learners do not necessarily apply or may need to be modified in YLL education. For example, tasks have traditionally been defined as having “authenticity,” but this may vary, as YLLs are often engaged in play and driven by imagination. Additionally, for children, school represents their “real world,” so their concept of an “authentic” task may differ from that of adult L2 learners, who may be attending classes to improve workplace skills. In this study, we aimed to explore the concept of task in the context of teaching an additional language to YLLs in primary education. Utilizing a Delphi method, 16 well‐known experts who work at the intersection of applied linguistics, TBLT, and YLLs participated in three rounds of data collection via email. After providing written definitions of a task and its characteristics in the YLL classroom in Round 1, the experts rated each other's definitions on a 4‐point Likert scale and provided comments on the definitions in two subsequent rounds. Additionally, we conducted follow‐up interviews with a subsample of the participants (n = 6) relative to a particular task characteristic: “authenticity.” Using both quantitative and qualitative analyses, we identified key aspects from the data, including task characteristics, learner considerations, and implementation details. Findings showed a distinction between “activity” and “task,” with the latter being understood as featuring certain characteristics. Accordingly, a task in the YLL classroom has a goal orientation, an orientation to meaning rather than linguistic form, a need for YLLs to use their L2 repertoire, a type of information gap, and a real‐life connection. While largely congruent with the concept of task in the L2 adult literature, the experts particularly highlighted a learner‐oriented approach to tasks that stresses cognitive, social‐emotional, and affective development of YLLs. In particular, experts highlighted the significance of imagination as part of children's authentic world. Thus an “authentic” task for adults may reference a “real‐world” domain, whereas an authentic task for YLLs may reference an imaginary one. We discuss the findings and emphasize that the concept of task in YLL education should be broadened to include aspects of imaginary worlds and make‐believe.

Strategi Komunikasi Humas DJKI Kemenkumham dalam Membangun Media Relations dengan Jurnalis: Studi pada Humas DJKI Kemenkumham & SCTV

The role of mass media is crucial in shaping public opinion and disseminating information to the broader community. A harmonious relationship between organizations and the media, particularly through public relations, is essential for conveying a positive image and maintaining public trust. This study focuses on the role of the Public Relations Office of the Direktorat Jenderal Kekayaan Intelektual (DJKI) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) in building media relations with journalists, with a specific focus on journalists from SCTV. The study aims to identify the communication strategies employed by the DJKI’s Public Relations Office and evaluate the effectiveness and challenges faced in their interactions with the media. A qualitative research approach was used, including in-depth interviews and document analysis to gain insights from both DJKI’s PR officials and SCTV journalists. The findings indicate that the DJKI’s Public Relations Office employs various strategies to build and maintain positive relationships with journalists. These strategies include organizing press conferences, distributing press releases, and managing social media. However, the study also identifies several challenges, such as differences in response times, information gaps, and differing expectations between the PR team and journalists. The insights from this research provide valuable information for the DJKI’s Public Relations Office and other PR practitioners on effective media management. The recommendations are expected to enhance communication strategies and strengthen media relationships, ultimately helping to achieve institutional communication goals and improve public image.

Information gap based knowledge distillation for occluded facial expression recognition

Facial Expression Recognition (FER) with occlusion presents a challenging task in computer vision because facial occlusions result in poor visual data features. Recently, the region attention technique has been introduced to address this problem by researchers, which make the model perceive occluded regions of the face and prioritize the most discriminative non-occluded regions. However, in real-world scenarios, facial images are influenced by various factors, including hair, masks and sunglasses, making it difficult to extract high-quality features from these occluded facial images. This inevitably limits the effectiveness of attention mechanisms. In this paper, we observe a correlation in facial emotion features from the same image, both with and without occlusion. This correlation contributes to addressing the issue of facial occlusions. To this end, we propose a Information Gap based Knowledge Distillation (IGKD) to explore the latent relationship. Specifically, our approach involves feeding non-occluded and masked images into separate teacher and student networks. Due to the incomplete emotion information in the masked images, there exists an information gap between the teacher and student networks. During training, we aim to minimize this gap to enable the student network to learn this relationship. To enhance the teacher’s guidance, we introduce a joint learning strategy where the teacher conducts knowledge distillation on the student during the training of the teacher. Additionally, we introduce two novel constraints, called knowledge learn and knowledge feedback loss, to supervise and optimize both the teacher and student networks. The reported experimental results show that IGKD outperforms other algorithms on four benchmark datasets. Specifically, our IGKD achieves 87.57% on Occlusion-RAF-DB, 87.33% on Occlusion-FERPlus, 64.86% on Occlusion-AffectNet, and 73.25% on FED-RO, clearly demonstrating its effectiveness and robustness.

An IGDT-WDRCC based optimal bidding strategy of VPP aggregators in new energy market considering multiple uncertainties

This study addresses the volatility and uncertainty challenges in managing renewable energy within electricity markets, particularly focusing on the role of Virtual Power Plant (VPP) aggregators. Recognizing the risks these uncertainties pose to the revenue and stability of power systems, the paper presents a novel information gap decision theory (IGDT)-Wasserstein metric based distributionally robust chance constraint (WDRCC) approach to devise an optimal bidding strategy for VPP operators. It involves a data-driven distributionally robust optimization framework, leveraging the worst-case scenario from the distributed resource uncertainties, guided by an ambiguity set rooted in the Wasserstein metric. Furthermore, the distributionally robust chance constraint modeling is introduced ensuring that uncertainty constraints of distributed resources meet a predefined risk level. Although this method shows promising out-of-sample performance, it relies on forecasted energy prices, a notable limitation given the price volatility and information inadequacy in the newly-opened market. To address this, the risk-averse bidding strategy, grounded in IGDT, is proposed simulataneously to safeguard the operator’s expected returns against price uncertainties, implementing an advanced piecewise linear approximation technique, ”nf4l,” for linearizing the bi-linear term from IGDT. The effectiveness of this approach is empirically validated through a comprehensive case study and sensitivity analysis.

Optimal planning for high renewable energy integration considering demand response, uncertainties, and operational performance flexibility

The operational performance of the grid needs to be considered and incorporated with other verified system flexibility measures, such as energy storage system and demand response, when planning a hybrid renewable energy system with a high fraction of renewable energy sources. Therefore, this study developed an integrated model that considers the effects of time-of-use demand response and risk-based uncertainty analysis on the operational performance of a grid-connected hybrid energy system for high renewable power penetration. A multi-stage approach for optimal scheduling of the energy systems with time-of-use pricing considering uncertainties’ impacts on grid and energy storage systems operations is modeled. Techno-economic metrics are developed to assess the decision-making effectiveness of the energy system planning and grid operation under four scenarios based on the information gap decision theory to quantify the energy system and grid operation performance flexibility. The considered scenarios are without and with demand response using risk-neutral, risk-averse, and risk-seeking strategies. The analysis of the results indicates that the risk-averse approach achieves the best techno-economic tradeoff, guaranteeing improved technical performances compared to the other risk strategies for uncertainty management in renewable power outputs and grid operational performances within the cost deviation tolerance limit. The risk-averse strategy further justified the substantial inclusion of energy storage and the adoption of the demand response to provide better operational flexibility to ensure improved grid performance, as seen in the reduced grid loss and improved voltage profile with higher power contribution from the RES. Significantly, the considered model can help system planners manage the tradeoff for efficient system performance under substantial renewable energy integration, considering the impacts of uncertainties.

Co-production of sustainability indicators in a vulnerable South American agricultural frontier

Deforestation linked to agricultural activities is a major sustainability concern. Planning towards sustainable agricultural landscapes in the (sub-)tropics requires indicators that capture the many aspects of social-ecological cost and benefit of agriculture. Agricultural production strategies are developed using the best available data and knowledge such as high-yield locations, distance to storage facilities, or certification bonuses. However, there is often a divide between sustainable production data generated by the scientific community and current data that are of interest to actors, such as those in the agribusiness sector. Here, we describe how the harmonization of crop production, conservation, and social data used by scientists and agribusiness is possible using a participatory exercise based on knowledge co-production (i.e., generation of knowledge in a collaborative way) of socio-economic and environmental indicators (such as agricultural production, logistics, or the location of indigenous communities). This was made available through an online decision support platform that facilitated the generation of sustainable entrepreneurial strategies. We tested this exercise for the social-environmentally vulnerable Argentine Chaco dry forest, subject to some of the highest rates of deforestation globally, mainly due to soybean production. The cooperation between participants of this exercise built a knowledge exchange network that was key for informing decision-makers and highlighted information gaps including agricultural productivity, accessibility of regions, and the vulnerability of rural communities. Our exercise may be applicable to other agricultural commodity frontiers and showcases the value of including actors’ priorities in the design of indicators to ensure their policy impact and to achieve food systems’ sustainability.

Insect-flower interactions, ecosystem functions, and restoration ecology in the northern Sahel: current knowledge and perspectives.

Actions for ecological restoration under the Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative in the northern Sahel have been plant focused, paying scant attention to plant-animal interactions that are essential to ecosystem functioning. Calls to accelerate implementation of the GGW make it timely to develop a more solid conceptual foundation for restoration actions. As a step towards this goal, we review what is known in this region about an important class of plant-animal interactions, those between plants and flower-visiting insects. Essential for pollination, floral resources also support insects that play important roles in many other ecosystem processes. Extensive pastoralism is the principal subsistence mode in the region, and while recent analyses downplay the impact of livestock on vegetation dynamics compared to climatic factors, they focus primarily on rangeland productivity, neglecting biodiversity, which is critical for long-term sustainability. We summarise current knowledge on insect-flower interactions, identify information gaps, and suggest research priorities. Most insect-pollinated plants in the region have open-access flowers exploitable by diverse insects, an advantageous strategy in environments with low productivity and seasonal and highly variable rainfall. Other plant species have diverse traits that constrain the range of visitors, and several distinct flower types are represented, some of which have been postulated to match classical "pollination syndromes". As in most ecosystems, bees are among the most important pollinators. The bee fauna is dominated by ground-nesting solitary bees, almost all of which are polylectic. Many non-bee flower visitors also perform various ecosystem services such as decomposition and pest control. Many floral visitors occupy high trophic levels, and are indicators of continued functioning of the food webs on which they depend. The resilience of insect-flower networks in this region largely depends on trees, which flower year-round and are less affected by drought than forbs. However, the limited number of abundant tree species presents a potential fragility. Flowering failure of a crucial "hub" species during exceptionally dry years could jeopardise populations of some flower-visiting insects. Furthermore, across Sahelian drylands, browsers are increasingly predominant over grazers. Although better suited to changing climates, browsers exert more pressure on trees, potentially weakening insect-flower interaction networks. Understanding the separate and combined effects of climate change and land-use change on biotic interactions will be key to building a solid foundation to facilitate effective restoration of Sahelian ecosystems.

Patients' Ability to Self-Manage Their Surgical Wound to Prevent Wound Complications: A Cross-Sectional Study.

To provide insights into postdischarge patients' experiences and preferences regarding surgical wound care education at discharge in the Netherlands. Patient involvement in wound care practices postdischarge is beneficial for the prevention of surgical site infections and has become an essential component in reducing the burden on healthcare systems. Surgical wound care discharge education is crucial to achieve this. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the 18-item Surgical Wounds And Patient Participation Questionnaire on patients who underwent surgery between January and May 2022. The survey was administered 2 weeks postoperatively. In total, 213 patients completed the survey. Most patients preferred verbal instructions about their surgical wound care (n = 146; 84.9%) at the time of discharge, with 52.3% indicating a preference for multiple forms of information. Approximately three-quarters of patients (n = 99; 76.7%) responded that they were able to successfully take care of their wounds at home and 16.3% indicated wound self-care inability. Our study highlighted patients' preferences for verbal instructions about their surgical wound care at the time of discharge. Notably, half of the patients expressed a desire for multiple forms of information. Furthermore, we identified gaps in the information provided to patients, indicating areas for improvement in discharge communication. The identified gaps in surgical wound care discharge education offer opportunities to enhance in-hospital education by aligning it more closely with patient preferences and providing education of topics often missed. This could ultimately improve their ability to self-manage their surgical wound at home. Future research should delve deeper into understanding the factors influencing patients' ability to self-manage their wounds. Despite the acknowledged importance of patient education on surgical wound care, there is limited literature regarding patients' experiences and preferences in this area. The findings of this study highlight patients' preferences for verbal instructions and reveal gaps in the information provided to patients about surgical wound care at the time of discharge. The identified gaps in information provided to surgical patients offer opportunities to enhance in-hospital education by healthcare professionals. We adhered to the STROBE guideline. No patient or public contribution.

Change in Climate and its Impact on Aquaculture Sector

The aquaculture industry continues to see significant production increase, making it the fastest growing food production sector in the world. However, the predicted effects of climate change are not just a possibility for the future; they are a reality that threatens the sector's viability. The study examines the expected effects of climate change on aquaculture production and its consequences for the sector's sustainability. Among the many elements of a changing climate that we have discussed are rising sea levels, rising temperatures, diseases, toxic algal blooms, changes in sea surface salinity, shifting precipitation patterns, unpredictable external input sources, and extreme weather. Overall, we expect that climate change will have both beneficial and negative consequences on the agricultural sector's capacity to maintain production, with the former outweighing the latter. Furthermore, we have provided a variety of adaptation alternatives and indicated a number of information gaps that need further research. It could be essential to implement long-term mitigation strategies while adjusting to anticipated short-term changes in order to maintain sector output. Conversely, the success of the adaption will depend on how adaptable manufacturers are worldwide.

Joint smoking–vaping prevalence rates among American youth and young adults 2011–2022

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) annually tracks American youth and adult smoking prevalence using data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The NYTS and the NHIS began collecting information on vaping in 2011 and 2014 respectively. However, since those years the CDC has only reported smoking and vaping rates separately, which presents a long-term and important information gap, given the decade-long debate about whether e-cigarettes help people who smoke reduce or quit, and whether they are a gateway to youth smoking. This short report provides joint smoking and vaping prevalence rates for American high school students from 2011 to 2022 from the NYTS, and rates for American adults 18–44 years old over the same period from the NHIS. The results show that cigarette smoking declined sharply, especially in high schoolers and emerging young adults (18–20 years) while vaping increased substantially. In addition, the prevalence of vaping among people who formerly smoked also increased. The importance of these trends is highlighted by sharp increases in quit ratios among emerging and junior (21–24 years) young adults, who had historically low levels of quitting.

Coordinated operation of source–station–road–network system considering traffic flow uncertainty

Promoting large-scale transportation electrification and developing new solar energy harvesting and converting technologies are effective ways to achieve ’dual carbon goals’. In this paper, a new road energy harvesting technology, solar road (SR) power generation technology, is introduced. A SR power generation model considering the variation of solar radiation intensity, traffic flow and dynamic shadows of vehicles is constructed. Secondly, considering the uncertainty of traffic network (TN) caused by users’ stochastic routing behavior, a model of TN under stochastic user equilibrium (SUE) is constructed. Then the influence of traffic flow on the electric load of charging and battery swapping stations (CBSSs) is analyzed, and the local consumption strategy of SR is established. Meanwhile, information gap decision theory (IGDT) is introduced to reduce the impact of uncertainty on the system. Finally, the coupling system of IEEE-33 node of distribution network (DN) and Nguyen–Dupuis of TN is used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model and optimal management method, which improves the utilization rate of solar energy, promotes carbon emission reduction, reduces the congestion degree of DN, and ensures the safe and stable operation of the system.

Pyrolysis and beyond: Sustainable valorization of plastic waste

The recycling of plastics through pyrolysis has garnered significant attention as a waste management approach, particularly given upcoming regulations and the urgent need for absolute sustainability. This review paper evaluates pyrolysis's technological, environmental, and regulatory aspects, emphasizing the need to prioritize environmental impact over purely economic considerations. While it is recognized that financial challenges have constrained many past attempts at scaling pyrolysis systems, this paper argues that a shift in focus toward sustainability criteria is essential for the technology's long-term viability. Prioritizing environmental outcomes is critical given the pressing issues like plastic pollution, which presents significant threats to ecosystems and human health. A comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts is vital for technologies intended for large-scale deployment, ensuring that they align with global sustainability goals. This perspective is especially pertinent in light of the current United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) global plastic pollution treaty negotiations, where there is a contentious debate over the true circularity of chemical recycling. Environmentalists and several nations advocate for significant reductions in plastic production and bans on single-use plastics. At the same time, oil-producing countries and petrochemical companies push for circularity in the plastic economy. The paper explores the promise and limitations of pyrolysis technology for valorizing plastic wastes, comparing its efficacy with other waste management methods. Biomass pyrolysis is discussed due to its significant synergies with plastic pyrolysis and its potential for carbon sequestration through biochar. However, the discussion on biomass pyrolysis is limited in scope, with the paper's primary focus on waste plastic pyrolysis. The paper discusses the challenges and opportunities in utilizing pyrolysis for waste plastics, which are considered along with regulatory and geopolitical aspects. Environmental impacts, including life cycle analysis and planetary boundary considerations, are examined to understand why pyrolysis has yet to achieve widespread adoption. A case study on Plastic Energy, SABIC, and Unilever highlights current industry status, technological advancements, and information gaps. Finally, a comprehensive framework is proposed to achieve net-zero emissions, improve air quality, and ensure absolute environmental sustainability in plastic recycling. Recommendations are provided for the plastic industry and research institutions to support the transition towards sustainable waste management practices.

Analyzing the impact of holistic building design on the process of lifecycle management of building structures

This research examines how Holistic Building Design (HBD) affects Lifecycle Management of Building Structures in the ever-changing construction market. HBD includes adaptability, environmental sustainability, maintenance, and disaster preparation. It is a key idea in the present boom in resilient and sustainable building techniques. A surprising dearth of quantitative empirical research on HBD’s impact on LMBS considering the field’s growing importance. This study uses a quantitative method to explore the relationship between essential HBD components and LMBS outcomes especially Extended Service Life (ESL) and Optimized Performance and Value (OPV) are critical factors to address this information gap. The quantitative study polled 171 construction industry professionals and utilized Structural Equation Modelling to examine the data. This approach was selected for its ability to explore complex relationships between variables and constructs. HBD components Adaptability and Retrofitting (AAR), Environmental Considerations and Sustainability (ECS), Maintenance and Inspection Programs (MIP), and Resilience and Disaster Preparedness (RDP) profoundly influenced the Enhanced Service Life (ESL) and Optimized Performance and Value (OPV) elements of LMBS. Building adaptation and retrofitting, maintenance and inspection programs, and other activities increased building value and lifespan. These findings have major theoretical and practical implications. The work potentially fills a research gap by providing actual evidence on HBD-LMBS linkages. Practically, the results advise construction industry specialists to use HBD ideas for sustainable building management. Finally, our work illuminates the vital roles of HBD components in LMBS and paves the way for ecologically friendly building approaches.