General Methodological Framework Research Articles

Spatiotemporal methods for estimating subsurface ocean thermal response to tropical cyclones

Abstract. Tropical cyclones (TCs), driven by heat exchange between the air and sea, pose a substantial risk to many communities around the world. Accurate characterization of the subsurface ocean thermal response to TC passage is crucial for accurate TC intensity forecasts and an understanding of the role that TCs play in the global climate system. However, that characterization is complicated by the high-noise ocean environment, correlations inherent in spatiotemporal data, relative scarcity of in situ observations, and the entanglement of the TC-induced signal with seasonal signals. We present a general methodological framework that addresses these difficulties, integrating existing techniques in seasonal mean field estimation, Gaussian process modeling, and nonparametric regression into an ANOVA decomposition model. Importantly, we improve upon past work by properly handling seasonality, providing rigorous uncertainty quantification, and treating time as a continuous variable, rather than producing estimates that are binned in time. This ANOVA model is estimated using in situ subsurface temperature profiles from the Argo fleet of autonomous floats through a multistep procedure, which (1) characterizes the upper-ocean seasonal shift during the TC season, (2) models the variability in the temperature observations, and (3) fits a thin-plate spline using the variability estimates to account for heteroskedasticity and correlation between the observations. This spline fit reveals the ocean thermal response to the TC passage. Through this framework, we obtain new scientific insights into the interaction between TCs and the ocean on a global scale, including a three-dimensional characterization of the near-surface and subsurface cooling along the TC storm track and the mixing-induced subsurface warming on the track's right side.

HOTSED: A new integrated model for assessing potential hotspots of sediment sources and related sediment dynamics at watershed scale

In this paper we introduce HOTSED, a novel, innovative GIS-based model designed for assessing potential hotspots of sediment dynamics at watershed scale. HOTSED integrates geomorphic spatial information with both structural and functional properties of connectivity. HOTSED provides a single and intuitive output that depicts the location of sediment source hotspots. Moreover, it enables the identification of “relative hazard” classes for sediment production and related effects. The general methodological framework is based on the initial elaboration of an Inventory Map (IM) of sediment-related landforms and processes, along with the implementation of a corresponding database. Subsequently, we used data stored in the IM to estimate the geomorphic Potential of Sediment Sources (PSS) through a relative scoring system. Furthermore, we computed Structural Sediment Connectivity (STC) and the Potential for Sediment Transport (PST) by combining terrain and hydrological parameters, vegetation roughness, and rainfall erosivity. Afterwards, PSS, STC, and PST components are integrated through a raster-based calculation method yielding the HOTSED model. We tested the HOTSED procedure in the upper Val d’Arda-Mignano watershed, which is a representative geomorphologically highly active Mediterranean area of the Northern Apennines (Italy). Through photointerpretation, terrain analysis, and fieldwork, we mapped sediment-related geomorphic features for a total of 4640 ha including: badlands and gullies (0.26%), rill-interrill erosion (15.03%), fluvial erosion (0.03%), landslides (70.06%), litho-structural erosional systems (0.87%), slope deposits (12.56%), and alluvial deposits (1.19%). HOTSED revealed hotspots with a very high hazard potential located near main channels or upstream of the reservoir. These areas are often linked with active landslides highly connected to the drainage system and frequently associated with other processes like bank erosion or surficial soil erosion. The model also highlighted linear hotspots corresponding to drainages flowing alongside or intersecting complex geomorphic systems such as landslides. Furthermore, HOTSED identified areas where sediments are stored in depositional landforms, exhibiting a low hazard potential, considering both low geomorphic potential and sediment connectivity. Our conceptual model is generally applicable but proves to be particularly effective in areas characterized by complex and polygenetic geomorphic systems, such as the Northern Apennines. HOTSED offers a valuable tool for watershed authorities to support sustainable watershed and reservoir management.

Benchmark dose profiles for bivariate exposures.

While benchmark dose (BMD) methodology is well-established for settings with a single exposure, these methods cannot easily handle multidimensional exposures with nonlinear effects. We propose a framework for BMD analysis to characterize the joint effect of a two-dimensional exposure on a continuous outcome using a generalized additive model while adjusting for potential confounders via propensity scores. This leads to a dose-response surface which can be summarized in two dimensions by a contour plot in which combinations of exposures leading to the same expected effect are identified. In our motivating study of prenatal alcohol exposure, cognitive deficits in children are found to be associated with both the frequency of drinking as well as the amount of alcohol consumed on each drinking day during pregnancy. The general methodological framework is useful for a broad range of settings, including combinations of environmental stressors, such as chemical mixtures, and in explorations of the impact of dose rate rather than simply cumulative exposure on adverseoutcomes.

THE CHALLENGES OF INVESTMENT ARBITRATION: SUCCESS OR FAILURE? A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INVESTMENT ARBITRATION IN NORTH MACEDONIA AND KOSOVO

Background: In today's modern business and technological landscape, businesses are increasingly inclined to seek alternative methods for resolving disputes rather than rely solely on traditional court procedures. Businesses are also increasingly aware of the significance of resolving conflicts through alternative means and taking proactive measures to avoid litigation. In recent decades, investment arbitration has gained widespread acceptance and has emerged as a preferred mechanism for resolving disputes involving international investors in Western Balkan countries. Some countries demonstrate a favourable inclination towards employing arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism by enacting legislation that grants investors the right to initiate arbitration proceedings against the state in case of failure. This scientific research objective will be achieved through the reflection of the legislative framework in the matter of investment arbitration as well as the reflection of the flow of foreign investments, analysing and not limited to the treatment of concrete cases of arbitration disputes. Through this approach, we will answer the central question of how much arbitration as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism is a stimulating factor for attracting foreign direct investment or whether multinational companies only use the legislative and incentive favours offered by the Republic of Kosovo and North Macedonia. Methods: The article was conceived based on a modern methodological framework. Within the general methodological framework of scientific research, logical methods play a crucial role in the scientific processing of the research data, drawing conclusions and determining facts through which the truth of the thesis of the work is reached scientifically. In the context of this paper, the method of analysis through which the impact of arbitration as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism in relation to the flow of investments will be analysed is noteworthy. Additionally, methods of abstraction and concretisation will also be used. Abstraction is the basis of analysis, which sometimes represents the separation of parts from the whole subject. Moreover, the comparative method will highlight the diverse normative solutions in national legislation and international legal sources. Results and conclusions: In the article, the authors propose considering the effectiveness of existing provisions and determining whether adjustments or alternative approaches are needed to maximise the benefits of foreign investment while minimising potential risks and uncertainties associated with dispute resolution processes.

Academic Job Satisfaction Research: Conceptual Framework for Russia

Digital transformation, revising the principles of the Bologna system, new directions of academic contacts – this is not even the full list of challenges faced by Russian universities. University teachers have to respond to them, which might lead to increased stress levels and calls for more careful monitoring of the dynamics of overall job satisfaction in academia. Despite research on academic job satisfaction being available, its mutual verification is difficult, since there is no general theoretical and methodological framework for this kind of research, and the set of common indicators is not adapted to Russian realities. In addition, a serious problem when it comes to academic job satisfaction surveys is the administrative divide between whoever initiated the research and teaching staffers, who becomes an object of research with reduced agency. The authors of the article propose an approach based on experience in monitoring the teaching staff’s attitude towards current challenges, which would combine quantitative and qualitative survey methods and focus on universal job satisfaction domains at the university. Choosing relevant academic job satisfaction domains that comprehensively characterize the working conditions of a university teacher should be justified during a series of testing studies, and most importantly — an internal sociological discussion.

Micro Effects on Macro Structure in Social Networks

How do individuals’ network selection decisions create unique network structures? Despite broad sociological interest in the micro-level social interactions that create macro-level network structure, few methods are available to statistically evaluate micro-macro relationships in social networks. This study introduces a general methodological framework for testing the effect of (micro) network selection processes, such as homophily, reciprocity, or preferential attachment, on unique (macro) network structures, such as segregation, clustering, or brokerage. The approach uses estimates from a statistical network model to decompose the contributions of each parameter to a node, subgraph, or global network statistic specified by the researcher. A flexible parametric algorithm is introduced to estimate variances, confidence intervals, and p values. Prior micro-macro network methods can be regarded as special cases of the general framework. Extensions to hypothetical network interventions, joint parameter tests, and longitudinal and multilevel network data are discussed. An example is provided analyzing the micro foundations of political segregation in a crime policy collaboration network.

User Experience, Business Models, and Service Design in Concert: Towards a General Methodological Framework for Value Proposition Enhancement

Companies in all businesses need efficient and user-friendly tools for experience design in a fast-paced digitalized world searching for sustainability. Although there are hundreds of methods and models in the interdisciplinary area of experience design, a general methodological framework for capturing the user experience as a personal outcome of the interaction with digitalized products and services into the value proposition of a business model is missing. In this paper, we develop a methodological framework for service design that guides the experience design process, aiming to enrich the value proposition with user experience in a business model. The framework is developed by integrating the fields of user experience design, service design, and business model design based on the notion of service-dominant logic and following design science principles. The framework is evaluated according to the design science methodology by applying multiple case studies in seven small and medium-sized companies in Croatia.

A framework for the design of sustainable multi-input second-generation biorefineries through process simulation: A case study for the valorization of lignocellulosic and starchy waste from the plantain agro-industry

The plantain agro-industry generates different residues in the harvest and post-harvest stages. Therefore, new processes for its valorization are required. The aim of this research was to propose a general methodological framework for the design and analysis of multi-input biorefineries for the valorization of residues with a high content of lignocellulosic and starchy materials. This approach was based on the independent processing of the starchy and lignocellulosic materials in the first steps of the biorefinery and relies on process simulation and hierarchic process design procedures. A case study for the design of a multi-input biorefinery for the valorization of residues from the plantain agro-industry was performed by applying the framework proposed. The biorefinery was simulated using SuperPro Designer software. The results obtained suggest that the best alternative for the valorization of plantain residues under Colombian conditions corresponded to the following distribution of key residues: 100% leaf sheaths processed into the natural fiber production section, and 25% peels and 25% rachis processed into the starch extraction and liquefaction section; with this distribution, an NPV of $21,348,000 can be achieved. This work shows that waste from the plantain agro-industry exhibits high potential as a feedstock for the production of value-added products.

Of looping kinds and unruly objects: the conceptual making of organoids

Although the traditional approach within ELSA (Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects) initiatives is to have certain kinds of objects “set” or ready to be governed within bioethics, I will claim that the established regime of bioethics and bio law act as governance while influencing the conceptualization of the entities at play, in this example, the organoids. As a small contrast case to making organoids, I will use the regulation and categorization of embryonic research as a more “natural kind” entity research compared to conceptually synthetic research, where the objects to be regulated are shaped by existing practices of language and material alike. While analyzing the conceptual making of the organoids, I will follow the general methodological framework of Ian Hacking in Social Construction of What? (1999) from philosophy of science, particularly his understanding of “looping kinds”. And since Hacking’s understanding of looping kinds is in a relatively vague formulation, I will supply with different structures within co – productionist account of science and technology studies, most notably of works of Jasonoff (2015) of co-productionist accounts and Bensaude – Vincent’s concept of “buzzword coalitions” (2014) in the making of conceptual coalition around organoids. I will use the structure of scientific objects to assign different uses of parts of concepts in the making.

Eco-Efficiency Evaluation of Sloping Land Conversion Program and Its Spatial and Temporal Evolution: Evidence from 314 Counties in the Loess Plateau of China

China’s Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) is the largest ecological restoration program (ERP) in the world. Since its full implementation in China in 2002, it has achieved remarkable eco-effects worldwide. However, few researchers have paid attention to the efficiency behind the ecological achievements. Understanding the eco-efficiency of the Sloping Land Conversion Program (EEoSLCP) and its spatial and temporal evolution is necessary for the design and implementation of other ERPs. Therefore, we took the counties reflecting the basic implementation units of the SLCP as the research samples, and evaluated and analyzed the EEoSLCP on the Loess Plateau (LP) and its spatial and temporal evolution based on remote sensing data and county statistics. Our results reveal that: (1) The SLCP in LP has achieved good eco-effects, but the eco-efficiency is generally low. (2) The EEoSLCP of the LP is increasing year by year in time and the spatial distribution pattern is “high in the southeast and low in the northwest” with a gradual decrease in efficiency from southeast to northwest. (3) The EEoSLCP in each county of the LP has a positive spatial autocorrelation and this correlation increases with the passage of time. (4) The EEoSLCP in each county of the LP shows relatively stable geographical spatial agglomeration characteristics of “H-H” and “L-L” in local spatial autocorrelation, and there are spatial neighboring companion effects and spatial neighboring spillover effects in the EEoSLCP in each county of the LP. (5) Natural conditions and redundancy of input and output are important reasons that affect the level of EEoSLCP. Our study will not only provide a general approach and methodological framework for evaluating the eco-efficiency of ERPs and their spatial and temporal evolution, but also provide better guidance and inspiration for the implementation of large-scale ERPs in the background of “The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration” and the “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” strategy.

Intellectual And Artistic Concepts of The Cultural Context And Their Impact On Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture

The current specialized research tagged (intellectual and artistic concepts of the cultural context and their impact on contemporary ceramic sculpture) paves the way for the emergence of the context in ceramics active in life, so that this relationship will indicate the development and presence of ceramics or not and the volume of its circulation in the joints of the culture of the Arab recipient. As a result, the researcher collected scientific materials to serve the subject of the research in four chapters: Chapter One (General Methodological Framework) To clarify the problem of the research, the importance of the research to achieve benefit in higher education and education for scholars and teachers, while the research aims to reveal the development of cultural contexts and their impact on the production and circulation of contemporary Arab ceramic art. They are the Arab countries, then the search terms were identified and defined. As for the second chapter (theoretical framework), it included three axes: the first: meaning Context. The second axis: thinkers' views of the context in language and linguistics. The third axis: the emergence of the context as representations in the artistic form, and in the third chapter (research procedures) the researcher reviewed the presence of ceramics in the Arab reality through the analysis of ceramic sculptural patterns. The researcher aims to select a sample that represents the boundaries of the research, its aim, and the framework of society. - Research tool: In order to achieve the goal of the research and to identify (the intellectual and artistic concepts of the cultural context and their impact on contemporary ceramic sculpture The researcher adopted the indicators concluded by the theoretical framework, and the researcher concluded in the fourth chapter a number of results: 1- The Arab audience formed a presence represented in the demand for works with peripheral contents in favor of types of cultural and artistic reception in addition to the factional and media. 2- Formal behavior in art. The contemporary Arab, the Arab recipient voluntarily accepts the forms within the ceramic sculptural work and its abbreviations brought by the postmodern culture other than what we have seen, as it simulates the forms through their symbols and meanings on the one hand and preserves their contents on the other hand. In addition to the conclusions, recommendations and proposals.

Video observations of sensitive caregiving “off the beaten track”: introduction to the special issue

ABSTRACT This introduction to the special issue on video observations of sensitive caregiving in different cultural communities provides a general theoretical and methodological framework for the seven empirical studies that are at the heart of this special issue. It highlights the cross-cultural potential of the sensitivity construct, the importance of research on sensitivity “off the beaten track,” the advantages and potential challenges of the use of video in diverse cultural contexts, and the benefits of forming research teams that include local scholars. The paper concludes with an overview of the seven empirical studies of sensitivity in this special issue with video observations from Brazil, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Peru, South Africa, and Yemen.

The Living Environment of the Future: Environmental or Systemic Approach?

The article substantiates the necessity and possibility of integrating the environmental and systemic approach in the sociological study of the residential environment. The relevance of such integration is due to the complexity of the object – the residential environment – requiring the combined efforts of representatives of different professional communities (architects, urban planners, design engineers, sociologists, etc.), on the one hand, and the lack of conceptual foundations (language, general methodological and conceptual framework) for such an association, on the other. The importance of such studies for the subsequent social forecasting of the residential environment and the possibility of their application in connection with changes in the technologies used in the development of project documentation and the transition to the creation of information models is noted. The results of the work: 1) on the basis of a comparative analysis of concepts and studies within the framework of the "environmental" and "systemic approaches," their differences and similarities are revealed; 2) a definition of the residential environment is proposed; 3) on the basis of an analysis of the Russian regulatory framework for housing construction, the features of the modern use of a systematic approach in this area are shown; 4) the domestic tradition is presented a systematic (organismic) approach in the design of the living environment; 5) on the basis of theoretical reconstruction, a conclusion is made about the cognitive possibilities of tectology, in the research and formation of the living environment, the synthesis of existing approaches and the basis of promising interdisciplinary associations. Novelty: the potential of tectology, systems theory and system analysis as a promising methodological approach in the sociological study of the residential area, the synthesis of existing approaches and the unification of theorists and practitioners in its study, design and development is revealed. The results of the work are supposed to be used as a basis for the development of a methodology for a specific sociological study of the residential environment, its subjects and quality criteria.

The Concept of Emptiness and Accompanying Concepts in the Philosophical Analysis of Madhyamaka

The article analyses the concept of emptiness (śūnyatā) of the Buddhist Mahāyāna school Madhyamaka. By way of introduction, some fundamental questions are asked regarding the possible meaning of that concept as well as the possible context within which that concept should be viewed. The article then moves on to the evaluation and reception of the theory of emptiness within some classical systems of Indian Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophy, which were all negative, identifying the concept of emptiness with the concept of non-existence (abhāva). As, historically, the Mahāyāna concept of emptiness appears for the first time in the so-called Prajñāpāramitāsūtras, part of the article is devoted to the analysis of this concept in those texts, which are traditionally considered the original inspiration of the Madhyamaka philosophy. In fact, the Madhyamaka philosophy represents precisely the systematic philosophical elaboration of those texts, primarily of the concept of emptiness as it appears there. The central part of the article comprises the analysis of this concept in the Madh­yamaka system, with a brief account on the general methodological and doctrinal framework within which Madhyamaka philosophical thinking operates. Then two key philosophical conceptions of Madhyamaka are presented and analysed, without which it is impossible to understand the concept of emptiness – the conception of two truths (satyadvaya) and the conception of “co-arising in dependence” (pratītyasamutpāda). In the context of these two conceptions, the concept of emptiness of Madhyamaka is finally situated in the horizon of a specific semantic and epistemological understanding of reality (experience) that is completely devoid of any ontological connotations.

Smart and sustainable city logistics: Design, consolidation, and regulation

Growing e-commerce delivery increases traffic congestion and demands for smart last-mile city distribution systems. In this context, municipalities and logistics service providers aim towards sustainable and profitable city logistics, which are often conflicting goals. Whether to use single-echelon or two-echelon systems with micro-depots and city freighters as well as quantifying the benefits of shipment consolidation between independent providers under different system designs are unanswered questions in academia and practice.We provide a general methodological framework based on continuous approximation theory to study the design of city logistics networks with multiple logistics service providers that choose transportation strategies, each defined by a network structure and specific transportation modes. We provide analytical results on the comparison of different transportation strategies. By providing thresholds on the benefit of consolidated systems, we analytically quantify shipment consolidation effects in city centers. We then embed this continuous approximation into a mixed-integer non-linear program and study parameter sensitivities for a real-world case study.Our results show that higher customer density and longer distances between depots and distribution areas promote 2-tier transportation strategies. Consolidation between logistics service providers allows for emission reductions independent of the transportation strategy and correlate with cost reductions up to 50% on the lower echelon. Outsourcing promotes 2-tier last-mile deliveries with city freighters and in a city with heterogeneous districts, it is beneficial to use a hybrid network that includes both single- and two-echelon strategies using multiple transportation modes for different demand classes.

Technical engineering as a stimulator of developmentn and civilisational progress

The article presents theoretical and practical aspects of the operation of a key engineering category, i.e. technical engineering, and its dominant influence on the level of technical and civilisational development in evolving societies. The introduction discusses the concept, role, and place of technical engineering, and the general methodological framework applied in it. It emphasises the strong links between the scientific theoretical foundations of technical engineering and engineering practice, which stem chiefly from societal needs and utilitarian passions of many researchers involved in the creative art of engineering. The following section presents technical and technological assumptions and practical achievements of selected categories of technical engineering, such as: civil, water, military, mechanical, electrical, process, materials, and extreme engineering. The article is a conceptual review and stresses the synergy between science, knowledge, and technology (mainly technical and applied), as well as competences and skills, against the background of utilitarian societal needs.

Comprehensive price–reliability analysis for district heating systems

The paper addresses the joint determination of nodal thermal energy prices and reliability indices in district heating systems for various emergency conditions (failures of components). The main goal is to establish the relationship between the obtained indices and determine the “narrowest” areas (bottlenecks) corresponding to the maximum economic losses due to a disruption in the heat supply to consumers. Calculation of the nodal thermal energy prices relies on the Lagrange multiplier method and factors in different production costs at heating sources and flow distribution in the heating network. The parameters used in the problem solved include heat undersupply to consumers in emergency states of the system and related economic damages. The general methodological framework for modeling thermal-hydraulic conditions in the system (including emergency ones) rests on the methods of the theory of hydraulic circuits. The developed methodological and computational tools are used to conduct a computational experiment for a test diagram of a district heating system. The obtained results are analyzed, and their graphical interpretations are presented.

Plasmonically induced transparency in phase-coupled graphene nanoribbons

Due to its transparent and highly dispersive nature, plasmonically induced transparency (PIT) has become an attractive field in the on-chip control of light. Conventional methods to achieve PIT are only limited to the lowest dipole-dipole or dipole-combined quadrupole modes by breaking structural symmetry. Consequently, a general methodological framework for accurately designing all-order PIT remains absent. In this paper, we propose a theoretical scheme to achieve unidirectional odd-to-even order PIT by establishing a model with two layers of periodic graphene nanoribbons. The underlying physical principles are uncovered by defining the additional resonant phase of one mode over the other as phase difference, which predicts that the PIT effects appear (disappear) generally near the positions where the phase difference is around odd (even) multiple numbers of \ensuremath{\pi}. Full-wave simulations and theoretical analysis are used to demonstrate our proposal, revealing that the proposed PIT concept possesses good robustness against both the ribbon width and the relative ribbon positions. Our results serve to provide an effective method to realize all-order PIT and to design PIT-based photonic devices.

Shaping Future Directions for Breakdance Teaching.

This article reports on the evolution of breakdance. Given the inclusion of breakdancing in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, scholars have generated substantial international research related to breakdance teaching in recent years. However, few researchers have focused on the impact of formal formative assessment on breakdance teachers’ teaching and students’ learning. We wish to contribute to the quality of breakdance teaching and learning by identifying the positive impact of recent research on formative assessment on student learning and designing a formal formative assessment task related to breakdance. This article lays out a framework of formal formative assessment tasks and identifies the positive impact of formative assessment on dance education. Although our work is far from perfect, it does provide a general methodological framework for assessing breakdance students’ abilities in formal educational settings.

Stiffening effect of filler on asphalt mastic composite: A new insight based on nearest surface function

This study aims to provide a new insight into the reinforcement effect of filler on stiffness of asphalt mastic through the probability theory, nearest surface function and micromechanics. To implement the consideration of microphysical mechanisms in the stiffening behavior of asphalt mastic composite, a general methodological framework was developed. A new method to calculate the filler’s critical volume fraction (CVF) in asphalt mastic was constructed through the volume fraction of penetrable transition zone (PTZ) acting as a link. Particle size distribution (PSD) of filler was tested by a laser particle size analyzer. Asphalt mastics were fabricated with different filler concentrations. Distributions of filler particles in these mastics were tested by a scanning electron microscope. Complex stiffness moduli of asphalt binder and mastics were tested by a dynamic shear rheometer. Nearest surface distance (NSD) of filler particles in asphalt mastics was analyzed by nearest surface functions. Filler’s CVF in asphalt mastics was calculated through the constructed method. Results show that the shifted Rosin-Rammler distribution function allows to describe the PSD of filler with a high accuracy. Void nearest-surface exclusion probability of filler particles allows to represent the volume fraction of free asphalt in asphalt mastic. The larger the filler volume fraction, the higher the proportion of NSD making particles intercontact. A filler particle with larger radius has more likely to contact with other filler particles, and thus large particles tend to dominate the interparticle interaction in asphalt mastic. The mean NSD of filler particles decreases with increasing the filler volume fraction. The volume fraction of PTZ has an increased first and decreased afterwards trend with the filler volume fraction. The filler’s CVF decreases with the temperature increases. The constructed method is capable of determining the filler’s CVF in asphalt mastic.