Initial Impact Research Articles

Effect of wettability on the impact force of water drops falling on flat solid surfaces

Drops falling on substrates with varying wettability exhibit distinct morphologies. However, the relation between the impact force exerted by a water drop and the substrate wettability has not been thoroughly explored. In this paper, we investigate the effect of contact angle (ranging from 40° to 180°) on the impact force of water drops, along with the spreading diameter, rim height, and retracting velocity. Our attention is focused to the inertial regime with the Weber number ranging from 30 to 100, which enables us to rationalize the dynamic relations and to correlate the kinematics of the drop with the impact force through scaling analysis. We find that substrate wettability has insignificant effect on the first force peak, which arises mainly from the momentum change during the initial impact. However, it does influence the second force peak, which originates from the momentum change in the flow redirecting from the radial inward direction to the vertical direction, accompanied by a column-shape Worthington jet. The second peak force gradually diminishes as the contact angle decreases, until it becomes indistinguishable below 40°, while the time at which the second peak force emerges is delayed.

The role of governance quality on mobilizing environmental technology and environmental taxations for renewable energy and ecological sustainability in belt and road economies: A methods of Moment's quantile regression

Climate change poses a pressing and urgent peril to the overall welfare of the planet, with far-reaching implications for human livelihoods. The aim of this research is to explore the influence of environmental technologies, environmental taxes, and FDI in B&R economies on increasing renewable energy use and lowering ecological footprints. It also strives to examine how the quality of governance in B&R nations affects the promotion of these environmental initiatives. This study presents interesting results by employing a unique Method of Moments Quantile Regression approach for the period from 1996 to 2018. This highlights the government's ability to effectively utilize environmental technologies and implement a streamlined taxation system, bolstering the renewable energy industry and addressing environmental concerns. Moreover, the study highlights the beneficial impact of governmental initiatives in attracting environmentally friendly investments in the renewable energy sector. However, significant reforms are necessary to execute taxation policies efficiently and offer strong backing for technological progress in the renewable energy industry, aiming to decrease carbon emissions substantially. The findings suggest a need for policy recommendations to increase renewable energy consumption and rectify ecological imbalances, with a focus on matching government goals and reforms associated with environmental taxation and technology.

Impact of environmental regulatory initiatives and market practices on green finance in Georgia: a comprehensive study

The study explores the world of green finance within the context of the Georgian financial market, focusing on the influence of regulatory initiatives and market practices. Green finance, driven by sustainability goals and environmental responsibility, has gained prominence globally. In Georgia, this phenomenon has been exemplified by the introduction of sustainability bonds and the integration of ESG factors into financial institutions’ strategies. The research question centers on understanding how regulatory initiatives and market practices impact the growth and effectiveness of green finance in Georgia. The hypothesis posits a positive correlation between the adoption and implementation of regulatory initiatives (such as green taxonomies and ESG guidelines) and the growth and impact of green finance. Through a comprehensive survey of 200 loan officers in Georgian commercial banks, the study gathers insights into perceptions and attitudes regarding sustainability bonds, ESG integration, and green taxonomies. The majority of respondents express optimism about the positive influence of these factors on green finance.

Impact of Strategic Initiatives on the Adaptation of Enterprise Architecture

Impact of Strategic Initiatives on the Adaptation of Enterprise Architecture

Confronting High Costs And Clinical Uncertainty: Innovative Payment Models For Gene Therapies.

Gene therapies offer potentially life-changing benefits for patients, but their unprecedented high prices exacerbate challenges for reimbursement. Payers must confront high budgetary impacts, as a large up-front payment for each patient makes it difficult to predict and absorb costs. Payers also face considerable clinical uncertainty, as evidence for efficacy and durability is limited at approval. Alternative payment models may address these reimbursement problems and ensure equitable patient access. We developed a taxonomy of possible payment mechanisms for gene therapies, including installments, risk pools, reinsurance, price-volume agreements, expenditure caps, subscriptions, outcomes-based payments and rebates, warranties, population outcomes-based agreements, and coverage with evidence development. We illustrate how these payment models take three main approaches: amortization, which mitigates initial budget impact by spreading payments over time; risk spreading, which makes budgets more predictable by pooling costs with other payers or capping costs based on expected volume; and performance-based payment, which addresses clinical uncertainty by tying prices to patient- or population-level outcomes. We discuss each payment model, its advantages and challenges, and considerations for US payers.

Analysis of high-speed water entry in semi-sealed cylindrical shells: Cavity formation and self-disturbance characteristics

The high-speed water entry of a semi-sealed cylindrical shell is a complex unsteady process involving the multiphase flow. In order to study the influence of special structure of the semi-sealed cylindrical shell, the fluid-structure interaction method based on Star-CCM+ and ABAQUS is adopted. The results show that semi-sealed cylindrical shells with different structures all form nested cavities, among which the shell with a shorter length forms a nearly spherical cavity, while the shell with a smaller diameter forms a cavity that is close to a long strip shape. When the Mach number of the initial impact velocity is lower than 0.16, the top wall of the shell can be completely restored as the jet leaves the top wall. The von Mises stress at the top wall of the shell is higher than that at the side wall position. The deformation at the top of shells with larger diameter, shorter length, and smaller thickness is greater. The high-speed vertical water entry process of the semi-sealed cylindrical shell exhibits unique self disturbance characteristics, indicating that shells with thicker thickness and a longer length will exhibit obvious deflection after the self-jet phenomenon occurs.

The Effect of Training and Development on Employee Productivity in the Digital Age

This research explores the impact of training and development initiatives on employee productivity in the digital age within start-up companies in Indonesia through a quantitative analysis. A diverse sample of 500 employees from various sectors provided valuable insights. The findings revealed a positive correlation between the effectiveness of training programs and employee productivity, emphasizing the unique dynamics of training in start-ups. The study also uncovered the moderating effect of employee engagement and the mediating role of the perceived work environment. These results contribute to the understanding of how strategic investments in training and development can foster a skilled and productive workforce in the dynamic landscape of Indonesian start-ups.

Initial impact of a virtual pathway to evaluate patients with evidence of mild autonomous cortisol secretion

Initial impact of a virtual pathway to evaluate patients with evidence of mild autonomous cortisol secretion

The role of African airlines in air transport liberalisation

Background: The African aviation liberalisation process began in 1988, following the liberalisation processes in Europe and the United States (US). However, by 2023, Intra-Africa air services are still reliant on the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) by which international traffic rights are exchanged in terms of the 1944 Chicago Convention, a multilateral treaty. These impose restrictions on intra-African connectivity and are obstacles to liberalisation. African multilateral initiatives, such as the Yamoussoukro Declaration, have varying levels of implementation by African states. While liberalisation efforts have major impacts on airlines, thus far these have been led by government structures.Objective: The main objectives of the study are to determine the involvement of airlines in African liberalisation development and the likely impact of the liberalisation initiatives on airline operations.Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 intra-Africa airline executives from four Regional Economic Communities (REC), which would be impacted by liberalisation.Results: The study finds that airlines do not fully participate in the development of liberalisation initiatives. Although sometimes consulted, their associations are usually only granted observer status at deliberations and negotiations. The likely impacts of the initiatives to airlines include direct connectivity, and harmonised African air transport access.Conclusion: The lack of airline participation may be a key reason for the slow progress towards liberalisation and full deregulation in Africa.Contribution: This study contributes to the body of knowledge, by being the first study to consider the role of airlines in the development of liberalisation initiatives.

‘Human rights cities’ in Africa? Rights as resources for urban governance in the Global South

AbstractThis article considers the use of human rights law as a resource for urban governance by African cities, thereby supplementing the growing literature on ‘human rights cities’ that has thus far focused on the experiences of cities in the Global North. It considers the motivations for and impact of human rights city initiatives, before taking a closer look at reported instances of rights invocation in and by African cities and pointing to factors that explain the seemingly limited traction of human rights law for urban local governments on the continent. The article shows that incomplete and politically contested devolution arrangements across African constitutional systems have combined with pressures pertaining to the domestic enforceability of socio‐economic rights to structure a somewhat cautious and fraught, but nevertheless promising, relationship between local governments in African cities and human rights law.

Is it real or illusory? An empirical examination of the impact of open government data on innovation capability in the case of China

The values and effects of open government data (OGD) initiative are a hot issue in academic research and practical exploration, which is of great significance to promote the continuous implementation and development of OGD. Previous studies have discussed the various categories of potential values and impacts of OGD, however, the empirical evidence is limited. Hence, this study focuses on the innovation effect of OGD initiatives and employs the quasi-nature experiment method to explore and verify the causal relationship between the implementation of OGD and the innovation capability of cities in China. This research constructs panel data of cities in China from the years 2012–2020, and adopts the multi-period difference-in- difference analysis method to conduct empirical study. The results prove that the implementation of OGD initiatives has positive impact on innovation capability, and the parallel trend test and robustness test results also support this conclusion. In addition, this study also concludes that the impact of OGD initiatives on innovation capability is dynamic and continuous. Finally, the heterogeneity analysis results indicate that the effect of OGD initiatives on innovation capability varies among cities in different geographical locations and administrative levels. This manuscript enriches studies on the values and impacts of OGD initiatives and also provides references for OGD implementation.

Initiatives, public trust, and citizen engagement during crises: A comparative analysis across Baltic states

The purpose of this study is to investigate the interplay between government initiatives, public trust in government, and citizen engagement within the context of two distinct crisis scenarios: a global health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and an international security crisis caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine. A two-stage biennial survey methodology is used to collect quantitative data. In the first phase, which took place in the context of a global health crisis, an omnibus survey was conducted, involving a randomly selected sample of 3,175 respondents from three Baltic countries: Estonia (n = 1002), Latvia (n = 1017), and Lithuania (n = 1006). In the second stage, which took place in the context of an international security crisis, a random sample was carried out of 2026 respondents from two Baltic countries: Estonia (n = 1002) and Lithuania (n = 1024). The analysis examined causal relationships in political, rational, and social trust.The findings reveal that the relationship between trust in the government and government initiatives that foster political, rational, or emotional trust is stronger during international security crises than during health crises. This means that citizens perceive government behavior as more credible in the context of external security threats. Research on the interaction between government behavior and citizen participation is more nuanced than on public trust. In general, government initiatives have a greater impact on citizen participation than public trust in both crises. This highlights the positive impact of government initiatives in cooperation with the population. AcknowledgmentThe study is financed from the funds of the study-supporting project “Research on the Management of Security and Defense Institutions of Small States” (General Jonas Žemaitis Lithuanian Military Academy, 2020-12-17, No. V-828).

The data quality and applicability of a Danish prehospital electronic health record: A mixed-methods study.

Without accurate documentation, it can be difficult to assess the quality of care and the impact of quality improvement initiatives. Prehospital lack of documentation of the basic measurements is associated with a twofold risk of mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate data quality in the electronic prehospital patient record (ePPR) system in the Region of Southern Denmark. In addition, we investigated ambulance professionals' attitudes toward the use of ePPR and identified barriers and facilitators to its use. We used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Phase one consisted of a retrospective assessment of the data quality of ePPR information, and phase two included semi-structured interviews with ambulance professionals combined with observations. We included patients who were acutely transported to an emergency department by ambulance in the Region of Southern Denmark from 2016 to 2020. Data completeness was calculated for each vital sign using a two-way table of frequency. Vital signs were summarised to calculate data correctness. Interviews and observations were analysed using thematic analysis. Overall, an improvement in data completeness and correctness was observed from 2016-2020. When stratified by age group, children (<12 years) accounted for the majority of missing vital sign registrations. In the thematic analysis, we identified four themes; ambulance professionals' attitudes, emergency setting, training and guidelines, and tablet and software. We found high data quality, but there is room for improvement. The ambulance professionals' attitudes toward the ePPR, working in an emergency setting, a notion of insufficient training in completing the ePPR, and challenges related to the tablet and software could be barriers to data completeness and correctness. It would be beneficial to include the end-user when developing an ePPR system and to consider that the tablet should be used in emergency situations.

Could Accountant Be Facilitator To Zero Net Emission Programs?

The study aims to highlight the role of accountants in supporting and facilitating the implementation of the Net Zero Emission Programme in Indonesia with a focus on emission measurement and reporting, sustainable financial management, related audits and verification, as well as its impact on environmental sustainability and the achievement of climate change targets. The research is based on a qualitative approach of literature review using data in the form of annual reports and sustainability reports from mining companies in 2022 as well as from various related research journals. The results of this study show that accountants have a key role to play in helping companies and organizations achieve zero emission targets while ensuring compliance with relevant regulations. They can also help in measuring the financial impact of sustainability initiatives and make transparent reports to stakeholders.

Advances in Stroke Neurorehabilitation.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide despite recent advances in hyperacute interventions to lessen the initial impact of stroke. Stroke recovery therapies are crucial in reducing the long-term disability burden after stroke. Stroke recovery treatment options have rapidly expanded within the last decade, and we are in the dawn of an exciting era of multimodal therapeutic approaches to improve post-stroke recovery. In this narrative review, we highlighted various promising advances in treatment and technologies targeting stroke rehabilitation, including activity-based therapies, non-invasive and minimally invasive brain stimulation techniques, robotics-assisted therapies, brain-computer interfaces, pharmacological treatments, and cognitive therapies. These new therapies are targeted to enhance neural plasticity as well as provide an adequate dose of rehabilitation and improve adherence and participation. Novel activity-based therapies and telerehabilitation are promising tools to improve accessibility and provide adequate dosing. Multidisciplinary treatment models are crucial for post-stroke neurorehabilitation, and further adjuvant treatments with brain stimulation techniques and pharmacological agents should be considered to maximize the recovery. Among many challenges in the field, the heterogeneity of patients included in the study and the mixed methodologies and results across small-scale studies are the cardinal ones. Biomarker-driven individualized approaches will move the field forward, and so will large-scale clinical trials with a well-targeted patient population.

How do patient and care experience data inform policy and practice? Insights from the Irish National Care Experience Programme

Abstract Issue Patient experiences are central to the delivery of quality, person-centred care and an important predictor of outcomes. Prior to 2017, there was no unified, national approach to the collection of care experience data in Ireland. Description of the problem The National Care Experience Programme is a partnership between a regulator, policy makers and the Irish public health service, with a suite of surveys of inpatient, maternity, nursing home and end of life care. The surveys aim to learn from people's feedback on health and social care services to identify areas of good experience and areas requiring improvement. Results Findings have informed national policies, including a healthcare communication programme to support staff to develop communication skills with patients and families. Survey data provide a key input to the Irish health quality indicator framework and the Health Systems Performance Assessment Framework, which assess the overall performance of the Irish health system. National Maternity Experience Survey results informed the allocation of funding for post-natal supports and new lactation consultant posts, and supported the implementation of a specialist perinatal mental health services model of care, leading to increased diagnosis and vigilance of mental health issues ante- and postnatally. National Nursing Home Experience Survey findings supported legislative amendments, including provision for the delivery of in-person advocacy awareness campaigns and the strengthening of complaints processes within nursing homes. Lessons In order to maximise the use of survey findings and ensure the voices of people using health and social care services are acted on, routine surveying of care experiences is required to track the impact of policy and practice initiatives. The programme is currently expanding to include people's experiences of cancer care and mental health services, in addition to exploring options for continuous, local care experience surveys.

Delivery of public health interventions by the ambulance sector: a scoping review

BackgroundWith millions of unscheduled patient contacts every year and increasing call outs clustered around the most deprived communities, it is clear the ambulance sector could have a role to play in improving population health. However, the application and value of a public health approach within the ambulance sector has not been comprehensively explored.A scoping review was undertaken to explore the role of the ambulance sector in the delivery of public health interventions and what impact this has on population health and ambulance sector outcomes.MethodsA search strategy was developed on MEDLINE and translated to other major medical and health related bibliographic databases (Embase; CINAHL; HMIC; Science and Social Sciences Citation Index; Cochrane Library) to identify literature published since 2000 in OECD countries. Targeted grey literature, reference list, and citation searching was also carried out.Search results were downloaded to Microsoft Excel and screened by three reviewers according to pre-determined inclusion / exclusion criteria. Data from included studies, such as the type of activity noted within the paper, the population involved and the public health approach that was utilised, was extracted from within the paper using a data extraction form and narratively synthesised.ResultsFifty-two references were included in the final review (37 database searching; 9 reference list searching; 6 grey literature).Included articles were categorised according to the relevant public health domains and subdomains as articulated by the UK Faculty of Public Health:Health improvement domain:Public health education and advice (Health promotion sub-domain) (n=13)Emergency Services personnel providing vaccines (Disease prevention sub-domain) (n=1)Health care public health domainParamedicine (Service delivery sub-domain) (n=30)Screening tools and referral pathways used by the ambulance sector (Service delivery sub-domain) (n=28)Health intelligence using ambulance sector data (population health management sub-domain) (n=26)Of note, some domains (e.g. health protection) returned nil results.DiscussionThe scoping review demonstrates the breadth of public health related activities in which the ambulance sector is involved. However, an overemphasis on demand management outcomes precludes definitive conclusions on the impact of ambulance sector-led public health initiatives on public health outcomes. Future evaluations of public health initiatives should incorporate wider health system perspectives beyond the immediately apparent remit of the ambulance sector.

Transferability exploration of weight based on ImageNet for galaxy classification

The accurate classification of galaxies is essential for understanding the structure of the cosmos and establishing connections with host haloes. Manual classification methods are time-consuming, subjective, and prone to errors. This study investigates the efficiency of automated galaxy categorization utilising transfer learning with pre-trained models from ImageNet by utilising deep learning techniques. The Galaxy10 DECals Dataset is used in the study, and the DenseNet-121 network architecture is used for transfer learning. Experiments are used to assess the effects of various ImageNet weight configurations on the performance of the model. The findings reveal that the model trained with 20% ImageNet data achieves the highest classification accuracy of 79% for galaxies. Grad-CAM visualisation further highlights the impact of weight initialization on categorisation by displaying the different focal points of models trained with various ImageNet weights. The results indicate that using higher weights from ImageNet transfers advanced features, whereas using fewer weights transfers basic features, potentially producing inaccurate results. Prior to transfer learning, the study emphasises the significance of choosing the best weights from ImageNet. The knowledge acquired aids in the classification of galaxies and offers direction for further study.

Impact of Smart City Initiatives on Urban Planning Strategies in Singapore: An In-Depth Analysis of Technology-Driven Solutions and Their Influence on Sustainable Development and Quality of Life

The article examined the multifaceted impact of smart city initiatives on urban planning strategies in Singapore, focusing specifically on how technology-driven solutions have influenced sustainable development and quality of life in the city-state. Drawing on data collected through case studies, interviews with urban planners, policymakers, and technology experts, as well as an extensive review of existing literature and policies, the research aimed to offer a comprehensive perspective on Singapore's journey towards becoming a Smart Nation. Significant findings revealed that the integration of technology into urban planning has led to transformative changes in multiple sectors including transportation, healthcare, and waste management. Investments in Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, data analytics platforms, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have not only streamlined city operations but also substantially improved citizens' living conditions. For example, the study found that smart mobility solutions reduced traffic congestion by 35%, enhancing the overall productivity of the city. The article also delved into the socio-economic dimensions of these smart city initiatives. It highlighted that while the technology has contributed to a 20% increase in energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions by 15%, there were challenges regarding data privacy and the digital divide. Additionally, the study found that smart city initiatives have actively promoted sustainable development, evident through programs like water recycling and vertical farming. Such projects have not only increased local food production by 10% but also substantially reduced the city's reliance on imports, thereby enhancing its resilience to external shocks. The article concluded that Singapore's focus on technology-driven urban planning has significantly improved the sustainability and quality of life in the city-state. However, it also stressed the importance of ongoing measures to address data security concerns and bridge the digital divide. Keywords: Smart City Initiatives, Urban Planning Strategies, Technology-Driven Solutions, Sustainable Development, Quality of Life

Bank-specific factors, market conditions and the riskiness of Islamic and conventional banks: evidence from recent quantile approaches

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how bank-specific factors affect the riskiness of conventional and Islamic banks in response to shocks in major financial indices as market conditions change.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a multivariate quantile model using daily equity returns data to analyze financial risk spillovers in the values at risk that may occur between major financial indices and the equity prices of conventional and Islamic banks worldwide. Then, using both quantile and quantile-on-quantile models, the authors examine the effects of bank-specific variables such as leverage ratio, bank size, return on equity and capital adequacy ratio on the initial impact of shocks in major global financial indices on bank equity price returns at different quantiles of shocks and bank-specific variables.FindingsThe findings reveal that major financial indices can predict bank stock returns. Moreover, the authors find that the effect of bank-specific factors on the riskiness of banks is heterogeneous in that it depends on the bank type (Islamic vs conventional), the level of banking variable (high vs low) and, more importantly, market conditions.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that compares the dual banking system with stock market performance while considering bank-specific variables as market conditions change. The results of this study reveal that the effect of bank-specific variables on bank performance varies according to different quantiles of shocks and bank-specific variables. Islamic banks may echo or differ from conventional banks depending on the specific factor under investigation.