Level Of Integration Research Articles

Analysis of interplay between food safety systems and halal standards in Indonesia

The present work aimed to develop a comprehensive certification process for halal food products within the Indonesian agribusiness, which integrates food safety and halal standards. The objective was to reduce financial barriers, certification burden, and workforce shortages currently impeding the establishment of quality halal food supply chains. To achieve this aim, Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) was used to elucidate the complex relationships between decision variables in the halal certification process. Data collection included interviews with sectoral experts overseeing food safety and halal compliance. The present work identified 17 strategic variables crucial to integrating the Halal Assurance System (HAS) with food safety using ISM analysis. The findings of the ISM model showed 11 hierarchical levels of integration between the HAS and food safety, identifying key factors influencing produce security mechanisms. Additionally, the present work emphasised the significance of transparency, proper handling of produce, and efficient certification processes for businesses operating in the global food sector. This proposed framework not only offers practical guidance for enhancing food security, but also correlated certification processes with supply chain objectives, thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.

How policy promotes the integration of culture and tourism? A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis based on the Policy Instrument Theory.

Crafting pertinent policies to facilitate the high-level integration of culture and tourism has now become a vital agenda within the current discourse in China. However, relatively little is known about the actual implementation of various policies to achieve a high-level integration, especially how combinations of policy instruments are deployed in the process of realization. Based on the Policy Instrument Theory, this study uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis on a sample of 31 provincial administrative regions in China to investigate the influence of typical policy instruments on the integration level of tourism and culture. The results show that each single policy tool is not necessary for high-level integration of culture and tourism. On the contrary, only through an organic combination of different policy tools can affect the integration level. This study also summarizes five policy instrument configurations, which can be grouped into four driving modes of culture-tourism integration: the environment-driven supply-demand coordination mode, supply-driven demand-environment coordination mode, supply-driven mode, and supply-driven environment coordination mode. This study considerably provides critical theoretical and practical insights into the integration of culture and tourism from the perspective of governmental policies.

A techno-economic model for flexibility-oriented planning of renewable-based power systems considering integrated features of generator, network, and energy storage systems

The transition towards renewable energy sources in power networks introduces challenges characterized by significant fluctuations and uncertainties. Addressing the need to identify factors influencing flexibility planning, this study presents a novel model for Adapting Flexible Resources with Renewable Energy Resources (AFR-RER). This model is designed to capture the complex interactions of generator-grid-storage flexibility, incorporating components such as Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS), tie lines, multipath adjustable units, network structure adjustments, and energy storage. The AFR-RER model is specifically developed to address the challenges arising from varying levels of renewable energy integration at different stages of carbon development. Its adaptability to accommodate diverse integration levels stands as a key feature. Furthermore, custom algorithms are devised to tackle the specific challenges posed by the AFR-RER model. To demonstrate the model's effectiveness, extensive case studies are conducted, evaluating its performance on both a modified IEEE two regional 24-test system and a real-world test system. The results of these case studies validate the resilience and practicality of the proposed AFR-RER model across various scenarios, highlighting its potential as a valuable tool for optimizing flexibility planning in power networks.

Mapping the Bounds for Integration of Blockchain Titles in a Torrens System

As land becomes increasingly expensive in Australia fewer people can afford it, with consequences for wealth distribution and housing. Real estate, in particular the family home, has formed a foundation for Australians’ wealth over many decades, but the possibility of home ownership has been deteriorating in recent years. Alternative proposals for property investment include issuing fractions of land title on blockchain with parallel registration in the land registry. While such proposals are technically feasible, they are silent as to the means of integrating the blockchain ledger with the land administration system. As the land administration system comprises multiple statutory processes, this article uses the Queensland system as a case study, to analyse the relevant statutes in terms of the integration of a fractionalised blockchain titles system. The aim is to identify the law reform necessary to achieve a high level of integration of fractionalised land titles on a blockchain, within an existing land administration system — without detracting from the policy goals of that system.

Two-Layer Optimization Method for Sharing Energy Storage and Energy considering Subjectivity

The high level of integration of distributed generation systems (DGSs), especially distributed wind and solar, significantly affects the flexibility and controllability of the power system. Aggregating local DGSs and shared energy storage systems (ESSs) within an energy community offers an economically and environmentally viable solution. However, the coupling of shared ESSs with the energy community, while considering subjectivity, is often overlooked. Therefore, this study introduces a two-layer optimization framework that enables DGSs to trade energy freely, voluntarily, and independently and to share ESSs within the energy community, considering participants’ subjectivity. The upper layer optimizes the size of shared ESSs, while the lower layer, structured as a two-layer model, simulates participant interactions. The numerical case shows that, compared to DGSs operating individually, the shared ESS case indicates that community self-sufficiency and self-consumption rates increase by 16.22% and 21.98%, respectively. Additionally, the annual operating cost is reduced by approximately 27.10%, and CO2 emissions are decreased by about 33.24%. Considering DGS’ subjectivity, the self-sufficiency and self-consumption rates are 3.04% lower, and the total operating costs and CO2 emissions are 3.26% and 6.86% higher, respectively.

Business Process Reengineering with a Circular Economy PDCA Model from the Perspective of Manufacturing Industry

In times of increasing awareness of sustainability and the need for efficient business processes, this study explores the integration of business process reengineering with circular economy principles within Serbian manufacturing organizations. Addressing the need for sustainable development, the research aims to propose and validate a model that harmonizes business process reengineering with the circular economy to improve environmental and organizational performance. The study conducted an extensive survey and analysis across 135 manufacturing organizations in Serbia, assessing their readiness and current practices in adopting circular economy strategies through business process reengineering, utilizing the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model. The findings reveal a moderate level of integration, with an average implementation score of 44.70% across surveyed organizations. Notably, organizations with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications demonstrated higher levels of model implementation. The study highlights the potential of integrating business process reengineering with circular economy principles as a path to sustainable manufacturing. It also highlights the need for targeted strategies to improve management commitment, resource allocation, and participation in sustainable practices. The research contributes valuable insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and academic discourse, advocating for a more systematic approach to embedding circular economy principles within organizational processes for a sustainable future.

Charting climate adaptation integration in smart building rating systems: a comparative study

Introduction:As the world is engulfed with the growing impacts of climate change, the integration of climate adaptation measures into building performance requirements is essential. In the era of the fourth industrial revolution, smart buildings are expected to be the next frontier in the realm of building rating systems after sustainability-based one. Smart buildings can play a pivotal role in addressing the evolving challenges of changing climate due to their temporal and spatial cross-scale nature.Methods:This study assesses the integration of climate hazard adaptation options within four prominent smart building rating systems (SBRS). Using a sectoral analysis approach and a 4-point Likert scale, we systematically evaluate the extent to which these rating systems incorporate climate adaptation measures directly or indirectly across multiple building sectors. We identify strengths and weaknesses in each system’s approach, highlighting areas where adaptation options are more profoundly addressed and sectors that require further attention.Results:The evaluation results reveal variations in the comprehensiveness of climate adaptation integration among the smart building rating systems. The SRBS show a high level of integration of climate adaptation measures in the urban sectors intrinsically tied to the smart building paradigm, such as communication sector, and the human wellbeing and organization sector. Nevertheless, the study also revealed that SBRS almost universally fall short in covering other vital domains such as building envelope and structure, water and sanitation, and blue and green infrastructure.Discussions:Complementing the SBRS with sustainability rating systems (GBRS) can effectively address the limitations in climate adaptation integration within SBRS. Moreover, the inherent interconnectedness of smart buildings with their surrounding infrastructure and the broader urban environment underscores the importance of the cross-scale consideration in the building rating domain in general and in climate related topics in particular, this interconnectedness also highlights a smart building’s reliance on its surrounding context for optimal functionality and the interdependency between the building and urban scale.

The Yangtze River Delta market integration and farmers ' income increase

Market integration is of great significance to increase farmers' income. Taking 27 core cities in the Yangtze River Delta from 2011 to 2021 as an example, an evaluation index system of market integration including 8 indicators is constructed from three perspectives: regional connection, scientific and technological innovation and environmental regulation, and the entropy method is used to comprehensively evaluate the level of market integration. The measurement results show that the level of market integration in the Yangtze River Delta is still severe, and the internal differences are large. Using two-way fixed effects, it is found that the level of market integration can significantly and positively affect the per capita disposable income of rural residents, and pass the robustness test; heterogeneity analysis found that the level of market integration can significantly positively affect high-level income rural residents, but not significantly affect low-and middle-income rural residents. Suggestions are put forward from the perspectives of optimizing market integration policy, paying attention to middle and low income farmers, and coordinating regional development, so as to provide reference for policy implementation path.

Community integration and its predictors in people with stroke: a multicenter longitudinal study.

To investigate the community integration of patients following stroke and determine the predictors of their level of community integration at 1-year follow-up. A multicenter, longitudinal, and observational study. Sixty-five inpatients (41 men) with a mean age of 56.9 (standard deviation = 17.0) years, who had their first stroke at least 1 month prior to this study were recruited from 4 rehabilitation inpatient wards in China. In the initial assessment, the participants were evaluated using the Community Integration Questionnaire, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, the Berg Balance Scale, the Modified Barthel Index, the Mini Mental State Examination, and the Modified Ashworth Scale. In the follow-up assessments, which were conducted via telephone no less than 1 year after discharge, the participants were evaluated using the Community Integration Questionnaire and also assessed for other disease-related conditions. The participants' scores on the Community Integration Questionnaire in the follow-up assessment were significantly greater than those at the initial assessment (p < 0.05). In addition, the participants' Community Integration Questionnaire scores in the follow-up assessment were significantly correlated with their ages, numbers of years of education, and Modified Barthel Index, Berg Balance Scale, Mini Mental State Examination scores in the initial assessment (p < 0.05), and marginally significantly correlated with their scores on Fugl-Meyer Assessment in the initial assessment (p = 0.058). The participants' ages, numbers of years of education, and Modified Barthel Index, Berg Balance Scale, Mini Mental State Examination, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the lower extremity, and Fugl-Meyer Assessment scores in the initial assessment were predictive of their Community Integration Questionnaire scores at follow-up, with coefficients of determination ranging from 0.254 to 0.056 (p < 0.05). The level of community integration of the participants was generally low, but it was greater at 1-year follow-up than it was initially. Balance function and daily living ability may be key predictors of community integration of patients following stroke.

Early integration of basic palliative care in cancer: scoping review of cross-sectorial models – components, facilitators, barriers

BackgroundShared care between oncology specialists and general practice regarding the delivery of palliative care (PC) is necessary to meet the demands for a cohesive PC. The primary objective of this...

Co-integration and Causality Analysis of “Castor” (Ricinus communis Oil) Markets in India

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is a major industrial oilseed crop. Because of its numerous uses in the manufacturing of a wide range of industrial uses, castor oil has risen significantly in importance in the global economy. The study examined market integration in major Castor markets in India, including Dhanera, Patan, Kurnool, and Yemmiganur. The co-integration analysis conducted revealed a high level of market integration, as evidenced by the significant positive and negative values of weekly Castor prices across all markets. Unit root tests indicated that the markets were non-stationary, but became stationary when analyzed at the first difference. Further analysis using Johansen's tests identified three cointegrating equations among the markets. The results of the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) demonstrated long-term price influences between markets. Specifically, Dhanera was found to be influenced by its own price, as well as by prices in Patan and Yemmiganur. Patan, on the other hand, was influenced by its own price, as well as by prices in Dhanera and Yemmiganur. Additionally, Kurnool and Yemmiganur were influenced by prices in neighboring markets.

Examining the impact of green technological specialization and the integration of AI technologies on green innovation performance: evidence from China.

China's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 has sparked scholars' interest in examining the environmental ramifications of green technologies in the digital era. While plenty of them provide eco-efficiency policy such as increasing R&D investment or stimulating green exports, little attention has been paid to the firm-level technological management and recombination strategies such as differentiation/specialization of green portfolios along with AI integration, which can significantly impact the pace of net-zero transitions. To address these gaps, this study investigates the moderating effect of technological specialization on levels of AI integration into green technologies estimated by green-AI technological distance and enterprises' innovation performance in Chinese contemporary contexts. Regression results of fixed-effect model in Chinese patent data (2011-2020) indicate that enterprises' green innovation performance is significantly improved as AI integrates more into the green technologies due to the legitimacy and the inability to appropriate more green values. Interestingly, specialized green-technological enterprises demonstrate superior performance in integrating distant AI technologies. This occurrence could potentially be driven by the governments' incentives and the organization's risk attitudes, shaping green innovation outcomes. Hence, the study underscores the importance of considering both the AI integration and green specialization in shaping innovation outcomes amidst green transitions.

A pilot study regarding the feasibility and efficacy of an outpatient treatment program for young adult high-risk offenders (YAHOP).

This pilot study examines whether the Young Adult Habitual Offender Program (YAHOP), an intensive and outpatient program, is related to a reduction in the general risk of recidivism, common forensic symptomology as well as cognitive distortions. The program integrity (PI) was assessed, with the intent to explore the relationship between the level of PI and any changes in several outcome variables. Additionally, the study examines whether participants with a migration background benefitted equally from YAHOP compared to participants with a native Dutch background. The sample comprised n = 90 high-risk young adult offenders. Results show a decrease in general risk of recidivism. The dynamic risk factors delinquent social network, insufficient impulse control, and dysfunctional problem-solving skills also show a decrease, as well as the forensic symptoms of aggression and anger. Effect sizes are small, except for anger, which has a medium effect size. We found no change in cognitive distortions and problematic substance use. YAHOP shows to be responsive and culturally sensitive, as the participants with a migration background show a significant decrease in general risk of recidivism. No moderator analysis was conducted due to an overall low level of program integrity. After improving program integrity, full-scale quantitative research is needed as YAHOP has the potential as a promising desistance program for high-risk offenders, as in this study the 56 non-completers were also included.

Blockchain-Enabled Security Solutions for Medical Device Integrity and Provenance in Cloud Environments

The current period of medicine using digital technology for patient care presents a new level of integration of monitoring devices with the cloud computing environment that enables the collection, storage and access to data in ways that were never possible earlier. As the obvious part of this development, it is worth noting that the objective of such innovation is mostly on the integrity of data, provenance and security. Data integrity from as well as security of the Internet connected healthcare devices should be assured in the first place to keep patient safety and protect data privacy along with improve data-based decision-making. The centralized system and crowded nature of the current equipment are susceptible to single point of failure, data breach and potential manipulations of data, which raise questions and create doubts with regards data management processes pertaining to medical device systems. This work is addressed to the analysis of a novel security system based on blockchain that guarantees the implementation of a high performance with the solution of two medical device integrity and provenance safety issues in the cloud ecosystem. Fundamentally differentiating from the centralized systems that exist today, blockchain technology that is based on distributed database architectures, immutable logs, and consensus mechanisms provides for a new way to bring reliability and traceability to the entire medical device data chain. The suggested procedure is based on properties of blockchain technology. Such a solution can help to provide a clear and secure audit trail for medical devices. Storing, securing and accessing the device data can be carried out credibly, maintaining these data’s integrity and provenance. Ultimately, the solution, rely on the implementation of smart contracts, cryptocurrency processes, and the confidentiality and privacy of data, can be the answer which make up the practice of secure data sharing, data accessing and complying with regulations. The journal creates a modular system combining Medical devices, a cloud platform, and Blockchain solution. The architecture is intended to display the blockchain network's essential components, data validation and access control, and secure data storage mechanisms. Furthermore, the recommended solution implies state-of-the-art security tools, such as data encryption, access control, and abidance by regulatory systems, including HIPAA and GDPR. Implementation of an actual scenario of the proof-of-concept and performance evaluation are done to show the efficiency and performance of the blockchain-based solution provided. The results suggest that the proposed solution can establish the data reliability level, record all the various versions of modifications, and strengthen the security and transparency of medical device data processing in cloud computing. Through the exploration of the applications of blockchain for medical data management that this study proposes, we are laying the foundations of a future healthcare environment, which is expected to be more secure and trustworthy, where the sensor data of medical devices can be reliably controlled and accessed without jeopardizing the patient's safety or data privacy. To a great extent, the suggested solution can contribute to building trust in the digital tools utilized in health care, leading to more well-informed clinical decisions and ultimately improving the patients' results.

Research on the Influence Effect of Digital Economy on Urban-Rural Integration Development

As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new era, the problem of unbalanced and insufficient development in China remains prominent at this stage. In the Vision 2035, "strengthening digital development" and achieving "agricultural modernization" and "significantly narrowing the development gap between urban and rural areas and the gap between the living standards of the population" will coincide with each other. The digitalization of urban-rural integration is both an opportunity and a challenge. This project focuses on the impact of digital economy development on urban-rural integration. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2010 to 2020, we conduct a systematic research on the impact of digital economy on urban-rural integration development, focusing on the three dimensions of theoretical analysis, empirical measurement and mechanism. Firstly, we reveal the spatial and temporal evolution of China's digital economy development; secondly, we conduct theoretical analysis through literature review and model construction; thirdly, we construct the index system of digital economy and urban-rural integration level and measure the level of urban-rural integration development; we adopt the random effect and fixed effect models to test the direct impact of digital economy development level on urban-rural integration development, and utilize the mediation effect model to validate the effect mechanism of digital economy on urban-rural integration; finally, we propose that digital economy contributes to the development of urban-rural integration. mechanism; and finally put forward the suggestions for digital economy to boost the high-quality development of urban-rural integration, with a view to realizing the development of rural digital economy and promoting urban-rural integrated development.

Analisis Integrasi Dinamis Pasar Modal Indonesia terhadap Pasar Modal ASEAN Pasca Berlakunya Masyarakat Ekonomi ASEAN

This research intends to understand the dynamic integration of the Indonesian capital market with the ASEAN Capital Market before and after the implementation of the MEA (ASEAN Economic Community) or AEC. The sample used in this observation is a series of data collected in the period January 2011 to December 2015 before the MEA was implemented and January 2016 to December 2022 after the MEA was implemented, while the capital markets studied were the Indonesian Stock Exchange, Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, Stock Exchange Singapore, Philippine Stock Exchange and Thai Stock Exchange. This research analyzes the dynamic integration of the Indonesian capital market towards ASEAN after the implementation of the MEA using the Orthogonal Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (OGARCH) method which can manifest the level of integration in a measurable way. The results of this research are that there is co-movement among the ASEAN capital markets studied, however, not all ASEAN capital markets are fully integrated. The results of this observation also found that the Indonesian Stock Exchange, Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, Thailand Stock Exchange and Singapore Stock Exchange were integrated but the Philippine Stock Exchange was not. The Philippine Stock Exchange tends to be segmented rather than integrated.

Highly Integrated Perovskite Solar Cells‐Based Photorechargeable System with Excellent Photoelectric Conversion and Energy Storage Ability

Perovskite solar cells have emerged as a promising technology for renewable energy generation. However, the successful integration of perovskite solar cells with energy storage devices to establish high‐efficiency and long‐term stable photorechargeable systems remains a persistent challenge. Issues such as electrical mismatch and restricted integration levels contribute to elevated internal resistance, leading to suboptimal overall efficiency (ηoverall) within photorechargeable systems. Additionally, the compatibility of perovskite solar cells with electrolytes from energy storage devices poses another significant concern regarding their stability. To address these limitations, we demonstrate a highly integrated photorechargeable system that combines perovskite solar cells with a solid‐state zinc‐ion hybrid capacitor using a streamlined process. Our study employs a novel ultraviolet‐cured ionogel electrolyte to prevent moisture‐induced degradation of the perovskite layer in integrated photorechargeable system, enabling perovskite solar cells to achieve maximum power conversion efficiencies and facilitating the monolithic design of the system with minimal energy loss. By precisely matching voltages between the two modules and leveraging the superior energy storage efficiency, our integrated photorechargeable system achieves a remarkable ηoverall of 10.01% while maintaining excellent cycling stability. This innovative design and the comprehensive investigations of the dynamic photocharging process in monolithic systems, not only offer a reliable and enduring power source but also provide guidelines for future development of self‐power off‐grid electronics.

Highly integrated automatic injection terahertz microfluidic biosensor based on metasurface and LT-GaAs photoconductive antenna

In this paper, a highly integrated terahertz (THz) biosensor is proposed and implemented, which pioneered the preparation of low-temperature gallium arsenide (LT-GaAs) thin film photoconductive antenna (PCA) on the sensor for direct generation and detection of THz waves, simplifying complex terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) systems. A latch type metasurface is deposited in the detection region to produce a resonance absorption peak at 0.6 THz that is independent of polarisation. Microfluidics is utilised and automatic injection is incorporated to mitigate the experimental effects of hydrogen bond absorption of THz waves in aqueous-based environment. Additionally, cell damage is minimised by regulating the cell flow rate. The biosensor was utilised to detect the concentration of three distinct sizes of bacteria with successful results. The assay was executed as a proof of concept to detect two distinct types of breast cancer cells. Based on the experimental findings, it has been observed that the amplitude and blueshift of the resonance absorption peaks have the ability to identify and differentiate various cancer cell types. The findings of this study introduce a novel approach for developing microfluidic THz metasurface biosensors that possess exceptional levels of integration, sensitivity, and rapid label-free detection capabilities.

Psychological and physical factors related to social integration of older adults in Ghana

BackgroundGlobally, older adults aged 60 years and over are outnumbering children under 5 and young people aged 15–24. Much evidence exists on the importance of high social integration and positive quality of life and health outcomes. However, evidence on how older adults are socially integrated in Ghanaian communities is limited. This study examined how self-reported well-being and quality of life (psychological and physical (psycho-physical) factors) predict the social integration of older adults in Ghana.MethodsA secondary analysis of longitudinal survey data of the 2014/15 Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE Wave 2) conducted by the World Health Organization was applied. Older adults aged 60 years and older (n = 1,927) were included in this study. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to examine psycho-physical factors associated with high social integration among older adults. The output was reported as odds ratios (OR).ResultsIn general, social integration varied based on older adults’ demographic characteristics. Those in rural communities had lower odds of having high social integration (OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.56,1.03) when compared with older adults in urban areas. Having high physical and psychological well-being was associated with high social integration (OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.41, 2.57), (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.56, 2.69). However, older adults with high levels of emotional and spiritual well-being were 9% and 7% (respectively) less likely to experience a high level of social integration (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.71,1.24), (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.60,1.04).ConclusionThe higher the level of self-reported psychological and physical well-being, the higher the social integration for older adults aged 60 years and over. However, the higher the level of self-reported emotional well-being and spiritual well-being, the less likely to have high social integration. Improved social integration or participation in society for older adults with high emotional and spiritual well-being is needed. The findings of this study highlight the need for policymakers and stakeholders to consider psycho-physical factors as an important public health tool and metric to encourage more research on the well-being of older adults in Ghana.

Investigating the Determinants of Macroeconomic Factors on Outward FDI of Vietnam: The Gravity Model Approach

Objective: The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the motivations of Vietnam’s outward FDI. Theoretical framework: We extend the gravity model proposed by by Tinbergen (1962) and developed by Ryan W. Tang et. al (2022); Correa da Cunha et. al (2022), Hui-Ching Hsieh et. al (2019) to evaluate the influence of macroeconomic factors of Vietnam and the host countries on the volume of Vietnam’s OFDI flow. Method: This paper intends to analyze the motivations of outward FDI pattern of Vietnam using the gravity theory and panel data of 15 main OFDI host economies during a 2007-2021 period. Results and discussion: The regression results confirm that the size of the economy, social index, common borderline and level of economic integration have positive influence on OFDI flows of Vietnam. Meanwhile, geographical distance has negative effect on OFDI flows Implications: As practical policy recommendations, it is suggested to implement measures aimed at enhancing trade relations and to introduce a new strategy regarding the policy for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in neighboring regions. Originality: To the best of author’s knowledge, there has not been any in-depth academic study focusing on the Vietnam’s outward FDI. In addition, robustness checks have been conducted to ensure the validation of empirical findings.