Large Projects Research Articles

Extended Projection Distance and Sidelobe Suppression of THz Bessel Beam With Combined Axicons

Extended Projection Distance and Sidelobe Suppression of THz Bessel Beam With Combined Axicons

ПРОГНОЗ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОГО ЭФФЕКТА ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ ИИ В СТРОИТЕЛЬСТВЕ: АНАЛИЗ И АКТУАЛЬНОСТЬ

Based on the statement about the forecast of the economic effect from the use of artifi-cial intelligence (AI) in construction and the indicators of past years, an analysis of the hypothesis was carried out, and the feasibil-ity of long-term planning in the process of investing in innovative projects was substan-tiated. The construction industry is one of the fundamental ones and therefore all new technologies and developments must be analyzed for the long term before being in-troduced into production. The conducted study of the hypothesis about the economic effect of introducing AI in construction proved the relevance of forecasting and the need to analyze such forecasts using vari-ous methods. Some ways to solve potential problems that are likely during the imple-mentation of large projects are proposed, and a vector for further research in the field of partnership between companies in the construction industry is formed.

Formation of Economic Sovereignty of the Russian Federation: Regional Aspect

The relevance of the research topic is determined by the development and improvement of the state policy for the formation of economic sovereignty of the Russian Federation. The import substitution policy implemented in recent years has yielded positive economic solutions that make it possible not to experience a shortage of goods and production components. With the support of federal and regional authorities, the subjects of economic sovereignty formation (special economic zones, industrial parks, industrial and innovation clusters, etc.) are actively developing. Purpose. The main purpose of the study is to substantiate promising areas for ensuring the economic sovereignty of the Russian Federation in the context of the development of regional investment infrastructure. Objectives: of the study are as follows: substantiation of the directions for ensuring economic sovereignty, analysis and assessment of investments in fixed assets of the regions of the Central Federal District, study of the rating of the subjects of the Central Federal District in terms of investments in fixed assets. Methodology. The methodological basis of the study was the works of domestic scientists in the field of theory and practice of economic policy, economic regulation, and increasing the stability of the economy in the face of sanctions. The results of the study show that the most promising areas for ensuring economic sovereignty are the financing of infrastructure and high-tech industries, the development and support of industrial parks, industrial clusters, the development of investment activity, including through the support of large investment projects, and increasing the efficiency of investments in fixed assets. Conclusions. The results of the study show that the most promising areas for ensuring economic sovereignty are the financing of infrastructure and high-tech industries, the development and support of industrial parks, industrial clusters, the development of investment activity, including through the support of large investment projects, and increasing the efficiency of investments in fixed assets.

Illuminating the Future: Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Installation of LED Street Lights in Townships

Municipalities face decisions about maintaining and upgrading their streetlighting. Do they continue to replace bulbs in their existing lighting systems, or move to energy-efficient systems piecemeal or all at once? This research paper argues that the financial and environmental benefits of a complete shift to efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures make the investment worthwhile. Analysis of data from Tredyffrin Township in southeastern Pennsylvania, that is currently making the switch to LED lighting systems, supports the conclusion that committing to one-time full replacement can maximize energy savings and that the issuance of green bonds, over standard municipal bonds, for financing is both viable and advantageous as it can lead to additional savings and budget surplus. Despite a higher initial investment, the extended lifespan of LED lights, compared with Mercury Vapor (MV) lamps, drastically lowers maintenance and replacement costs, leading to considerable long-term savings. By using green bonds, a financing instrument made available for environmentally beneficial projects, a municipality's financing costs can be kept low and large projects can be undertaken, for the fullest financial and environmental benefit.

Amphibian Distribution and Habitats in Northwestern Saudi Arabia

More effort is needed to study wild animals, especially if they depend on a specific type of habitat. The amphibian community in Saudi Arabia needs additional research attention since not all potentially suitable habitats, particularly those in northern areas, have been studied. Different wetland habitats in Tabuk Province in northwestern Saudi Arabia were surveyed for amphibians in 2021 and 2022. Interestingly, only the Arabian toad was recorded at the sites visited. This finding contributes valuable data to the current amphibian distribution map of Saudi Arabia and suggests the great capacity of this species to inhabit habitats with different conditions and characteristics. Habitat destruction and potential sources of pollution were observed in some of the sites surveyed and, importantly, large construction projects are under way in the majority of amphibian habitats in Tabuk Province. Therefore, further effort is required to explore the less studied areas of Saudi Arabia to aid in the conservation of species, especially those such as amphibians that require specific habitat conditions.

New frontiers in delivering public infrastructure

AbstractDelivering infrastructure in a timely and efficient manner to provide public value remains challenging despite the theoretical developments that have been made. What do we know that could help to deliver quality and energy‐efficient infrastructure, what are current challenges and how could we overcome them? This State‐of‐the‐Art Review article attempts to uncover underlying themes, including the governance of large infrastructure projects, the importance of innovation and contractual arrangements, and social and environmental acceptability. A current review of major Canadian contributions is offered, and promising research avenues are proposed.

The demographic and diagnostic profile of women with intellectual disability and mental health disorder in New South Wales and patterns of service use: A data linkage study

AbstractBackgroundCurrent evidence indicates that intellectual disability and gender are both factors in differential usage of services. However, there are limited data about the demographic and service usage patterns of people with intellectual disability who use mental health services. This is particularly true in relation to women with intellectual disability with mental ill health. Interrogation of large‐scale linked data sets can provide valuable insights into patterns of service usage among marginalised groups.MethodA large collaborative data linkage project was assembled with the overarching aim of providing an epidemiological profile of the health (including mental health), health service use, mortality and other service system contacts of people with intellectual disability in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. These linked data were used to interrogate the demographic, diagnostic and service use profiles of women with intellectual disability who have sought mental health support in NSW.ResultsThe linked data demonstrated important differences in patterns of diagnosis and service use for women with intellectual disability and mental health disorders, when compared to women without intellectual disability and men with and without intellectual disability, with mental health disorders. The diagnostic profile of women with intellectual disability reflected the gendered nature of diagnoses found in the wider population. Women with intellectual disability also experienced higher rates of diagnostic instability than other groups.ConclusionsThe intersection between gender, intellectual disability and mental health has an effect on diagnostic profile and patterns of service use for women with intellectual disability. These differences are important and may impact targeted service delivery and planning for women with intellectual disability who have sought mental health support.

Moving On: Rethinking Practice and Transforming Data at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge

Scholarly attention is increasingly focusing on museum catalogues: their histories, challenges and, as this paper explores, their potential. Many databases contain outdated information and offensive language, the legacy of colonial-era knowledge production and digitization processes that translated catalogue cards into database entries. Much has been written about the potential of catalogues to act as sites of contact and collaboration, as well as how institutions can and should mitigate harm stemming from discriminatory language within their catalogues. Yet as museum practitioners are acutely aware, the extensive work required to enact change throughout a database is rarely perceived as exciting enough to garner dedicated project funding. This paper uses the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Stores Move Project (2020–2024) as a case study to illustrate how museums can, and realistically must, integrate critical documentation work into larger projects in order to achieve these objectives. The authors first engage with MAA’s own history of collecting and cataloguing, before detailing how collections staff have incorporated documentation priorities (re-cataloguing, historicizing data, and addressing bias) into the larger Project. They conclude with the hope that by making this work more visible and demonstrating its value, such projects might attract dedicated funding in the future.

Alkaline pulping catalyzed ordered conversion of bark in supercritical water

The hydrophilicity of lignocellulosic biomass hinders the application of a high concentration slurry for supercritical water gasification, thereby reducing the gasification efficiency and energy self-sufficiency. A pretreatment method of alkaline pulping with KOH and NaOH was proposed to achieve the high feed concentration for continuous reactor and macromolecular simplification for barrier reduction of conversion. In this study, bark as an example of lignocellulosic biomass, whose 30 wt% and 40 wt% slurries with favorable rheology and stability, was prepared by alkaline pulping successfully. The minimum alkali consumption of NaOH and KOH pulping for 30 wt% and 40 wt% were 11%–14%, 16%–20%, and 16%–21%, 23%–28%, respectively. The most economical conditions were 180 °C and 24% KOH addition. All slurries prepared by NaOH and KOH at 180 and 200 °C could satisfy the industrial standard of coal-water slurry, and only 3–5 times higher than water viscosity. The bark macromolecules were restructured due to the hydrolysis of cellulose and lignin by breaking down the hydrogen bond and ether bond with trivial hydrocarbon matrix loss. The scattered crystal growth facilitated the uniform premixing of bark and water. Meanwhile, a surface particle charges potential increase leading to a heightened repulsive force by alkaline pulping furtherly enhanced the premixing effect. Additionally, metal ions could be deposited onto the bark surface during alkaline pulping. The chemical modification leading by alkaline pulping achieved the premixing of feedstock and water to form bark slurry. The conversion barrier was decreased to fulfill the ordered conversion, and 95.66% gasification efficiency for 40 wt% bark slurry was displayed at 600 °C with a preheated water of 6. Phenolic compounds and hydrocarbons were the most dominant components in liquid products. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in liquid products were detected at 620 °C with a preheated water of 4. The functional groups of organic matter in the slurry were significantly converted into the gas phase, and lattice oxygen was produced in the solid product. The alkali recovery was 65% at the optimal gasification condition, and achieved the maximum of 80% at 580 °C. The successful completion of this research affirms the dominance of the pulping-alkali recovery-gasification method for expanding the application of SCWG of lignocellulosic biomass in large engineering projects.

Does the South-to-North Water Diversion Project promote the growth of enterprises above designated size in the water-receiving areas?-Evidence from 31 provincial-level administrative regions in China.

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP) is believed to drive the next phase of sustainable productivity growth, meeting growing water demand, so as to address increasing environmental sustainability challenges. The Middle Route of SNWDP is regarded as an extremely large long-distance inter-basin water diversion project, which has benefited Henan, Hebei, Tianjin and Beijing since 2014 with great sustainable changes to the cities, groundwater, ecological environment, industrial structure and social development of the beneficiary areas. Taking the number of industrial enterprises above designated size (IEDS) in the water-receiving areas as the research object, this paper takes the year of policy implementation 2014 as the basic time point, evaluating the change of the number of IEDS in the beneficiary areas of the Middle Route of SNWDP through difference-in-difference model. The results show that: (1) The Middle Route of SNWDP promotes the additional growth of the number of IEDS in the beneficiary areas. (2) When the Middle Route of SNWDP promotes the growth of the number of IEDS in beneficiary areas, there is no regional difference for regions with different development levels. (3) The reasons why the Middle Route of SNWDP contributes to the additional growth of the number of IEDS are composed of promoting mixed ownership reform of enterprises in beneficiary areas, increasing water supply and increasing population. However, the Middle Route of SNWDP has not had a significant impact on the traditional total factor productivity or the components of production factors, technology and capital. From the final outcome, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has played a facilitating role in the sustainable development of large-scale enterprises in the water-receiving areas.

Towards the mechanical characterisation of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: Numerical modelling of interactions between a deformation device and the aneurysm wall

Intracranial aneurysm is a critical pathology related to the arterial wall deterioration. This work is an essential aspect of a large scale project aimed at providing clinicians with a non-invasive patient-specific decision support tool regarding the rupture risk assessment. A machine learning algorithm links the aneurysm shape observed and a database of UIA clinical images associated with in vivo wall mechanical properties and rupture characterisation. The database constitution is derived from a device prototype coupled with medical imaging. It provides the mechanical characterisation of the aneurysm from the wall deformation obtained by inverse analysis based on the variation of luminal volume. Before performing in vivo tests of the device on small animals, a numerical model was built to quantify the device’s impact on the aneurysm wall under natural blood flow conditions. As the clinician will never be able to precisely situate the device, several locations were considered. In preparation for the inverse analysis procedure, artery material laws of increasing complexity were studied (linear elastic, hyper elastic Fung-like).Considering all the device locations and material laws, the device induced relative displacements to the Systole peak (worst case scenario with the highest mechanical stimulus linked to the blood flow) ranging from 375 μm to 1.28 mm. The variation of luminal volume associated with the displacements was between 0.95 % and 4.3 % compared to the initial Systole volume of the aneurysm. Significant increase of the relative displacements and volume variations were found with the study of different cardiac cycle moments between the blood flow alone and the device application. For forthcoming animal model studies, Spectral Photon CT Counting, with a minimum spatial resolution of 250 μm, was selected as the clinical imaging technique. Based on this preliminary study, the displacements and associated volume variations (baseline for inverse analyse), should be observable and exploitable.

Could a playful approach to teaching be a path to resonant connections? Experiences from teacher education in Denmark

Creative and playful approaches to teaching in teacher education emerge these years. Due to the increasing focus on performance, pace, visible goals, and efficiency in the educational systems within the Western societies, there seem to be a search for new answers when organising teaching within teacher education—also for the future. Based on empirical material created in a large research project in teacher education in Denmark, this paper analyses how playful approaches can contribute to improving conditions for a holistic approach to education, and how these approaches must be linked to concrete pedagogical actions. By applying a theoretical framework of playful approaches to learning in teacher education based on Rosa, Lennon and Skovbjerg, the main contribution of the paper is to point to both pedagogical directions and clarifications when working with playful approaches in teacher education.

The Optimization of Automobile Part Product Development Using Integrated Product Development (IPD)

This paper studies a new integrated product development (IPD) process at an automobile parts company. The process includes benchmarking and offers four optimization strategies for the new product development process: (1) re-structuring the new product development organization astraddle department teams, (2) reshaping the new product development and selection process already at the planning and conceptual design stages, (3) optimizing the design review process at the engineering stage, and (4) establishing a product development team with large project manager responsibilities in the industrialization stage so as to give full play to the guiding role of expert resources. This paper can help enhance the competitiveness of domestic auto parts enterprises compared to leading foreign auto parts enterprises.

Post-Digital Connectivities: Framing Offline Encounters in a Digital Prospection Space

Abstract This paper explores the use of mobile technologies in facilitating offline encounters, through a post-digital lens which posits the digital not as new or disruptive but as a ubiquitous and accepted part of everyday social connectivities. In the paper, we explore ways in which migrants draw on jointly assembled semiotic repertoires, affordances, and constraints of the digital space, as well as cultural knowledge and spatial relating, to establish common ground and an interpretative framework for engaging in ensuing offline encounters. Drawing on an interactional analysis of data from a large linguistic ethnographic project, we focus on how a group of Polish immigrants who live in different parts of London bring their offline contexts and socially or culturally motivated expectations into their interactions to facilitate alignment in interactional frames in the context of limited familiarity with each other. Overall, our analysis points to the role of group messaging in creating a digital prospection space in which a joint frame of reference can be interactively constructed in anticipation of an offline encounter.

The Mediterranean forest in a science museum: engaging children through drawings that come to life in a virtual world

This paper presents "The Mediterranean Forest," an interactive exhibit designed for the Science Museum of Valencia. The exhibit engages children aged 3–8 by bringing their animal drawings to life in a virtual world. The system allows children to select, paint, scan, and transform drawings into three-dimensional avatars. These virtual animals interact with each other in the environment and with the children in the room. The exhibit is a collaborative space, where users can manipulate the real world, that promotes learning by exploration. The proposed solution integrates various cutting-edge technologies, including a large Virtual Reality projection system with blending techniques, Kinect devices for the interactivity, cheoptics hologram technology for realistic 3D visuals, and AI-driven virtual avatars simulating different behaviors and reacting to the user’s approach. The exhibit was evaluated through a study involving children, with feedback collected using a tailored questionnaire and the results indicated high levels of engagement and enjoyment among the children, with the majority expressing positive experiences. Some questions were not understandable for some children, which should be considered for future formal evaluation. The system's intuitiveness allowed children to navigate and interact with the virtual environment. The exhibit also demonstrates scalability, accommodating large groups of children effectively. Overall, "The Mediterranean Forest" successfully captivates children's attention, fostering creativity and imagination by transforming their drawings into a dynamic virtual world. This study underscores the benefits of using interactive technologies in museum settings to enhance children's learning experiences, encouraging further advancements in this field.

Design Considerations for a Multiple-Choice Assessment of Socio-Scientific Systems Thinking

This design case details the design process of a multiple-choice assessment of socio-scientific systems thinking. This assessment is situated within a larger project that aims to understand the ways students use multiple scientific models to understand complex socio-scientific issues. In addition to the research component, this project entails developing curriculum and assessment resources that support science teaching and learning. We begin this paper by framing the needs that motivated the design of this assessment and introducing the design team. We then present a narrative outlining the design process, focusing on key challenges that arose and the ways these challenges influenced our final design. We conclude this paper with a discussion of the compromises that had to be made in the process of designing this instrument.

IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT: OPPORTUNITIES AND SOFTWARE ANALYSIS

The article considers the role of the IT industry in the economy of Ukraine, its revival and development against the background of difficult conditions. The authors emphasize the importance of optimizing management processes. IT service management includes the design, provision, administration and improvement of IT services in an organization or company. Thanks to this, the IT organization can support all business processes as much as possible, because existing software tools can be used not only to optimize IT. In recent years, they have been increasingly used for business processes and other industries. Means of automatic rescheduling of tasks become especially important for large projects taking into account resource limitations, when the manager is not able to independently analyze the reasons for the lack of resources and find a solution for each specific type of work. The publication analyzes modern software tools for IT project management, focusing on three key tools: Jira, Miro and Figma. These programs help streamline project management, increase the efficiency of IT companies and reduce time and resource costs. The article also covers popular alternatives to these tools such as Lucidchart, Cacoo, RealtimeBoard, and Conceptboard. It is the services discussed in the article that are designed to automate current tasks, and a single data environment helps to improve methodology, communication and speed up the work of service departments. Tracking completed tasks and evaluating employee performance makes it easier to distribute the workload of an enterprise's IT team, as well as evaluate its effectiveness. Thus, thanks to its clear structure, IT product management allows to create effective and sustainable solutions. In the future, it is planned to conduct research aimed at summarizing the practice of using software products in the IT industry.

The Impacts of Climate Change on Renewable Energy Sector: A Review

‌The energy sector is a complex institutional framework that includes many ministries, government agencies, aid agencies, and international organizations. Electricity levels have increased fivefold between then and now. Thousands of renewable projects have been implemented in rural areas. Many large energy projects have been built, renovated, the institutional, policy and regulatory landscape has improved to some extent, and transmission lines and distribution networks have been expanded. Despite the lack of reliable data, Afghanistan has significant reserves of fossil fuels and a promising future for renewable energy. For the next several decades, the country's wind power capacity alone will probably exceed the projected demand for electricity. Serious problems including the need for energy, the depletion of fossil fuels and their impact on the environment have drawn attention to renewable energy sources in the last ten years. Because of this, there is a growing consensus to prioritize sustainable energy systems based on energy, especially renewable energy sources that produce no pollution or emissions. The research study concludes with the involvement of renewable energy technologies with minimum operating and external cost as the best option in the future. From a policy point of view, steps must be taken in the field of renewable energy and technological innovation that require biomass resources that are associated with unsustainable long-term investments.

Motivational drivers for health professionals in a large quality improvement collaborative project in Brazil: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe success of collaborative quality improvement (QI) projects in healthcare depends on the context and engagement of health teams; however, the factors that modulate teams’ motivation to participate in these projects are still unclear. The objective of the current study was to explore the barriers to and facilitators of motivation; the perspective was health professionals in a large project aiming to implement evidence-based infection prevention practices in intensive care units of Brazilian hospitals.MethodsThis qualitative study was based on content analysis of semistructured in-depth interviews held with health professionals who participated in a collaborative QI project named “Improving patient safety on a large scale in Brazil”. In accordance with the principle of saturation, we selected a final sample of 12 hospitals located throughout the five regions of Brazil that have implemented QI; then, we conducted videoconference interviews with 28 health professionals from those hospitals. We encoded the interview data with NVivo software, and the interrelations among the data were assessed with the COM-B model.ResultsThe key barriers identified were belief that improvement increases workload, lack of knowledge about quality improvement, resistance to change, minimal involvement of physicians, lack of supplies, lack support from senior managers and work overload. The primary driver of motivation was tangible outcomes, as evidenced by a decrease in infections. Additionally, factors such as the active participation of senior managers, teamwork, learning in practice and understanding the reason for changes played significant roles in fostering motivation.ConclusionThe motivation of health professionals to participate in collaborative QI projects is driven by a variety of barriers and facilitators. The interactions between the senior manager, quality improvement teams, and healthcare professionals generate attitudes that modulate motivation. Thus, these aspects should be considered during the implementation of such projects. Future research could explore the cost-effectiveness of motivational approaches.

Analysis of the carbon effect of high-standard basic farmland based on the whole life cycle

Based on the whole life cycle theory, the carbon effect of three different sizes of high-standard basic farmland construction projects is measured and analysed. The results show that the carbon emissions generated during the construction of high-standard basic farmland projects and the carbon absorption capacity at the later stage are different for projects of different sizes. The carbon emissions of different scales of high-standard basic farmland projects will increase during the construction stage. The results of carbon effect changes in the later operation and management stage show that the high-standard basic farmland construction projects will help reduce the carbon emissions of the field ecosystem where the farmland is located and increase its carbon sink capacity after the completion of construction, which is more obvious in larger projects. The emission reduction and carbon sequestration capacity of the farmland after remediation are improved to different degrees, which is more conducive to the ecological development of agricultural production and ecological environmental protection in the relevant areas. The study contributes to the green development of farmland, which is of some significance for the sustainable development of agriculture in Tianjin and the whole country.